Turn of a Friendly Card [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Alan Parsons Project | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000IOM1Z0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  DVD Audio  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (102 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,039 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #97 in Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Britain

Track Listings

1. May Be a Price To Pay

2. Games People Play

3. Time

4. I Don't Wanna Go Home

5. The Gold Bug [Instrumental]

6. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Part One)

7. Snake Eyes

8. The Ace of Swords

9. Nothing Left To Lose

10. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Part Two) [*][Version]

11. May Be a Price To Pay (Intro-Demo) [*][Demo Version][Version]

12. Nothing Left To Lose (Basic Backing Track) [*][Version]

13. Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation) [*][Vers

14. Nothing Left To Lose (Early Studio Version With Eric's Guide Vocal) [*]

15. Time (Early Studio Attempt) [*][Version]

16. Games People Play (Rough Mix) [*][Version]

17. The Gold Bug (Demo) [*][Version]

Editorial Reviews

2008 digitally remastered and expanded edition of the Alan Parsons classic album that was originally released in 1980. Parsons himself digitally remastered all his catalog albums in 2007 using the original master tapes. The difference in sound quality is amazing-each sounds absolutely fantastic. The packaging includes revamped booklets with fresh, elaborated liner notes based on interviews with Parsons and Eric Woolfson as well as rare photos and memorabilia. This edition of Turn Of A Friendly Card features eight bonus tracks including early demos, rough mixes and instrumentals. 17 tracks total. Sony/BMG.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Eric Woolfson's Treatise on the Human Tragedy of Gambling Addiction September 18, 2008

By Parrish A. Highley

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If much of Peter Gabriel's lasting artistic legacy will be the principled stands he has taken for the cause of human rights, then a similar legacy should linger long after Eric Woolfson for his insights into the human tragedies of gambling addiction. While many superficial songs have been written on the subject, The Turn of a Friendly Card explores the excitement and disappointment, the folly and the wisdom that can sometimes come when there is Nothing Left To Lose. That song, in particular, embodies an uplifting melody around starkly somber lyrics that together create a sense of quiet resignation, a singularly unique emotion not heard in many songs. But as deeply as this concept album delves into these themes of mental addiction and the power of choice versus the unconscious, Woolfson delves even deeper in his musical GAMBLER where additionally the primal male fantasies of heroism are turned against the hero. This album benefits from not only the stellar production and engineering of Alan Parsons, but also from two of the finest instrumentals Parsons has ever composed: The Gold Bug and The Ace Of Swords.

If asked just what was The Alan Parsons Project, the simple answer would be a couple of musical geniuses who had the good sense to surround themselves with a bunch of other musical geniuses. Even a casual interest in the liner notes will reveal the unique talents of Andrew Powell who was solely responsible for all of the Project's orchestral arrangements.... But far less obvious would be the tremendous contributions that guitarist Ian Bairnson made throughout the life of the Project in terms of arrangement and, all too often, extremely complicated key changes. On I Don't Wanna Go Home in particular, Bairnson places a single sheet of paper between the strings and the pickup of his guitar in order to achieve an almost unheard organic quality to his playing. Even Chris Rainbow deserves much more praise for his "rainbow effect" vocal harmonies laden throughout The Project catalog and showcased on the bonus material Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation).

(Please be aware that there are three distinct versions of this album before making your purchase. There is the recent SONY/BMG remaster that I personally recommend as it sounds the best to my ear, the inferior compact disc that ARISTA released in the mid-1980s, and the HDAD released by CLASSIC RECORDS. Normally, CLASSIC RECORDS releases superior products, but I would only recommend the HDAD to those whose chief concern is dynamic range as this particular rendering has an enormous amount of tape hiss. For the money, you simply cannot beat the sound quality of the SONY's direct stream digital remaster!)

