GAUDI

This album has many rhythmic & atmospheric modern keyboards, a bit like on the "Stereotomy" album. The vocals are still very good, and the songs are more pop than progressive; the tracks are although well made and catchy enough. Not bad at all, this album has quite good keyboards textures and electric guitar solos. Compared to "Stereotomy", it is just a bit less atmospheric and more pop. I find the songs on the "Eye in the sky" album more catchy and varied. Turn up the volume on "Too late" to appreciate all the bottom ambience and the power involved. "Standing on higher ground" sounds like the Mike Rutherford's good stuff.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Final album under the ALAN PARSONS PROJECT name (Alan PARSONS would later on simply record as Alan PARSONS). I find this album a notch better than "Vulture Culture" and "Stereotomy", but of course, this is no "I Robot" either. The music is about Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, the guy who created truly bizarre and unusual buildings and structures (despite his very conservative political and religious views), such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral, Casa Milà apartments (with some truly bizarre chimneys and ventilation shafts on the roof, making going up on the rooftop of the Casa Milà an absolute must), and Güell Park. Pretty much, the music on this album is as you expect from The ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, heavily orchestrated pop-rock, but there are some more '80s synth-pop type numbers such as "Too Late", "Standing on Higher Ground" and "Money Talks".

Nice to see two of their key vocalists, Eric Woolfson and Lenny Zakatek make a return here (they seemed oddly absent on "Stereotomy"). There are two Eric Woolfson ballads, "Closer to Heaven" and "Inside Looking Out". It might not be the best thing APP ever done, but it could've been a lot worse.

Architectural

This is really the Eric Woolfson Project, Parsons being almost entirely absent from the album credits. He is listed as co-writer of the songs, but I suspect this is very much in the way Lennon/McCartney shared every song. This album is the nearest to prog the Alan Parson's Project have come since "Tales of Mystery and Imagination..", and is a very good collection to boot. This is of course a concept album about the architect Gaudi, and consists of generally longer tracks than other APP albums.

"La Sagrada Familia" kick off album with much pomposity and orchestration. At almost 9 minutes it is a fine piece, with great vocals by John Miles ("Music") and dramatic instrumental overtones. Miles also performs lead vocals on the disappointing "Money talks", which sound like little more than a thinly disguised mimic of Pink Floyd's "Money". Indeed, it is the tracks on which Woolfson take on lead vocal that shine brightest. "Inside looking out" is particularly pleasing, similar in many ways to the classic APP track, "Silence and I".

"Standing on higher ground" is more like standard APP fare, with it's relaxed mid-paced rhythm, and catchy hook, a sort of "Eye in the sky part 2".

In all though one of the Project's best works, my only real beef being that it is disappointingly short, at well under 40 minutes.

I have to confess giving up on the Alan Parson's Project after Gaudi, Sure he kept concept albums going but the quality and freshness of new ideas never materialises in the music and I can only describe the work as poor. Only die hard fans and completionsists need apply.' Standing on Higher Ground' is catchy though.

"Gaudi" was the final album under the Alan Parsons Project name and later he gave his record under Alan Parsons. Yes, at firs place why it was called "project" because as far as I know it means something which has definite "start" and "finish". With 10 studio albums and changes of musicians are already a long period to say it as a project. For me personally this album is better than "Vulture Culture" and "Stereotomy", but of course, but is not as good as "I Robot".

As far as music offering, "Gaudi" has many melodic, rhythmic & atmospheric modern keyboards with firm drum beats and very little tempo / style changes, a bit like on the "Stereotomy" album. The vocals are good (this is probably the attraction point on why I kept buyong The APP albums), and as usual, the songs are more pop than progressive. It has quite good keyboards textures and electric guitar solos. When I compare this to "Stereotomy", it is just a bit less atmospheric and more pop . and a bit boring. Probably the songs on the "Eye in the sky" album are more catchy and varied.

