PYRAMID

One would think that, if any subject deserves respect and homage, it would be the pyramids and the sweat and back breaking that it took to create them. Yet for APP's third album we are stuck with an insipid collection of tracks that, for the most part, could not do justice to a papier machier facsimile of a pyramid. Worse yet, the album falters so badly after the first few tracks that it seems that the inspiration was a few dozen notches short of monumental.

APP continues its pattern of an instrumental opener and "Voyager" is decent if a trifle short. "What Goes Up" is interesting but also somewhat under-developed. This is even more so for "The Eagle will Rise Again", which is highlighted by sumptuous verses, only to be undone by a lackluster chorus. From here things go downhill. "One More River" is musically a mundane rocker and lyrically rather lightweight, and "Can't Take it With You" flirts with Parsons' winning formula while ultimately failing to execute. "In the Lap of The Gods" is probably the best overall cut, actually sounding somewhat Egyptian and tastefully orchestrated. But "Pyramania" is worthy of SPARKS, which isn't saying much, and the closer, "Shadow of a Lonely Man" is a rather unconvincing string heavy ballad.

"Pyramid" marks a decline for APP from which they never quite recovered. Although several much stronger efforts followed, their glory days, like the achievements of the pyramids, were relegated to the past. Barely 2 stars.