A VALID PATH

"Time Machine" (1999) was the last Alan PARSONS album recorded before "A Valid Path" came out this year. You can count me amongst the group of folks that looks forward to this man's music. I have always loved his work. Before launching his own projects, he was well known for his engineering work on the classic albums "Dark Side Of The Moon", "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road". Not a bad resume before kicking off a recording career.

PARSONS has talent such as David GILMOUR, The Cyrstal Method and the Nortec Collective help him on this crisp and polished production. I listened to this album repeatedly. I can say with respect to his legacy that this collection of songs is as good as any I have heard. He has managed to take a bit if the past and today's modern studio techniques to forge a fresh blend of rock, techno and progressive-rock. Probably the best example of that would be "A Recurring Dream Within a Dream" which samples from the classic track "Raven" ("Tales Of Mystery And Imagination" 1975). As usual, PARSONS is positively brilliant melding the classic tune into his new track. A track that stands by itself, miles away from the style and approach of the album in the sum of its parts is "More Lost Without You." It is a sure bet for a hit single.

Those unexposed to the PARSONS cache of recordings will most certainly find this to be a revelatory listening experience and the old guard diehards (like me) will find sheer delight time after time hearing the pulsating rhythms and compelling mixes of each track on this CD. I am one that is always saluting those that can rely on basic tools of the trade to create a great album. I need to rethink my stand on the use of technology, sampling, and voice processing because of what I heard on this CD. Another masterpiece is awaiting your hungry ears now.