I ROBOT

I Robot is another extremely well produced album by the Alan Parsons Project. This one is based on Isaac Asimov's collection of robot stories under the same title. The original concept for this album was to actually follow the stories Asimov wrote but Parsons was unable to obtain the rights and thus altered the concept. An overarching theme is a view of the future through today's eyes. The album also brings to the front of Man creating robots in his own image and paralleling that with the last song on the disc called Genesis Ch.1 v.32. In the Bible, chapter one of Genesis only had 31 verses. The 32nd verse is implying the place where robots have taken over. Musically Parsons incorporates these themes by using "spacier" and machine-like sounds (like in the self-titled instrumental).

Again, like their debut, the music is generally pop music with progressive tendencies, but is all tied together with the aforementioned underlying themes. Guest vocalists featured on I Robot include Lenny Zakatek, Allan Clarke (Hollies), Steve Harley (Cockney Rebel), among others. B.J. Cole (Cochise) guests on steel guitar. The lineup isn't as star-studded as their debut, but overall the album seems more cohesive, yet less progressive.

Overall, this is a nicely done album and an enjoyable listen. I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You, Breakdown, and the I Robot instrumental received a lot of radio play. But generally, this album only slightly touches progressive rock and falls into that gray area of "is it progressive or not?" It's about as good as their debut, but if it had a more progressive style I'd rate it higher. Three stars. Good but not essential. A must have for APP fans.