Conceptually, ss is the case with "Tale" album, this album has a story line about Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, the guy who created unusual buildings and structures such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral, Casa Milà apartments, and Güell Park. Musically, it's pretty much the same as you might expect from The Alan Parsons Project, an orchestrated pop-rock. There are some more synthesizer-pop type numbers such as "Money Talks" (with great guitar work), "Too Late", and "Standing on Higher Ground". Eric Woolfson and Lenny Zakatek are back here.

It's a good album at least for a break after listening too heavy stuffs with complex arrangements, probably. Don't expect something "prog" with this album but I still urge you to ..Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Another technically precise offering under the label Alan Parsons Project that, like most of the latter albums from the Project, is rather tepid and soulless.

The formula was well-known by the time this one released: a pop-driven opening track ("La Sagrada Familia") that once again tries to recreate the magic of "Games People Play" and "Eye in the Sky" that falls a bit short; a danceable but lackluster following track "Too Late" that sounds suspiciously like Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night"; a couple tepid and forgettable filler tracks ("Inside Looking Out", "Money Talks"); an Eric Woolfson ballad "Closer to Heaven"; and the obligatory instrumental "Paseo De Gracia".

And of course a radio-friendly potential single ("Standing on Higher Ground"), this one from Vitamin Z vocalist Geoff Barradale.

The magic was unfortunately long-gone by 1987, and Parsons probably should have packed it in by this time. He pretty much had, since this is largely an Eric Woolfson project with the Parsons name and production work to give it the semblance (but not the spirit) of legitimacy. The good parts here are Woolfson's vocals and Parsons' excellent studio skills. The bad part is the predictable and tired formula that didn't really vary from the start of the eighties until this final nail in the coffin. This album sounded pretty good when it had a light green cover and was entitled "Eye in the Sky" in 1982, but after five more album covers with different names but the exact same music it had become almost embarrassing.

I would give this one star except that "Standing on Higher Ground" is a pretty decent tune. Other than that this is completely forgettable and only of interest to Parsons collectors and possibly to mildly curious fans of Gaudi's architecture. So two stars may be generous, but is a respectful concession to a once-great producer who had reached his creative end.

peace

Alan Parsons Project had become less and less interesting with boring pop albums like Ammonia Ave, Stereotomy or Vulture Culture, but on Gaudi one finds fine moments in the purest APP style. It didn't bring anything new, but the familiar formula - a mixture of pomposity, dreaminess and tidy pop balladry wrapped in the perfectionistic production - got one more fairly succesful result here, if not as good as Eye In the Sky, talking of the 80's albums only. Gaudi is unfortunately rather short and has only seven tracks, and not all of them very good. But maybe there are enough enjoyment for three stars.

It is a loosely conceptual album inspired by the Barcelonan architect legend Antoni Gaudi, most openly so on 'La Sagrada Familia' (that's the famous cathedral which never was finished) and the closing part of 'Inside Looking Out' (with a collache of voices talking about Gaudi). Naturally architecture or visual arts in general is more difficult to 'interpret' in music than for example horror stories, but I think they could have tried at least to put more Spanish feel to it, if the 'Gaudian' feel was too distant for them (electronic artist Robert Rich managed to get the mosaic-like atmosphere on his Gaudi album).

There's the usual bunch of vocalists: Woolfson, Zakatek, Chris Rainbow, and my favourite APP vocalist John Miles on the grandiose 'La Sagrada Familia'. That one, 'Inside...' and the instrumental 'Paseo De Gracia' (sadly the only one) are the highlights for me. As a whole Gaudi is not among the very best of the APP albums.

Gaudi was the Alan Parsons Project's tenth studio album and technically the last to be released by the Project. The formula used isn't anything different from previous affairs: a core collection of session musicians, guest vocalists, Parsons amazing production abilities, and an overall theme to the album. Gaudi was inspired by the life and work of a Catalan architect named Antonio Gaudí.

