A Valid DualDisc

Editor's note: After a 2 year wait,the best DualDisc of the last couple of years has hit the market. Alan Parson's 2004 release "A Valid Path" whimpered onto your local store shelf with nary an upraised eyebrow. No front of store presentation for this one 5.1ers.....Sam the Record Man brought in 1 copy (which was probably bought by my buddy Dave) and HMV brought in only 1 as well. Given that these are the 2 flagship stores for Canada..I suspect tht these are the only 2 copies north of the 49th parallel. And what a shame too...this is easily the best sounding DualDisc in my collection and one of the best dvd-audio recordings that I've ever heard. Its no wonder that Parsons was pissed when it was delayed and shelved. I suspect that its on shelves now because of the David Gilmour appearance on it and as a tie-in crosspromotional thingamajigumma with "On an Island"....How good is it....I'll be reaching for this one again and again and again. This is not your mother's HDAD of "Eye in the Sky" or "Turn of a Friendly Card". I've always preferred The Alan Parson's project instrumentally versus vocally. This recording is no exception to the equation. I would rank these pieces alongside "I Robot" and "Where's the Walrus" AND "On the Run" from Darkside of the Moon. They're that good. The other instrumentals from the rest of his catalogue quite frankly take a back seat to this offering. And now for surrounda-ummagummage aspect....in a word, it's the most adventurous DualDisc offering of dvd-audio period. Put aside your "Dead Wing" sportsfans cause Parsons is at the plate and he's just hit this one right out of the park. The transitions, reproduction, imaging, frequency response and most of all, FUN, are clearly involving and exciting. This is not your average pedestrian listen.My only pratty sort of knock against it is the remix of "Dream within a Dream-The Raven". Being somewhat of a traditionalist...this mini-medley would've been better served with the original version from "Tales of Mystery and Imagination". IMHO though....if you are gunning to millenium-ize that recording....do the entire 1st side as a 12 minute orgasmic overture...Ron Wheeler says "buy this one" now....cause its probably deleted already....read on Fauntleroy.. (Press Release) After it's critically acclaimed release in 2004 on CD format, Alan Parsons' A Valid Path was re-released on April 4th (via immergent) as a specially-designed DualDisc featuring extensive interviews with the album's guest collaborators and a personal track by track artist commentary, all packaged in a deluxe jewel case. Re-issuing the album in the cutting edge DualDisc format is a natural progression for Parsons, who has long been a technological master and innovator in music production.

A Valid Path combines Parsons' love of studio wizardry with edgy electronica, club-inspired drumbeats and ethereal guitar solos. To build Path, he recruited the best of all musical worlds to collaborate with him, including David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), The Crystal Method, Shpongle, Uberzone, The Nortec Collective and even actor John Cleese. The end result is both fascinating and breathtaking, a powerful mélange of instrumentation, technology, musical styles and complex compositions.

The new DVD side of the DualDisc features the entire album mixed in 5.1 surround sound by Parsons himself (a recording process seemingly tailor made for his multi-layered music), a track by track commentary from Parsons detailing the songs and how they were structured, as well as in-depth interviews with Alan, David Gilmour, The Crystal Method and the other musicians on the album. Lyrics to all the songs, website links and a DVD Launcher feature are also included.

Alan Parsons began his career as a studio engineer, working with the Beatles on Abbey Road and later Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. He stepped to the other side of the microphone in 1975, recording his own lush, high concept music, and has amassed a devoted, cult-like loyal following. His recent work with electronica leaders such as The Crystal Method has been embraced by the dance club and DJ community, proving his ability to cross genres and that his song construction and production acumen are timeless. The DualDisc release of A Valid Path finds Parsons yet again at the leading edge of music and production, an artist determined to never duplicate himself from one album to the next.

A Valid Path tracklisting:

1. Return to Tunguska featuring Shpongle & David Gilmour
2. More Lost Without You featuring P.J. Olsson
3. Mammagamma '04 featuring Jeremy Parsons
4. We Play The Game featuring The Crystal Method
5. Tijuaniac featuring Nortec Collective
6. L'arc En Ciel featuring Uberzone
7. A Recurring Dream Within A Dream featuring Jeremy Parsons
8. You Can Run featuring Deep E
9. Chomolungma featuring Jeremy Parsons, P.J. Olsson, & John Cleese