Alan Parsons
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Alan Parsons / sound Fx (1,6), computer voice programming (5), producer - Eric Woolfson / synth piano (1), piano & accordion (3), Rhodes by Yamaha DX7 (6), synth (7), lead vocals (3,6) With: - John Miles / lead vocals (1,5) - Lenny Zakatek / lead vocals (2) - Geoff Barradale / lead vocals (4) - Chris Rainbow / backing vocals - Ian Bairnson / guitars, Spanish guitar (6,7) - Richard "Trix" Cottle / synths, saxophone (1,3) - Laurie Cottle / bass - Stuart Elliott / drums & percussion - John Heley / cello (1) - Andrew Powell / choral & orchestral arranger & conductor (1,7) - The English Chorale / chorus vocals (1) - Bob Howes / choirmaster (1), timpani (1,7)
line up x (2019) - Ian Bairnson -- guitar - Tom Brooks -- keyboards - Pat Caddick -- keyboards - Carl-Magnus Carlsson -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Vinnie Ciesielsk -- trumpet - Vinnie Colaitua -- drums, percussion - Todd Cooper -- sax, vocals, percussion - Nathan East -- bass - Andy Ellis -- keyboards, backing vocals - Guy Erez -- bass - Michael Fitzpatrick -- cello - Lou Gramm - vocals - Steve Hackett -- guitar - Jordan Huffman - vocals - Jeff Kollman -- guitar - Jared Mahone -- vocals - Mark Mikel -- vocals - Jason Mraz -- vocals - P.J. Olson -- vocals - Alan Parsons -- guitar, keyboards, vocals, percussion - Jeff Peterson -- bass - Angelo Pizzaro -- keyboards - Doug Powell -- backing vocals - Tony Rosacci -- guitar - Jake Shimabukuro -- ukulele - Danny Thompson -- drums, percussion - Dan Tracey -- guitar, keyboards, backing vocals - Oscar Utterstrom -- trombone
line up x (2023) - Kim Ballad -- sax - Joe Bonsamassa -- guitar - Tom Brooks -- keyboards - Todd Cooper -- cello, lead vocals, backing vocals - James Durbin -- guitar, vocals - Guy Erez -- drums, percussion - Tabitha Fair -- lead vocals, backing vocals - Scott Hunt -- backing vocals - Jeff Kollman -- guitar - Mika Larson -- guitar - Matt McCarrin -- keyboards - Mark Mikel, -- lead vocals, backing vocals - Jeff Marshall -- guitar - P.J. Olsson -- lead vocals, backing vocals - David Pack -- lead vocals - Alan Parsons -- lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar - Doug Powell -- guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, - Tommy Shaw -- lead vocals, backing vocals - Chris Shutters -- backing vocals - Dan Tracey -- lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar
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- Alan Parsons Project
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Genre: rock Rating: 4 stars **** Title: The Secret Company: Frontier Catalog:
024391 094358 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): NM/NM Comments: sealed; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 30994 Price: $60.00
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I recently saw a clip on the national new where Spain was completing Gaudi's cathedral some xxx years after work started. That was enough for me to pull out 1987's "Gaudi" and give it another spin.
"The
Secret" track listing: 1.) La Sagrada Familia (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 8:46 With the late John Miles on vocals, "La Sagrada Familia" 2.) Too Late (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 4:31 Lenny Zakatek 4:31 3.) Closer to Heaven (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 5:52 Eric Woolfson
(side 2) 1.) Standing on Higher Ground (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 5:03 Geoff Barradale 5:03 2.) Money Talks (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 4:26 Miles 4:26 3.) Inside Looking Out (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 6:2 Woolfson 6:22 4.) Paseo de Gracia *nstrumental) (Alan Parsons - Eric Wolsen) - 3:47
Gaudi is the tenth album by The Alan Parsons Project, released in January 1987. Gaudi refers to Antoni Gaudí, the Spanish architect behind the Sagrada Família.[3] This was the final canonical Alan Parsons Project studio album, as well as vocalist Lenny Zakatek's final contribution to any Parsons album. Although the album The Sicilian Defence was released in 2014, it was originally recorded in 1979 and was never intended to be heard by the public. Background Project regular David Paton was unable to undertake bass duties on this recording due to a prior touring commitment with Elton John.[4] Saxophonist-keyboardist Richard Cottle's brother, Laurie, was recruited to play bass. The album was recorded at the Grange in Norfolk and Mayfair Studios in London using a pair of Sony 3324 DASH digital tape recorders and mixed to a digital master.[citation needed] The album was promoted with posters, streamers, and inserts using visuals from the album sleeve. To coincide with the release of Gaudi, the back catalogue of The Alan Parsons Project was reissued on CD. Arista also launched a promotional campaign around the slogan "Music...As It Was Meant To Be Played" and hosted a special event at the Sagrada Família.[1] The pan-European publication Music & Media reported in its 17 January 1987 that the album would be released worldwide that same week.[1] Music Week, a British trade publication, instead listed a February release date in the United Kingdom.[5] During the writing of what would have been the follow-up, Eric Woolfson turned that album into a rock opera, eventually released as Freudiana in 1990. Alan Parsons continued as a solo artist in 1993 with Try Anything Once.[6] A musical by Woolfson with the same name, and based on the songs of this album, was released in 1993 in Germany with the songs sung in English. Use on television The songs "Closer to Heaven" and "Money Talks" were used in "Red Tape", the nineteenth episode of the third season of the TV series Miami Vice; an instrumental version of "Standing on Higher Ground" was used as background music in some scenes of an episode of the sitcom Roomies. A music video for "Standing on Higher Ground" was directed by Jon Small and produced by Picture Vision.