New music from Alan Parsons

[Tangram]

Don't agree about "Eve". To my ears that is one of their weakest albums. I don't hate it, as there are some good songs, but overall I thought it was rather weak. I agree about "Gaudi". "La Sagrada Familia" ranks right up with the best tracks APP ever did, and I liked the single "Standing On Higher Ground", but the rest of the album seams rather half hearted. "The Siciliian Defence" is included in the complete albums box set that I have. Nothing really special there.

The reason I hadn't gotten the 'Eve' and 'Gaudi' on CD before, was I thought they were APP's two weakest albums and the strong tracks I have on compilation albums. I picked them up for a good price and while my thoughts on 'Gaudi' didn't change, I really liked 'Eve'. Time sometimes changes opinions.


Since you have the box set, is the sound quality a big improvement over the original CDs? APP is a top band for me but their albums and CDs always sounded pretty great for me already.

[Scott Bails]

Gaudi has a couple of standout tracks, especially La Sagrada Familia,

One of the best songs in their whole catalog, IMO.

[3LockBox]

When I saw Parsons a few years back he sang lead on Eye In The Sky and parts of Turn of A Friendly Card as well as Don't Answer Me, though I do believe Woolfson sang them originally. They did side B of ToaFC in its entirety as a suite. I was quite perturbed at some of the audience members who bolted out of their seats the instant Parsons announced the next song was a new release; they returned in the middle of the next song.

[yamishogun]

I was quite perturbed at some of the audience members who bolted out of their seats the instant Parsons announced the next song was a new release; they returned in the middle of the next song.

Yeah, but you gotta go when you gotta go.

[Dan Roth]

s

Gaudi has a couple of standout tracks, especially La Sagrada Familia, but overall is a disappointment. For me their weakest album and not a good way to go out.

Well, technically Freudiana was their last one but it was the album where Woolfson and Parsons split over the direction of the album. I've always enjoyed it as it still had the complete Parsons band, familiar vocalists and Parsons' production, though parts of it do venture more into the musical theater vein than previous releases.

[SteveSly]

The reason I hadn't gotten the 'Eve' and 'Gaudi' on CD before, was I thought they were APP's two weakest albums and the strong tracks I have on compilation albums. I picked them up for a good price and while my thoughts on 'Gaudi' didn't change, I really liked 'Eve'. Time sometimes changes opinions.


Since you have the box set, is the sound quality a big improvement over the original CDs? APP is a top band for me but their albums and CDs always sounded pretty great for me already.

The sound quality of the box is very good. I had most of the original albums on vinyl and have not had a working turntable in years, so kind of hard to compare the sound.

[SteveSly]

s

Well, technically Freudiana was their last one but it was the album where Woolfson and Parsons split over the direction of the album. I've always enjoyed it as it still had the complete Parsons band, familiar vocalists and Parsons' production, though parts of it do venture more into the musical theater vein than previous releases.

deo]

Freudiana is a fantastic album. There are a few spots were it gets a little bit too Broadway-ish, but it ranks right up with the best APP albums for me.

[Tangram]

Freudiana is a great album and was meant to be the 11th APP album. About 3/4 of the way thru, Woolfson met with Brian Brolly, mgr of Andrew Lloyd Webber about making it into a theatrical show. Parsons wasn’t a fan of Broadway style music on some of the tunes and wondered if it should be released as an APP album. I don’t know if the Broadway leaning tunes were happening before Brolly became involved. Also don’t know if Woolfson took it or Parsons rejected it or if they just reached a mutual agreement. I wonder if they decided right there not to work together again.

I don’t believe It was originally released in the US. Heck it was years before I knew it existed. I looked for about 5 years before I was on vacation in New Zealand and found it in a record store. Never met a record store that I didn’t want to visit. I miss those days

[Tangram]

The sound quality of the box is very good. I had most of the original albums on vinyl and have not had a working turntable in years, so kind of hard to compare the sound.

I have them on album and like you haven’t had a working turntable for years. Now I have all of the studio albums on CD with just Tales being remastered but it is also remixed. I’m gonna pretend that you said it’s not that big a deal because I really don’t need to spend for a third round of releases 😀

[yamishogun]

Never met a record store that I didn’t want to visit. I miss those days

Yeah, those days are gone, but you are about to get healthy through pills to an extent that you never thought was possible. A good trade-off.

[SteveSly]

Freud

I don’t believe It was originally released in the US. Heck it was years before I knew it existed. I looked for about 5 years before I was on vacation in New Zealand and found it in a record store. Never met a record store that I didn’t want to visit. I miss those days

I had a friend who ran a record / cd store who got it for me, but I don't remember how I even originally heard about it.

[Dan Roth]

Back to the new Alan Parsons album...music video for another song from the new one:

[JKL2000]

Thanks - seems to be featured in some upcoming movie, but does anyone know what it's called? Looks fairly good. I like the 2001 elements. The song is pleasant enough although again rather mellow. And fades out on the guitar solo which is a shame. Not really prog at all I guess.

EDIT: Looking at Parson's FB page he doesn't mention a movie. This is one of the more involved music videos I've seen in quite a while - a lot of work went into it, it's clear. BTW, Ian Bairnson on that faded out guitar solo. Too bad Alan couldn't fit in a whole solo!

[Dan Roth]

Thanks - seems to be featured in some upcoming movie, but does anyone know what it's called?

According to Billboard:

While most of The Secret's 11 tracks were written especially for the album, "I Can't Get There From Here" is different. It was presented to Parsons by Patrick Reed Johnson, a film director who also writes songs. "We pretty much re-recorded the whole song," Parsons says, noting that Frontiers "picked that song for being the strong contender for a single." The song is featured in Johnson's new film 5-25-77, a cinematic memoir about seeing Star Wars on the day it was released and how it inspired him to start making movies himself. Johnson directed the video, which includes scenes from the movie as well as glimpses of Parsons and Jared Mahone, who sings on the track.

"We shot some of it around my ranch here, on the hills in Santa Barbara," Parsons says. "It looks like a pretty sweet, nice movie. This will probably be the (end credits) song, as it is the closing song on the album as well."

[JKL2000]

^ Interesting, thanks. I see the movie was premiered in 2017 but never publically shown, so I hope it is at some point soon.

[moecurlythanu]

Gawd, that's some sappy shit. Air Supply should sue.

[yamishogun]

Gawd, that's some sappy shit. Air Supply should sue.

I thought the same thing but of course wouldn't say that here.

[moecurlythanu]

I thought the same thing but of course wouldn't say that here.

Yeah, you need to get over your shyness.

[peterpyser]

I'd say this one is actually better than the other one.
The other one is quite bad in my opinion. This one at least has a melodic line.
And yes, that fade-out is a real shame.

[yamishogun]

Yeah, you need to get over your shyness.

I'm working with my therapist. She always says: "Yami, people really want to hear your well thought out opinions about music and so much more!"

Well, for me it's still baby steps...

[BravadoNJ]

Back to the new Alan Parsons album...music video for another song from the new one:

the song has that 'Ammonia Avenue' feel to it, but nowhere near it in writing. pity Eric Woolfson didn't live to sing it. looking forward to the new album, his last one was disappointing.

[JKL2000]

If there's something more upbeat on the new album, I wish he'd post it, just so we can get a better sense of what we might be preordering.

[yamishogun]

If there's something more upbeat on the new album, I wish he'd post it, just so we can get a better sense of what we might be preordering.

What is the advantage with preordering?

[JKL2000]

What is the advantage with preordering?

With a release like this, it's really only an advantage to the artist. With releases that are limited, you don't miss out or have to wait for a reprint.

I just mentioned preordering because Parsons mentions it on his FB page.

[ChrisXymphonia]

I quite like this song just like I like the Jason Mraz one. Again, it sits quite nice next to the songs from the Eye In The Sky / Ammonia Avenue albums. Is it as good as some of the best songs on those albums? No, course not but so far these 2 songs are better then the slightly weaker songs on EITS / AV.