[Oct 09, 2006]

Alan Parsons Project
• "The Dutch Collection"
(3CD set remastered by Alan Parsons, preceding new catalogue remasters due early 2007)
Sony/BMG [Holland import]



2006 issued digitally remastered 3CD collection of the best tracks from the band assembled by the famed recording engineer who became an artist in his own right, creating a discography of multiplatinum selling albums that are beloved by millions. The tracks on collection were influenced by literate fans who entered a contest to request their favorites for this set and explain why they liked those particular songs so much. Thus, this special triple disc set has been highly influenced by those who truly care about the band. The set includes tracks from their first album "Tales Of Mystery & Imagination" (which was originally released on the 20th Century label) and all the Arista label albums from "I Robot" to "Gaudi" as well as the previously unreleased gem, "No Answers, Only Questions".

CD1
1. The Raven
2. The Tell-Tale Heart
3. The Cask Of Amontillado
4. To One In Paradise
5. I Robot
6. I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You
7. Some Other Time
8. Don't Let It Show
9. Day After Day (The Show Must Go On)
10. What Goes Up
11. The Eagle Will Rise Again
12. Can't Take It With You
13. In The Lap Of The Gods
14. Shadow Of A Lonely Man
15. Lucifer
16. Damned If I Do (Single Edit)
17. If I Could Change You Mind

CD 2
1. Games People Play
2. Time
3. The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (suite)
4. I - The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
5. II - Snake Eyes
6. III - The Ace Of Swords
7. IV - Nothing Left To Lose
8. V - The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)
9. Sirius
10. Eye In The Sky
11. Silence And I
12. Psychobabble
13. Mammagamma
14. Old And Wise
15. Pipeline
16. Ammonia Avenue
17. No Answers Only Questions (previously unreleased track)

CD3
1. Don't Answer Me
2. Prime Time
3. Let's Talk About Me
4. Separate Lives (alternative mix)
5. Days Are Numbers (The Traveller)
6. Sooner Or Later
7. Hawkeye
8. Stereotomy
9. Limelight
10. Where's The Walrus?
11. La Sagrada Familia
12. Closer To Heaven
13. Standing On Higher Ground
14. Paseo De Gracia

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3OWUM/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000J3OWUM/?tag=imwan-21

Love the cover. You can't beat a woofer!

Thanks Alan for including one previously-unreleased track on a triple-CD import collection. Not that I wouldn't buy it anyway.

Anybody find a good price online?

Hey, Jimbo, if you run into a couple of cheap copies there at Discorama, I'll pick mine up from you next month...

Further details on this Dutch Collection:

Later this year a 3CD version of the compilation will come out in Holland and Italy, and then an edited version will be released to the world in January, 2007.

I'm finally able to tell you all the great news. The compilation was never about just putting out yet another compilation. The new compilation was meant to be part of a much bigger project: the re-launch of the original albums by The Alan Parsons Project. In 2007, Sony BMG will re-release the original Arista-era albums ("I Robot" 1977 through "Gaudi" 1987).

For years I've been swamped by emails asking, "When will they remaster the old albums?" Alan has been personally remastering all nine albums and has said the results are far better than he expected they could be. They will be digital remasters rather than surround mixes.

In the past, many have also been disappointed by the CD booklets, noting that some artwork from the original vinyl albums was lost. The good news is that the new remasters will sport brand new booklets with both the classic artwork you know well, along with rare and never before seen images from that period.

And of course, people have also been wanting rarities and bonus tracks for years. Both Alan and Eric Woolfson have been going through their personal archives looking for lost material and the results of that search will be revealed on these new discs.

The new compilation is actually meant to be a way to promote the re-launch of the library and it will be timed to come out ahead of the remasters.

I think it was originally believed that this was going to come together more quickly, but there is a volume of work still to be done. This is an amazing step forward and it's wonderful to see The Alan Parsons Project albums be given the treatment they deserve. So, we still have to wait just a little longer, but I think we can agree the wait will definitely be worth it.

..............................................................

As for the remastered catalogue: The current planned release dates are 3 phases as below. These are not set in stone and may move pending completion of bonus material for each album.

