I ROBOT

Next to "Tales" this is the best Parsons release IMHO. Well produced with Alan's signature stellar engineering. Alan managed to stay ahead of the curve in the engineering dept. I don't know how he did it, but there are moments in album where the music actually sounds 3 demensional. This album can certainly give your speakers a real workout. I've got not only the CD but also the Mobile Fidelity UHQR LP, for those non-audiophiles, this a special limited high-tech vinyl pressing done directly off the studio master tapes. Only 5000 were made of these. These type of vinyl pressings were widley popular in the 70s and early 80s 'til CDs came into the fold. Some still think these pressings sound better than CDs and in a way, they're right. The sound is much warmer and the chorale section on "Breakdown" just jumps right out at you. During "The Voice" you feel like you can just walk around the strings. It would be nice if Alan would re-visit this incredible recording and do a complete re- master for a 5.1 mix. All in all, a sonic masterpiece no matter how you listen to this. Enough said, 4.5 stars. Minus 1/2 star for lack of originality on some of the music. Total Eclipse sounds like a direct rippoff of the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack.