The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card
#461
November 1980
The Alan Parsons Project
The Turn of a Friendly Card
Genre: 80s Radio Friendly Prog
3.5 out of 5
Highlights:
Games People Play
Time
Maybe it’s because “Games People Play” sounds like a prog version of a Studio 54 type staple that I like this more than just about everything that Parsons put out to this point. The song pivots into the cut-from-the-Floyd-fabric “Time” but, you know what? As a suite, they work extremely well inasmuch as the latter sounds like a gauzy filtered backing soundtrack to a Randal Kleiser schmaltz-fest which is also borne out of the 70s sensibilities.
What I like about this album aside from the production and a lot of the tunes is the construction. Side One ends with a track that doesn’t leave wanting more nor lowers your enjoyment. It’s a fine closer after the big hits. Side Two is where we get the obligatory instrumental track and it’s a harbinger of what Roger Taylor would do on Fun in Space a year later. In fact, I’d say ol’ Roger might owe a bit to Mr. Parsons.
From there we get the “Turn of a Friendly Card” saga. Which belongs on the second side so you can remember to never have to return to it. It goes absolutely nowhere.
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-turn-of-a-friendly-card-bonus-track-version/278775186