[7] Track listing All tracks are written by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. Side 1 No. Title Lead vocals Length 1. " Even though 1987's Gaudi was inspired by architect Antonio Gaudi, its songs seem to lack the assertiveness or the instrumental endowments that usually occur within the Alan Parsons Project's work. With a leaner, edgier sound that is best represented on "Standing on Higher Ground," the easiness and touch that should have enveloped this album is noticeably absent. While not a complete failure, the album does reveal some passion with the last track, "Paseo de Graciad," a finely orchestrated instrumental done exquisitely in full Parsons style. The usual lineup of Miles, Woolfson, Zakatek, and Rainbow share the singing duties, with Geoff Barradale taking over on "Standing on Higher Ground." The songs on the album have difficulty supporting any imagery or symbolism concerning the album's main character, which was done masterfully more than ten years earlier with Tales of Mystery and Imagination, a musical voyage through Edgar Allen Poe's work. Here, the songs stand up well individually, but Parsons is a conceptual virtuoso who usually ties together his main idea through the use of each separate song. Although Gaudi isn't without some minor merit, its lasting impression doesn't leave much regard for its central character. [The 2007 Sony BMG reissue included bonus tracks.] Inspired by the life and work of the great Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi, whose obsession with his work ruled out the possibility of a normal family life. Ironically, his greatest work was a cathedral dedicated to the holy family, La Sagrada Familia. The album is inspired by the work/life balance that we all face. This album has many rhythmic & atmospheric modern keyboards, a bit like on the "Stereotomy" album. The vocals are still very good, and the songs are more pop than progressive; the tracks are although well made and catchy enough. Not bad at all, this album has quite good keyboards textures and electric guitar solos. Compared to "Stereotomy", it is just a bit less atmospheric and more pop. I find the songs on the "Eye in the sky" album more catchy and varied. Turn up the volume on "Too late" to appreciate all the bottom ambience and the power involved. "Standing on higher ground" sounds like the Mike Rutherford's good stuff. Rating: 3.5 stars social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Wednesday, April 7, 2004 | Review this album | Report (Review #5665) Review by Proghead PROG REVIEWER 3 stars Final album under the ALAN PARSONS PROJECT name (Alan PARSONS would later on simply record as Alan PARSONS). I find this album a notch better than "Vulture Culture" and "Stereotomy", but of course, this is no "I Robot" either. The music is about Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, the guy who created truly bizarre and unusual buildings and structures (despite his very conservative political and religious views), such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral, Casa Milà apartments (with some truly bizarre chimneys and ventilation shafts on the roof, making going up on the rooftop of the Casa Milà an absolute must), and Güell Park. Pretty much, the music on this album is as you expect from The ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, heavily orchestrated pop-rock, but there are some more '80s synth-pop type numbers such as "Too Late", "Standing on Higher Ground" and "Money Talks". Nice to see two of their key vocalists, Eric Woolfson and Lenny Zakatek make a return here (they seemed oddly absent on "Stereotomy"). There are two Eric Woolfson ballads, "Closer to Heaven" and "Inside Looking Out". It might not be the best thing APP ever done, but it could've been a lot worse. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Tuesday, April 27, 2004 | Review this album | Report (Review #5661) Review by Easy Livin SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin 4 stars Architectural This is really the Eric Woolfson Project, Parsons being almost entirely absent from the album credits. He is listed as co-writer of the songs, but I suspect this is very much in the way Lennon/McCartney shared every song. This album is the nearest to prog the Alan Parson's Project have come since "Tales of Mystery and Imagination..", and is a very good collection to boot. This is of course a concept album about the architect Gaudi, and consists of generally longer tracks than other APP albums. "La Sagrada Familia" kick off album with much pomposity and orchestration. At almost 9 minutes it is a fine piece, with great vocals by John Miles ("Music") and dramatic instrumental overtones. Miles also performs lead vocals on the disappointing "Money talks", which sound like little more than a thinly disguised mimic of Pink Floyd's "Money". Indeed, it is the tracks on which Woolfson take on lead vocal that shine brightest. "Inside looking out" is particularly pleasing, similar in many ways to the classic APP track, "Silence and I". "Standing on higher ground" is more like standard APP fare, with it's relaxed mid-paced rhythm, and catchy hook, a sort of "Eye in the sky part 2". In all though one of the Project's best works, my only real beef being that it is disappointingly short, at well under 40 minutes. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Friday, July 9, 2004 | Review this album | Report (Review #5662) Review by Chris S SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator 1 stars I have to confess giving up on the Alan Parson's Project after Gaudi, Sure he kept concept albums going but the quality and freshness of new ideas never materialises in the music and I can only describe the work as poor. Only die hard fans and completionsists need apply.' Standing on Higher Ground' is catchy though. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Thursday, September 2, 2004 | Review this album | Report (Review #5663) Review by Gatot SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator 3 stars "Gaudi" was the final album under the Alan Parsons Project name and later he gave his record under Alan Parsons. Yes, at firs place why it was called "project" because as far as I know it means something which has definite "start" and "finish". With 10 studio albums and changes of musicians are already a long period to say it as a project. For me personally this album is better than "Vulture Culture" and "Stereotomy", but of course, but is not as good as "I Robot". As far as music offering, "Gaudi" has many melodic, rhythmic & atmospheric modern keyboards with firm drum beats and very little tempo / style changes, a bit like on the "Stereotomy" album. The vocals are good (this is probably the attraction point on why I kept buyong The APP albums), and as usual, the songs are more pop than progressive. It has