Eric Woolfson - Sings The Alan Parsons Project (That Never Was)

(CD 2009, 42:54, Limelight Records LREC)

The tracks:
  1- Golden Key(4:11)
  2- Nothing Can Change My Mind(4:00)
  3- Rumour Goin' Round(4:39)
  4- Any Other Day(3:08)
  5- I Can See Round Corners(5:15)
  6- Steal Your Heart Away(3:20)
  7- Along the Road Together(3:21)
  8- Somewhere In The Audience(4:36)
  9- Train To Wuxi(4:19)
10- Immortal(6:02)

       Eric Woolfson Website


Everybody who’s interested in prog and symphonic rock music knows that Eric Woolfson was the companion of Alan Parsons. In fact, Woolfson was the creator and main writer of The Alan Parsons Project (APP). In the booklet, he explains why the project was named after Alan Parsons and not after him. He describes this decision as ‘both the best and the worst’ in his entire career. Eric met Alan just after the latter had produced Pink Floyd’s classic album Dark Side Of The Moon. Together with orchestral arranger Andrew Powell, they formed the nucleus of APP in 1976. Songwriter and singer Eric Woolfson, preferred to stay in the background, so Alan got a role in the limelight as engineer and producer of the albums.

This collection of ten songs forms a good example of the music of APP. Without exception, all songs on this album are very melodic and pleasantly sung. Woolfson wrote several songs for musicals like The Gambler, Dancing Shadows and the never released Poe, More Tales of Mystery And Imagination album. Some songs appeared on expanded edition albums of APP. After listening to this album several times, I can only conclude that this could easily have been a new APP-album. All tracks are typical for the music of the project: very melodic and to some extent symphonic, but on the other hand with a too familiar and far from spectacular sound. Most interesting songs are Rumour Going Round, Somewhere In The Audience and Immortal.

If you like adventurous prog rock with guitar and keyboard solos, then skip this one. However, if you like APP and you love melodic, symphonic and accessible rock songs then check this one out.  

 *** Cor Smeets  (edited by Peter Willemsen)

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