Tales of Mystery and Imagination is the debut studio album of the English art rock band The Alan Parsons Project . Released in the United States in May (20th Century Fox Records), and in the UK in July 1976 (Charisma Records). Recorded at the famous Abby Road Recording Studio (July 1975 - January 1976). Rose to # 38 on the Billboard 200 . Reprinted in 1987 ( remix of the original version of 1976) and in 2007 (with the addition of bonus tracks).
| Tales of mystery and imagination | ||||
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| Studio Album The Alan Parsons Project | ||||
| Date of issue | May 1976 (US) June 1976 (UK) | |||
| Recorded by | July 1975 - January 1976 | |||
| Genres | progressive rock art rock | |||
| Duration | 40:46 | |||
| Producer | Alan Parsons | |||
| Labels | 20th Century Fox Records (US) Charisma Records (UK) | |||
| Professional reviews | ||||
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| Timeline The Alan Parsons Project | ||||
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Content
About the album
"Tales of Mystery and Imagination" was created under the influence of the mystical work of the American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe and based on his works. In particular, the title of the album repeats the name of the first collection by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1908. The album is a philosophical creation in the best traditions of symphonic art rock with echoes of psychedelicism, not inferior in quality to Genesis , Pink Floyd and Yes . It is superbly composed and perceived as a whole, and not a set of separate compositions.
A lot of session musicians were involved for the recording. These were mainly those who had previously worked with Parsons, primarily the musicians of the Pilot and Cockney Rebel bands, who formed a kind of “backbone” of The Alan Parsons Project, although officially this band never had a permanent composition. In addition, John Miles , Andrew Powell and other famous musicians were involved in the recordings.
List of Songs
All songs are written by Alan Parsons and Eric Wulfson, except as noted.
- “A Dream Within a Dream” - 4:14
- The Raven - 3:57
- The Tell-Tale Heart - 4:38
- “The Cask of Amontillado” - 4:33
- “(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether ”- 4:20
- “The Fall of the House of Usher” (Parsons, Wulfson, Powell ) - 16:10
- Prelude - 7:02
- Arrival - 2:39
- Intermezzo - 1:00
- Pavane 4:36
- "Fall" - 0:51
- “To One in Paradise” - 4:46
2007 Deluxe Edition
Disc 1 : Songs 1-11, original 1976 album
- The Raven (original demo) - 3:26
- Edgar (demo of an unreleased track) - 3:04
- Orson Welles Radio Spot - 1:03
- Interview with Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson (1976) 8:32
Disc 2 : Songs 1-11, remixed versions of the original 1987 songs
- Eric's Guide Vocal Medley 9:13
- Orson Welles Dialogue - 3:08
- “Sea Lions in the Departure Lounge” (sound effects and experiments) - 2:38 [1]
- GBH Mix (unreleased experiments) - 5:22
A Dream Within a Dream
Based on the eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (1849).
The Raven
Based on the eponymous poem "Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe. Also known as one of the first works in rock music, which used a vocoder (developed by EMI ).
The Tell-Tale Heart
It is based on the eponymous "scary" story "The Revealing Heart " by Edgar Allan Poe (1843), which is considered a classic of the Gothic genre in literature.
The Cask of Amontillado
Based on the eponymous short story " A Barrel of Amontillado " by Edgar Allan Poe (1846).
(The System Of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether
Based on the story-comedy by Edgar Allan Poe "System of Dr. Smol and Professor Perrault" (1845). Also published as a single, it reached # 37 in the USA and # 62 in Canada.
The Fall of the House of Usher
Instrumental composition, consisting of five parts. Based on the eponymous short story " The Fall of the House of Ushers " by Edgar Allan Poe, contains instrumental arrangement of this story. The first part (prelude) uses a motif from the opera of the same name by the French composer Claude Debussy . [2]
To One in Paradise
Based on the eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (1833).
Record Members
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Billboard 200 | 38 |
| 1976 | UK Albums Chart | 56 |
| 1976 | Canada | 81 |
Notes
- ↑ Sea Lions in the Departure Lounge uses the same recording effects as Pink Floyd's “On the Run” from their album The Dark Side of the Moon , engineer Alag Parsons.
- ↑ The Cambridge companion to Debussy / edited by Simon Trezise, Cambridge University Press, 2003