14.01.2008.
Alan Parsons Project - Stereotomy (1986) (@256)
(Review from wikipedia, allmusic, progarchives.com)
The word 'Stereotomy' is taken from the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. It refers to the cutting of existing solid shapes into different forms; it is used as a metaphor for the way that famous people (singers, actors. etc.) are often 'shaped' by the demands of fame. On this album, the theme circles around the way in which the modern world molds the personality, the character, and the livelihood of the human being. People are but a slave to their lifestyle and their environment, and they are destined to be thrown into this situation at birth, with tolerance as an inevitability.
The Alan Parsons Project, being as they were a studio based "project" led by Eric Wolfson and Alan Parsons, had the luxury of being able to call upon guest vocals whom they felt would be appropriate for a particular track. This gave their albums the potential for great diversity, a facet they did not always exploit to the full. Too often, the various singers end up sounding similar to each other, overwhelmed by the everything but the kitchen sink approach adopted during production.
"Stereotomy" however is different. The chosen vocalists are individually strong, including as they do John Miles, Chris Rainbow, and the great Gary Brooker (Procol Harum). There is still the familiar APP pop sound, particularly on the lightweight tracks such as "Beujolais" and "In the real world" There is also the obligatory couple of instrumentals which always seem to sound the same, but there are also some more adventurous, well constructed pieces too.
The title track is a great upbeat opener, with the single word title being used to great phonetic effect (similar to the way Russ Ballard used to do so well on Argent tracks like "Liar" and "Tragedy".)
"Limelight", the track featuring Gary Brooker’s voice stand head and shoulders above the other tracks. It is truly one of the APP’s defining moments. Admittedly Brooker could make any lyric sound emotional, but when he gets the right song, as he does here, the results can be stunning.
Line-up :
- David Paton / bass
- Stuart Elliott / drums & percussion
- Ian Bairnson / guitars
- Richard "Trix" Cottle / synths ans saxes
- Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons / pianos & keyboards
- Steve Dye / backing vocals
- Andrew Powell / orchestra arrangements and conduction
Track List :
01. Stereotomy (7:15)
02. Beaujolais (4:27)
03. Urbania (4:34)
04. Limelight (4:39)
05. In The Real World (4:17)
06. Where's The Walrus? (7:34)
07. Light Of The World (6:22)
08. Chinese Whispers (1:02)
09. Stereotomy Two (1:18)
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Original Post Date : 9 Sep 2007 | 12:59 AM
