Pyramid (The Alan Parsons Project album)

Pyramid
File:The Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid.jpg
Studio album by The Alan Parsons Project
Released	June 1978
Recorded	September 1977 – February 1978 Abbey Road Studios
Genre	Progressive rock, art rock, pop rock, psychedelic rock, new wave
Length	37:46
Label	Arista
Producer	Alan Parsons
The Alan Parsons Project chronology
I Robot (1977)I Robot1977 Pyramid (1978) Eve (1979)Eve1979

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Allmusic

Pyramid is the third album by progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released in 1978. It is a concept album centred on the pyramids of Giza. At the time the album was conceived, interest in pyramid power and Tutankhamun was widespread in the US and the UK. Pyramid was nominated for the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Liner notes read "...this album seeks to amplify the haunting echoes of the past and explore the unsolved mysteries of the present. Pyramid...the last remaining wonder of the ancient world."

The album also dabbles with new wave, a genre that was emerging in Britain around the time of the album's recording. Many progressive and soft rock artists incorporated this style into their albums during the time spanning from late 1977 to 1979. In this album, the genre is mildly evident, through rhythm, in songs such as "Can't Take it with You" and immensely so in others such as "Pyramania".

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

Side One

1. "Voyager" (instrumental) – 2:24
2. "What Goes Up..." (lead vocal: David Paton and Dean Ford) – 3:31
3. "The Eagle Will Rise Again" (lead vocal: Colin Blunstone) – 4:20
4. "One More River" (lead vocal: Lenny Zakatek) – 4:15
5. "Can't Take it with You" (lead vocal: Dean Ford) – 5:06

Side Two

1. "In the Lap of the Gods" (instrumental) – 5:27
2. "Pyramania" (lead vocal: Jack Harris) – 2:45
3. "Hyper-Gamma-Spaces" (instrumental) – 4:19
4. "Shadow of a Lonely Man" (lead vocal: John Miles, additional vocals: Colin Blunstone) – 5:34

Bonus tracks

Pyramid was remastered and reissued in 2008 with the following bonus tracks:

10. "Voyager/What Goes Up/The Eagle Will Rise Again" (instrumental) - 8:55
11. "What Goes Up/Little Voice" (early version demo) - 4:07
12. "Can't Take It With You" (early version demo) - 1:45
13. "Hyper-Gamma-Spaces" (demo) - 2:21
14. "The Eagle Will Rise Again" (alternate version – backing track) - 3:20
15. "In the Lap of the Gods" (Part I – demo) - 3:14
16. "In the Lap of the Gods" (Part II – backing track rough mix) - 1:56

Personnel

• David Paton – bass, vocals
• Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
• Ian Bairnson – electric and acoustic guitars
• Eric Woolfson, Duncan Mackay – keyboards
• Dean Ford, Colin Blunstone, Lenny Zakatek, John Miles, Jack Harris – vocals
• Phil Kenzie - saxophone solos on "One More River"
• Choir: The English Chorale, Choirmaster: Bob Howes
• Produced and engineered by Alan Parsons
• Executive production: Eric Woolfson
• Arrangements: Andrew Powell
• Album cover design: Hipgnosis

Charts

Year	Chart	Position
1978	The Billboard 200	26
1978	UK Albums Chart	49
1978	Canada	25
1978	Norway	13

References

• Pyramid, Alan Parsons Project. Arista Records AB 4180, 1978 (Vinyl LP)