SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT – THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (DELUXE EDITION)

The Alan Parsons Project
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Deluxe Edition)
Cherry Red Records

Alan Parsons continues to re-release the classic (and hugely successful) Alan Parsons Project albums. The Turn Of A Friendly Card was originally released in 1980 and became a huge album for the band and is now regarded as somewhat of a prog rock classic. Two of the songs were hit singles (“Games People Play” and “Time”) and the album found its way into many homes around the world, so this deluxe version is somewhat expected. The Alan Parsons Project, at its core, was Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. The duo would bring in session players and singers to complete albums. Woolfson passed away in 2009, and it has been up to Alan Parsons to carry the flame and deal with the back catalogue. Once again, Parsons hits it out of the park.

This box set contains three CDs and one Blu-ray, and there is a lot here for fans to enjoy. The entire album is, of course, included in remastered form, and on the Blu-ray, Parsons has prepared a 5.1 mix (which sounds amazing). But there is so much more. Included, spread over three CDs are outtakes, demos, single edits and song writing progressions. It makes for fascinating listening. One can hear how the demo for a song such as, “The Gold Bug” progresses to the incredible song it became. But it is interesting to hear its origins and how the song ended up as it did.

The album, itself, is pure classic prog rock. As far as the new package is concerned, once again Parsons takes great care in the presentation and the song selection. He has put together two very interesting and entertaining CDs worth of music that demonstrate how this album took shape.  The new mix of the album is sharper and maintains the beauty of the original version. The 5.1 mix is, as with the other releases, quite remarkable and the ability to use space with 5.1 shows the multi-layers of the album. The Blu-ray also features three promotional videos and even an advertisement for the album.

The Turn Of A Friendly Card deserves the deluxe treatment, as does the entire Alan Parsons Project catalogue. Listening to the 1980 album in 2023, one realizes how timeless the music has become. Parsons and Woolfson were simply making their music without trying to jump trends or making it too commercial. They both created a concept/prog rock album at a time when both genres were not in favour. And yet, the album caught the public’s attention and has become a favourite on radio and a favourite amongst fans. One spin of the CD reminds us why The Turn Of A Friendly Card is so highly regarded. It is a brilliant album, and this box set adds to the beauty of the album and expands both the music and the listener’s understanding of the music.

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