Alan Parsons Project

Eye in the Sky

The most representative Project's album

Review Score:

(8/10)
Although Eye in the Sky is not the best album from the Project, it was the most succesful one and at the same time the most recommended for anybody who hasn't listened to a world record by this huge band.

This is the first album not having a common conceptual link including every song. But there's still a sense of unity between all of them. 'Sirius' opens it. A low synthesiser chord appears from nowhere, a delayed guitar plays a constant riff and the drums, bass and guitar burst together in a very grandious way until a rythm starts and fades away, leading to 'Eye in the Sky'. This famous song owes it success to its sensitive singing by Eric Woolfson and the catchy chorus in which the soothing voices of Chris Rainbow add beauty with these "looking at yooouu" phrases.

An abrupt drum and electric guitar rythm announce 'Children of the Moon', a song that shows how complex and interesting a song from the Project can be. This is a song that comes from nowhere to an exciting chorus full of voices, orchestra and a very medieval trumpet. The words speak about the disappointing politics and how vulnerable we feel in the hands of powerful dehumanised gents. The song disappears into 'Gemini', a beautiful demonstration of scottish Chris Rainbow's soft voice sung almost a-capella.

'Silence and I' is a rather serious song, a very sad one and a classic ballad from the Project sung by Eric Woolfson again. The words allude to some sad childhood memory and the gloomy feel they leave you with is abruptly interrupted by a gorgeous medieval-like orchestra section. Suddenly you get into an upbeat rythm that makes you feel you're in the middle of an adventurous medieval movie (Ladyhawke?). The arrangements from Andrew Powell are great, and this is like the sad boy takes refuge into a dream in which he is a powerful warrior... but we're back to reality and the song returns to its beginning and ends with a very melancholic cascade of orchestral notes.

The second side is much more shallow in its thematic and musically heavier as well. That's proved by the fine rocker 'You're Gonna Get You Fingers Burned'. Usually the most loosely and aggresive songs from the project are sung by the Pakistani-rooted Lenny Zakatek. 'Psychobabble' is a strange song full of eccentric lyrics, and has the feel of a scary movie.
'Mammagamma' is said by Alan Parsons to be a track almost only played by a computer. It's as famous as 'Lucifer' or 'I Robot'.
'Step by Step' is a remarkable song although hidden in the structure of the album. It's got an original 12-string guitar solo from which the strange sound comes from the idea from Ian Bairnson to plug the guitar directly on the mixing desk not on the amp. The last song, Old and Wise, is apparently sad but Eric Woolfson said its lyrics have a very positive mean. The song is poetic and soft, almost a soft lament, and the oboe in the beginning leads you to a melodramatic romantic film soundtrack feeling. The ending of the song is very strongly emotional, with a great saxophone solo.

This is a remarkable album. If you never listened to any Alan Parsons Project album, start with this one.

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