The Alan Parsons Project
Gaudi

THE REVIEW

The latest album officially credited to the legendary Project is a step up from some previous productions: although initially I found it a bit cold, I later changed my mind, recognizing the great mastery that permeates this work. The sound is very modern, even if it evokes some atmospheres explored in the seventies. The composition that undoubtedly reigns supreme is "La Sagrada Familia", an eight-minute epic decidedly "art rock": epic, symphonic tracks with rich instrumentation, both modern and classical, are the band's flagship and their trademark. The lyrics are mystical and solemn, the melody very impactful and the instrumental passages textbook; the track starts off calmly and then evolves into an increasingly exciting crescendo, where keyboards are introduced first, followed by orchestration, Bairnson's big guitar, and Cottle's sax. It's undoubtedly the best track on the album, very interesting also from a lyrical point of view. Following is "Too Late", which, in its greater simplicity and immediacy, is appreciated for its very powerful sound. Not on the same level as the previous one, but catchy and excellent for testing an audio system. "Closer to heaven" is a very engaging ballad sung by Eric himself: the drum passages are spot-on, the melody flows well, and the instrumental section knows its job: guitar and sax always at the forefront, well-positioned within the context. One of the best pieces. In a similar vein is "Inside looking out", but it's less impactful and slower: it echoes typical Pink Floyd sounds in the final part. "Standing on a higher ground", which was also released as a single, is the most immediately appealing song: as catchy as usual and dominated by keyboards, used intelligently and atmospherically, it's the most blatantly 80s track. Money talks is the only negligible track, a pretty predictable rock tune. However, Paseo de Gracia is a grand instrumental finale, revisiting the melody from "La Sagrada Familia", enriched by Bairnson's Spanish guitar: an atmospheric start with keyboards and drums, then the rhythm picks up, and the rest of the instrumentation joins in, epically.

In conclusion, the album is very enjoyable and captivating, and perhaps represents the style of the Project better than more successful works like "Eye in the sky". The opening track and its instrumental version at the end of the album are worth the entire record, but everything else is also fine and of great quality, always enjoyable and compelling.