The Alan Parsons Project is a mess.

I’ll explain. First, the band name is a freak of necessity. Manager Eric Woolfson and producer Alan Parsons worked on a project based on the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. When asked what the group’s name would be, all they had scrapped out was a note describing it as “Alan Parsons project” and so it was. Parsons surrounded himself with talented vocalists like Colin Blunstone (The Zombies), David Paton (Pilot), David Pack (Ambrosia), Eric Stewart (10cc) and Alan Clarke (The Hollies); yet, in the end, the group’s most recognizable voice was the non-pro Woolfson discovered from his guide-vocal demos. While technically being progressive rock, there is a distinct lack of the virtuoso wankery that plagues the prog, and even as a fan I can’t defend the rock. The APP is smooth, clinically precise and often dangerously adult contemporary.

Now, with all that on the table, APP has given the world some great music over the course of their existence, from the almost Beach Boys-like “Time” to the pale funk of “Games People Play” to the Spector wall-of-sound tribute “Don’t Answer Me,” there are reasons why the band that wasn’t really a band had bona fide hits. Sony Legacy now has control over the Arista BMG catalog and is rolling out the next phase of their APP reissues including Pyramid, Eve, The Turn Of A Friendly Card, Ammonia Avenue and Gaudi. The volume and sonic quality of these new releases are vastly improved over the originals, but for anyone looking for a treasure trove of unreleased tracks, look elsewhere. Join us now for the play-by-play.

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