I was stoked on hearing Home when was first issued almost forty years ago, for despite the whimsically silly cover artwork, on the vinyl itself was the darkest record Procol Harum has recorded. Song after song turns to the dreaded subject of death and I just love it. Keith Reid really let loose with a demonic vision here. So why am I giving this Salvo reissue only four stars? The main reason is that the only extras are a couple of raw tracks and they happen to be of my least favorite songs on the album. I already own an earlier remaster that offers much more in the way of extras but which is not as aurally exciting. So then the strength of this reissue lies not only in the crispness of the sound, but in the superior quality of the insert.
Home was a turning point for the band as the softening influence of Matthew Fisher's organ and occasional vocal was history and Robin Trower's searing guitar came more into the fore. Also Chris Copping came on board replacing Fisher on organ and doubling as bassist. Copping's keyboard style was more muscular than that of Fisher, so with all the changes the band's music took on a harder edge.
My favorites have remained the same over the years: the creepy The Dead Man's Dream; the plaintive Nothing That I Didn't Know; the rousing About To Die; the enigmatic Barnyard Story; and the soaring Piggy Pig Pig which gets so much from Copping's organ. Many people I know never got beyond Whisky Train and many others think Still There'll Be More and Whaling Stories are the most memorable cuts. My opinion is that Whisky Train, while good, is pretty basic and repetitive. Still There'll be More has a good theme, but I find it lyrically weak from the first couple of lines and that detracts from the rest of it. As for Whaling Stories, it is too drawn out and also lyrically weak at times. Your Own Choice sounds like an afterthought and seems out of place on the album.
Those quibbles aside, of course Home is a great album overall. And if you already own it in a variety of formats, the best reason to buy this one is the informative and attractively illustrated booklet that accompanies the CD. The booklet is helpful to the listener in many ways, not least because it discusses each song. Overall, I think Salvo is doing a fine job on the PH remasters. I am certain to buy an example of each.
I was stoked on hearing Home when was first issued almost forty years ago, for despite the whimsically silly cover artwork, on the vinyl itself was the darkest record Procol Harum has recorded. Song after song turns to the dreaded subject of death and I just love it. Keith Reid really let loose with a demonic vision here. So why am I giving this Salvo reissue only four stars? The main reason is that the only extras are a couple of raw tracks and they happen to be of my least favorite songs on the album. I already own an earlier remaster that offers much more in the way of extras but which is not as aurally exciting. So then the strength of this reissue lies not only in the crispness of the sound, but in the superior quality of the insert. Home was a turning point for the band as the softening influence of Matthew Fisher's organ and occasional vocal was history and Robin Trower's searing guitar came more into the fore. Also Chris Copping came on board replacing Fisher on organ and doubling as bassist. Copping's keyboard style was more muscular than that of Fisher, so with all the changes the band's music took on a harder edge. My favorites have remained the same over the years: the creepy The Dead Man's Dream; the plaintive Nothing That I Didn't Know; the rousing About To Die; the enigmatic Barnyard Story; and the soaring Piggy Pig Pig which gets so much from Copping's organ. Many people I know never got beyond Whisky Train and many others think Still There'll Be More and Whaling Stories are the most memorable cuts. My opinion is that Whisky Train, while good, is pretty basic and repetitive. Still There'll be More has a good theme, but I find it lyrically weak from the first couple of lines and that detracts from the rest of it. As for Whaling Stories, it is too drawn out and also lyrically weak at times. Your Own Choice sounds like an afterthought and seems out of place on the album. Those quibbles aside, of course Home is a great album overall. And if you already own it in a variety of formats, the best reason to buy this one is the informative and attractively illustrated booklet that accompanies the CD. The booklet is helpful to the listener in many ways, not least because it discusses each song. Overall, I think Salvo is doing a fine job on the PH remasters. I am certain to buy an example of each.