The Best of The Alan Parsons Project Volume 2
	Previously released material
	Released on 1987
	no chart information
	Find it at GEMM
AL-8486 cover [high resolution photo]

T he first hits compilation found APP at (arguably) the apex of their appeal. But what a difference a few years can make. By the time a second volume of hits was released in 1987, APP was old hat, managing just one gold album in the interim. However, it’s a wood worth venturing in; if you haven’t, The Best Of... Volume 2 won’t lead you astray. “Prime Time” and “Don’t Answer Me” can rightly be considered part of the band’s classic canon, while “Days Are Numbers (The Traveller)” from Vulture Culture warrants consideration as well. Also featured here are a pair of tracks from Stereotomy (not necessarily my favorites), the single from the recent Gaudi, and one more token from Vulture and Ammonia Avenue. I felt brought up to date after hearing these tracks (owning just Stereotomy from this stable at the moment) and will snatch up Ammonia Avenue the next chance I get. Rather than fill the record with inferior material (after all, this is supposed to be “the best of” the band), selections from the first phase are included as well: the instrumental “I Robot,” the minor single “What Goes Up...” from Pyramid, and (oddly) the reprise “Turn of a Friendly Card (Part II).” Missing again is anything from the band’s first album, likely due to licensing issues, which is a shame. Still, as second helpings go, The Best Of... Volume 2 is tasty and filling. I still have trouble accepting the vocalists beyond the core trio of Woolfson, Paton and Rainbow, though Geoff Barradale (who sings “Standing On Higher Ground”) has a likeable neo-prog tone to his voice. I know, this is sort of a short review, but if I keep writing I’ll only end up picking on the band, and I’m feeling pretty charitable to them today. Must be the imminent vacation.

AL-8486 back cover	AL-8486 lyric sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. PRIME TIME    3:48
2. LET'S TALK ABOUT ME    3:37
3. STANDING ON HIGHER GROUND    4:22
4. STEREOTOMY    4:26
5. DON'T ANSWER ME    4:10
6. LIMELIGHT    4:38
7. I ROBOT    6:00
8. WHAT GOES UP...    3:24
9. DAYS ARE NUMBERS (THE TRAVELLER)    4:08
10. AMMONIA AVENUE    6:32
11. THE TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD (PART II)    3:20
    
    All songs written by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons

CREDITS

Maude Gilman -- art direction
Jeff Atherton -- photography

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