The Alan Parsons Project Album: “Eve”

While Eric Woolfson remembers being under the tremendous pressure of recording deadlines even as Alan Parsons remembers a recording process bedeviled by all manner of malfunctions in a foreign studio, Andrew Powell delivered the finest orchestral arrangements to ever grace a Project. In strictly musical terms, Andrew Powell made what would possibly have been a good but under-distinguished album absolutely exceptional! Songs like

and

would never be the same without Andrew Powell's orchestral touch. As such, I would strongly recommend tracking down some of Powell's other work, especially Andrew Powell and The Philharmonia Orchestra

and

.

In strictly conceptual terms, the time constraints imposed by Arista forced Woolfson to abandon his original hope of composing an album dedicated to significant women throughout history such as Joan of Arc. What remained was a far more conventional look at the fairer gender and their influence over men. The photography by Hipgnosis actually sums up the conceptual short-comings of EVE quite succinctly. Holding the male viewer in the longing of their lovely gazes, two of the three women are so subtlely marred that said flaws do not detract from their tremendous beauty. Unfortunately, the third woman is presented with an undeserved ugliness that completely overwhelms her beauty. Although never intended as universal statements, the songs

and

suffer in much the same way the third photographed woman does for much the same reason.

But, for me at least, the paradigm upon which EVE rests is the stunningly beautiful instrumental

through which the listener glimpses the lost garden that Lesley Duncan seems to almost beckon us back to in the closing epic

. The poignant sorrow of Duncan's soulful vocals harken the listener back to the time when man and woman lived in perfect harmony with one another. One can only wonder how EVE would have been received all these years had it been called EDEN instead. With an instrumental overture called

, are ponderings of that sort really such a stretch?

While the bonus material once again grants a welcomed look behind the scenes of the creative process, the one song from long-fabled "The Sicilian Defence" called "Elsie's Theme" will likely cause almost anyone hearing it to wonder why it was never recorded before now.

is a very adept solo piano piece by Woolfson that would be right at home on an acoustic new age program or, even, at a quietly dramatic point in a film. I would not mind hearing an entire album of Woolfson's solo piano works if they are anything like this.

I cant explain it, but it seems for me the later the 70s the better. September, 1979......right there close to 80, when it seemed the levee broke and flooded the airwaves with less inspired music...(Queen;the game Yes;drama).

Ive always had this bizarre fascination with 1979 recordings. Its so on the edge of almost not sounding 70s. But I can tell. I can tell the difference between a 79` recording and an 80` one without even thinking about it.

This album REEKS of 1979 and its just too precious to me. The sound quality is absolutely prestine. It really sounds perfect. Stuart Elliot is a very tight drummer, full of very tight drum fills, a lot like 1979 Supertramp stuff. How does he get his snare to sound so FAT yet so tight at the same time? That snare drum sound is insane. Of course alan poured his heart into recording and writing this album!!! I dont even know why there is an issue on this subject? I dont know why everyone hasnt already given this 5 stars?

This album is funky and that Prophet5 Synthesizer is just crazy...

If you are new to Alan Parson, I recommend trying Turn of a Friendly Card first. Otherwise take a deep breath.

Look, a lot of people rag on this album, and I'm not sure why. No, it's not 5 star material. However, "If I could Change Your Mind" is one of APP BEST SONGS EVER. If for no other reason than that one song, the rest should be given a fair listen to.

No, it's not the best APP album - not by a long shot. But part of the Project's charm was in being experimental, challenging themselves, and trying different styles and concepts out. After all, how successful can two men be at describing women!!??! :)

It is in some ways degrading, amusing, sad, and whimsical. It is not consistant. It is what the nature of the Project was at the time. I remember three out of three girlfriends I had been with absolutely HATED this album! Probably the "I'd Rather be a Man" song evoked the greatest outrage in them. That line about "..your hide is slack" about teared it.

Truthfully, I laughed at that line the first time I heard it. No man would ever tell his wife / girlfriend these sorts of things unless he wanted to END a relationship. Women are bombarded with images as to how they should look. This song tries to tear that fluff away, "Try it on the company, but you don't fool me". Surely not! Lovers aren't fooled, they KNOW better.