January 22 - I Robot (30th anniversary), Eye In The Sky, Vulture Culture
March 26 - Pyramid, The Turn Of A Friendly Card, Stereotomy
May 28 - Eve, Ammonia Avenue, Gaudi


Further reading here:

http://www.theavenueonline.info/app2006.htm

http://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com


New APP Compilation
Includes new re-mastered versions of all the songs

Never heard before bonus track

Triple CD version with 48 tracks now available
A brand new compilation is being released by Sony/BMG which will include for the first time, the new digitally re-mastered versions of the songs taken from all 10 APP albums. Also included on this new compilation is an alternative mix of 'Separate Lives' and a previously unreleased and never before heard track called 'No Answers Only Questions'.

Thanks to all the fans who voted earlier this year for their favourite tracks to be included on this new compilation. This has dictated the track listing along with the hits and best known tracks. You may like to view some of the votes and quotes kindly provided by the fans which helped create this compilation.

There are going to be a variety of different versions of this Compilation for different markets (with translated sleeve notes and different track listings), but all will be available to buy through this website.

Triple CD Versions
The first version of this compilation to be available is a Dutch only 3CD set entitled 'The Dutch Collection' which was released on 2nd October 2006, followed shortly after by an adapted Italian package in November entitled 'Days Are Numbers'. The sleeve notes will be in the relevant Dutch or Italian language. These first two versions of the compilation will be the most comprehensive including the most songs.
An English language version and possible others will be released next year, however the Dutch and Italian 3 CD box sets will contain the most tracks available on any of the new APP Compilation versions.

I grabbed mine at CDUniverse a about 2 weeks ago for $32, but I used that Google coupon and sliced $10 off that price. Sadly, I believe the coupon has expired. The set is now $31 at CDUniverse. Amazon UK has it for about $25 U.S., I believe.

So, how does the sound of the new Dutch Collection compare to the "remastered by Alan" 1997 Definitive Collection??

Thanks, Lar

I have contemplated getting a Parsons comp. Now I'll just wait until this one gets a domestic release.

This one, the 3CD "Dutch" release won't be getting a domestic release as is. (see my earlier post above)
Any later comps to be released here will feature less tracks.


Triple CD Versions ?The first version of this compilation to be available is a Dutch only 3CD set entitled 'The Dutch Collection' which was released on 2nd October 2006, followed shortly after by an adapted Italian package in November entitled 'Days Are Numbers'. The sleeve notes will be in the relevant Dutch or Italian language. These first two versions of the compilation will be the most comprehensive including the most songs.

An English language version and possible others will be released next year, however the Dutch and Italian 3 CD box sets will contain the most tracks available on any of the new APP Compilation versions.

Either way, it's a comp. Do I really need a three disc comp if I have no Parsons whatsoever?? I've waited this long.

JIMBO: What?? What?? Buy now!!

Okay, I'll at least wait until the liners are in English, how's that???

My interest in the sound of the Dutch Collection is two- fold. One- if the sound is not much better than that of the Definitive Collection, then I (and probably others) will keep the Definitve Collection and not sell it off. Secondly- the Dutch's sound will be a early indication as to how much improvement the remastering has provided., thereby stoking the NEED to a fevered pitch! No doubt I will be picking up most or all of the remasters if the sound is that much better.

O'er the years, I have heard raves and more raves about remasters, only to be frequently disappointed at the results. Yes, Alan is a master and I suspect that I will be beyond satisfied (left with just wishes for 5.1).

"The Definitive Collection" is fine by me-a very good comp and it goes further than this new one so I definitely don't need to waste money on a 3CD import.
However, the remasters I'm very interested in and the first three are (as mentioned above):
I Robot
Vulture Culture
Eye In The Sky

All are available Jan. 22 and are only $10.50 or so on CD Universe.

I'm not up to speed on the Parsons comps. Should I wait for the latest and greatest Parsons comp or is The Definitive Collection adequate for a Parsons newbie like me??

I think I read somewhere that Parsons himself didn't approve of the comps - sequencing & sound quality were the issues as I recall.

I doubt that would apply to The Definitive Collection because he mastered that himself!

