Procol Harum - Greatest Hits -1967-1977--flac-
This compilation serves as a reminder that Procol Harum was arguably the first "progressive rock" band. While Pink Floyd and The Doors were doing psychedelia, Procol Harum was fusing classical structures with rock rhythm. This album documents the evolution of that sound perfectly.
Is FLAC necessary for a greatest hits package? Purists will argue that Procol Harum’s work was never about audiophile perfection. Their genius was in the melancholy, the slightly out-of-tune piano, the imperfection of a live take. FLAC, by revealing every stray fret buzz and every intake of breath, risks turning the brooding majesty of Broken Barricades into a surgical dissection.
However, for the convert, this is the definitive archive. Standard CDs often suffer from the "loudness war"—brick-walled dynamics that flatten the quiet verses to match the crescendos. A proper FLAC rip of these 1970s masters preserves the dynamic range. The drop from the thunderous chorus to the whispered organ solo is a canyon, not a speed bump.
The Classic: The Bach-derived organ line is the most famous six notes in British rock history. In FLAC: Close your eyes. Listen to the separation. Matthew Fisher’s organ is placed dead center, but listen to the reverb tail—it decays naturally into the right channel. Gary Brooker’s vocal is double-tracked in places, a detail lost in lossy formats. The bass drum hit at 1:24 is not a thud; it’s a thwack with skin resonance. You also hear the subtle acoustic guitar strumming buried under the organ—a ghost in the machine. Procol Harum - Greatest Hits -1967-1977--FLAC-
While various compilations exist, a true Greatest Hits 1967-1977 in FLAC quality must include specific versions and deep cuts that casual compilations omit. Here is the ideal tracklist you should look for when downloading or streaming this specific collection:
Side One (The Foundational Masterpieces)
Side Two (The Trower Years) 6. A Salty Dog (Lyrics by Keith Reid; one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written about mortality) 7. Whisky Train (Robin Trower’s finest moment with the band—a ferocious blues-rock riff-fest) 8. Simple Sister 9. Broken Barricades (A tribute to Trower’s leaving) This compilation serves as a reminder that Procol
Side Three (The Orchestral Peak) 10. Conquistador (Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra – 1972 version) 11. Grand Hotel (The title track from 1973, featuring the iconic piano intro) 12. Bringing Home the Bacon 13. A Christmas Camel (Lesser known, but a fan favorite)
Side Four (The Late 70s Majesty) 14. Nothing But the Soul (featuring the guitar work of Mick Grabham) 15. Pandora’s Box 16. The Unquiet Grave (A traditional folk arrangement given the Procol treatment)
A true "Greatest Hits" from this era shouldn’t just be the radio singles. It should be a testament to their album-oriented depth. Side Two (The Trower Years) 6
Procol Harum was never a typical rock band. Founded on the partnership between the erudite lyricist Keith Reid and the blues-pianist-turned-frontman Gary Brooker, the band introduced a level of literary sophistication to rock that was rare for 1967. This compilation opens, inevitably, with the monolith that is "A Whiter Shade of Pale."
Listening to the FLAC remaster of this track is akin to seeing a restored painting. The Hammond organ lines—inspired by Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3—swell with a warm, organic tremolo that often gets compressed in lower-quality formats. The track remains a haunting enigma, a wedding march for a generation, and the perfect entry point to the band's ethos: serious, melancholic, and grand.
You have the files. Now, how do you honor them?