september 26, 2024

The Alan Parsons Project - Eve (1979) (LP) - €10,00

Eve is the fourth studio album by British rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released on 27 August 1979 by Arista Records. The album's focus is on the strengths and characteristics of women, and the problems they face in the world of men.
It had originally been intended to focus on "great women in history", but evolved into a wider concept.
It features several songs from a misogynist point of view.

Eve is The Alan Parsons Project's first album with singer Chris Rainbow
The album's opening instrumental "Lucifer" was a major hit in Europe, and "Damned If I Do" reached the US Top 40, peaking at No. 27. "Lucifer" also is used as title track for the German political TV show Monitor.
For the most part, 1979's Eve is somewhat overlooked as being one of the Alan Parsons Project's finest work, when in fact it involves some of this group's most intricate songs.
The album's concept deals with the female's overpowering effect on man. Each song touches on her ability to dissect the male ego, especially through sexual means, originating with Eve's tempting Adam in the beginning of time.
Not only does this idea gain strength as the album progresses, but a musical battle of the sexes begins to arise through each song. 
The gorgeous "You Won't Be There" spotlights man's insecurity. Sung by Dave Townsend, its melodramatic feel sets a perfect tone.
The classically enhanced "Winding Me Up" follows suit, based on a woman's ability to dominate her mate and opening up with sound of a wind-up doll being cranked.

Other gems include the bitter but forceful "Damned If I Do" sung by Lenny Zakatek, and the dominating fury of "Lucifer," a powerful instrumental. Even the loutish "You Lie Down with Dogs" bears wit with its gender inclined mud-slinging.
The female vocalists, Lesley Duncan and Clare Torry do a splendid job of representing the females point of view throughout the album.
Not only does Eve solidify its main idea, but the songs are highly entertaining with catchy rhythms and intelligent lyrics. Musically, the tempo appealingly switches back and forth from slow to quick, as does the temperament of the album.
Somehow, Eve is dismissed as one of this band's greatest efforts, when in fact it's one of their finest marriages of both concept and music.


Side A
A1.  Lucifer  (instrumental)  (5:06)
A2.  You Lie Down with Dogs  (lead vocal: Lenny Zakatek)  (3:47)
A3.  I’d Rather Be a Man  (lead vocal: David Paton)  (3:53)
A4.  You Won’t Be There  (lead vocal: Dave Townsend)  (3:34)
A5.  Winding Me Up  (lead vocal: Chris Rainbow)  (4:04)

Side B
B1.  Damned If I Do  (lead vocal: Lenny Zakatek)  (4:48)
B2.  Don’t Hold Back  (lead vocal: Clare Torry)  (3:37)
B3.  Secret Garden  (instrumental)  (4:41)
B4.  If I Could Change Your Mind  (lead vocal: Lesley Duncan)  (5:43)


Personnel

Two of the lead singers on the album, Clare Torry and Lesley Duncan, previously performed on Alan Parsons' signature engineering work, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon


Cover Art

The cover art for Eve by Hipgnosis features three women wearing veils, with their faces partially in shadow. The cover is a gatefold. On the shaded part of each woman's face, the shadows and veils partially conceal disfiguring scars and sores (the lesions were not real, however). 


Notes
Release:  1979
Format:  LP, Vinyl  
Genre:  Progressive Pop
Label:  Arista Records
Catalog#  1A 062-63063

Vinyl:  Goed (VG)
Cover:  Goed (VG) (Gatefold)
 
Prijs: €10,00

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