Description
The first of Al’s Alan Parsons produced trilogy, starts of with an uptempo folk rocker, accented with harmonized electric guitar leads. Carol was the lead single, but the 2nd song “Sirens of Titan” feels more like an A-side. Great twinkling pianos drive the leads on it. The boppin’ acoustic folk of “What’s Going On?” is a witty joy, followed by my one true let down of the album “She’s Not The One”. The folk comes back strong on “Next Time” which plays in my minds eye like bindle carrying hobos riding the rails, some fuzzy faced Tom Joad huffing away on a harmonica as the sun sets in the distance.
“Apple Cider” is a fun romp in an energetic style Al doesn’t embrace too often, def a stab at American airplay. “Dark & Rolling Sea’ is Al at his whistful best segues through crown noise to a half-spoken call to an unseen character, an old friend. In an attempt to reconect to a childhood friend over old times & dreams of youth, the man is rebuffed by his former friend. Bitter with the path chosen and discomforted by the thoughts of a time before, the disheartened narrator steps out onto the busy NYC streets and finds himself lost & questioning.
Haunting melodies, lyrics that envelop, Al, his band & Alan Parson would perfect this formula on the amazing follow ups, Year of The Cat & Time Passages
