Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Alan Parsons Project, The
Label: Sony BMG
Release: 1978
Runtime: 37:46
Rating: 4/5
By the time the cult progressive rockers The Alan Parsons Project put out “Pyramid,” prog rock was in deep commercial decline, so it’s no surprise they were one of the few experimentally minded bands still swearing by concept albums (a tradition they kept up until they split). Many prog bands had by then dropped the long epics, usually 20 minutes and more, along with the ambitious concepts, and switched to more radio-friendly sounds.
TAPP, too, were at this stage of their career giving more and more room to pop-rock motifs in their music, while their symphonic arrangements had always been the picture of high melodicism, which won over the hearts of less demanding listeners as well. They never even tried to hide their flirtation with pop from the very start, which produced plenty of good results, but also a few not-so-cheerful ones. On “Pyramid” we get a solid, instantly accessible blend of progressive pop rock with no big surprises, as it simply carries on the successful stylistic recipe of the first two albums.
The original concept for “Pyramid” was supposed to touch on witchcraft and the esoteric, but the two heads of the project, Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, had a last-minute change of heart and reworked it so that most of the lyrics deal with the meaning and abuse of power and the special symbolism of pyramids as energy and mystical symbols (say, as the ominous symbol of the Illuminati on the back of the dollar bill). In those days pyramids were hugely popular again thanks to newspaper articles and assorted theories about their secret and mystical power, and the two wanted to cash in on that as much as they could.
For Alan this was of course not his first brush with pyramids, since he’d already run into them as a young sound engineer working on the Pink Floyd classic “Dark Side Of The Moon”. Ironically, most people buying the album still linked his name with that famous experience, even though he really didn’t want (any more) of that kind of association. Many of Woolfson’s lyrics, led by the opening “What Goes Up” and “Pyramania,” refer to the mysterious power of pyramids.
This time around, the two big chiefs again worked closely with the two leading members of the cult melodic rock band Pilot, bassist and singer David Paton (later Camel) and guitarist Ian Bairnson. The new faces include former Cockney Rebel drummer Stuart Elliott (later Kate Bush and Paul McCartney), while the keyboards were once again handled by Duncan Mackay (later Camel and Budgie), alongside Woolfson.
The sound of “Pyramid” in many ways continues the tried-and-tested The Alan Parsons Project recipe, with a strong emphasis on refined symphonic touches, mostly thanks to the occasional orchestra, the rotation of different singers, an esoteric atmosphere and shorter compositions with a pop-rock punch. Most of the prog-rock experimenting is limited to an innovative (for the time) and varied use of synth textures, with which they build pompous symphonic arrangements and electronic sound patterns, plus a thrilling helping of Bairnson’s mighty guitar solos. Despite the richness of the individual symphonic arrangements, many of the songs stick in your ear very quickly, which clearly shows that TAPP were then just two years away from the era of the big radio hits.
The opening “Voyager” continues the tradition of pompous opening instrumentals, or rather dramatic anthems, as it sucks the listener into the heart of the album in an instant with its spirited guitar riff. As a subtle synth motif gradually weaves in, backed by a funky rhythm section, it immediately conjures a mystical, mysterious mood. With incredible ease comes a dynamic transition into the wonderful classic “What Goes Up,” where the cult bassist David Paton shines with an excellent vocal performance, alongside a delicate interplay of rich synth textures. The pompous arrangement is built on stormy guitar passages and mighty orchestral curtains that further highlight the melodic side of the hypnotic chorus.
The orchestra-spiced power ballad “The Eagle Will Rise Again” is the fruit of a successful collaboration with the legendary singer Colin Blunstone, best known as a member of the cult British pop/psychedelic band The Zombies. Blunstone’s outstanding vocal charisma and emotional warmth, which he brings to this excellent song, create an almost uplifting atmosphere. A lovely acoustic guitar melody and a wealth of backing vocal harmonies add their share to that mood as well. “One More River,” where fans of somewhat heavier material get their due, also has all the ingredients of a potential pop hit. The vocals here come from the ever-excellent Lenny Zakatek, who gives the pompous central motif an extra polish. Besides the mighty guitar riff and penetrating bass line, two excellent sax solos from Phil Kenzie fan the flames even more.
“Can’t Take It With You,” a prototype of the eighties AOR classic, has an interesting bouncy rhythm and an interesting twist in mood with the arrival of ethereal synth lines. The instrumental “In The Lap Of The Gods” (apart from the title, it has nothing to do with either of the two Queen classics of the same name) features the central “Voyager” motif, reworked beyond recognition on an oriental flute. With the help of a cimbalom and ethereal vocal harmonies, a downright Middle Eastern atmosphere grows, fitting perfectly with pharaohs and pyramids, back when Indiana Jones was still some distant future. The addition of orchestral arrangements boosts the mystical solemnity even more, conjuring visions of an ancient Egyptian ritual.
“Pyramania,” with its “tin-tin-tin” rhythm, honky-tonk piano solo, quirky lyrics, grimacing vocal harmonies and the “elfin” singing of Jack Harris, which instantly reminds everyone of Yes singer Jon Anderson, is by far the goofiest song on the album. The title of most archaic-sounding goes easily to “Hyper-Gamma-Spaces,” thanks to the use of synth textures on the Wurlitzer and Projectron that sound pretty robotic these days. Alan’s experiments like this were certainly innovative back then, but they’ve aged rather badly. The closing gem is the power ballad “Shadow Of A Lonely Man,” which starts out as a typical, almost saccharine love ballad with a “crying” yet still excellent vocal from John Miles, before magnificent orchestral arrangements bring a surprising shift in mood into dramatic, more ethereal-pastoral waters.
“Pyramid” successfully carries on the classic TAPP recipe in every respect, blending pop-rock accessibility with prog-rock experimental touches, the formula that made them a success story. So why would they change anything radically or take on any unusual, perhaps more complex sonic adventures? When it comes to melodic refinement, an ear for building magnificent orchestral arrangements and top-notch atmosphere, and production polish, there was never anything to fault Alan, Eric and their helpers, even if they never truly fulfilled their progressive-rock potential in terms of discovering new sonic horizons. The innovative use of synth technology was the closest they came to a pioneering spirit, and in many places it sounds rather archaic today. On “Pyramid” TAPP more or less settled into their style, since apart from a growing emphasis on pop-rock aspects, they wouldn’t allow themselves any major sonic detours in the future.
Lineup
Alan Parsons – keyboards, acoustic guitar
Eric Woolfson – keyboards
David Paton – bass guitar, vocals
Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
Ian Bairnson – electric and acoustic guitar
Duncan Mackay – keyboards
Dean Ford – vocals
Colin Blunstone – vocals
Lenny Zakatek – vocals
John Miles – vocals
Jack Harris – vocals
Phil Kenzie saxophone on In The Lap Of The Gods
Production
Alan Parsons
Track list
1. Voyager
2. What Goes Up
3. The Eagle Will Rise Again
4. One More River
5. Can’t Take It With You
6. In The Lap Of The Gods (instrumental)
7. Pyramania
8. Hyper-Gamma-Spaces (instrumental)
9. Shadow Of A Lonely Man
