The Alan Parsons Project ~ England

Eye in the Sky (1982)

---June 2005

I’d have to say of all albums released in 1982, this is the one I heard the most during that year. After many years of not hearing it, I realized again just what a great album this is. The longest track in particular ‘Silence and I’, demonstrates their ability to mix soft rock and powerful orchestrated sections seamlessly. The title track is something that has been played to death, something that shouldn’t be held against the song, but it’s hard not to be critical. My favorite APP album.

---10/13/25

I refer to this album quite a bit, but haven't really documented it too much. 1982 was a very important year in my musical development (just see my Tangerine Dream epiphany), so it's only natural that some of the more mainstream albums from that year hold a special place in my heart as well. As with Canada's Saga, The Alan Parsons Project skirted the boundaries of prog rock while never being fully engaged with it. One could hear Eye in the Sky as a soft rock album with a lot of artistic trimming. In this way, they come across as a sort of English Steely Dan (B4 cements this observation). The iconic opener 'Sirius' still gets played at arena sports events. The title track is very catchy, one that you will be humming after the music stops. But what of the rest? Mostly it's just beautiful music, including the pensive 'Silence and I' and its spirited mid-section. APP tends to shine on their instrumentals, and B3 is a good example of that, despite the rather ordinary disco beat accompaniment. B1 is the only throwaway track IMO. To my ears, Eye in The Sky takes Pyramid as the blueprint (similar flow, including the melancholic closer), and improves on it. I'm not sure it's my favorite by them anymore, objectively speaking. Perhaps I Robot now holds that spot.  

Ownership: 

1982 Arista (LP). Foil Eye cover.

1988 Arista (CD)

1982 Arista (MC)

1982 (acquired); 6//05; 10/16/14; 10/13/25
 

Ammonia Avenue (1984)

As with Stereotomy below, I keep going back to Ammonia Avenue. Like returning to an abusive relationship. My opinion is never going to change so I need to stop wasting my time. It just baffles me how uninspired this is after the brilliant Eye in the Sky. What happened? They had two years to come up with solid material. Clearly they had great songwriters among them, so how the heck did they only manage to come up with Ammonia Avenue? It's not even an 80s thing. It's not like they tried their hand at New Wave. Maybe they should have. It's boring pop. There's no chance for a hit here because everything is DOA. All of their albums after this are just as bad. Change of drugs maybe? One of these days I'll have to hear the Alan Parsons solo albums. I don't have high hopes.

Source: 1984 Arista (LP)

1984 (first acquired); 9/6/25 (review)
 

Stereotomy (1985)

I've had this before, both on LP and CD, but why not try it again? Parsons' post Eye in the Sky albums all struggle with catchiness. While he dabbled in prog rock, his Project efforts were always more AOR oriented. So when the music fails to be memorable, then there's nothing else to hold onto. The production is way slick and they're obviously working hard for radio hits. I had this rated too low, likely a reaction real time towards my disappointment that this wasn't Eye in the Sky. This was to be the last Alan Parsons Project album for me to buy real time.

Source: 1985 Arista (LP)

1985 (first acquired); 3/21/16; 11/10/24 (review)

Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976)

Even though I Robot was the first Alan Parsons Project album for me to own, it was music from Tales of Mystery and Imagination that I was first introduced to. The track that drew me in - and is still a favorite - was 'The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather'. It's a great tune with a memorable melody, jamming guitars, and a killer funky rhythm. The other great track that was played often on the radio was 'The Raven'. After acquiring the album I learned of the other songs. Of those, the two that captured my imagination were 'A Dream Within a Dream' - once again demonstrating an early interest in electronic styled music for moi - and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' which was an unabashed prog track with a full orchestra. I found it boring at first but I grew into it over time, especially the beautiful harpsichord segment.

Ownership: 1978 20th Century Germany (LP). Gatefold with libretto.

1978 (first acquired); 10/3/14; 11/16/23 (review)

I Robot (1977)

I Robot was one of the first five albums I ever bought. This album is further proof I was an odd kid, doing my own thing. I didn't have any friends that liked this, I just enjoyed what I heard on the radio. But even at age 12, I was drawn in by the electronics, likely a precursor to my ultimate embracing of Tangerine Dream a few years later while in high school. This is one crazy mainstream album, I'll tell you that. Take out 'Don't Let it Show' and there's arguably nothing commercial about it. Even the hit 'I Wouldn't Want to be Like You' is a pretty bizarre funk tune. But it's Side 2 where it really goes off the rails. And the older I get, the more I appreciate this album because of it. If you're like me, and "grew up" with I Robot, give it the old objective retrospective listen. There's more here than you remember. 

Ownership: 

1977 Arista Canada (LP). Textured gatefold cover.

1990's Arista (CD)

1977 (first acquired); 6//05; 10/7/14; 10/17/21 (review)

Pyramid (1978)

Alan Parsons' 3rd effort is a strange little album really. The critics panned it on release, and even today, not too many folks are singing its praises. I've even read that some listeners rank it below Eve, which is crazy in my estimation. Mostly it's an introspective melancholic work. I'm always left with a taste of sadness. The primary exception, and the album's best track IMO, is 'In the Lap of the Gods'. A fantastic instrumental, the piece is driven by choppy piano, and features some excellent rockin' orchestra and choir - more or less the ingredients of any great Parsons track. 'Hyper-Gamma-Spaces' predicts the rise of the more upbeat electronics in APP's sound, which would flower on Eye in the Sky. 'Pyramania' is a bit silly, but otherwise, I enjoy all the tracks on Pyramid. Even though these days I may hear the album once a decade, I still have it pretty much memorized, having absorbed it so much in my youth.

Ownership: 1980 Arista Germany (LP). Gatefold. I somehow managed to get to 2021 without realizing that Pyramid was ever released as a gatefold. Here in America, it was released as a single sleeve and that's the only way I've ever seen it prior.

1978 (first acquired); 2//05; 10/9/14; 4/13/21 (review)

Also own and need to review Turn of a Friendly Card.

1/16/22 (new entry)