ALAN PARSONS

(UNITED KINGDOM)

EYE IN THE SKY

(1982)
LABEL:

ARISTA

GENRE:

POP

TAGS:
Easy-Listening
""Eye in the Sky" gathers all the know-how of the Woolfson-Parsons pair. Impeccable even if the album does not surprise."
ABADDON (13.03.2008)  
4/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
1981 was the golden age of the Alan Parsons Project. With their album "Eye in the Sky", the band achieved its greatest success (the eponymous track reached number three in the American charts). Is this success a synonym for quality?

 The answer is obviously yes: the legendary care Alan Parsons took in the production of his albums (and which made him one of the best sound engineers in the world) is still present, highlighting every detail.

The inspiration of this opus, at least in terms of its atmosphere, is to be found on the side of "Pyramid", from the hieroglyphs found on the booklet, or the musical opening 'Sirius', through the orchestrations ('Silence and I' or 'Children of the Moon' remind respectively of 'The Eagle Will Rise Again' and 'One More River') and up to the excellent instrumental 'Mammagamma' directly from 'Hypergammaspaces'. The tone is certainly less atmospheric, but this comingback to an emblematic album of the band is very successful.

The use of vocals is as often flawless; the choirs are perfectly used as on 'Gemini'), and the presence of the vocal soloists, including Lenny Zakatek, who manages to give energy to a rather conventional track, 'Step by Step', combine very well with the orchestral arrangements ('Silence and I', a little emphatic and nicely ample) to give a result without surprise, but always pleasant. The pleasant sax solo at the end of the album, which reminds us of Supertramp, is a good example.

In the end, the "reproach" that one could make to "Eye in the Sky", which gathers all the know-how of the Woolfson-Parsons pair, is that it doesn't surprise the listener. If this album is very successful, one starts to feel the limits of inspiration. The construction of the tracks is very often the same and the use of the lead guitar is hopelessly conventional. On this album, this is not yet too noticeable, but on the following ones, the conformism will become invasive. So let's enjoy this 1981 vintage!
- Official website

TRACK LISTING:
01. Sirius - 01:48
02. Eye in the Sky - 04:33
03. Children Of The Moon - 04:49
04. Gemini - 02:09
05. Silence And I - 07:17
06. You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned - 04:50
07. Psychobabble - 04:50
08. Mammagamma - 03:34
09. Step By Step - 03:52
10. Old And Wise - 04:52

LINEUP:
Alan Parsons: Claviers
Andrew Powell: Orchestre
Chris Rainbow: Chant
Colin Blunstone: Chant
David Paton: Chant / Basse
Elmer Gantry: Chant
Eric Woolfson: Chant / Claviers
iarn Bairnson: Guitares
Lenny Zakatek: Chant
Mel Collins: Sax
Stuart Eliott: Batterie
   
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