quite good keyboards textures and electric guitar solos. When I compare this to "Stereotomy", it is just a bit less atmospheric and more pop . and a bit boring. Probably the songs on the "Eye in the sky" album are more catchy and varied. Conceptually, ss is the case with "Tale" album, this album has a story line about Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, the guy who created unusual buildings and structures such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral, Casa Milà apartments, and Güell Park. Musically, it's pretty much the same as you might expect from The Alan Parsons Project, an orchestrated pop-rock. There are some more synthesizer-pop type numbers such as "Money Talks" (with great guitar work), "Too Late", and "Standing on Higher Ground". Eric Woolfson and Lenny Zakatek are back here. It's a good album at least for a break after listening too heavy stuffs with complex arrangements, probably. Don't expect something "prog" with this album but I still urge you to ..Keep on proggin' ..! Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Saturday, April 22, 2006 | Review this album | Report (Review #75833) Review by ClemofNazareth SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk Researcher 2 stars Another technically precise offering under the label Alan Parsons Project that, like most of the latter albums from the Project, is rather tepid and soulless. The formula was well-known by the time this one released: a pop-driven opening track ("La Sagrada Familia") that once again tries to recreate the magic of "Games People Play" and "Eye in the Sky" that falls a bit short; a danceable but lackluster following track "Too Late" that sounds suspiciously like Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night"; a couple tepid and forgettable filler tracks ("Inside Looking Out", "Money Talks"); an Eric Woolfson ballad "Closer to Heaven"; and the obligatory instrumental "Paseo De Gracia". And of course a radio-friendly potential single ("Standing on Higher Ground"), this one from Vitamin Z vocalist Geoff Barradale. The magic was unfortunately long-gone by 1987, and Parsons probably should have packed it in by this time. He pretty much had, since this is largely an Eric Woolfson project with the Parsons name and production work to give it the semblance (but not the spirit) of legitimacy. The good parts here are Woolfson's vocals and Parsons' excellent studio skills. The bad part is the predictable and tired formula that didn't really vary from the start of the eighties until this final nail in the coffin. This album sounded pretty good when it had a light green cover and was entitled "Eye in the Sky" in 1982, but after five more album covers with different names but the exact same music it had become almost embarrassing. I would give this one star except that "Standing on Higher Ground" is a pretty decent tune. Other than that this is completely forgettable and only of interest to Parsons collectors and possibly to mildly curious fans of Gaudi's architecture. So two stars may be generous, but is a respectful concession to a once-great producer who had reached his creative end. peace social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Monday, January 8, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #106686) Review by Matti PROG REVIEWER 3 stars Alan Parsons Project had become less and less interesting with boring pop albums like Ammonia Ave, Stereotomy or Vulture Culture, but on Gaudi one finds fine moments in the purest APP style. It didn't bring anything new, but the familiar formula - a mixture of pomposity, dreaminess and tidy pop balladry wrapped in the perfectionistic production - got one more fairly succesful result here, if not as good as Eye In the Sky, talking of the 80's albums only. Gaudi is unfortunately rather short and has only seven tracks, and not all of them very good. But maybe there are enough enjoyment for three stars. It is a loosely conceptual album inspired by the Barcelonan architect legend Antoni Gaudi, most openly so on 'La Sagrada Familia' (that's the famous cathedral which never was finished) and the closing part of 'Inside Looking Out' (with a collache of voices talking about Gaudi). Naturally architecture or visual arts in general is more difficult to 'interpret' in music than for example horror stories, but I think they could have tried at least to put more Spanish feel to it, if the 'Gaudian' feel was too distant for them (electronic artist Robert Rich managed to get the mosaic-like atmosphere on his Gaudi album). There's the usual bunch of vocalists: Woolfson, Zakatek, Chris Rainbow, and my favourite APP vocalist John Miles on the grandiose 'La Sagrada Familia'. That one, 'Inside...' and the instrumental 'Paseo De Gracia' (sadly the only one) are the highlights for me. As a whole Gaudi is not among the very best of the APP albums. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Friday, September 7, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #136829) Review by progaardvark SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Crossover/Symphonic/RPI Teams 2 stars Gaudi was the Alan Parsons Project's tenth studio album and technically the last to be released by the Project. The formula used isn't anything different from previous affairs: a core collection of session musicians, guest vocalists, Parsons amazing production abilities, and an overall theme to the album. Gaudi was inspired by the life and work of a Catalan architect named Antonio Gaudí. The music and structure of this album is somewhat similar in respects to their previous album, Stereotomy. However, once you get past the opening track, La Sagrada Familia, it's just a series of pop rock songs fitting for the 1980s era. In addition to Woolfson, vocalists included John Miles, Lenny Zakatek, Chris Rainbow, and Geoff Barradale (Vitamin Z). Though not quite as poor an outing as Vulture Culture, Ammonia Avenue, or Eve, it's a rather mediocre ending for the Project, although at the time they didn't know this would be their last album. APP had planned to record an album called Freudiana (inspired by Sigmund Freud). Freudiana was produced by Parsons (and had the Project regulars on board), but because Woolfson wanted to turn it into a musical, it caused a rift between Parsons and Woolfson. So Freudiana became Woolfson's first solo album (although some consider it a Project work) and Alan Parsons started his solo career. Definitely a must-have for die-hard APP fans, but there are much better albums to acquire before even thinking about this one. As always, I recommend starting with their debut. Two stars. