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The Alan Parsons Project - The Essential Alan Parsons Project CD (album) cover

THE ESSENTIAL ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

The Alan Parsons Project

 

Crossover Prog

4.10 | 20 ratings

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Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars ALAN PARSONS PROJECT was one of those few bands that were able to always release solid albums, doesn't matter if it's the sober and totally Progressive "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" or POP albums such as "Vulture Culture", the genre preferences pass to a second plane when we listen this eclectic band, being that the excellent production and excellent arrangements granted them respect among Progheads and top 40 audience.

It's true that most of us will stay with their first three albums, but even when they released cheesy POP, there was always something that made us listen the albums without pressing the skip button.

So, even when I'm not a fan of compilations (much less when the band doesn't present rare material or B sides), when I saw this two disks set, I had to grab it and after reading the setlist buy it without hesitation.

It's evident that the label took good care when selected the tracks for "The Essential Alan Parsons Project", the songs chosen represent the best of their career, and at the same time wisely avoided good but excessively complex songs like "The Fall of the House of Usher", as well as other tracks that would be easily rejected by the most demanding listeners.

I believe that Disk 1 is stronger, because they have included material from their most Progressive albums, with excellent selections such as "The Raven", "Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" and "To One in Paradise" from their legendary debut.

In the same way they selected great material from "I Robot" and "Pyramid", to be honest didn't listened the wonderful "In the Lap of the Gods" for years and found it as pompous and brilliant as that cold winter afternoon in 1978 when I bought the album almost by accident.

The good taste is so clear that they went for the only good tracks from the weak "Eve", the frenetic "Lucifer" and the delightful "Damned if I do" to end Disk 1 with three selections form one of their most popular releases "The Turn of a Friendly Card".

Disk 2 is oriented towards their simplest and most popular material, being my favourites the incredibly popular "Eye in the Sky" the melancholic "Old and Wise" and of course "La Sagrada Familia" from their usually ignored album "Gaudi", a track that I always loved because of the delicate acoustic guitar.

So this is an excellent compilation that I recommend without fear, music for all the tastes and the touch of quality that "Alan Parsons Project" always presented to their audience.

Four solid stars for a boxset that I will enjoy every time I want to listen selected material from this good band or have to drive long distances and can't take many CD's.

Ivan_Melgar_M | 4/5 |

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