I ROBOT

When people think about Alan Parsons, I figure most would think of his production work with The Beatles and Pink Floyd, however it isn't uncommon for people to think of The Alan Parsons Project too. The Alan Parsons Project were a crossover Prog band from the late 70s through 80s, and is considered to be a real home star runner of the progressive pop in that strange era for Prog music. The project was basically a duo of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. Most people when they think of this duo would be their 80s output of Eye In The Sky, or perhaps The Turn Of The Friendly Card. More Progheads would look towards their first two albums though, especially I Robot.

I Robot is one of APP's most acclaimed albums in the 70s, and for really good reasons. I think the main appeal here is the fact that this came out during the time when Prog rock was starting to fade from public consciousness, and with this album's more pop-like approach, they managed to create an album that both popheads and progheads could enjoy. I find the main appeal for this album, for me at least, is the strong musical architecture this duo creates. You get flavors of your usual, classic Prog rock affair, but mixed with funk, ambient, soft rock, and even a bit of Pink Floydian sounding space rock with Day After Day (The Show Must Go On). It really allows this record to feel like an actual project the two members worked on. Something to test their own sounds and stylizations, and I am all for it. Not only do they harness that fun and lively 70s pop into their progressive sound, but they also bend their own flutes and try to make something that is quite varied in their approach.

This record is a concept album, and one that, at the surface, might not seem so apparent. Basically, it draws slight concepts from Isaac Asimov's Robot Stories, which delves in philosophies and themes from AI, and humanity. I find it cool that Asimov was around to happily approve and listen to this final conceptual work. In fact, many of the album's themes draw from these books, especially on the last track of Genesis Ch. 1 V.32, which is an implication piece, drawing parallels to the Bible's Genesis story, having a first chapter that has 31 verses, and so this song being a 32nd verse showcases a new age of life, being a lot more robotic yet still alive. While the concept is considerably loose, I find it really cool how the story of these books draws their seams into the album's workings, kinda like how The Flaming Lips would do 24 years later with Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. This album has a lot more of a mechanical and cold feel, but still resonates that fun, carefree pop tone APP is quite known for, which I think is quite appealing.

I do have some problems with this record, and it's that I feel as though they really gave out some missed opportunities for something greater. I wasn't looking for any epics since I can find them in their first and fifth record, but I won't deny that tracks like Some Other Time, Nucleus, and especially Total Eclipse left me in the cold. They weren't as big or as excellent sounding as Breakdown or The Voice, which is quite disappointing. Also I felt the length of the record was quite underwhelming. I kinda, no, really wanted there to be some sort of grander ending, possibly with Genesis Ch. 1 V.32 being a lot longer than 3 minutes (possibly 7 or 8 minutes) as it develops more and more upon itself, giving this album a great closure. Either way, even if this album has a few missed potentials and a few chilled feet, I think this is quite a charming little album.

I decided to listen to another APP album because of this record, and so it made me a fan of this duo's unique blending of pop rock, Prog rock, and many other genres. I won't say it is an essential listening experience, especially in regards to 1977 albums, but this is not a bad record, and in fact one that is worth looking into for anyone curious to get in APP like I did. A cold, metallic album that despite its breezes can still warm up a groove in my feet.