Stereotomy
1985 studio album by The Alan Parsons Project / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Stereotomy is the ninth studio album by the Alan Parsons Project, released in 1985.
Stereotomy | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 1985 | |||
Recorded | October 1984 – August 1985 | |||
Studio | Mayfair Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:58 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer | Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson | |||
The Alan Parsons Project chronology | ||||
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Alternate cover | ||||
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Rolling Stone | [2] |
Not as commercially successful as its predecessor Vulture Culture, the album is structured differently from earlier Project albums: containing three lengthy tracks ("Stereotomy" at over seven minutes, "Light of the World" at over six minutes, and the instrumental "Where's the Walrus?" running over seven and a half minutes) and two minute-long songs at the end. It is a full digital production and both the LP and CD releases were encoded using the two-channel Ambisonic UHJ format.
The original vinyl packaging was different from all the reissues: it featured more elaborate artwork of the paper sleeve supplied with a special color-filter oversleeve. When inserted, the over-sleeve filtered some of the colors of the artwork, allowing four different variations (two per side). That was supposed to symbolize visual stereotomy. In the reissues, only one variant remained. The artwork was nominated for Best Album Package at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards.
The word "stereotomy" is taken from "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe.[3] It refers to the cutting of solid shapes into different forms, and is used as a metaphor for the way that famous people (singers, actors, etc.) are 'shaped' by the demands of fame. The short track "Chinese Whispers" also references "Rue Morgue" in that although an instrumental, it features Eric Woolfson’s daughters Sally and Lorna reciting a sequence of words from the story.
At the time of release, Parsons said, "Stereotomy is really our best album in years." However, he and Woolfson noted that the record suffered a lack of record label support.[4]
Stereotomy earned a Grammy nomination in 1987 – for Best Rock Instrumental Performance: Orchestra, Group, or Soloist – for the track "Where's the Walrus?"[5]
Stereotomy marks the final appearance of David Paton on bass – he went on to join Elton John's touring band – and is the first Project release since Tales of Mystery and Imagination not to feature Lenny Zakatek.
Musician reviewer J. D. Considine wrote simply: "Unnecessary surgery."[6]