Cherry Red have released a deluxe limited edition box-set of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, the fifth album by The Alan Parsons Project, the brainchild of composer, musician and co-creator Eric Woolfson and celebrated producer and engineer Alan Parsons.
The album sessions featured contributions from musicians such as Ian Bairnson (guitars), David Paton (bass), Stuart Elliott (drums) with Eric Woolfson playing keyboards and providing lead vocals, along with Elmer Gantry, Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek.
This 2023 3CD / Blu-Ray (region free) limited edition box-set includes an additional 42 tracks drawn from Eric Woolfson’s song-writing diaries, studio session out-takes and a new 5.1 surround sound mix by Alan Parsons and a high resolution remastered original stereo mix, along with the promotional videos of Games People Play, The Gold Bug and The Turn Of A Friendly Card plus a promotional television advertisement. This stunning set also features a lavish illustrated book with a new essay with photos, memorabilia, letters along with personal recollections from Alan Parsons and Sally Woolfson, along with a reproduction poster.
As with previous Alan Parsons Project albums, an array of vocalists was again utilised. Lenny Zakatek had first appeared on I Robot. Future Camel singer Chris Rainbow had made his Alan Parsons Project debut on Pyramid. While for Elmer Gantry, it was his first shot at singing with the Project (he would later go on to feature on 1982’s Eye In The Sky). The Turn Of A Friendly Card also features the very first Eric Woolfson vocal performances for The Alan Parsons Project. Woolfson features on the Nothing Left To Lose section of the album’s title track suite, and also on Time.
There is not a massive upgrade to the sound of the CD’s, which sounded amazing anyway, but this version is the definitive take on the album, and it is the best sounding version of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, so worth replacing your original CD. Spread your love of the music by buying this version and gift your original CD to a friend! Please note that the blu-ray was not provided for this review, so I cannot comment on the content on the final disc prior to release.
The original album sits on the first of the four discs, and its a top quality album that has stood the test of time. Games People Play (with a vocal from Lenny Zakatek) was a top 20 Billboard hit in the USA. The Eric Woolfson sung Time was another US Top 20 hit, with it’s sweeping, luscious strings and Beach Boys referencing vocal melody driving one of the key tracks on the first section of the album.
I Don’t Wanna Go Home is a perfect representation of the late 70s Alan Parsons Project sound, with layers of sharp, rhythmic guitars and crisply produced percussion.
From the old vinyl side two section onwards, the music offers an updating of the Project sound, with the earliest hints of an 80s sensibility creeping into the arrangement and orchestrations. The Gold Bug and The Turn of a Friendly Card suite pushes the album firmly into classic album territory.
From track 11 on the first disc, we get the first batch of extra tracks. Nothing Left to Lose [Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation] is a fascinating insight into the multi-layered vocals, here in their glorious, isolated form. As is Games People Play [Rough Mix], which captures the energy in this early, unpolished diamond of an arrangement.
Disc two presents Eric’s Songwriting Diary, and is the disc I return to the least in this collection, but it is a unique way of “being in the room” as the songs were created. The tracks are sourced from Eric’s portable cassette recorder, and is made up of piano and vocal sketches of the ideas that led to the full songs. So lots of hiss and “la la la’s”, but a rare and very personal insight into the creative process, that is rarely heard for classic albums.
Disc three picks up the quality, with alt takes and single mixes. May Be a Price to Pay (Early version with Eric Guide Vocal and Unused Guitar solo) works well, and offers a different flavour to the albums opening track. Most of these tracks have Eric’s guide vocals left quite low in the mix. Its a shame they are buried so deep, as they offer a fascinating insight into the development of the album.
Games People Play (Early version – Eric’s Guide Vocal) shows how well developed the song was from the early sessions, and highlights how much of the vocal arrangement was followed from Eric Woolfson’s early guide vocals. There is plenty of cowbell in this early take, always a welcome bonus!
The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow backing vocals) is another unique insight into the multi-layered vocals from this key album track. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Part Two) (Eric’s Guide Vocal and Extended Guitar Solo) is the pick of the alt-versions, and rounds of the sessions before the CD ends with three concise single mixes – of Games People Play, The Turn Of A Friendly Card and Snake Eyes.
Buy the box-set from Amazon
Buy the box-set from Burning Shed
Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon
TRACKLISTING
DISC ONE
The Turn Of A Friendly Card
May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)
Bonus Tracks
May Be A Price To Pay (Intro Demo)
Nothing Left To Lose (Basic Backing Track)
Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation)
Nothing Left to Lose [Early Studio Version with Eric’s Guide Vocal]
Time (Early Studio Attempt)
Games People Play (Rough Mix)
The Gold Bug (Demo)
DISC TWO
Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diaries
May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Turn Of A Friendly Card
Snake Eyes
Nothing Left To Lose
Tofc / Snake Eyes / I Don’t Wanna Go Home
La La La Lah
Next Year
Someone Else
Taking It All Away
To Those Of You Out There
DISC THREE
Recording Sessions Bonus Tracks
May Be A Price To Pay (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal And Unused Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
Time (Orchestra And Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Early Reference Version)
The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Clavinet With No Delay)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part One (Early Backing Track)
Snake Eyes (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
The Ace Of Swords (Early Version With Synth Orchestration)
The Ace of Swords (Early Version with Piano on Melody)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part Two (Eric Guide Vocal And Extended Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Single Edit)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Single Edit)
Snake Eyes (single edit)
DISC FOUR – BLU RAY
5.1 Surround Sound Mix (2019) And High- Resolution Original Stereo Mix By Alan Parsons
May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)
Visual Content
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Album Ad)
Games People Play (Promotional Video)
The Gold Bug (Promotional Video)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Promotional Video)
Buy the box-set from Amazon
Buy the box-set from Burning Shed
Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon
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