Eve
	Produced by Alan Parsons
	Released on August 1979
	US CHART POSITION #13 . . . GOLD RECORD (2/11/80)
	Find it at GEMM
AL 9504 cover [high resolution photo]

I f you think the album cover is ugly, be prepared for the ugly underneath. Eve is an unflattering portrait of man’s better half: women are manipulative and mean, while men are relative innocents punished for their misplaced loyalty. With such a startling subtext, the music is almost incidental. (In the case of the opening instrumental “Lucifer,” it really is incidental.) The album did produce a hit in “Damned If I Do,” but it’s not one of their better songs. In fact, damned little on Eve is essential, and together with Pyramid this represents a sagging in the bridge that connects I Robot with The Turn of a Friendly Card. The album marks the first appearance of vocalist Chris Rainbow on an APP album, and he gets the best bit with “Winding Me Up.” (Clare Torry and Lesley Duncan get the final say with “Don’t Hold Back” and “If I Could Change Your Mind,” though it’s hardly an equal opportunity.) Also featured here is the Orchestra of the Munich Chamber Opera (who, given the paucity of chamber operas, were probably happy to be busy). Conceptually, Eve is a little loose, though APP albums in general aren’t linear tales. Musically, it’s no more progressive than 10cc or Wings, and by album’s end things have softened considerably (compare the good vibrations of “Secret Garden” to the tubular belle at the beginning). Vocally, Eve is all over the place, from mild to spicy, featuring a different lead vocalist on nearly every track (!). Some were simply passing through (Torry, Duncan), others were leaving (Dave Townsend), but few left any lasting impression here. Of the Parsons sermons I’ve heard, this and Stereotomy are stultifying. Fans won’t find it forbidden fruit, but it’s not the tastiest apple on the tree by a longshot.

AL 9504 lyric gatefold	AL 9504 back cover

TRACK LISTING

1. LUCIFER    5:09
2. YOU LIE DOWN WITH DOGS    3:45
3. I'D RATHER BE A MAN    3:52
4. YOU WON'T BE THERE    3:37
5. WINDING ME UP    4:00
6. DAMNED IF I DO    4:50
7. DON'T HOLD BACK    3:36
8. SECRET GARDEN    4:40
9. IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND    5:49
   
   All songs written by Erc Woolfson and Alan Parsons

CREDITS

IAN BAIRNSON -- acoustic and electric guitars
STUART ELLIOTT -- drums and percussion
DUNCAN MACKAY -- keyboards
THE ORCHESTRA OF THE MUNICH CHAMBER OPERA -- orchestra
ALAN PARSONS -- miscellaneous instrumental contributions, engineer
DAVID PATON -- bass, lead vocal (3), backing vocals
ANDREW POWELL -- orchestral and choir arrangements, conductor
CHRIS RAINBOW -- backing vocals, lead vocal (5)
ERIC WOOLFSON -- keyboards, miscellaneous instrumental contributions, executive producer
Curtis Briggs - orchestra co-ordinator
Lesley Duncan -- lead vocals (9)
Sandor Farcas -- orchestra leader
Clare Torry -- lead vocals (7)
Dave Townsend -- lead vocals (4)
Lenny Zakatek -- lead vocals (2,6)
Hipgnosis -- cover design

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