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #155153) Review by SouthSideoftheSky SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team 3 stars The holy family The opening and closing tracks on this album are excellent! These two tracks are clearly among the Alan Parsons Project's best material ever. The opening track rocks harder than most Alan Parson's Project songs, and it has a very strong melody too, very bombastic and powerful song. The closing track is an instrumental that reprises the theme of the opening track with excellent acoustic guitar playing in a Spanish flamenco style! Great way to open and close the album. What comes in between is a little bit of a mixed bag, however. All the songs are good, but as on every Alan Parson's Project album there are simply too many singers ans styles involved making almost all their albums sound like compilations of different artists work rather than as works by one and the same band. Not even the conceptual nature of their albums can make them sound like fully coherent works. This album, based on Antonio Gaudi - a famous architect - is a bit more consistent than many other Project albums. Surprisingly, this album has actually become my favourite by the Alan Parsons Project! It is more rock than pop, and the Disco influences of some earlier albums are absent here. Clearly, this is one of the best ones from the Alan Parsons Project and, I would say, an early choice if you want to explore the project. Underrated! social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Sunday, November 30, 2008 | Review this album | Report (Review #191158) Review by Tarcisio Moura PROG REVIEWER 3 stars This album was a good surprise for me, more consistent and proggier than most of their 80´s stuff. I agree with SouthSideOfTheSky when he says this is an underrated work. Gaudi follows after the good Stereotomy and ends the APP saga with much dignity. This is a concept album about the life and works of the famous catalan architect Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926). There are some line up changes with long time bassist/vocalist David Patton gone and vocalist Chris Rainbow absent (he is not credit as lead singer in none of the six tracks, something that never happened before. Maybe he did some backing vocals). But the rest are here. even if this is the album Alan Parsons himself was less involved musically. The first three tracks are great ones: La Sagrada Familia is probably one of APP´s best, in all its 8 minutes. Stading On A Higher ground is a bit too derivative and Money Talks is the only real let down on the entire CD (although the guitar parts are excellent). The album´s quality rises again with the last two, the fine Inside Looking Out and the brilliant instrumental Paseo De Gracia (another highlight). As usual the production is spotless and Andrew Powell´s orchestrations are excellent. Conclusion: one of the best APP´s latter day albums. Not as brilliant as their 70´s stuff, of course, but very fine anyway. 3,5 stars. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Thursday, June 4, 2009 | Review this album | Report (Review #219847) Review by ZowieZiggy PROG REVIEWER 3 stars There is no real revolution with this album. Only that it is probably better than their production from the last decade. Nothing extraordinary (but that's not a breaking news), but a whole composite and decent album actually. I even tend to like the long opening number: a strong track which is my highlight here and which could indicate that the worse of the band is fortunately behind. Almost bombastic and decently prog! The overall mood is more ambient, as if these awful synthetic sounds (even if "Standing On Higher Ground" is not too far away from these) are a definite thing from the past. Obviously, there aren't too much prog hold in "Gaudi", but some crafted vocals harmonies ("Closer To Heaven") which in some ways are a nice return to old melodies. Some heavier and AOR beats are quite hard to grasp during "Money Talks". An uninspired song which could have been avoided to be honest. If ever you like ELO (which was my case, up to the late middle seventies), you'll be amazing by the nice melody available during "Inside Looking Out". A very pleasant moment, I should say. Actually, I do share the same advice as Bob about this album: it might well be their best one since their debut. I am only less optimistic about the rating: three stars. Still, it is a pleasant surprise. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Tuesday, July 21, 2009 | Review this album | Report (Review #227763) Review by AtomicCrimsonRush SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator 3 stars "Gaudi" is The Alan Parsons Project's 1987 release following two very poor albums of questionable quality. Given the fact that these last two albums were so disappointing and un-prog, I must admit I approached this album with trepidation. To my amazement the first track is a prog gem! La Sagrada Familia is back to true form for the amazing talent on offer from incomparable Eric Woolfson, and Andrew Powell's symphony orchestra. The track is majestic, uplifting and well structured with killer melodies and wonderful vocals by John Miles. I have to wonder where this quality was hidden in the last two albums. It is a pleasant return to form and is consistent throughout the album. Too Late is an uptempo song with clear guitar work and great vocals from Lenny Zakatek. The lead break is excellent and although it house the 80s sound the drums are way better on this release, not as tinny and synth like. Closer To Heaven is a melancholic Eric Woolfson composition driven by keyboards and his gentle airy vocals. It sounds more like the APP of old and is a welcome track for fans of the earlier APP material. I like the way the beat builds slowly and the monotone bassline. It is a lovely song with a sweet melody and excellent studio production. The dreamy saxophone solo by Richard Cottle is beautiful. Standing On Higher Ground returns to the formulaic pop radio sound that I was never into. It is okay but not as good as the material previous. It does break time sig which makes a change from all the 4/4 tempos, and I like the guitar