I picked up this collection but I find I have trouble listening to APP individual songs in place.of complete.albums. If I want to hear Parsons music I prefer to listen to the complete Pyramid, I Robot, Tales Of Mystery... etc.

The discs sound pretty good however and I will be after the titles that did not come out on Classic and Mobile Fidelity.

I'm not up to speed on the Parsons comps. Should I wait for the latest and greatest Parsons comp or is The Definitive Collection adequate for a Parsons newbie like me??

CBK:
IMO "The Definitive Collection" is great-2 CDs is more than enough for a comp and it goes up to 1993 where the current one stops at 1987. No worries on the sound-Mr. Parsons himself handled that as mentioned above.
But I do agree-the individual releases will be the way to go and will blow away the inferior CDs out there now.
"The Definitive Collection" was on BMG-not sure if it still is.

According to musictap.net...
Legacy/Arista Records will release two Expanded Editions of Alan Parsons Project classic albums, I Robot and Eye in the Sky, on March 13.

I Robot will contain 6 bonus tracks.
Eye in the Sky will feature 5 bonus cuts.




...............................

Vulture Culture (expanded) was initially due to be released in this first batch along with a 30th Anniversary Deluxe edition for Tales of Mystery & Imagination.
There's no word at this time on the domestic release dates for these CDs.

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8 ... ative=9325

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search?ie=UT ... ative=6738

CD Universe:
http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?H ... m=lk_imwan

There is some differing info online as to the amount of bonus tracks for each disc... but I'm sure this will all get sorted out in time...



from theavenueonline.info--

Updated: January 13, 2007


REMASTERS: BONUS TRACKS

(January 13/07): A major component of the soon-to-be remasters APP albums is the promise of bonus tracks. Bonus tracks for the first wave of disks have been an announced and are:


I ROBOT

I Robot (Boules experiment)
EW: "This is an example of an abandoned experiment. While in France, I noticed that Boules was the local French obsession, much like snooker in the UK or pool in the US. I discovered these metal balls made a fascinating noise when you banged them lightly together and I tried to incorporate this into an early studio demo recording of I Robot. Although I thought the effect could have worked quite well, Alan didn't share my enthusiasm and the idea was abandoned."

Breakdown (Early Demo of Backing Riff)
AP: "This is an early attempt to find a feel from a chord sequence I had come up with. Eric constructed the final melody and lyrics around it. It is slower than the tempo eventually chosen."

I Wouldn't Want Be Like You (Backing Track Rough Mix)
EW: "This is an excellent example of the early stage of the magic 'take' which was eventually developed into the master recording. Interestingly, from the point of view of any aspiring solo guitarists, this rough mix pre-dates the tremendous Ian Bairnson solo which was such a feature of so many of the Project recordings, but this was what Ian developed his solo over and it gives an opportunity for others to see what they might have come up with by playing along with the backing."

Day after Day (early stage rough mix)
AP: "This was an example of a 'feel' based track built around a synthesizer figure."

The Naked Robot
EW: "I recall that in creating 'Projects' we attempted to let different tracks merge into each other as part of the editing process and this meant that much of the material recorded was in compatible tempos and keys. We were reminded of this while reviewing much of the archive material on this album and had the idea of trying to re-combine some early stage mixes of material that was subsequently developed differently. This ten-minute medley of early stage mixes of instrumental pieces on the album seems to take on a life of its own with a different ambience and feel to the original record. The elements contained within this medley all appeared in a modified form on the eventual master, which could obviously have gone in a very different direction."


EYE IN THE SKY

Sirius (Demo)
AP: "I often worked at home on writing instrumental tracks that could be programmed and subsequently imported into the Studio environment, where Eric and I would work on them together with the studio band. This demo of Sirius is an example of a very early version. We later changed the key to make it an intro to the title track."

Old & Wise (EW guide vocal)
AP: "Eric would always record a guide vocal at an early stage sometimes with only draft lyrics which were subsequently revised. This was most likely the version Colin Blunstone used to learn the song for his vocal on the master."

