One more time Procol has proofed that he can be the best prog-rock band in world. For me it's probaly best album after Salty dog...actually its best all of their albums. Songs like One more time King of Hearts and Learning to Fly are the total masterpieces. I can't understand why this album is so underrated but maybe my music taste is totally different from others. I'll give 5 points to this album, because it's totally deserved it.

1991's "The Prodigal Stranger" marked the most-welcome return of Procol Harum, 14 years after their last album, 1977's "Something Magic." Back in the band are veteran members Gary Brooker on piano & vocals, Matthew Fisher on organ, Robin Trower on guitar, & lyricist Keith Reid. "The Prodigal Stranger" is a magnificent album, the band sounding so re-vitalized on these masterful, melodic songs. Not a bad tune among them. High points include the passionate "The Truth Won't Fade Away," the great rockers "Man With A Mission," "One More Time," "All Are Dreams Are Sold" & "Learn To Fly," the wonderfully catchy "Hand That Rocks The Cradle," and the beautiful "A Dream In Every Home," "King Of Hearts" (with a clever nod to "Whiter Shade Of Pale" in it's lyrics), and the finale, "The Pursuit Of Happiness." Gary Brooker's voice is still as strong as ever, as are the band's solid musicianship & songwriting. "The Prodigal Stranger" is one of Procol Harum's greatest albums, and a true welcome return of one of rock's greatest bands.

In all honesty, resurrecting Procol Harum without Barrie J. Wilson, was about like the Rolling Stones dragging in U2's drummer to "replace" Charlie Watts. In short: sacrelige, Still, getting Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher, AND Robin Trower together again was, simply, wonderful. The music was...eh. The music is, in a word, bland. It's just too slickly produced. But the Matthew Fisher/Gary Brooker interplay is still intact, and Keith Reid's lyrics are beautifully cynical as ever. It's just a shame that Trower treated this as a "one off," because the musicians Brooker/Fisher have now drug in to play "lead" guitar and drums are just too excessive. Again, it is nice to see and hear Brooker, Fisher, and Reid together again - nice enough to just TUNE OUT the inept drumming and the masturbatory guitarist.

"Prodigal Stranger" illustrates the problems inherent in the "reunion album." The stately sounds of Procol Harum simply don't sound the same when subjected to the latest studio production. Furthermore, whatever artistic vision Brooker & Reid once had is apparently gone. There are a number of hooks on this disc (especially on "Truth Won't Fade Away" and "All Our Dreams Are Sold"). However, both the lyrics and the music are white-bread adult contemporary, and songs like "One More Time" and "King of Hearts" are simply pedestrian - any studio ... could have written them. It's actually sad that Brooker & Co. either weren't capable - or weren't willing - to do better.

Procol Harum's first new album in 15 years reunited Gary Brooker (vocals/piano), Matthew Fisher (organ), Robin Trower (guitar), and Keith Reid (lyrics). Instead of Procol's old blend of blues-rock with a touch of prog, "The Prodigal Stranger" has a big, Album-Oriented-Radio sound, a little too bombastic and glossy, that would be better suited to Bryan Adams or Don Henley (maybe it was a desperate bid for some VH1 airplay). The only song that sounds remotely like old Procol is the moody closer "The Pursuit of Happiness". Maybe that's why it's my favorite song on the CD.

If you can get past that (and a lot of people won't be able to), there's plenty to like about this album. The songs are all fairly catchy, and they're played well. There are big rockers like "The Truth Won't Fade Away" , "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle", and the consumer culture put-down "All Our Dreams Are Sold". You also get shuffle beats on "One More Time" and "Perpetual Motion", some nice African touches on "Holding On", and even a "Whiter Shade" quote on "The King of Hearts", where Brooker again wanders through his playing cards. No one gets to do much soloing. This album isn't going to send anyone back in time, but it's a solid effort.