Life without The Alan Parsons Project proves to be golden!
J. Brooks | Nampa, Idaho United States | 04/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For my entire life I've listened to Alan Parsons as well as Eric Woolfson and enjoyed every ounce of music they've ever done and I am so very glad Eric Woolfson continues to bring it to the table after all of these years.
Woolfson Sings the Alan Parsons Project that Never Was is an absolute joy to listen to. The music is rich, complex and somewhat of a throwback to The APP days, yet still different enough that even people who don't like APP can enjoy it. The songs on this album are ones that never made the cut onto an APP album, but I think that's what makes them so uniquely different. They sound so familiar after listening to APP and Eric after all of these years, yet new and contrastive.
The lyrics in every song just flow with the complexities of the music. You can tell Eric Woolfson is a lyricists first and a musician second, but does both better then most can even do one or the other.
If you are a fan of Alan Parsons, or even if you aren't, there is something to enjoy on this album. The best way I can describe it is you know that feeling you get when you get something new and you just can't wait to play with it over and over, that's the feeling I get from listening to this album."
He's "Immortal"!!
Char-El | Ohio USA | 05/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's been too long since we've heard Eric's wonderful voice...and these songs are a beautiful collection of music that I'm sure Alan will be kicking himself over once he hears them again. Eric has mentioned Alan thought these songs "too commercial" yet it's all the APP hits that made him the bucks. My favorites are ALONG THE ROAD TOGETHER, SOMEWHERE IN THE AUDIENCE, and the closer IMMORTAL (from his POE CD where someone else sang it) The build up and finale of IMMORTAL moved me and gave me chills....I wish that ending guitar solo lasted much much longer!! If you love the APP albums do yourself a favor and get this one. It's a gem."
Wonderful Woolfson
Dynamo | The Hague, The Netherlands | 04/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Eric Woolfson sings The Alan Parsons Project That Never Was is a wonderful album. It is so nice to listen to an album with not only songs written by Woolfson himself but also be able to listen to his voice. He does the lead vocals on the songs. Woolfson has completed some of the unfinished works and put those together with some songs of his musicals Gambler, Gaudi, Edgar Allan Poe and Dancing Shadows (only Freudiana is missing) on this album. I enjoy the combination of strong progressive art rock songs such as Golden Key and Immortal with more pop songs such as Nothing Can Change My Mind and I Can See Round Corners. All in all a wonderful album, that asks for more from the talented Eric Woolfson, the real creator of The Alan Parsons Project."
A beautiful bit disappointing gem
Diane McCorkle | Malden, MA USA | 07/02/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I keep wanting to like this new CD from one of the most important APP alumnus, but I can't. Despite a gift for lyrics and phrasing, there's something lacking in this CD from Eric Woolfson. While Woolfson was able to pull this off in Poe, that can't be said here.
In listening over the past few days, it's clear that the brilliant layering of the instruments from the APP is what's gone, whereas in the APP, the vocals were one of the instruments, leading to some amazing compositions over the years, in "Woolfson Sings the Alan Parsons Project That Never Was" that magic mix is missing.
I also would have enjoyed more extensive liner notes as to where these songs would have fallen in the bigger APP landscape, that would let me compare them more to their siblings that did make it onto the albums since so often an APP theme, both in concept and musical style was key to their success.
For the die-hard collector it's a must have, but to the average listener, it will always feel like something is missing in this album.
"
Excellent Songs from a truly great songwriter!
Marty Gillis | Los Angeles, CA USA | 04/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a pleasure it is to finally have a new (to me) collection of Eric Woolfson songs to listen to and marvel at. And what a treat for us all that he sings ALL the songs for a change , including those great stacked up backing vocal arrangements of his. Just SUPER! While perhaps his instrumental chops may not yield the completely polished result one might expect from a classic APP album with all the 'usual suspects' on their respective instruments, the songs themselves are every bit as wonderful as your classic Woolfson favorites from back in the day. And that familiar vocal sound is there is spades! Nobody sings Eric Woolfson songs quite as well as he does. (ok, Colin Blumstone , John Miles, Chris Rainbow and Gary Brooker all did great jobs but NOBODY sounds like Eric!)
This album is a real treat for fans of APP who have missed Eric Woolfson's songs and voice.
The song 'Immortal' is as good as any song he has ever written. They are ALL good and truly not a clinker in the bunch, THANKS SO MUCH for this record Mr. Woolfson. It's so great to hear from you again!"