The Alan Parsons Project - what genre?

I'm a pretty big fan of theirs. I even got to see them live twice(once on their own and once opening for YES). I would call them prog pop or pop prog. You could even call them art rock. Were they a full blown prog band? Probably not but neither were a lot of bands who often considered prog(cough cough moody blues cough cough). I would say they are in the same ball park as Ambrosia or the Moody Blues as far as prog content goes. All my opinion of course. 

Edited by Prog_Traveller - October 17 2013 at 13:21

Pop-Prog, Symph Lite, Crossover...whatever you call it, APP's I, Robot is great!! I can't say I like that much of the Parsons catalogue but I love that album (especially the reissue with more instrumentals).

Svetonio wrote: Prog Related AOR.

That works for me ..or prog lite as I half jokingly mentioned. I always though their lp's were patchy but they managed to have a decent fm radio track now and then.

lazland wrote: infocat wrote: To me APP and Supertramp define Crossover Prog.  Prog with pop elements.  Or pop with prog.  There are too many bands in Crossover that should be in a more 'standard' prog genre.Oh well! They do not define crossover prog, for the simple reason that when they started out in the 70's, nobody used the phrase. Both APP and Tramp were merely standouts amongst the general art/prog scene of the time. I do, however, agree with you about your letter point re the number in Crossover, which, to me, has merely been used as a dumping ground for a whole pile of bands where we couldn't decide/be bothered (delete as appropriate).

As a matter of fact, gieven what I have read on this site, I understand many of the prog giants actually started their career (and perhaps even released several of their prog masterpieces) before the term prog came into being. However, when did the term prog actually came to be used?

One of the most redeeming features about an artist is when you can't label them into one single category of a music genre or sub-genre. APP are just that. They keep you guessing and that is a wonderful unique quality in my opinion.
Certain albums from APP take on different themes and styles, but more importantly Labeling anyone particular album into one genre or sub genre just doesn't fit with APP. Gotta love it.

Same goes for NINE INCH NAILS. They can't be labeled singularly either.

infocat wrote: To me APP and Supertramp define Crossover Prog.  Prog with pop elements.  Or pop with prog.  There are too many bands in Crossover that should be in a more 'standard' prog genre. Oh well!

How about Pink Floyd Lite....?

APP are definitely Prog and to classify them into one specific sub-genre or even genre of music for that matter would be ridiculous. APP are a dynamic fusing of many different Sub Genres of Prog. I look at them as being a combination of crossover Prog, Progressive Electronic and Psyche/Space rock.

Amazing. Beautiful band. I tell you how many times I've listened to the song 'Some other Time' in my life.
Unbelievable.

The music was created by both Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, the concepts of the album seem to have been thought of by Parsons, but the lyrics by Woolfson. Andrew Powell was the arranger of the orchestrations. Erick Woolfson did sing and play keyboards from time to time. Alan Parsons almost contributed to nothing as far as playing and singing was concerned (from time to time he would sing as part of the chorus, or play som rythm instrument, but nothing particularly important). The project was mainly Parsons and Woolfson, plus to a lesser degree Powell.

Edited by Dellinger - October 15 2013 at 22:17

Of the 2 albums I've heard, I found Tales to be a bit theatrical and I Robot to be a nice, well rounded album that fits nicely between Dark Side of The Moon and Crime of the Century.