"Procol Harum" is the self-titled debut studio album by English rock band Procol Harum. It was released in September 1967 by record label Regal Zonophone and was recorded at Olympic Studios in London. Produced by Denny Cordell, it was only a modest commercial success but is nevertheless considered a landmark album of the psychedelic era.
The core of the band features vocalist Gary Brooker, composer Robinson Trower, and lyricist Keith Reid. Their sound blends classical, blues, and rock musics, with Reid's evocative lyrics often exploring themes of love, war, and death.
The album is most famous for its opening track, "A Whiter Shade of Pale", a seminal proto-prog hit and a staple of classic rock radio. This song reached No.1 in the UK and stayed there for six weeks, and kept featuring in various charts around the world for many years.
Subsequent tracks, like "Conquistador" and "She Wandered Through the Garden Fence", highlight the band's distinctive use of the Hammond organ and Brooker's soulful voice. Despite changing trends in popular music, Procol Harum's unique sound earned them a devoted fan base, and their debut album maintains a reputation as a touchstone of 60s psychedelic rock.
