Album Club, December 2019: Alan Parsons Project - 'I Robot'

The Album Club choice for December comes courtesy of Adrian (AJSki2fly) with the Alan Parsons Project - 'I Robot'. As always, please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and vote.



Alan Parsons Project - I Robot

https://img.discogs.com/2-ei1_5UeN1Z...-8144.jpeg.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Robot_(album)

So this is Alan Parsons second album, I have chosen it as I purchased it just after it was released when I was 19, I knew nothing about him and it was the cover that caught me. I took it home put it on and thought wow, what a record, what super production and great music. I then rushed round to my best friend and said you have to hear this, we sat and listened and we both became hooked buying virtually every subsequent Alan Parson Project album.

I suspect some of you may know it or maybe not, if not I hope it gives you a similar experience I had the first time I heard it. It is quite well known in the HiFi listening world as a LP to go to, to listen to a system due to its range of dynamics and mixture of textures a superb recording. I have had it over the years in many media forms, I believe the best experience for it is a good vinyl copy of it, but if you are a digital listener then I would advise as hi-res as possible.

I think all the tracks shine and find it difficult to highlight any, I will let you be the judge of that.

On TIDAL there are 3 versions, the original, the expanded, and the Legacy edition. You may want to listen to some of the additional legacy tracks as it give an idea how some were built up.

Happy listening, Adrian :)

I Robot - Spotify

I Robot - youtube

If you are into Digital then its available to buy here or stream you have an account:-

the-alan-parsons-project-i-robot-remastered on High Res Audio

I see that nobody, other (disappointingly) than myself, has responded to this but it does, for me, raise the whole question of the ‘point’ of this thread. So, if we look at the last three suggestions we have (I think) one by Eddie Brickell, one by Thomas Dolby and now one from the Alan Parson’s Project. Now the first two are from classic 80’s audiophile artists. Anyone around at that time would likely have found both artists in many audio demo rooms (I certainly did). Turning to the APP recording; well although my own heyday of prog enjoyment has largely passed (though I still enjoy bits of King Crimson and Peter Hammill) I can’t say I was ever particularly keen on the APP and found their work rather derivative and a bit ‘prog lite’ in nature - but, rather like Thomas Dolby and Eddie Brickell, I would expect most readers to be familiar with their work. So my point is, rather than revisiting past ‘glories’, should we not be looking at music that experienced music lovers/audiophiles are unfamiliar with? On the other hand I realise that some previous suggestions have been so ‘left field’ as to almost guarantee exclusion of most musical tastes.

I'm planning to have a listen on my next commute with Tidal.

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Originally Posted by YNWaN

I see that nobody, other (disappointingly) than myself, has responded to this but it does, for me, raise the whole question of the ‘point’ of this thread. So, if we look at the last three suggestions we have (I think) one by Eddie Brickell, one by Thomas Dolby and now one from the Alan Parson’s Project. Now the first two are from classic 80’s audiophile artists. Anyone around at that time would likely have found both artists in many audio demo rooms (I certainly did). Turning to the APP recording; well although my own heyday of prog enjoyment has largely passed (though I still enjoy bits of King Crimson and Peter Hammill) I can’t say I was ever particularly keen on the APP and found their work rather derivative and a bit ‘prog lite’ in nature - but, rather like Thomas Dolby and Eddie Brickell, I would expect most readers to be familiar with their work. So my point is, rather than revisiting past ‘glories’, should we not be looking at music that experienced music lovers/audiophiles are unfamiliar with? On the other hand I realise that some previous suggestions have been so ‘left field’ as to almost guarantee exclusion of most musical tastes.

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This Album Club choice suggestion has only been up for one day, so it is not surprising that there has not been much of a response as yet. The poll is open for 30 days, which gives those interested plenty of time to comment and vote.

The whole 'point' of the Album Club is to either introduce music that although popular, might have passed Members by, or to introduce them to new music; something that is, as you say, 'left field' and perhaps challenging.

You say you have responded, but as of this post no vote has been registered. If you think little of this month's Album Club choice, say so and vote.

We look forward to your Album Club choice in February 2020. From your comments so far I'm expecting it to be something unfamiliar to Members, and something to shake us out of our stupor and lack of imagination.

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Originally Posted by Barry

This Album Club choice suggestion has only been up for one day, so it is not surprising that there has not been much of a response as yet. The poll is open for 30 days, which gives those interested plenty of time to comment and vote.

The whole 'point' of the Album Club is to either introduce music that although popular, might have passed Members by, or to introduce them to new music; something that is, as you say, 'left field' and perhaps challenging.

You say you have responded, but as of this post no vote has been registered. If you think little of this month's Album Club choice, say so and vote.

We look forward to your Album Club choice in February 2020. From your comments so far I'm expecting it to be something unfamiliar to Members, and something to shake us out of our stupor and lack of imagination.

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I quite agree Barry.

I could have easily chosen something completely new, challenging or otherwise, but I decided after some careful thought to choose a record that stands on its own merits and has done not only for me but many others, and hopefully will give those that have not heard it before some listening pleasure. As for Mark(WYNaN) classifying Alan Parson Project as Prog Rock I would urge others to disregard that unsympathetic classification, there are some excellent songs on the album and a couple of very good instrumentals on it. It would be nice if people just participated, listened, and made comments on what they heard and refrained from being negative about what has been chosen just because it is not this or that, or what they would choose.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Barry

This Album Club choice suggestion has only been up for one day, so it is not surprising that there has not been much of a response as yet. The poll is open for 30 days, which gives those interested plenty of time to comment and vote.

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The clue is in the title [emoji38]

Didn't see anything about a vote, I take it Tapatalk doesn't have that option?

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Originally Posted by Lawrence001

The clue is in the title [emoji38]

Didn't see anything about a vote, I take it Tapatalk doesn't have that option?

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Have to do vote accessing AoS from web browser:)

Will be travelling tomorrow for a few hours so will listen and give my feedback in the next few days.

Never heard any APP before. I tried to like this. Started promisingly enough, but with every subsequent track it felt more and more like an album of its era, but not one I’d want to commit time getting to know. 4

Well I'm finding it hard to comment on this album, such a mixed bag. From the first track i robot, I thought "this is not for me", but then track 2 was different.

The Voice track reminded me of The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone (All Directions LP version). The bass line and clapping is so similar. A confused 6/10.