ics, too, with splendid clarity, impecca- With the release of its latest Arista ble balance, and just the right degree of disc,the Alan Parsons Project has warmth to provide the most lifelike au- clearly earned a top spot in this new ral setting. In its thirty years plus ofcategory. The song What Goes Up distinguished performances (with no(Must Come Down) is getting heavy change in personnel), the Quartetto Ital-and much -deserved airplay these days, iano has given us nothing finer thanand it epitomizes what engineer Par- this; it is about as close to Schubert's sons and co -producer Eric Woolfson heartbeat as any recording of his musiccan do: combine soaring, lushly or- has yet brought us-which makes itchestrated melodies, intriguing lyrics, about as indispensable as any recordgood solo instrumental work, choral could be. -Richard Freedvoices, and a heavy rock beat into a thoroughly absorbing musical experi- SCHUBERT: String Quartet No. 15, in Gence. No wonder. Parsons' previous Major, Op. 161 (D. 887). Quartetto Italiano. credits include the Beatles' "Abbey PHILIPS 9500.409 $8.98, © 7300.617 $8.98. Road," Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," and other highly acclaimed LP's. What Goes Up follows in the Moody Blues/late Beach Boys tradition, of course, but there are others just as good that won't let you down either. Alan Parsons and There's The Eagle Will Rise Again, for instance: the words are incomprehensi- Eric Woolfson Offer ble-and unimportant, for the song is almost hypnotically beautiful. Pyra- Musical Trips for mania (that's not a misprint-the title refers to the pyramid fad, not to fires) The Seventies tongue -in -cheekily suggests that "You can keep the edge of a razor as sharp as an/Eagle's eye, you can grow a hedge IHAD a hard time deciding what cate- that is vertically straight/Over ten feet gory to file the Alan Parsons Project's high, all you really need is a pyramid ALAN PARSONS AND ERIC WOOLFSON new album "Pyramid" under. Moonand just a little luck." And the now Rock? Space Rock? Rock Trek? What almost conventional "I'm -a -star -but - we need, I think, is a new record bin la- I'm -lonely" number called Shadow of a beled "Mood Music of the Seventies" Lonely Man can take its place with theaccomplishment:itsimply failed to for music written, played, and record-best of its kind. communicate a unified and cohesive ed by and for people who like to listen A tendency toward stylistic incon-musical idea. Only one cut on "Pyra- with the utmost concentration and in sistency may explain why Parsons' pre-mid"-One More River-makes dis- completeimmersion-wholike,in vious effort, "I, Robot," was more atracting noises; it aims for straight rock short, to take trips. technical masterwork than a musicaland ends up breaking the album's mood. But that's just a small quibble. Everything else the Project does this time out they do well. What's more, THE QUARTETTO ITALIANO: close to Schubert's heartbeat they've performed some engineering magic that fully measures up to the de- mands of the mood. Listen especially to the harpsichordish opening of The Eagle Will Rise Again, or to the space- age, Ted Weems whistling of the open- ing and closing themes of Can't Take It with You. There's also a tambourine accompaniment to the latter that is so realistic you can practically hear each "ping" as the metal jingles connect. The more I listen to "Pyramid," the more I like it. You can't say that too of- ten these days about anything, so light up, lay back, let go, and listen. -Edward Buxbaum THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT: Pyra- mid. The Alan Parsons Project (vocals and instrumentals).Voyager; What Goes Up . . ; The Eagle Will Rise Again; Hyper - Gamma -Spaces; In the Lap of the Gods; One More River; Can't Take It with You; Py- ramania; Shadow of a Lonely Man. ARISTA AB 4180 $7.98.

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