The Alan Parsons Project

[Smokey]

As an studio engineer on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Alan Parsons carried a lot of influence from that album when he formed a band two years later with Eric Woolfson.

That influence is more evident on Parsons debut album Tales of Mystery and Imagination than their later albums. And IMO that made it their best album.

Ranked by release date:

Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976)


I Robot (1977)


Pyramid (1978)


Eve (1979)


The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980)


Eye in the Sky (1982)


Ammonia Avenue (1984)


Vulture Culture (1984)


Stereotomy (1985)


Gaudi (1987)

[Mr Peabody]

Although I'm not crazy about the Classical side, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination is definitely my favorite. I believe it was probably his least commercially successful. Alan Parsons had an album out just in the last couple years where David Gilmour done some guitar work. I'd really like to hear that. A friend told me it was a bit more Electronic than past projects.

[Smokey]

Although I'm not crazy about the Classical side, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination is definitely my favorite.

That LP along with PF's Moon were darling of late 70s hip parties. And the classic side was only played when everybody was buzzing

[3LB]

I had all the APP albums up through Guadi, but that's where it stopped. I still listen to I-Robot, Turn Of A Friendly Card and Ammonia Avenue (my fave). A lot of Parsons' music was of superior production quality and sounded great cranked on a good system. A lot of his stuff still comes across like show tunes though, which is why the lion's share of his stuff didn't stick for me.

[Mr Peabody]

If any one reads this and discovers a hole in your AP collection Amazon has the CD's for $7.98 new. I ordered I-Robot. I only have a few AP, a lot of their stuff sounds similar. I love the song Break Down.

[MasterCylinder]

This post surprises me in that I really had no idea AP had that many album releases.........while TALES is likely the best, each album has some good stuff.
I prefer the BEST OF album............it is also very nice sonically.

[Smokey]

This post surprises me in that I really had no idea AP had that many album releases.

And that is not counting The AP founders Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson having their own solo albums also. I have the Mystery and I Robot albums on LP, and Eye in the Sky on CD. And as Mr peabody point it out, Amazon have all of AP albums on CD for $7.99.

BTW, I just read that Eric Woolfson died last year at age of 64. RIP

[unleasHell]

I have the Original LP, the one with the Rice-Paper between the booklet, anyone else have that?

The remastered CD with added guitar solos and Orson Wells voice is awesome as well....

[unleasHell]

I have the Original LP, the one with the Rice-Paper between the booklet, anyone else have that?

The remastered CD with added guitar solos and Orson Wells voice is awesome as well....

[Woochifer]

I've owned and heard multiple versions of I, Robot. A friend of mine owned the Mobile Fidelity UHQR LP, and it was about as immaculate a pressing as I've ever heard before or since. I heard it on several high end systems, and it was an amazing test album. The mixing on that album is incredible.

Musically, it's also the most consistent Alan Parsons album from start to finish. His other albums generally contain a lot of filler and outright duds.

I currently have Classic Records' 96/24 PCM disc of I, Robot and that is an incredible sounding disc that outdoes every CD version that I've heard (the early CD pressings though sounded horrible).