Alan Parsons Project Showdown: Live 45RPM Vinyl vs 2011 Discontinued (Vol. 2, 1987) The Alan Parsons Project's discography is a labyrinth of sonic experimentation, and collectors are often left questioning which compilation best captures the essence of the group's legacy. This month's showdown pits two iconic offerings against one another: the analog allure of Live 45RPM Vinyl against the now-discontinued 2011 Reissue of The Best Of The Alan Parsons Project, Vol. 2 (1987). But to fully unpack the stakes, we must first consider the broader landscape of their compilations-The Best Of The Alan Parsons Project (1987), The Very Best Of The Alan Parsons Project (2011), The Essential Alan Parsons Project, and Best of the Alan Parsons Project, Vol. 2, which itself seems to blur into the lore of the original. Live 45RPM Vinyl offers a tactile, retro experience, its crackling grooves promising an intimate connection to the 1980s era. Meanwhile, The Very Best Of The Alan Parsons Project (2011), now discontinued, leans into modern mastering techniques, stripping away the hiss for a polished, if less nostalgic, listen. Yet the 1987 Vol. 2 release, a companion to the first Best Of album, retains a raw, live energy that underscores the band's theatrical roots. The Essential serves as a gateway for newcomers, curating tracks that balance studio precision with the experimental flair that defined their heyday. The debate hinges on priorities: do you yearn for the imperfections of a vintage pressing, or the clarity of a reimagined era? Each version tells a different story-regardless of the "best," the Alan Parsons Project's music is a tapestry of contrasts, waiting to be explored.