I used to say that Pink Floyd was my favourite band. Now, I realize that at best they’re a tie with The Alan Parsns Project. The Project has the unique property that I actually really like just about everything they ever did. Even Pink Floyd can’t claim that.
So, in my typical style, on the Binary Scale (which goe from 0 to 1, integral), is my review of the Project discography and related albums.
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Tales of Mystery and Imagination
The Project’s debut album, inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe. This is one of their
best.
Score: 2
Top Picks: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The System of Doctor Tarr and
Professor Fether
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I Robot
Described as “A look at the future through the eyes of the present,” this is another one of
their best
Score: 2
Top Picks: I Robot, Don’t Let It Show, The Voice
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Pyramid
The complement to I Robot, described as “A look at the past through the eyes of the present,”
this is good, but I don’t like it quite as much as the others.
Score: 1
Top Picks: In The Lap of the Gods, Pyramania
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Eve
As the title implies, an album about women, and their effect on men. Generally believed to be
their weakest album, meaning that instead of being great, it is merely good.
Score: 1
Top Picks: You Lie Down With Dogs, Damned If I Do
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Turn of a Friendly Card
An album about risk, reward, and luck. Another one of their best.
Score: 2
Top Picks: Games People Play, The Ace of Swords, Nothing Left to Lose
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Eye In The Sky
Their best selling album, with their biggest hit single as the title track, this album is
all great.
Score: 2
Top Picks: Eye In The Sky, Silence and I, Psychobabble
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Ammonia Avenue
An album about the disconnect between scientific development and the public perception
thereof, this is sometimes cites as their most ‘radio friendly’ album. I didn’t like this one
when I first heard it, but it grew on me after subsequent listenings
Score: 2
Top Picks: Prime Time, Dancing on a Highwire, Pipeline, Ammonia Avenue
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Vulture Culture
An album about consumerism, originally planned to be part of a double album with Ammonia
Avenue, but ultimately released separately. Not one of their very best, but still a great album.
Score: 2
Top Picks: Days are Numbers, Somebody Out There
Stereotomy
An album about the pressures of fame, this is one of my favorites, though not one of their
most successful albums.
Score: 2
Top Picks: Stereotomy, In The Real World, Where’s The Walrus, Light of the World
Gaudi
The Project’s final album before the official ‘breakup’, inspired by architect Antoni Gaudi. Again,
a great album but not one of their best.
Score: 2
Top Picks: La Sagrada Familia, Too Late, Standing on Higher Ground
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Try Anything Once
Parsons’ first ostensibly ‘solo’ album, in realty every bit an ensemble as a Project album.
It has no overarching theme to it, but it is one of his best.
Score: 2
Top Picks: The Three Of Me, Turn It Up, Mr. Time, Oh Life (There Must Be More)
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On Air
An album about human flight. This is probably my favorite Parsons solo album. It also marks
the beginning of Parsons’ experimentation with Techno-style music with Apollo
Score: 2
Top Picks: Too Close to the Sun, Blown by the Wind, Fall Free, Apollo
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The Best Of Live
A live album with three bonus studio tracks, I only review (and indeed, own) the studio
tracks here.
The thing about an act like Parsons is, even when they’re bad, they’re good. And these tracks…
They’re great.
Score: 2
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The Time Macine
I think this is Parsons’ weakest solo album, but it’s still good, and has some really great
tracks on it. It continues his experimentation with Techno-esque music, though still
mostly Projectesque prog-rock tracks.
Score: 2
Top Picks: The Time Machine Part I, The Call of the Wild
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A Valid Path
I heard this album described as (in so many words) “Alan Parsons Goes Techno”, and I
knew I had to have it. I went out and bought it new (instead of used like most of what I
buy). It’s true. Alan Parsons has gone techno. It’s still Parsons, but it’s Parsons in a
whole new genre. And it has all the musical goodness of Alan Parsons. Also features
David Gilmour on guitar on Return to Tunguska
Score: 2
Top Picks: Return to Tunguska, Chomolungma
How the hell can you have a ‘best of’ album when damn near every album you ever released
is already a ‘best of’ album? I won’t bother to review them as it should be obvious what it
would say at this point.
