THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD

Alan Parsons Project impressed me with their first studio record "Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe" but then I haven't appreciated their later efforts as much until I now have listened through their fifth album "The Turn of A Friendly Card" some times. I was released 1980 and is their fifht record in five years. Just as many other prog bands they seem to be inspired by medieval times and card games. The cover is artistiv with a church window of shining light which is a play card. Just as on other Alan Parsons Project record this one is very well produced. The music has big orchestral approach and on many places you could consider it symphonic. The music on this record should be placed somewhere between art rock and rock or art pop. It's clear that the band had high pretentions. This serious easy listened music should be enjoyed also by prog nerds. Musicially it holds a high standard with great performances on guitar and keyboards as well as bass and drums. The vocals are mostly done by Lenny Zakatek.

Both potential hit songs and sweet instrumental parts have their place on this record. The final though is the composition "The turn of a friendly card" which has a lovely main theme with a symphonic medieval melody and a vocal twist which I like. The music on the record is varied and it's not easy to just place the music in a genre. But the professionaly shines through it all. I like the full album too and think that the parts together make a very well fitted whole. The thought of a concept album feels very present here. I am happy to have heard "The turn of a friendly card" which I liked immediately. I had harder to understand the three earlier Alan Parsons Project albums. Here though have Alan Parsons, Eric Woolfson, David Paton, Stuart Elliot, Ian Bairnson and the others done a great job that deserves at least four stars!