The music and structure of this album is somewhat similar in respects to their previous album, Stereotomy. However, once you get past the opening track, La Sagrada Familia, it's just a series of pop rock songs fitting for the 1980s era. In addition to Woolfson, vocalists included John Miles, Lenny Zakatek, Chris Rainbow, and Geoff Barradale (Vitamin Z). Though not quite as poor an outing as Vulture Culture, Ammonia Avenue, or Eve, it's a rather mediocre ending for the Project, although at the time they didn't know this would be their last album.

APP had planned to record an album called Freudiana (inspired by Sigmund Freud). Freudiana was produced by Parsons (and had the Project regulars on board), but because Woolfson wanted to turn it into a musical, it caused a rift between Parsons and Woolfson. So Freudiana became Woolfson's first solo album (although some consider it a Project work) and Alan Parsons started his solo career.

Definitely a must-have for die-hard APP fans, but there are much better albums to acquire before even thinking about this one. As always, I recommend starting with their debut. Two stars.

The holy family

The opening and closing tracks on this album are excellent! These two tracks are clearly among the Alan Parsons Project's best material ever. The opening track rocks harder than most Alan Parson's Project songs, and it has a very strong melody too, very bombastic and powerful song. The closing track is an instrumental that reprises the theme of the opening track with excellent acoustic guitar playing in a Spanish flamenco style! Great way to open and close the album.

What comes in between is a little bit of a mixed bag, however. All the songs are good, but as on every Alan Parson's Project album there are simply too many singers ans styles involved making almost all their albums sound like compilations of different artists work rather than as works by one and the same band. Not even the conceptual nature of their albums can make them sound like fully coherent works. This album, based on Antonio Gaudi - a famous architect - is a bit more consistent than many other Project albums.

Surprisingly, this album has actually become my favourite by the Alan Parsons Project! It is more rock than pop, and the Disco influences of some earlier albums are absent here. Clearly, this is one of the best ones from the Alan Parsons Project and, I would say, an early choice if you want to explore the project.

Underrated!

This album was a good surprise for me, more consistent and proggier than most of their 80´s stuff. I agree with SouthSideOfTheSky when he says this is an underrated work. Gaudi follows after the good Stereotomy and ends the APP saga with much dignity.

This is a concept album about the life and works of the famous catalan architect Antonio Gaudi (1852-1926). There are some line up changes with long time bassist/vocalist David Patton gone and vocalist Chris Rainbow absent (he is not credit as lead singer in none of the six tracks, something that never happened before. Maybe he did some backing vocals). But the rest are here. even if this is the album Alan Parsons himself was less involved musically.

The first three tracks are great ones: La Sagrada Familia is probably one of APP´s best, in all its 8 minutes. Stading On A Higher ground is a bit too derivative and Money Talks is the only real let down on the entire CD (although the guitar parts are excellent). The album´s quality rises again with the last two, the fine Inside Looking Out and the brilliant instrumental Paseo De Gracia (another highlight). As usual the production is spotless and Andrew Powell´s orchestrations are excellent.

Conclusion: one of the best APP´s latter day albums. Not as brilliant as their 70´s stuff, of course, but very fine anyway. 3,5 stars.

There is no real revolution with this album. Only that it is probably better than their production from the last decade.

Nothing extraordinary (but that's not a breaking news), but a whole composite and decent album actually. I even tend to like the long opening number: a strong track which is my highlight here and which could indicate that the worse of the band is fortunately behind. Almost bombastic and decently prog!

The overall mood is more ambient, as if these awful synthetic sounds (even if "Standing On Higher Ground" is not too far away from these) are a definite thing from the past. Obviously, there aren't too much prog hold in "Gaudi", but some crafted vocals harmonies ("Closer To Heaven") which in some ways are a nice return to old melodies.

