Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Procol Harum
Label: Chrysalis Records
Release: 1977
Runtime: 40:33
Rating: 3.5/5
»Something Magic«, the ninth studio album from English prog-rock pioneers Procol Harum, was also their last before the split and the reunion in 1991. After an unexpected change of producers, the band, led by singer/pianist Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid, recorded it in Miami in the US. It’s curious and unusual that during the making of »Something Magic«, Procol Harum brought in keyboardist Pete Solley, while longtime organist Chris Copping moved over to bass guitar for this album, since somebody had to replace former member Alan Cartwright on the instrument.
While making »Something Magic«, the cult band had to deal with waning popularity and the hostility of most of the journalists of the day, who, as Brooker felt, were rooting for Procol Harum to fall apart as fast as possible. So he gave them a thorough dressing-down in the lyrics of the splendid symphonic prog epic »The Worm and the Tree«, which was split into three parts and, like most of the album, packed with quality English black humor. Creating a prog-rock epic in an era that was less and less friendly to that sort of undertaking was a bold move, but it also bordered on commercial suicide. Across all three interconnected pieces, »The Worm and the Tree« was the centerpiece of »Something Magic« and one of the few compositions on the album that deserves comparison with Procol Harum’s very best.
Compared to some of the prog-rock albums that came out in the second half of the seventies, amid the punk and disco invasion or just before a once-successful act fell apart, »Something Magic« was far from a bad effort and, despite a few flaws, offered some nice surprises too. Solley’s symphonic arrangements aired out and freshened up the traditional Procol Harum sound, built on layers of organ, which by then needed an extra shot of energy, while the winning creative partnership between Brooker and Reid still worked like clockwork.
The title track and the melancholic »Skating on Thin Ice« are ruled by Brooker’s defensive vocal sarcasm, majestic orchestral arrangements led by witty piano touches, occasional layered harmonies and clever time changes. »Mark of the Claw« has a few bluesy rock touches thanks to the energetic guitar passages from Mick Grabham. »Strangers in Space« is a pretty representative melancholic ballad whose main asset is above all Brooker’s heart-wrenching vocal performance. The only uncharacteristic number on the album is the slightly too cheerful, strongly commercial but harmless pop rocker »Wizard Man«.
»Something Magic« was a seriously solid, dignified (temporary) farewell for the cult prog-rock pioneers, who stayed firmly true to their own sonic heritage. The fact is that Procol Harum stuck faithfully to their trademark sound and didn’t care one bit about the trends of the day, and maybe the decision to call it quits (for now) after the commercially weak response to »Something Magic« really was the best option available at the time. The 1991 reunion of the classic lineup, without drummer B.J. Wilson, who had already died by then, was short-lived, but Brooker did manage to keep the Procol Harum story going successfully into the 21st century.
Lineup
Gary Brooker – vocals, piano, orchestral arrangements (5)
Mick Grabham – guitar
Peter Solley – organ, synthesizer
Chris Copping – bass guitar, orchestral arrangements (2)
Barrie James Wilson – drums, percussion
Keith Reid – lyrics
GUEST MUSICIAN:
Mike Lewis – orchestral arrangements (1)
Production
Procol Harum, Ron Albert and Howie Albert
Track list
1. Something Magic (3:34)
2. Skating On Thin Ice (4:46)
3. Wizard Man (2:30)
4. The Mark Of The Claw (4:37)
5. Strangers In Space (6:02)
6. The Worm And The Tree (18:35) :
– Part one: Introduction / Menace / Occupation
– Part two: Enervation / Expectency / Battle
– Part three: Regeneration / Epilogue