Any Other Day (studio demo)
EW: "Although this song did not make it onto the original album, it is perhaps interesting for two reasons. Stylistically, there is a similarity between the arrangement of this track and the middle orchestral section of 'Silence and I'. Secondly, the song is one of my personal favourites, though perhaps more suited to musical theatre and I'm currently in the process of completing it."

Silence & I (EW early guide vocal)
EW: "One of the most interesting things for me was to be reminded of the original middle section before the orchestra was added. Andrew Powell's masterful orchestral arrangement was added later, but here is the unembellished early version."

The Naked Eye
EW: "The Naked Eye selection gives a glimpse behind the curtain of the recording studio process. One of the producer's roles is decision making as to what is used and what is not used and in this medley we have incorporated some early pre-lead vocal mixes and backing tracks which have a special magic of their own as well as individual tracks which were used in the final masters, and some which were not. As the composition of the album was thematic, it is perhaps no surprise that many of the component tracks fitted easily together. Speaking of magic moments, a feature of many of the project recordings are the masterful multi-track harmonies of Chris Rainbow and we have included a small segment where you can hear clearly what has only previously been submerged in the overall mix."

Eye Pieces (Classical Naked Eye)
EW: "One of the most enjoyable parts of the recording process is the orchestral overdub session. In this compilation, We have taken a selection of the orchestral tracks on their own. Some of Andrew Powell's outstanding arrangements are heard here as we experienced them at the time. Some of the component parts were not used in the final mix, but even those that were will not have been heard as they are here. Some of the component parts can be easily identified, but the slow string section comes almost incredibly from the orchestral overdub on Mammagamma and only a small fragment was incorporated in the original mix. At the end of the piece, we have included an experiment tried at the end of Silence & I. Andrew Powell and I built up a multi-piano idea, which was subsequently replaced by an orchestra."

http://www.theavenueonline.info/site1/tao1.htm

Thanks, Steve!

Here, from the official Alan Parsons Project website http://www.the-alan-parsons-project.com, are the bonus tracks for the Vulture Culture remaster:

Track 9 - No Answers Only Questions (final version)
EW "The essence of the Vulture Culture album for me was a comment on the economic harshness of Western society and this track was meant to represent a street musician performing in a very non-Project way. I even expected to include the sound effect of coins being thrown into a hat, but it was decided to leave the song out. We now have the perfect excuse to include it as a bonus track."

Track 10 - Separate Lives (Alternative Mix)
EW "This version of the song has a different approach from the version that was originally released. There are no backing vocals and the synth instrumental line in the choruses is emphasized."

Track 11 - Hawkeye (Demo)
AP "This is one of my demos, parts of which were subsequently imported as a synth sequence into the Studio environment and the "real" rhythm section was added. It's a good example of an early version of the track where feel is more important than accuracy."

Track 12 - The Naked Vulture
EW "On each of these re-mastered albums we are including a 'Naked' medley, which consists of extracts form various tracks of the original master recordings, together with early rough mixes etc. The body of this selection is taken from early mixes without vocals, which give a good indication of the basic feel of many of the tracks. As part of the track 'Let's Talk About Me' we had edited in a conversation which took place in the Villa Bianca restaurant in London with a good friend of the Project, radio programmer Lee Abrams. Lee accompanied by his wife Sandra, was performing his party piece at dinner, which consisted of a ten-minute rant on any subject you cared to mention, as well as his apparent skill as an air traffic controller! His performance was recorded on a Sony Walkman and some of it was subsequently incorporated into the master. On reviewing the archive, we realized that there were other marvelous moments, many of which are included in this Naked medley. Incidentally, I realised that Laser Beam was a perfect anagram of his name and he was credited on the original album as such."

Track 13 - No Answers Only Questions (The First Attempt)
AP "I remember we struggled rather to make this song work in the context of the other tracks which had much more of a rock feel. This early take came across with a 'folky" feel which seemed to carry through to the final version (included here - Track 9). I think it was the right decision to exclude it from the original album, but it has been interesting to hear it again."

Whre is Vulture Culture and Tales at for this first wave of releases? Did they get pushed back??

I am all over the "EYE IN THE SKY" re-release.

Looking forward to this one big time.