Some heavier and AOR beats are quite hard to grasp during "Money Talks". An uninspired song which could have been avoided to be honest. If ever you like ELO (which was my case, up to the late middle seventies), you'll be amazing by the nice melody available during "Inside Looking Out". A very pleasant moment, I should say.

Actually, I do share the same advice as Bob about this album: it might well be their best one since their debut. I am only less optimistic about the rating: three stars. Still, it is a pleasant surprise.

"Gaudi" is The Alan Parsons Project's 1987 release following two very poor albums of questionable quality. Given the fact that these last two albums were so disappointing and un-prog, I must admit I approached this album with trepidation. To my amazement the first track is a prog gem! La Sagrada Familia is back to true form for the amazing talent on offer from incomparable Eric Woolfson, and Andrew Powell's symphony orchestra. The track is majestic, uplifting and well structured with killer melodies and wonderful vocals by John Miles. I have to wonder where this quality was hidden in the last two albums. It is a pleasant return to form and is consistent throughout the album.

Too Late is an uptempo song with clear guitar work and great vocals from Lenny Zakatek. The lead break is excellent and although it house the 80s sound the drums are way better on this release, not as tinny and synth like.

Closer To Heaven is a melancholic Eric Woolfson composition driven by keyboards and his gentle airy vocals. It sounds more like the APP of old and is a welcome track for fans of the earlier APP material. I like the way the beat builds slowly and the monotone bassline. It is a lovely song with a sweet melody and excellent studio production. The dreamy saxophone solo by Richard Cottle is beautiful.

Standing On Higher Ground returns to the formulaic pop radio sound that I was never into. It is okay but not as good as the material previous. It does break time sig which makes a change from all the 4/4 tempos, and I like the guitar solo here.

Money Talks has a quirky guitar motif driving it, and John Miles sings well. It is catchy enough but again nothing special. The lead breaks lifts it up a tad but it feels like filler. Inside Looking Out returns to Woolfson's airy vocals and very soft musicianship. It is a real smooth composition, dreamy and ambient with subtle vocals over gentle music; one you can fall asleep to for sure. It even has some dialogue voices over an acoustic layer which are interesting.

The album closes with Paseo De Gracia, an instrumental to bid the band farewell. As the last APP album "Gaudi" is definitely an improvement on the previous 2 releases and at least the band finished with something worthwhile. Eric Woolfson turned the album into the rock opera "Freudiana" in 1990. Alan Parsons continued as a solo artist and released "Try Anything Once" in 1993, that completes the cycle started with this album. "Gaudi" is certainly not quite up to the excellence of the first 3 albums or "Eye in the Sky" but this is a decent consistent quality album worth hearing from the Alan Parsons Project.

The final Alan Parsons Project album is something of a return to form, after three albums in a row of prog-light art pop which got well into diminishing returns. Inspired by the titular architect, it's propped up by two more progressive pieces at the start and end - La Sagrada Familia and Paseo De Gracia - and some lighter, poppy numbers in between. The pop numbers are of the sort of quality of the better tracks from Ammonia Avenue, Vulture Culture, or Stereotomy, whilst the more ambitious numbers are a return to the band's pre-Eye In the Sky magic.

In particular, La Sagrada Familia works in elements of traditional Spanish music and bombastic opera, offering a richer range of sounds than the band had offered since at least as far back as Turn of a Friendly Card. Paseo De Gracia, likewise, incorporates Spanish guitar to add an air of drama to proceedings.

It's the pop numbers in the middle which are shakier. Too Late has a bit of bite to it, Closer To Heaven is fine, but Standing on Higher Ground, Money Talks, and Inside Looking Out are lacklustre and overlong.

As such, I'm inclined to say that whilst Gaudi is an improvement over Stereotomy - in my view their weakest album of the 1980s - it's not a radical one. It may be that, starting and finishing strong as it does, it leaves the listener with a better impression than it perhaps deserves, since thinking back on it you'll remember the good moments and overlook the weaker patches. Call it three and a half stars, rather than a return to the four star standards of their better works.