The Alan Parsons Project Album: “The Definitive”

I'm a big fan of The Alan Parsons Project and would never even consider a compilation recording because the albums really should be listened to in their entirety and not as a collection of "hits". This set, however, is a MUST for all Alan Parsons fans because of the 20-bit digital remastering done by Alan Parsons himself. The results are amazing and immediately noticable on even moderate audio equipment (let alone an audiophile system). You haven't heard the early music until you have heard these versions. The crispness of the bass and transparency of the vocals and synths is astounding! I only wish they would come out with digitally remastered versions of the complete albums!

Rather naughtily, Alan Parsons switched record label -- from Mercury to Arista -- after releasing his first album, TALES OF MYSTERY & IMAGINATION. Usually such a switch means death for all hopes of a definitive Greatest Hits album, as very few labels cooperate with each other. There have been many Parsons compilations before this one, and all, to my knowledge, have ignored the first album.

This is the first Parsons compilation that selects tracks from ALL his albums and can truly claim to be, as it says on the box, definitive.

Personally, I was never that bothered about the 'concept' that Parsons used to tie each album together. For me, Parsons was always about writing great tunes, cutting-edge instrumental effects and the highest recording standards -- much like the album that originally established his credentials: engineering Pink Floyd's DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. Every Parsons album had two or three bum tracks on it, and this compilation filters out all the dross.

I somewhat lost track of Parsons' output after leaving university in 1980, and the biggest enigma for me about his subsequent records is this: Why did he start letting Eric Woolfson sing? I mean, Woolfson's voice is pleasant enough, but its pitch is not always 100% accurate. Woolfson was always the writer, the concept deviser, but goodness, he looked old even on the inset photos on the first album. I cannot listen to him singing, actually quite reasonably on 'Eye in the Sky' for instance, without imagining that it's my Dad! Parsons had his pick of many of the great vocalists, such as Colin Blunstone, Arthur Brown and John Miles, and yet he picked Woolfson. Woolfson could have argued his case for any number of the wrong reasons: a. cheapness, b. he wanted a go and c. he wanted to make more money.

Anyway let's get back to the album. For me, the stand-out tracks are 'I wouldn't want to be like you' (which provided the soundtrack for my first holiday in the States, back in 1977), 'Turn of a Friendly Card', 'Games People Play', 'The Raven', 'Eye in the Sky' and 'Old and Wise'. [The last track will always remind me of our first au-pair, who eventually admitted that in her spare time she had been babysitting for Colin Blunstone (vocalist on this track), who I hadn't realised lived a few blocks away.]

The rock encyclopedias try to deny the existence of Alan Parsons. It's hard to find a reference, even in books of British origin. I guess Parsons was never cool, and his creative peak coincided almost exactly with Punk. Alan Parsons never stood for any particular cause, except for wonderfully produced, beautifully composed and perfectly performed music. Every home should own this CD.

I have to agree with all the reviews before mine. This two disc set has all the hits and all the key album tracks in their entirety with no breaks. The sound is excellent with the digital remastering and the liner notes and track info is good too. I've been a fan since 1982's Eye in the Sky and it's a shame more people aren't familiar with APP. They made some great art rock/progressive rock albums. This compilation covers all the albums up to 1993's Try Anything Once. It's the place to start for those familiar and unfamiliar with APP. It's well worth the money.

At the time of its release in 1997, "The Definitive Collection" was just that: The benchmark mix of the best audio mastering and the broadest track selection.

However, time & technology have marched on, and this compilation is now, sadly, out of date in both departments.

The new hands-down winner, which you should consider purchasing, is the 2006 import "The Alan Parsons Project: The Dutch Collection", a 3CD, 48-track set (with two previously unreleased songs).

The Dutch Collection package is one-third more expensive, but the audio quality transcends this older set, and at 3 discs/48 tracks (of a total 92 original APP studio album tracks), is by far the best representation of the magical Parsons/Woofson collaboration on CD.

Do yourself a favor, and read my extensive review of The Dutch Collection before you buy this one. While in 1997, there were ten other "best of" discs when "The Definitive Collection" was released, there are now over 25 different domestic and import APP compilation titles!

The Dutch Collection stands head-and-shoulders above them all.

Why not have the best?

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I have to admit that I do not know every song from every album like some of the reviewers on here. But this collection has a lot of great hits on it that you will probably not realize were Alan Parsons Project hits. The name of the band should be The Alan Parsons/Eric Woolfson Project or even the other way around since he co/wrote every song and was a founder of the band. He also sings on the major hits like "Eye In The Sky", "Time" and the beautiful, incredible anthem "Don't Answer Me". Geoff Barradale handles the vocals on "Standing On Higher Ground" and Lenny Zakatek gets the singing credits for "Damned If I Do" and "Games People Play". One of the great things about this collection is that the original album versions are here and that "Eye In The Sky" is introduced on the album as it was originally with "Sirius" preceding it, known by basketball fans as the entrance theme for Michael Jordan. The 2 songs combined make a dramatic combination. Bands like Van Halen should have done the same thing when they put together their greatest hts albums but didn't (Pretty Woman w/Intruder and Eruption w/You Really Got Me). This is one cd that is worth every penny and will catapult you back in time as soon as you hear it.