This is one of those moments where I approached a reissue campaign with a healthy dose of scepticism… and came away completely surprised.
We’re looking at three classic albums from The Alan Parsons Project —
Eye in the Sky,
Ammonia Avenue, and
The Turn of a Friendly Card.
These have been reissued on CD and vinyl, with selected 45RPM half-speed mastered editions cut at Abbey Road. So the big question is… do we really need them?
First Impressions – Packaging & Presentation
Cooking Vinyl have done a lovely job here.
The vinyl editions feel premium straight away — heavyweight pressings, clear vinyl on some titles, and importantly (you know I care about this!), polylined inner sleeves. That alone is a huge upgrade over many previous editions.
The 45RPM versions come in gatefold sleeves and feel like collector’s pieces, limited runs with that added sense of occasion.
On the CD side, we’ve got neat gatefold packaging, booklets with lyrics, period memorabilia, and essays that add context. It’s classy without being overblown — and crucially, they haven’t treated CD as an afterthought.
The Listening Approach – No Tech, Just Ears
I didn’t sit there with graphs or spectrum analysers. This was about listening to the music, at matched volume, across formats — original CDs, previous remasters, vinyl box set versions, and these new editions.
Sue was in the room too, so I had a second set of ears — always useful when you’re trying to remove bias.
The Turn of a Friendly Card – A Clear Winner
Let’s start here because this one was the biggest shock.
The new CD of The Turn of a Friendly Card?
No contest.
It’s the best I’ve ever heard this album.
More depth, more clarity, more bass — but crucially, it’s not louder. It’s just more alive. The soundstage opens up, and the music breathes in a way that earlier versions simply didn’t.
Even compared to previous remasters, including the Esoteric edition, this is another level.
On vinyl, I expected minimal difference — especially as earlier versions were already half-speed mastered at Abbey Road.
But no… this is better.
Noticeably better.
So much so that I’d now call this the definitive vinyl version.
Interestingly, though — and this might surprise some — I slightly preferred the CD over the vinyl here. Not by a huge margin, but enough to say it.
Eye in the Sky – Format Wars (In a Good Way)
This one gets really interesting.
The original vinyl has always sounded a little bright to me — slightly thin in places.
The new 33RPM version improves everything:
- More clarity
- Stronger bass
- Better separation
Then you move to the 45RPM…
And yes — it steps things up again.
Not quite the jaw-dropping leap of I Robot or Pyramid in 45RPM, but still the best way I’ve heard this album on vinyl.
Now here’s the twist:
The new CD and the 45RPM vinyl are equal to my ears.
So whether you’re a CD listener or a vinyl collector — you’re winning here.
Ammonia Avenue – Subtle but Significant
This was the one where the older versions really showed their age.
Going back to earlier pressings and CDs, everything felt:
- Light
- Slightly thin
- Lacking body
The new remasters fix that immediately.
The soundstage is wider, the instruments are more defined, and there’s real presence — particularly in the rhythm section and guitar detail.
The 45RPM vinyl does improve things further, but not dramatically.
And again — the CD holds its own brilliantly.
In fact, I’d say:
- CD ≈ 45RPM vinyl
- Both well ahead of previous versions
So… Are These Worth It?
Let me be completely honest.
I went into this thinking:
“How much better can this really be?”
Especially with Alan Parsons involved in previous definitive editions.
But here’s the reality…
Technology moves on.
Mastering evolves.
And our perception of ‘recent’ is often completely wrong.
What felt like “a few years ago” is actually 8–10 years in the past.
And you can hear that gap.
These are, without question:
👉 The best versions of these albums I’ve ever heard
Across all three titles:
- The CDs are exceptional
- The vinyl is significantly improved
- The 45RPM editions are the ultimate (with some close CD competition!)
And I love the fact that Cooking Vinyl have treated CD and vinyl equally.
For anyone discovering The Alan Parsons Project for the first time…
This is the way in.
If you love artists like 10cc, John Miles, or beautifully crafted progressive pop with incredible production values…
You’re going to feel right at home here.
