There I was, in the chic but now defunct Odyssey Records in the heart of my previous home town, Sin City when I was slowly but surely seduced by this mysterious new sound emanating from the stores sound system. The music had a sound I had never before experienced, so fresh and unusual, I was captivated. I had to find out what that inscrutable music was, so I walked up to the counter and asked the clerk, "Pray tell sir, what is that positively intriguing, ear candy that is massaging my mind's aural center" Well I might not have used those exact words but it was something like that. The clerk told me what it was, said something about it being groovy, stone, bad as*, tight, awesome or some such slogan of the day and proceeded to point out a display where several of these vinyl jewels were residing. I quickly nabbed one of these discs, gave the attendant my credit card and absconded with my prize like a thief in the night, for I felt like I had stolen a masterpiece. I played nothing else for a month!

After thirty years and never quite garnering the accolades which it deserved Alan Parsons' Tales of Mystery & Imagination has evolved into a classic. They have subsequently released thirteen other albums since unveiling Tales of Mystery & Imagination in 1975, some very good and some not so good but he has never matched the mystique oozing out of "Tales".

Who is Alan Parsons?

Alan Parsons is not really a performer, rather he is a multipurpose, behind the scenes guy who writes, directs and produces each project. Born in the U.K., Parsons, a well reputed producer and engineer who had worked for some of the biggies, including Paul McCartney, got the idea for "Tales" after working on Al Stewart's "Tim Passages" and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon", both concept albums.

Parsons teamed up with songwriter Eric Woolfson and voila, The Alan Parsons Project was launched. They released "Tales" in 1975, followed up with "I Robot" two years later and have never looked back. Their biggest commercial success came in 1982 when the title cut from the album The Eye in the Sky became a number three hit. All their albums to date are concept albums, based on some story or theme. Tales of Mystery & Imagination was inspired by a collection of stories by Edgar Allen Poe. I Robot was based upon Issac Asimov’s many writings on robots and so forth.

Song/Track List

1 Dream Within a Dream [instrumental] 3:43 *****
2 The Raven 4:01 *****
3 The Tell-Tale Heart 4:40 *****
4 The Cask of Amontillado 4:29 *****
5 (The System of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether 4:15 ***** 6 Fall of the House of Usher: Prelude [instrumental] 5:51 ****
7 Fall of the House of Usher: Arrival [instrumental] 2:36 *****
8 Fall of the House of Usher: Intermezzo [instrumental] 1:06 *****
9 Fall of the House of Usher: Pavane [instrumental] 4:44 *****
10 Fall of the House of Usher: Fall [instrumental] 1:07
11 To One in Paradise 4:14 *****

Tales of Mystery & Imagination

Let's talk about the music shall we? "Tales" is not quite rock although some songs like "Tell-Tale Heart" and “Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” certainly have rock elements and are fairly accessible in the commercial sense but that’s where any similarity to mainstream music ends. The instrumental “Dream Within a Dream” actually starts with a monologue by the incomparable Orson Wells, a portion of which goes like this; “For my own part, I have never had a thought, Which I could not set down in words, With even more distinctness, Than that which I conceived it, There is however, a class of fancies, Of Exquisite delicacy, Which are not thoughts, And to which is yet, I have found it, Absolutely impossible to adapt to language”, As Wells recites his monologue, ethereal textures begin to emerge, building in intensity until after Wells is finished the song builds to a crescendo, then fading back to only a bass and drum beat, eventually segueing into “The Raven” which keeps the same beat and starts with an electronically altered vocal. After the beat picks up the piece evolves into a extremely catchy song with normal vocals. There is no break when a heavy drum beat ushers in the mid tempo equally catchy “The Tell-Tale Heart” featuring heavy percussion and guitar and a few screams surrounding a dreamy bridge. Another varied tempo number “The Cask of Amontillado”, starts out slowly with sad melancholy vocals which continue throughout interspersed with another up tempo, catchy rock melody. The fourth catchy number in a row is “Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” a variable paced number with a whining guitar refrain throughout.

Since this was originally released as a vinyl recording the following number “Fall of the House of Usher” served a the B side of the album. It is actually a grouping of five atmospheric orchestral instrumental sets of varying lengths. These songs, mostly ominous which tell this sinister story, all sound as if they could be used in any soundtrack, for a quality horror film (oxymoron). On “Prelude” Orson Wells once again gives us the lowdown: “Shadows of shadows passing.
It is now 1831, and as always, I am absorbed with a delicate thought. It is how poetry has indefinite sensations, to which end, music is an essential.
Since the comprehension of sweet sound is our most indefinite conception, music when combined with a pleasurable idea is poetry.
Music without the idea is simply music. Without music or an intriguing idea, colour become pallor, man becomes carcass, home becomes catacomb,
and the dead are but for a moment motionless.” Other than that “Prelude” is a mixed tempo number which I found to be not quite up to the other compositions. It is little weak and almost pleasant sounding but it is setting you up for the fury that follows in the next four sets. “Arrival” begins in a rainstorm with a Hammond leading the way into a crescendo of sound and escalating frenzy segueing into “Intermezzo” a very ominous atmospheric interlude again segueing into “Pavane”, a quite pleasant keyboard based number played with an European feel. It is however a mirage, ultimately building up and setting the way for the “Fall”, which is not very musical but it is effective! Out of the carnage comes a hopeful dreamy song, “To One in Paradise”, the antithesis of the “Fall”.

CONCLUSION

There isn’t much more I can say folks. Tales of Mystery and Imagination is almost the PERFECT album. Even thirty years later it still sounds as fresh as the day I first heard it. If you have never heard it and you want to try something a little different, something with a “snap crackle and pop”, give “Tales” a try. You won’t be disappointed.


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Cleaning the House