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The Alan Parson's Project

Category: Music

APP wasn't my favorite group in the 1970s, but maybe it was because I couldn't hear it this way.

I listened in two-channel 24/192 and was blown away by the sonics. Close your eyes closed and the sound stage is 180-degrees wide. The fade at the end of "Genisis Ch.1V.32" slowly moves from covering and surrounding you to fading into a very distant ball of sound that covers only about 5-degrees. Only in that final fade do you hear the tape hiss from the original master.

Musically this is very good, but variable. The best is very, very good ("The Voice", "Day After Day" and all the instrumentals). A couple of cuts stray too near mid-1970s pop, but what the heck...

There's thick layering of chorus, orchestra, rock instruments, etc. The clarity of it all is astounding. Really it's a masterpiece from this era.

Boy, I hope one day that the entire Beattles songbook will get this 24/192 treatment. Abbey Road studios evidently had great equipment.

Dave

dcstep

Showing 5 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
A lot of people think the album "Stationary Traveler" by the brit prog rock group "Camel" sounds like TAPP.

I believe I read once it was recorded in the same building at the same time as one of the Parson's albums.

One of the singers for APP actually was in Camel at this point in the early 80's and sings a tune or two on the album.

If you like APP, I highly recommend it, if you can find it. The CD sound and production is in the same league as the APP albums, if not quite as refined. A great audiophile listen though. The guitar solo by Camel lead guitarist Andrew Latimer at the end of the tune "Long Goodbyes" is one of the best ever, IMO.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
It's very hard to find in the states. I had to order from a ebay seller in eastern Europe, I recall.

You might be able to sample it on amazon or allmusicguide.com, perhaps.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
Actually, I misspoke a bit. Its a lead guitar line (not a solo), with significant accompaniment, that Andrew Latimer performs.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
I've been building a near complete APP collection on used vinyl of late. Also own "Best Of" CDs vol 1 and 2.

The sound on all are very good and many compositions are sterling classics.

I did pick up a used vinyl copy of the first APP album "Tales of Mystery and Suspense" but discovered that there were some quality issues with that particular copy despite looking clean. Working on replacing it...

Spun my only MFSL APP vinyl recording of " I Robot" the other week for the first time in years. It was mesmerizing, the best I recall ever hearing that title sound.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 
I think I do have another standard issure copy of IR. I'll give it a spin sometime and report back.

I had listened to a very good standard issue copy of "Pyramid" prior to IR on MFSL. The IR of MFSL was just a tad more dynamic and quiet and I would say better overall.
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