My Amazon Reviews: Alan Parsons Project "Gaudi"

Tower of Musical Babel
3 Out of 5 Stars

The late Eric Woolfson states that it was his fascination with architect Antonio Gaudi that led to 1987's "Gaudi," the 11th and final proper Alan Parsons Project album. And like Gaudi's famous La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that remains under construction to this day despite Gaudi's death in 1926. Gaudi designed and built colorful, spiraling and imaginative buildings throughout Spain, but it is his cathedral that remains the best known of his works.

It is that cathedral that provides the best moments on "Gaudi." The opening track is a near nine minute epic, "La Sagrada Familia." Then the finale, the instrumental "Paseo De Gracia" (Path of Grace), with Spanish guitar over lush orchestration, is vintage APP. Other than "Closer To Heaven, though, the remaining tracks do not seem to have much to tie them together thematically. The production values are still flawless, and the sound of this remaster is fantastic, but the album itself is weak.

The usual team provides highlights, with Wolfson, John Miles and Lenny Zakatek giving the solid vocals. On the rockier song, "Standing On Higher Ground," it's Geoff Barradale (who was the lead singer in cult faves Vitamin Z) who gives "Gaudi" its punchiest moment. The rough version of "Standing On Higher Ground" shows up as a bonus track with Wolfson showing an uncharacteristic silliness, along with a demo of "Too Late," where the vocal is just the melody song in la la la and do do do. Not exactly essential, but interesting. "Gaudi" also lacks the in-depth liner notes that the earlier re-issues had, like Parsons and Wolfson commenting on the demos and bonus material. Which makes this, the last of the Alan Parsons Project re-issues, one of the lesser in the pack.

Holiday Musical Sweetness and Laughter

It's a couple days after the holidays, but I still had to post this. I laughed till I had tears in my eyes.