solo here. Money Talks has a quirky guitar motif driving it, and John Miles sings well. It is catchy enough but again nothing special. The lead breaks lifts it up a tad but it feels like filler. Inside Looking Out returns to Woolfson's airy vocals and very soft musicianship. It is a real smooth composition, dreamy and ambient with subtle vocals over gentle music; one you can fall asleep to for sure. It even has some dialogue voices over an acoustic layer which are interesting. The album closes with Paseo De Gracia, an instrumental to bid the band farewell. As the last APP album "Gaudi" is definitely an improvement on the previous 2 releases and at least the band finished with something worthwhile. Eric Woolfson turned the album into the rock opera "Freudiana" in 1990. Alan Parsons continued as a solo artist and released "Try Anything Once" in 1993, that completes the cycle started with this album. "Gaudi" is certainly not quite up to the excellence of the first 3 albums or "Eye in the Sky" but this is a decent consistent quality album worth hearing from the Alan Parsons Project. social review comments | Review Permalink Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2013 | Review this album | Report (Review #897354) Review by Warthur PROG REVIEWER 3 stars The final Alan Parsons Project album is something of a return to form, after three albums in a row of prog-light art pop which got well into diminishing returns. Inspired by the titular architect, it's propped up by two more progressive pieces at the start and end - La Sagrada Familia and Paseo De Gracia - and some lighter, poppy numbers in between. The pop numbers are of the sort of quality of the better tracks from Ammonia Avenue, Vulture Culture, or Stereotomy, whilst the more ambitious numbers are a return to the band's pre-Eye In the Sky magic. In particular, La Sagrada Familia works in elements of traditional Spanish music and bombastic opera, offering a richer range of sounds than the band had offered since at least as far back as Turn of a Friendly Card. Paseo De Gracia, likewise, incorporates Spanish guitar to add an air of drama to proceedings. It's the pop numbers in the middle which are shakier. Too Late has a bit of bite to it, Closer To Heaven is fine, but Standing on Higher Ground, Money Talks, and Inside Looking Out are lacklustre and overlong. As such, I'm inclined to say that whilst Gaudi is an improvement over Stereotomy - in my view their weakest album of the 1980s - it's not a radical one. It may be that, starting and finishing strong as it does, it leaves the listener with a better impression than it perhaps deserves, since thinking back on it you'll remember the good moments and overlook the weaker patches. Call it three and a half stars, rather than a return to the four star standards of their better works. We love Gaudi. Everyone say it with me. “We love Gaudi”. Gaudi is the final studio album by The Alan Parsons Project, and what a way to go out. The record is named after the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, and while it’s not immediately obvious why the band chose to dedicate an entire album to him, it turns out to be an inspired decision. The concept, like a few of their later records, is less literal and more interpretive—it doesn’t lay everything out for you like Tales of Mystery and Imagination or I Robot, but it still feels thematically connected and carefully curated. The album opens with the absolutely epic La Sagrada Familia, named after Gaudí’s unfinished cathedral in Barcelona. This track isn’t just a highlight—it’s the moment. Lush orchestration, dynamic vocal shifts, and a towering sense of grandeur make it one of the most unforgettable openers in their entire catalog. The band doesn’t often do “massive,” but here they go big—and it works. Too Late follows, a melancholic track that touches on the tragedy and legacy of Gaudí’s death. Then there’s Closer to Heaven—sonically pleasant and layered, though admittedly, it lacks the replay value of the other tracks. Standing on Higher Ground, on the other hand, is an absolute 1980s synth-pop juggernaut. It’s catchy, it thumps, and it wears its neon headband with pride. Money Talks keeps the energy high with a punchy, mechanical rhythm that drives home the band’s continued love of blending prog and pop. Inside Looking Out slows things down again—it’s a gorgeous ballad, emotionally rich and atmospheric, offering a nice contrast to the record’s heavier moments. And finally, Paseo de Gracia, the instrumental closer, ties the whole album together like a cinematic end credits scene. It’s sweeping, regal, and a perfect way to say goodbye. Musically, Gaudi is a late-career flex. The band’s production chops are on full display here—meticulous arrangements, high-gloss sound quality, and a seamless integration of orchestral grandeur with 1980s pop rock aesthetics. You get synths, drum machines, light sampling, and a ton of atmosphere, all without it feeling overproduced or dated. As a tribute to Antoni Gaudí, it’s elegant and ambitious. As a swan song for The Alan Parsons Project? It’s pretty close to perfect. Stereotomy may have wobbled the momentum, but Gaudi picks it up, rebuilds it, and finishes the band’s catalog on a high note. If you’re into lite-prog with a cinematic scope, 1980s production with substance, or just flat-out good music, Gaudi deserves your time. A graceful finale from a band that mastered the art of concept without ever being boxed in by it. —————————————— Highlight Songs: La Sagrada Familia Standing on Higher Ground Too Late Paseó de Gracia —————————————— Own it, Stream it, Forget about it? Gaudi is not the greatest looking album cover, but it sure as hell is one of The Alan Parson’s Projects greatest albums. It is worth buying, absolutely. Go buy it, now. I will wait.
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Genre: rock Rating: 4 stars **** Title: The Secret Company: Frontier Catalog:
024391 094358 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): NM/NM Comments: sealed; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 30994 Price: $60.00 |
Hearing 2019's "The Secret" probably marked the first time I'd thought about, let alone listened to an Alan Parsons album since the mid-'90s. Not a swipe at Parsons, but when you have a stressful job and a busy family life, what little spare time you find, just doesn't lend itself to pulling out one of his records.
