Customer Reviews

Alan Parsons: A Valid Path

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have just received the recently released dualdisc of A Valid Path. This is really magical stuff. One of the best surround sound albums that I have ever listened to and I have a lot of them in my collection. Best song is 'We Play the Game' with lead vocals of Alan Parsons himself and perfoming together with The Crystal Method. I also like 'You Can Run' with Deep E. Deep E actually stands for David Pack (D.P.), former member of another great band, Ambrosia. Furthermore the commentary of Alan Parsons on the songs (dvd-side) is very interesting.
Alan is back!

I have been a fan of Alan Parsons since I was 12. Pyramid was the first Album I had heard and of course started buying previous material and new as they came out. Just when I thought there was no more this showed up while surfing online and purchased the MP3 version. I really Love this album especially the remixes of a few of the classics. (keep in mind some people hate remixes period while I am always open minded to remixes) granted I don't agree with people giving a CD a bad review because they couldn't rip the music (silly try a firmware update on your burner)Anyways Alan Parson has always brought something new to each album with the purpose of not trying to be the same which is why he is a very creative artist. I have played this for some co workers (much younger than me) who became fans instantly and wanted to hear more. seems obvious this album was also intended to catch some new ears. I will be ordering the CD/DVD today since I was unaware of the 5.1 tracks. I would definitely recommend this album.

Alan Parsons is SO much better than this! What happened to the perfectionist I met in 2002? I have all of his albums and this is easily something that should have been offered as free add'l material with a "real" release. I miss the soulful vocals of Gary Brooker and others. It isn't acceptable until the third track and even then it falls painfully short for such a talented man. Thanks for signing my 'Dark Side' album though :)

I'm not sure of the technical details behind this recording (bitrates, sampling, etc.) but it sounds fantastic on my relatively modest home theatre system. I think its a must-have for any 5.1 music enthusiast.

I've been a fan of The Project and Alan's solo work so long I can barely remember not listening to them. Alan Parsons has always been one of the artists I listen to that somewhat deviates from what I normally lisetn to. Typically I listen to mostly electronic/industrial music, but no one can deny the themes and wonderful recordings that Alan has been a part of...pure genius. As you could probably guess when I hear Alan was venturing into the world of electronica music my palms started sweating, and my heart rate increased...I was rather excited.

I was in the store the day it came out, and listened to it imediately...and I have to say it did not disappoint me one bit. Don't be fooled this is still Alan, just in a different musical venue. It's great to hear him take risks with his music...and his programming, and composition is spot on. As you can imagine the recording itself is perfect. The only thing that initially threw me off are the tracks that had pop influence. I almost forgot that Alan was a pop artist...so it was a few minutes of adjustment to hear the electronica tracks with the pop-esque lyrics.

When the 5.1 version finally came out...again I was in the store the day it was released. I don't even have a 5.1 system currently in my house, but the extra features alone are worth the money. When I was able to listen to it in surround it was like a completely different disc...Alan has stated he wrote this album for surround and by god does it show. Alan is one to use the space within the 5.1 realm with ease, making every track an adventure to your ears.

I hope that Alan continues down this path. I really want to hear where he goes with electronic music. It's very refreshing to have someone who has given so much break free from prior prejudices.

To those who are afraid of the new AP...give it an honest listen. you will be glad you did.

This is a good Alan Parsons album,
its progressed with an electronic bent from his previous albums... much better than time machine which was half way electronic,

some people complain its not like his other albums.... (they need to stop buying any cd "New" then....

the 5.1 mix is one of the best of I have ever heard...... it finally gives my stereo system a work out.....

Alan is Alan and that's all!!!
This is not his best album but this 5.1 version is incredible.
extra features includes audio commentary, lyrics, complete discography and music videos.

A must for every fun!

Alan Parsons Project was unique, talented, original. There were feelings, emotions, melodies that were giving me a goosebumps. What is this now? Bunch of digital notes through the computer?
I have a software that creates music, you pick the instruments and... in 2 minutes the song is composed and recorded. I can even do in AC3 Dolby 5.1, its easy. Sounds the same to me and to all my friends. We have compared side by side.

I guess you know all what I am trying to say. This music is OK for people who love computer noises. And for people like me, lets wait and see what is Alan will come up next with... : -)

To say that A Valid Path is the worst collection of sound ever to issue forth from the mind of Alan Parsons doesn't begin to describe how dismally vapid a work this is. When you have as many truly great efforts as Parsons, "worst" would typically mean "disappointing". Try Anything Once was disappointing. A Valid Path should never have been released.
Who needs Mammagamma 04? The first one was fine. Especially when version 4.0 sounds like a teenager shoved the original into a cheap Mix Master program or some other software that amounts to a surround sound Cuisenart.
The rest of the CD/DVD is merely uninspired and uninspiring with the exception of "You Can Run" which is, sadly, not quite enough to make me shove a CD into a player but might end up in a playlist on my iPod.
One can't fault a perfectionist for constantly retooling his work or for whiling away the hours tinkering on tone generators with no discernable sense of purpose. We can only fault him for inflicting the results on a fan base that would buy something simply because his name is on it.
If it weren't for Dark Side of the Moon, I'd begin to suspect that without Eric Woolfson or Ian Bairnson, Alan Parsons is little more than a producer/engineer who can spot good talent.

For great reviews from obviously devoted APP fans, look at the listings for the regular CD version of A Valid Path.