Should it make women angry? You bet it should! They should be angry at letting themselves be so objectified.

Taking that one song seriously is probably one of the worst assumptions someone can make about this CD. If you can listen to these songs objectively, you'll get a lot more out of this album than you might have thought.

The Alan Parsons Project take a look at the female gender with their 1979 album, appropriately titled "Eve." Although not one of the group's more popular albums, it's a very strong Project album all the same. It's catchy, melodic, well-written by Alan Parsons & Eric Woolfson, with sharp musical performances all around, great orchestrations by Andrew Powell, and fine vocals by such singers as Lenny Zakatek and Chris Rainbow. And what Project album would be complete without an excellent instrumental or two? "Lucifer" is a classic piece (and it's still used on many TV sports programs to this day), and "Secret Garden" is bouncy & spacious.However, "Eve" has always been a controversial album, as some female listeners think that some of the songs are degrading to women. This is totally not true. Songs like "You Lie Down With Dogs," "I'd Rather Be A Man," and "Winding Me Up" are not about ALL women in general---goodness, no. The male character of these songs is only singing about *one particular woman* that he's had a personal falling out with, and that's all. Some may find it hard to believe, but men can get hurt in broken relationships, too, which is all these particular songs are saying.Furthermore, lest we forget, "Eve" contains a couple of positive songs sung by women: the self-powering "Don't Hold Back," and the lovely album-closer, "If I Could Change Your Mind." Clare Torry & Leslie Duncan, who both were featured on the classic Pink Floyd album, "Dark Side Of The Moon" (which Parsons engineered), sing these songs very nicely, and I highly doubt that they would've taken part if they thought the album was sexist in any way. Nevermind the silly controversy: "Eve" is a fine entry in the Alan Parsons Project's catalog. Definitely pick it up.

This album may not be one of the Projects best albums, but it does break some new ground for the band. It was the first album in which Alan Parsons employed female lead vocalists (listen for the most excellent Kate Bush !), and started a new trend in his instrumentals.

One of the best tracks on this album is "Lucifer", still today one of Parsons' best instrumentals. In many of the instrumentals he does today, you can hear the legacy of this song. It is a tough, edgy, somehow heroic song that puts one in mind of those nights when passion and anger between lovers makes a dangerous, ecstatic experience. The kind that will lead to a wedding or a divorce, and leaves you wondering later what ever possessed you to do either.

"Damned If I Do" enjoyed limited commercial success it the early 80's, and is some of the bands best synthesizer work from that time. It is a song about being helplessly in love, hating the vulnerability and craving it at the same time. It calls to mind falling hard for someone you KNOW is going to be bad for you, and being unable to help yourself. Remember what THAT was like? Very sweet keyboard work in this one, and the vocals have just the right mix of self-hate, self-deception ("...No, my friends are wrong, he/she isn't REALLY like that, and besides, this is different, and it is not either just a crush..."), and naked yearning. Oh, man, the memories...

For a total change of pace, the song "If I Could Change Your Mind" has some of the most gorgeous vocals on the entire album. It is a woman telling of her fantasies and hopes of recapturing a lover who dumped her hard. Sweet, sentimental, and somewhat scary, since after a few times listening, you begin to feel that her quest is not only hopeless, but it would be better if she failed. Something in this one suggests a guy who isn't WORTH having back, and suggests that the woman doesn't see that she can do better. Ladies, this one is absolutely for you!

"Don't Hold Back" is THE f! irst time. I'm sure you remember your FIRST LOVE, or your FIRST LOVER, and how intoxicating it was. This song will make you smile, remembering the late-into-the-night conversations that seemed so deep then, the back seat bargaining sessions, the way you just sort of flung yourself headlong into it, full speed ahead and the Devil take the hindmost! Heady.

There is one more that I must mention: the song called "I'd Rather Be A Man". This is, simply stated, the ULTIMTE break-up song. 'Nuff said.

This was the album that got me started as an Alan Parsons fan, and it has worn well. As a whole, it has a kind of goofy energy that appears only sporadically on other of the bands albums. You'll listen to this one alot.