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Tales Of Mystery And Imagination -- Edgar Allan Poe
PAGE INITIATED: NOVEMBER 24, 2002.
LAST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 9, 2003!
Tales Of Mystery And Imagination -- Edgar Allan Poe
1976 Originally issued as 20th Century T-508.
1982 Casablanca reissue as T-739, with different artwork/cover (cover pictured above right) and reduced liner notes.
1987 Digitally remixed/remastered edition issued as Mercury 832 820, with the original artwork and updated liner notes.
Theme: The life and works of American poet Edgar Allan Poe.
Produced and Engineered by Alan Parsons; Executive Producer Eric Woolfson.
Assistant engineers on original recording - Chris Blair and Patrick Stapley.
Assistant engineer on remix - Tony Richards.
Recorded at Mama Jo's Studio, Abbey Road, and Kingsway Hall April-November 1975.
New performances and remix recorded at "The Grange" May-June 1987.
All tracks written by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons, except where noted.
Core Project members:
Alan Parsons - cathedral organ, keyboards, "Projectron", guitar, flute, backing vocals
Eric Woolfson - piano, keyboards
Ian Bairnson - guitar
Billy Lyall - keyboards
Stuart Tosh - drums and percussion
David Paton - bass
Andrew Powell - orchestration and conducting
Any performers/performances that deviate from the core members will be listed on each track.
Featured lead vocalists: Alan Parsons, Leonard Whiting, John Miles, Arthur Brown, Terry Sylvester, Jack Harris,
and two spoken lead-ins by Orson Welles (recorded in 1976, but featured only on the 1987 remastered version).
Featured guest performers: Ambrosia (David Pack on guitar, Joe Puerta on bass, Burleigh Drummond on drums, and
Christopher North on B-3 organ).
1976/1987 Original cover design - Hipgnosis
MY TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW
(* - denotes performances available only on the 1987 remastered version)
01) A Dream Within A Dream -- 4:13
(INSTRUMENTAL)
*Narration - Orson Welles
Bass - Joe Puerta
Electric Guitars - Ian Bairnson
Acoustic Guitars - David Paton, Ian Bairnson
Recorders - Billy Lyall
Backing Vocals - David Paton
Recorded at Abbey Road - August 1975.
02) The Raven -- 3:57 (Featured MIDI)
(Lead Vocals - Alan Parsons (EMI vocoder), Leonard Whiting)
Bass - Joe Puerta
Drums - Burleigh Drummond
Additional drums - Stuart Tosh
Guitars - David Pack
Keyboards - Christopher North, Eric Woolfson
*New guitar solo - Ian Bairnson
Backing vocals - Eric Woolfson
Choir - Bob Howes and The English Chorale
Recorders - Billy Lyall
Backing Vocals - David Paton
Recorded at Mama Jo's Studio, North Hollywood and at Abbey Road - April 1975.
Assitant engineer at Mama Jo's - Tom Trefethen
This pair set the stage for a lot of other Project albums where a great instrumental lead-in lead to a great song, not to
mention great sonic pleasures. "The Raven" (based on the poem) as originally released was a minor radio hit,
and Ian's new guitar solo marks it as very much an Alan Parsons Project song. And at long last, we get to hear Orson
Welles reading Poe's "A Dream Within A Dream", as Alan had originally conceived it.
03) The Tell-Tale Heart -- 4:38
(Lead Vocal - Arthur Brown)
Additional vocals - Jack Harris
Drums, Timps, and Backward Cymbals - Stuart Tosh
Guitars (and *New guitar riffs) - Ian Bairnson
Keyboards - Billy Lyall and Eric Woolfson
"Projectron" and *New Synths - Alan Parsons
Choir - Bob Howes and The English Chorale
Recorded at Abbey Road - August 1975.
A great adaptation of the Poe story.
04) The Cask Of Amontillado -- 4:33
(Lead vocals - John Miles)
Additional vocals - Terry Sylvester
Piano - Billy Lyall
Harpsichord - Eric Woolfson
*New Synths - Alan Parsons
Backing vocals - Eric Woolfson
Choir - Bob Howes and The English Chorale
Recorded at Abbey Road - September 1975.
A great ballad, with John Miles doing the verses, and Terry Sylvester joining in on the chorus.
05) (The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether -- 4:20
(Lead Vocals - John Miles)
Additional vocals - Jack Harris
Guitars - Ian Bairnson, John Miles
Piano - Billy Lyall
Additional keyboards - Eric Woolfson
Recorders - Alan Parsons
Crowd Noises - Abbey Road Effects Library
*New "Cathedral Organ" - Alan Parsons
Choir - Bob Howes and The English Chorale
Recorded at Abbey Road - September 1975.
Another minor radio hit as originally released, and the new cathedral organ riffs Alan added are a most excellent touch.
(Tracks 06-10 -- The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Woolfson-Parsons-Powell))
(INSTRUMENTAL)
Orchestra arranged and conducted by Andrew Powell.
This five-part instrumental is a nice wordless blend of classical music with modern touches.
06) I - Prelude -- 7:02
*Narration - Orson Welles
Bass - Les Hurdle
Orson Welles' narration here is based on Poe's diary entries from 1831.
07) II - Arrival -- 2:39
Bass - David Paton
Drums and Percussion - Stuart Tosh
Guitars - Ian Bairnson
Keyboard loop - Eric Woolfson, Andrew Powell
Organ - Francis Monkman and Eric Woolfson
"Projectron" and Synths - Alan Parsons
Thunder and Storm effects recorded outside Abbey Road Studio Two during a freak storm, using a binaural
"Dummy" recording head.
08) III - Intermezzo -- 1:00
09) IV - Pavane -- 4:36
String Bass - Darryl Runswick
Drums - Stuart Tosh
Acoustic Guitars - Laurence Juber, Kevin Peek
Harp - David Snell
Harpsichord - Francis Monkman
Cimbalom & Kantele - John Leach
Organ - Andrew Powell
Mandolin - Hugh D'Alton
*New Synth - Eric Woolfson
10) V - Fall -- 0:51
Synths and "Projectron" - Alan Parsons
I, III, V - Recorded at Kingsway Hall, London, October 10, 1975. Engineering consultant - Gordon Parry;
Orchestra Leaders - David Katz and Jack Rothstein.
II and IV - Recorded at Abbey Road - August and November 1975.
11) To One In Paradise -- 4:46
(Lead Vocals - Terry Sylvester)
Additional vocals - Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons
Electric Guitars - Ian Bairnson
Acoustic Guitars - Ian Bairnson, David Paton
Fender Rhodes and Glockenspiel - Billy Lyall
Additional keyboards - Eric Woolfson
Choir - Westminster City School Boys Choir
Backing vocals - Jane Powell
Narration - Leonard Whiting
Recorded at Abbey Road - August 1975.
Another great ballad, and Leonard Whiting's narration of Poe is an excellent way to close this first album.
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