AMMONIA AVENUE

By the time The Alan Parsons Project released Ammonia Avenue they were perceived by critics and most people as an AOR act (their prog roots long forgotten), and after 1984 AOR was not fashionable anymore. So the enormous chart success of their previous record, Eye In The Sky, was not only not repeated, but the band (or project) was seeing by the general public as `has beens`. The time now was for the techno pop of the likes of Cindy Lauper, Duran Duran, Flock Of Seagulls and the `hair´ metal bands (Motley crüe, Poison and son on). It is only ironic that Ammonia Avenue was their first album to have what people call ´an 80´s production´status. Not that they changed their style much. But the inclusion of some eletronic drums and a few typical synths of that time did not bring anything better to their overall sound.

So in the end you have pretty much of the the same sophisticated, very well arranged and played prog pop APP was famous for after Pyromania (1978). As the other works Ammonia Avenue is a concept album this time with the theme of endangered enviroment issues (somethong that would became so dearly from the next decade on). There are some very strong cuts here like the singles Prime Time and Don´t Answer Me (great Spector-esque kind of arrangement), plus the very good instrumental Pipeline and, of course, one of APP´s best songs ever with the Title Track: this beautiful epic ballad is one of the true forgotten gems of the 80´s with its gorgeous progressive arrangement, quite unique orchestration, intelligent lyrics and a emotional vocal performance by Eric Woolfson. It is true that the third track, One Good Reason, spoils the overall effect of the album with its dated 80´s synth sound, but fortunatly it just one real drawback. And it is good to see that the songwriting duo opf Woolfson and Parsons never lost their knack for the perfect melodic tune.

Conclusion: another fine prog pop album by APP, a bit superior to Eye In The Sky. If you´re a fan of that melodic and very well crafted music, don´t hesitate. 3 stars.