Alan Parson's first release since 2004's "A Valid Path", the self-produced "The Secret" was of course a concept piece. Like many Parsons projects, the plotline wasn't particularly clear, but the majority of tracks were apparently inspired by his love of magic. I found this online quote: "Magic has always been a passion of mine, I am a member of The Magic Castle in Los Angeles. I've also worked with the Japanese magic company Tenyo, writing instruction books and catalogs for their tricks. I dabble with magic myself in my free time, so an album with magical influences was a natural progression." While magic may have been the underlying theme, there didn't appear to be a cohesive plotline across the eleven tracks. Material like 'One Note Symphony', 'As Light Falls', 'Miracle' and 'Soiree Fantastique' all referenced the topic, but in different ways. Musically it made for a collection that was very much a throwback to prime mid-'70s Alan Parsons Project territory. As a big fan of those albums, this set readily reminded me of "I Robot", "Pyramid" and "Turn of a Friendly Card". The big difference this time around was the inclusion of some big name collaborators. Admittedly former Genesis lead guitarist Steve Hackett (lead guitar on the instrumental 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice') and former Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm (vocals on the power ballad 'Sometimes') probably didn't make much of an impact with the under twenty crowd. In contrast, Jason Mraz's participation on 'Miracle' probably did attract some under 20 attention. If I had one criticism of the album it has to do with the sheer number of big ballads. By my count there were six with side two closing with three in a row. Too many ... I guess it's a minor thing. You see the phrase "nice comeback" all the time, but I'll argue that this was the real deal for Parsons, though outside of his core fans, nobody seemed to be paying much attention. Shame. Their loss.
"The
Secret" track listing: 1.) The Sorcerer's Apprentice (instrumental) (Paul Duka - arranged by Tom Brooks - Alan Parsons) - 5:47 rating: *** stars Well, I'm a big fan of "Fantasia" and I like Steve Hackett era Genesis. That said, this collaboration on a cover/reinterpretation of Paul Duka's classic composition just didn't do much for me. It might have something to do with the images of Mickie Mouse and marching brooms that still occasionally haunt my dreams. I will admit that the track sounded amazing on a pair of quality headphones, or good '70s speakers. 2.) Miracle (Guy Erez - Andy Ellis - Alan Parsons) - 3:25 rating: **** stars I'll admit I wasn't expecting much from a collaboration with Jason Mraz - Shame on me for being a skeptic. Mraz's lightweight voice was a perfect compliment to this breezy, radio-friendly pop ballad. And the damn refrain was like aural crack cocaine. Hard to believe it didn't return Parson's to the top-40. Oh wait; there was no mindless rap segment and no auto tuning ... I found brief interviews with Parsons and Mraz where they talked about recording the tune.
“I met Jason two years ago through a neighbor who grows coffee on his ranch. Jason wanted to grow coffee himself and our neighbor, Jay was kind enough to introduce us since we had mutual musical interests. For 'Miracle’, Jason recorded his vocals in Dallas while I listened in Santa Barbara and we sent files back and forth, resulting in this song. Thus proving that you don't necessarily have to be in the same studio with someone to create music." - Parsons "I loved it. It sounded like a song right off of 'Eye In The Sky'. As if no time had passed, proving time might just be a construct after all" - Mraz 3.) As Lights Fall (Dan Tracey - Alan Parsons)- 3:59 rating: **** stars With Parsons handling lead vocals, I had to wonder why he was always reluctant to take the spotlight. He certainly sounded good to my ears. Musically 'As Lights Fall' was very much a sonic throwback, recalling the sound and feel of his mid-'70s catalog. Hopefully the lyrics weren't meant to be taken literally - "this will be my last call ..." Parsons even did a cute, career spanning promotional video for the tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qImCjQ4K988 4.) One Note Symphony (Alan Parsons - Todd Cooper - Tom Brooks) - 4:43 rating: **** stars 'One Note Symphony' should send science and space geeks into aural ecstasy. Inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the title is based on the Schumman Resonance which is the universal sound the Earth makes as it travels through space - 7.83 hertz (you can hear the tone at the start of the song). With Todd Clark on lead vocals, musically the song reflects a classic Parsons arrangement and song structure. It could easily have fit on "I Robot". The spoken word snippet is a nice nod to author Arthur C. Clarke with the words "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" nicely tying the track back to the "magic" theme). YouTube has a promotional video featuring Parsons and company performing the tune with the Israel Philharmonic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kaGwuGwsZQ 5.) Sometimes (Pat Caddick - Alan Parsons) - 5:08 rating: ** stars Having recovered from prolonged health issues, admittedly former Foreigner front man Lou Gramm sounded quite good on 'Sometimes'. A big, somewhat anonymous, radio-friendly power ballad, the tune would not have sounded out of place on a Foreigner album. It actually wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Billy Joel album. The problem wasn't Gramm's instantly recognizable voice (though he sounded like he was trying to make up for not liking the tune by powering his way through the performance), rather the bland and forgettable song ...
