TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION

This album is really great. The idea to make an album out of Poe's frightening tales is awesome. The music is great. The arrangements are great. Basically the challenge here to Alan Parsons was to recreate in music the atmospheres of Poe's tales, and he did good, very good indeed. The album contains different kind of approach to composition, from something more rock like "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven", the first song ever to feature a vocoder in whole rock history, to something incredibly closer to symphonic prog like "The Cask Of Amontillado"; not to mention the suite in the middle of the work : "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" which is simply great classical music. The most interesting aspect of this album are the arrangements, and Alan has always been a master in this matter, which are always impeccable. In my opinion Tales Of Mystery And Imagination remains the best ALAN PARSONS PROJECT release by far, really prog and very evocative.

Yes in the end we could consider it a masterpiece, a must have, an essential album for every prog head around the planet.

5 stars.