While I have heard some refer to The Alan Parsons Project as a poor man's Pink Floyd, I contend strongly that The Turn of a Friendly Card stands toe to toe with the best efforts Pink Floyd ever put forth. The range of styles, tempos, and moods are as diverse as those on The Floyd's most successful album Dark Side of the Moon, but that should come as no surprise considering Parsons' substantial involvement in recording and engineering that masterpiece. While this album's influence may not go as deep and wide as Dark Side despite the success of the singles Time and Games People Play, it certainly should given the relevance of the subject matter in modern societies where gambling is more widely sanctioned than ever. Read more ›

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gambling With The Alan Parsons Project August 5, 2003

By Alan Caylow

Format:Audio CD

The Alan Parsons Project's "The Turn Of A Friendly Card," their 1980 observation of the world of gambling, is an outstanding prog-pop album, and one of the group's very best works. In fact, I'd probably park this album right behind "Tales Of Mystery & Imagination" as the group's greatest disc. The music composed by Parsons & Eric Woolfson is simply stunning, the arrangements lush & breathtaking, the performances powerful. "May Be A Price To Pay" is a terrific opener, with singer Elmer Gantry taking you into the casino with this first-rate rocker. You can just see those roulette wheels spinning, the dice being thrown, and the cards being dealt while listening to this song, especially during the dreamy instrumental bridge. "Games People Play," sung by Lenny Zakatek, is a Project classic, another great exuberant rocker and one of the group's biggest hits. Eric Woolfson passionately sings "Time," another Project staple and one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded (and the only song that seems to depart from the album's gambling theme). I dare you not to melt on hearing this exquisite ballad! Zakatek returns to sing "I Don't Wanna Go Home," a terrific, rough & tough song about obsessive gamblers. "The Gold Bug" is a wonderfully hypnotic Project instrumental, and then, finally, there's the epic title suite, containing the songs "Snake Eyes", "Nothing Left To Lose," and the instrumental, "The Ace Of Swords...." Sung by both Chris Rainbow & Eric Woolfson, this rock suite contains all the hallmarks of classic Project music: marvelous prog/pop, great orchestrations by Andrew Powell, a shimmering instrumental break, and top-notch performances and production---just like the rest of the album! "The Turn Of A Friendly Card" is a glowing gem from Alan Parsons & company, one of their finest. Getting this album is one gamble you can definitely bet on. Read more ›

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars TIED WITH I ROBOT AS PARSONS BEST April 18, 2001

By "cardinals4ever"

Format:Audio CD

Like I ROBOT,there isnt a weak spot on FRIENDLY CARD.MAY BE A PRICE TO PAY is a great song to lead off the album with typically strong Parsons lyrics and melodies.GAMES PEOPLE PLAY is a great upbeat tune that still gets plenty of airplay.TIME just may be the most heartfelt song of all time.Eric Woolfson's vocals on TIME are phenomenal.GOLD BUG is another in a long line of great Parsons instrumentals.SNAKE EYES is a song that should have done much better on the charts than it did.The title track is one of the most powerful songs that the project has ever done.NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE is another heartfelt song sung beautifully by Woolfson.While all of Parsons albums are very good,I would rank FRIENDLY CARD with I ROBOT as Parson's best work.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Remaster Of A Classic APP Album March 31, 2008

By B. J O'Connor

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

"Turn Of A Friendly Card" was The Alan Parsons Project commercial breakthrough in 1980,peaking at #13 on the Billboard Album Chart and producing two Top 20 hits,the up-tempo synth-laden "Games People Play" and the lovely dream-like ballad "Time".A concept album about gambling,it's also one of APP's best efforts,featuring polished,dynamic production,strong vocals (by Eric Woolfson,Chris Rainbow,Lenny Zakatek and Elmer Gantry,respectily),lush orchestraion, and thoughtful,tuneful songs throughout with no weak songs.This expanded reissue contains 7 bonus tracks(mostly alternate or demos of the album's songs),liner notes by Jerry Ewing,period pictures vividly reproduced in the booklet and a wonderful remastering job by Dave Donnelly and Alan Parsons himself at DNA Mastering,the latter of which is an excellent reason for any fan to replace their old 1980's-era Arista CD for good.Why this is not available stateside is a mystery.UPDATE:It has finally been released stateside in early 2009 as with the rest of the APP catalog.