(side 2) 1.) Soiree Fantastique (Todd Cooper - Doug Powell - Tom Brooks - Alan Parsons) - 5:27 rating: **** stars Beautiful ballad with nice, if somewhat stereotype French musical touches - Paris back street accordion flourishes... Todd Cooper's finest moment and worth hearing for the gorgeous vocal harmonies ... 2.) Fly To Me (Mike Mikel - Jeff Kollman - Alan Parsons) - 3:45 rating: **** stars The ballad 'Fly To Me' featured Mike Mikel (of Dark Ocean Colors and The Pillbugs fame) on lead vocals. Initially the track struck me as yet another pretty, but forgettable ballad, but after a couple of spins it struck me that Mikel's performance bore more than a passing resemblance to John Lennon with the guitar solo reflecting kind of a George Harrison vibe. Extra star for the first rate influences. 3.) Requiem (Todd Cooper - Doug Powell - Bob Cooper - Alan Parsons) - 4:02 rating: *** stars 'Requiem' found Parsons and company dipping their toes into a big band arrangement ... Another one that initially didn't do a great deal for me. Echoes of Michael Buble crossed with the late George Michaels ... It actually sounded like it was written for some kind of movie soundtrack. And while it isn;t my favorite performance, I'll admit that Todd Cooper turned in a killer vocal on this one. 4.) Years of Glory (P.J. Olson - Alan Parsons) - 4:05 rating: **** star Olson's inspiration for 'Years of Glory' came at least partially from the loss of his son. Knowing that, as a parent I found the song almost painful to listen to. The song was stunning beautiful with Todd Cooper's sax solo reminding me of a good Al Stewart song. The subject matter is one of those life events we all pray we never have to endure ... Longtime Parsons sidekick Ian Bairnson provided the blazing guitar solo. 5.) The Limelight Fades Away (Jordan Huffman - Dan Tracey - Alan Parsons) - 3:36 rating: *** stars And just when I thought I'd gone into ballad overload the chorus of 'The Limelight Fades Away' hit my headphones. Nice AOR tune that had quite a bit of radio potential. Can't say I know much about Huffman other than he toured with Parsons and is Parsons' son in law. 6.) I Can't Get There From Here (Patrick Johnson - David Russo - Jared Mahone - Alan Parsons) - 4:38 rating: *** stars Johnson apparently wrote the song after Parsons and long time collaborator Eric Woolfsen ended their partnership. It then made it into his film "5-25-77" (the day the original "Star Wars" film was released). This version featured Jared Mahone who sure sounded like The Zombies Colin Blunstone. Another sweet ballad which sadly pushed me over the edge into a diabetic coma. Built largely on clips from Johnson's film, there's a video for the tune at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciptb2f8Awo
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: From the New World Company: Frontier Catalog:
024391 120455 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): NM/NM Comments: sealed; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $50.00
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I wish I could say I loved 2022's "From the New World.' It occasionally sounds like classic Alan Parsons Project, with a distinctive retro feel that actually made me pull out a couple of his older releases (many which I had not looked at in twenty plus years). As you'd expect, the sound was crystal clear throughout and Parsons again recruited an interesting group of collaborators including super guitarist Joe Bonamassa, Gospel singer Tabitha Fair, Ambrosia's David Pack and Styx's Tommy Shaw. It was obviously a treat to listen to a new Parsons album and I enjoyed about half of the collection, particularly the stripped down, up-tempo performances like 'The Secret' and 'Uroboros' (featuring Tommy Shaw on lead vocals) Elsewhere the album suffered from an overabundance of ballads. While I love a sweet ballad as much as the next person, hearing three in a row ('Don't Fade Now', 'Give 'em Love' and 'Obstacles') all but brought the album to a standstill. Even more of a curiosity, a couple of these performances just sounded out of place. Featuring James Durbin on lead vocals, 'Give 'em My Love' was a country ballad. Parson's re-purposing of Antonin Dvorak's 'New World Symphony, Second Movement' as 'Goin' Home' sounded like something off a Broadway cast album. Similarly, seemingly intended as a tribute to the late Ronnie Spector, the closer 'Be My Baby' just sounded like a last minute addition to fill out the album's running time Oh it was a nice gesture and Tabitha Fair's performance was lovely, but what was the song doing here? Not that every Alan Parsons album had to have a unifying concept ... And what was with Ioannis Vasilopoulos' uninspired artwork? I guess the best thing I can say is I liked parts of the album. I just didn't love it.
"From the
New World" track listing: 1.) Fare thee Well (Alan Parsons - Doug Powell - Todd Cooper) - 4:33 rating: *** stars A big, ponderous, heavily orchestrated ballad, I have to admit 'Fare thee Well' effortlessly captured the classic Alan Parsons sound. Part of the sense of familiarity came from the fact the opening synthesizer pattern recalled 'Sirius' from 1982's "Eye In the Sky". As you'd expect, the tune featured a shiny melody and tasteful vocals from Todd Cooper. With lyrical nods to numerous Alan Parsons Project tunes, the track was apparently a nod to Parsons' late songwriting partner Eric Woolfson who had passed on back in 2009. Again, the song sounded a lot like earlier Parsons efforts, with a touch of David Gilmour thrown in the blend. That was a good thing for Parsons fans, but if you were hoping for something a little different - not here. 2.) The Secret (Alan Parsons - Mark Mikel - Jeff Kollman) - 4:13 rating: **** stars The title track from the 2019's album of the same name ... You're left to wonder why 'The Secret' was left off the earlier album. Featuring Mark Mikel's 's dry voice, the track ditched some of the earlier orchestration marking a return to a more pop-oriented sound. In the process the performance reminded me of some of his earlier offerings. Nice Jeff Kollman guitar solo. 3.)
