Eric Woolfson-Freudiana (1990)

This album is somewhat reminiscent of The Alan Parsons Project's side project, Keats, which was discussed some time ago on this blog. For years, Alan Parsons himself worked on a piece for his band based on the life and work of Sigmund Freud. It's worth remembering that the Alan Parsons Project has consistently been based on concept albums with a strong literary foundation, such as those inspired by Edgar Allan Poe or Isaac Asimov, as well as other concepts, far removed from the purely lyrical but not the musical. Therefore, it was originally an album attributed to The Alan Parsons Project, and it came about when Woolfson presented the idea to Parsons, and the two of them began composing both the lyrics and the music for this work. However, amidst the songwriting process and even the initial recordings, Brian Brolly, a music promoter, entered the picture and convinced Woolfson that his idea was perfect for a theatrical performance. This didn't sit well with Alan Parsons, who left the project when most of the album's songs were practically finished. Despite this, the double LP was eventually recorded and titled "Freudiana", released in 1990. All the songs were recorded with the musicians who were regulars with The Alan Parsons Project: Ian Bairnson, Andrew Powell, Stuart Elliott, and Laurie Cottle. Production was handled by Alan Parsons, with Woolfson himself playing keyboards and vocals. The album also features the voices of Leo Sayer, Eric Stewart, Chris Rainbow, and John Miles (the latter three also frequent collaborators on The Alan Parsons Project albums), among others. The album itself is a testament to The Alan Parsons Project's signature sound, featuring tracks like the epic "The Nirvana Principle", the melodic and impressive "Freudiana", the powerful rock songs "I Am a Mirror" and "You're On Your Own", the electronic pop of "Let Yourself Go", the complex "No One Can Love You Better Than Me", the Beatles-esque "Little Hans", and the vintage "Upper Me". This would be the last album recorded but not officially attributed to The Alan Parsons Project, who bid farewell with a work that wasn't even credited to its creators. Interestingly, it's one of the project's best works, and although not officially credited, it's generally given to the Parsons-Woolfson duo, or, more accurately, to The Alan Parsons Project.