Pyramid (The Alan Parsons Project album)

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: 26 May 1978<ref name="Fact Sheet">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=I Robot1977Eve1979AlbumPyramidThe Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid.jpgThe Alan Parsons Project26 May 1978<ref name="Fact Sheet">Template:Cite magazine</ref>September 1977 – February 1978Abbey Road Studios, London, EnglandTemplate:Hlist37:46AristaAlan Parsonsx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Album ratings Pyramid (stylized as Pyr△mid) is the third album by progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released in May 1978.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pyramid was nominated for the 1978 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The book visible in the cover design is G. Patrick Flanagan – Pyramid Power: The Millennium Science (1973).<ref name=LN>The Alan Parsons Project – Pyramid. CD Remaster liner notes (2008)</ref>

Pyramid was promoted in the United Kingdom through a nationwide cinema tour where the original master tapes were played in cinemas around the country.<ref name="Fact Sheet"/> These playbacks, described as "simulated concerts" by Music Week, took place in 30 cities across the United Kingdom. Free tickets to these album playbacks were distributed via dealers and took place at local cinemas.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Posters, shop displays, trade ads, and special media bios were created to provide the album with additional publicity and press advertisement was conducted in publications such as The Guardian and The Sunday Times.<ref name="Fact Sheet"/>

Critical reception

Cashbox wrote that the band "finally delivered an album which goes beyond cracker -jack production techniques and delves whole-heartedly into the realm of 'identifiable sound'".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Billboard said that the album "aurally interesting", with an emphasis on choirs and keyboards for a "spacey sound."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Record World called Pyramid "another immaculately produced album" from The Alan Parsons Project, saying that the creative contributions of musicians and vocalists on the record resulted in a "sometimes lush but haunting accompaniment".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Tony Jasper of Music Week thought that the album was instrumentally varied and that the music was more likely to catch the attention of listeners than the lyrical themes, which he described as "sometimes banal".<ref name="Fact Sheet"/>

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Bonus tracks

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

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

Bonus tracks details

  • What Goes Up/Little Voice – Another song called, at the time, Little Voice was included in this demo but was not used in the final album.<ref name=LN />
  • Can't Take It With You (early version demo) – Alan Parsons (unusually) played all the instruments.<ref name=LN />
  • Hyper-Gamma Spaces – The name came from Eric Woolfson's brother Richard, whose Mathematics Doctoral Thesis carried the title Hyper-Gamma Spaces.<ref name=LN />
  • The Eagle Will Rise Again (alternative version-backing track) – Intended as a Reprise Rock Band version demo attempt. This was abandoned as there was already enough material for the album.<ref name=LN />

Personnel

Charts

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Weekly charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart
Chart (1978–1979) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 16
Spanish Albums (AFE)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 4

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Year-end charts

Chart (1978) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

8
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

18
Chart (1979) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2

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Certifications and sales

Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Summary !scope="row"|Worldwide |Template:N/a |2,000,000+<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- Template:Certification Table Bottom

References

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

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