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Tales of Mystery and Imagination is an extremely mesmerizing aural journey through some of Edgar Allan Poe's most renowned works. With the use of synthesizers, drums, guitar, and even a glockenspiel, Parsons' shivering effects make way for an eerie excursion into Poe's well-known classics. On the album's 1987 remix, the instrumental "Dream Within a Dream" has Orson Welles narrating in front of this wispy collaboration of guitars and keyboards (Welles also narrates "Fall of the House of Usher: Prelude"). The EMI vocoder is used throughout "The Raven" with the Westminster City School Boys Choir mixed in to add a distinct flair to its chamber-like sound. Parsons' expertise surrounds this album, from the slyness that prevails in "(The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather" to the bodeful thumping of the drums that imitate a heartbeat on "The Tell-Tale Heart." "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a lengthy but dazzling array of musicianship that keeps the album's persona intact, while enabling the listener to submerge into its frightening atmosphere. With vocalists Terry Sylvester, John Miles, and Eric Woolfson stretched across each track, this variety of different singing styles adds color and design to the album's air. Without any underlying theme to be pondered upon, Alan Parsons instead paints a vivid picture of one of the most alluring literary figures in history by musically reciting his most famous works in expert fashion.
© Mike DeGagne /TiVo
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Ian Bairnson, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Acoustic Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - JOE PUERTA, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Bill Lyall, Keyboards, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Tony Richards, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Orson Welles, Narrator - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Burleigh Drummond, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - JOE PUERTA, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID PACK, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - TOM TREFETHEN, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - CHRISTOPHER NORTH, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Alan Parson, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Leonard Whiting, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bob Howes And The English Chorale, Choir
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Arthur Brown, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Lyall, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Alan Parson, Synthesizer, Unknown, Other, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Harris, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Tosh, Cymbals, Drums, Timpani, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bob Howes And The English Chorale, Choir
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Miles, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Lyall, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Sylvester, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Harpsichord, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Tony Richards, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parson, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Bob Howes And The English Chorale, Choir
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Miles, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Bill Lyall, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Additional Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Tony Richards, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parson, Organ, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Harris, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Abbey Road Effects Library, Unknown, Other
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
David Katz, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eric Woolfson, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Jack Rothstein, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Orson Welles, Narrator - Les Hurdle, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Francis Monkman, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Keyboards, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eric Woolfson, Keyboards, Organ, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Stuart Tosh, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
David Katz, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eric Woolfson, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Jack Rothstein, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
John Leach, Cimbalom, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Francis Monkman, Harpsichord, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Peek, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - ANDREW POWELL, Organ, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Laurence Juber, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - David Snell, Harp, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Hugo D'Alton, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Darryl Runswick, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
David Katz, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - ANDREW POWELL, Conductor, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eric Woolfson, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Jack Rothstein, Orchestra Leader, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gordon Parry, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ian Bairnson, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Powell, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - David Paton, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Blair, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alan Parsons, Producer, Engineer, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Bill Lyall, Glockenspiel, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Sylvester, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Woolfson, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Alan Parsons Project, MainArtist - Stuart Tosh, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Leonard Whiting, Narrator - Patrick Stapley, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Westminster City School Boys Choir, Choir
℗ 1987 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Album review
Tales of Mystery and Imagination is an extremely mesmerizing aural journey through some of Edgar Allan Poe's most renowned works. With the use of synthesizers, drums, guitar, and even a glockenspiel, Parsons' shivering effects make way for an eerie excursion into Poe's well-known classics. On the album's 1987 remix, the instrumental "Dream Within a Dream" has Orson Welles narrating in front of this wispy collaboration of guitars and keyboards (Welles also narrates "Fall of the House of Usher: Prelude"). The EMI vocoder is used throughout "The Raven" with the Westminster City School Boys Choir mixed in to add a distinct flair to its chamber-like sound. Parsons' expertise surrounds this album, from the slyness that prevails in "(The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather" to the bodeful thumping of the drums that imitate a heartbeat on "The Tell-Tale Heart." "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a lengthy but dazzling array of musicianship that keeps the album's persona intact, while enabling the listener to submerge into its frightening atmosphere. With vocalists Terry Sylvester, John Miles, and Eric Woolfson stretched across each track, this variety of different singing styles adds color and design to the album's air. Without any underlying theme to be pondered upon, Alan Parsons instead paints a vivid picture of one of the most alluring literary figures in history by musically reciting his most famous works in expert fashion.
© Mike DeGagne /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:36
- Main artists: The Alan Parsons Project
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Mercury Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Progressive Rock
© 1987 UMG Recordings Inc. ℗ 1987 UMG Recordings Inc.
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