[Industrialized Emotions] -- On February 7, 1984, The Alan Parsons Project released their seventh studio album. Ammonia Avenue is forty years old this week, but its themes are probably still just as timely, even if the album itself shows some of its age. Per Mike DeGagne of AllMusic, this album is all about "how the lines of communication between people are diminishing, and how we as a society grow more spiritually isolated and antisocial." These ideas are strongly borne out in the lyrics of "Prime Time," "Don't Answer Me," and "You Don't Believe," all of which were released as singles.
Notably, for an album dedicated to the depersonalization of technology and industry, there isn't actually much synthesized music. In fact, for a progressive pop album, there are surprisingly moving guitar riffs and saxophone lines, at least I think so. Of course, the studio itself is the primary instrument for this particular artist, and so the recording might, at times, seem far too clean to be emotional, even on vinyl.
Ammonia Avenue is often regarded as a failure, particular when compared to some earlier recordings by The Alan Parsons Project. Rolling Stone trashed it. Still, the album peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, as well as within the top 20, and even the top 10, of other countries. "Don't Answer Me" reached #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and within the top 20 of several other US charts. "Prime Time" reached #34 and "You Don't Believe" fell short of the top 40, peaking at #54. Wikipedia indicates "Since the Last Goodbye" was a minor hit. It is a nice ballad, so some stations might have put it into rotation, but I have not found chart info for it.
Are you an Alan Parsons fan, and do you have an opinion on this record?
Flashback: Ammonia Avenue (February 7, 1984)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
No comments:
Post a Comment