Uroboros (Todd Cooper - Doug Powell &- Alan Parsons)- 4:05 'Uroboros' returned to the theme of Parsons revisiting past glories - in this case one needed look no further than the cover of 1985's "Vulture Culture" which featured the "Uroboros" (or "Ouroboros) concept on the cover. In case you wondered, it refers to an ancient Egyptian symbol of life reflects a serpent or dragon eating its own tail. Tapped as the album's first single, the track featured Styx's Tommy Shaw on lead vocals. As a child of the '70s I grew up on a seemingly never-ending stream of Styx , but I have to admit I was never overwhelmed by Shaw's performances. That made this one of the album's biggest surprises - Shaw's performance was really good. His voice proved a great match for the song's AOR-progressive leanings. Here's a link to the promotional video which also included a series of references to the APP past catalog: Alan Parsons - "Uroboros" ft. Tommy Shaw of @styxtheband - Official Music Video - YouTube 4,) Don't Fade Now (Alan Parsons - Guy Erez - Andy Ellis) - 4:12 rating: **** stars With Parsons and P.J. Olsson sharing lead vocals the ballad 'Don't Fade Now' offered up a pleasant folk-tinged ballad. Quite different from Parsons' normal sound and maybe because it was quiet and laidback, I enjoyed it. I was also surprised by how melodic Parsons' voice was. He's never been a great singer, but on this one he sounded warm and comfortable. Even better were Joe Bonamassa's guitar solos. Can't say the same thing for the promotional video which was pretty new-age-ish and bland: Alan Parsons "Don't Fade Now" Music Video (HD) - YouTube 5.) Give 'em My Love (James Durbin - Julian Colbeck - Alan Parsons) - 3:17 rating: ** stars I'd never heard American Idol participant (season 10) and Quiet Riot lead singer (2017-19) James Durbin before. His country-tinged voice took a moment to get acclimated to. Durbin had a nice enough voice, but 'Give 'em My Love' just seemed totally out of place on this album. A pretty country ballad, you'd be hard pressed to find a song that had less of an Alan Parsons feel. Not even a nice Joe Bonamassa solo could make up for that disconnected feeling. Imagine Blake Shelton picking a rapper on "American Idol". YouTube has a promotional clip for the song where Durbin wrote in and commented on the track: "We wrote the song for the Masterclass recording session, though I’d had the chorus idea for a while. We tell our loved ones “give em my love” when they go to visit family or friends, what if we said it to loved ones in their final moments of life to bring this love with them as a beacon to souls who’ve already passed, so they know they’re not forgotten. Writing, performing & recording this song was very therapeutic for all involved." Here's a link to the YouTube clip: Alan Parsons - "Give 'Em My Love" ft. @JamesDurbinOfficial - Official Lyric Video | @alanparsons - YouTube
(side 2) 1.) Obstacles (Alan Parsons - Mark Mikel - Jeff Kollman) - 3:32 rating: ** stars Mark Mikel handled lead vocals on the ballad 'Obstacles.' The song's most interesting facet was how much Mikel sounded like APP's David Paton. At least this one sounded like an Alan Parson song; albeit not a very good one. 2.) I Won't Be Led Astray (David Minasian - Kim Bullard - Alan Parsons) - 4:36 rating: *** stars Hey we haven't heard a slow number in a while ... Yeah another ballad. Admittedly this one had one thing going for it with David Pack handling lead vocals (Parsons on backing vocals). Unfortunately the song was a bit short on melody, though the refrain was nice. Bonsamassa tried to inject a little energy into the proceedings, but it just never hit critical mass. Perhaps because of Pack's participation the song was tapped as a single and was accompanied by a bland video: Alan Parsons - "I Won't Be Led Astray" ft. David Pack, Joe Bonamassa - Official Music Video - YouTube 3.) You Are the Light (Alan Parsons - Dan Tracey - Keith Howland) - 4:33 rating: *** stars Thankfully 'You Are the Light' spared is another ballad, instead showcasing a mid-tempo pop tune. Featured Parsons and Dan Tracey on lead vocals, the song featured a catchy, but anonymous melody. It would have been better were it not for Parsons flat and uninspired vocals. Tracey's contributions simply buried Parsons. Should have let him handle lead vocals. 4.) Halos (Alan Parsons - P.J. Olsson - Dan Tracey) - 4:14 rating: **** stars Well the song title sounded like an Alan Parsons product. Musically the track started out reminding me of a mash-up of Norman Whit\field (great bass line) and Phil Collins-era Genesis, before drifting off into Pink Floyd soundscapes. Must say I really liked P.J. Olsson's whispery vocals. One of my favorite performances, though the abrupt ending was a disappointment. This is another song accompanied by a promotional video: Alan Parsons "Halos" Music Video (HD) - YouTube. 5,) Goin' Home (Antonín Dvorák - William Arms Fisher - Tom Brooks - Alan Parsons) - 4:45 rating: *** stars Nothing against classical music - some of the world's most beautiful art is reflected in classical pieces. In fact 'Goin' Home appears the be based on the second movement of Antonin Dvorak's 'New World Symphony'. With Parsons and Tom Brooks providing lyrics, the result was pretty, but sounded like something pulled off a Broadway cast album. Parsons vocals were .. well they were certainly heartfelt. 6.) Be My Baby (Alan Parsons - Jeff Barry - Ellie Greenwich - Phil Spector) - 2:42 rating: ** stars Ronnie Spector passed on during the recording sessions which was apparently the inspiration for including a cover of The Ronnettes 'Be My Baby.' The original stands as the classic version which bodes poorly for any cover. Featuring Tabitha Fair on vocals and Joe Bonamassa on guitar, the cover is a nice tribute, but it sound out of place on the album.
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rating: **** stars