Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Alan Parsons Project, The
Label: Sony BMG
Released: 1979
Length: 39:23
Rating: 4/5
“Eve” was the fourth album from the legendary British prog rock collective The Alan Parsons Project, who earned their immortality mainly through a run of more-or-less excellent concept albums and pop rock hits. Their ambivalent musical nature, sitting somewhere between prog and pop (with the balance tipping further toward the latter year after year), won them a horde of followers who still mourn the breakup of the legendary outfit, even though the project’s two bosses, Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, still run separate tours and put out solo albums, which have little in common with what they created in the golden TAPP days, “Eve” included.
“Eve” carried on the project’s conceptual tradition. Its concept revolved around the allegorical meaning of women and their influence on men. From a thoroughly male (Woolfson’s) perspective, of course, which means some of the lyrics don’t treat the gentler sex in an entirely positive light (especially “You Lay Down With Dogs” and “I’d Rather Be a Man”).
For the first and last time on a TAPP album, the two chiefs (Woolfson was the main songwriter and lyricist, while Parsons handled mostly production and oversaw the ideas) invited two women among the guest singers, which was almost essential for an album about the gentler sex, since it brought in some much-needed, convincing feminine energy. On “Don’t Hold Back” Clare Torry shone, the singer who became famous for her gut-wrenching vocalizing on the Pink Floyd classic “The Great Gig In The Sky”, which she’s still best known for.
Clare and Alan met during the recording of the legendary album “Dark Side Of The Moon”, where that classic comes from. Lesley Duncan, who sang lead on the closing “If I Could Change Your Mind” brilliantly, was also an old acquaintance of Alan’s, having contributed backing vocals to “Dark Side Of The Moon”. The male half of the vocal crew was made up of longtime collaborators, bassist David Paton (ex-Pilot, later Camel) and Lenny Zakatek, “I Robot” returnee Dave Townsend, and newcomer Chris Rainbow, who’s also well known to all fans of the legendary symphonic prog rockers Camel, whom he joined in the early eighties.
The two talented, prolific musical partners managed to put together a collection of varied, mostly pop rock-leaning songs, in which Woolfson’s knack for melodic structures and catchy choruses shines in all its glory more than ever before. As usual, the symphonic side comes from mighty orchestral arrangements and layered synthesizer textures, which enrich the mostly melodic rock skeletons of most of the songs. The superb guitarist Ian Bairnson (ex-Pilot), one of the few musicians to play on every single TAPP album, didn’t hold back on the solos here, and guitar connoisseurs can still lick their lips over them today. Here and there you can even feel the influence of disco.
“Lucifer”, which leads us into the mythical paradise where, according to Christian doctrine, Eve committed the “original sin”, is another solid entry in the long tradition of TAPP opening instrumentals. The repetitive but dramatic melody is built on rich layers of synthesizer textures and a gentle acoustic guitar arrangement. The sarcastically spiced “You Lie Down With Dogs” provides the opening AOR warm-up, with Lenny Zakatek putting in a wonderfully vivid vocal performance full of unmistakable mockery of promiscuous women. The central funky motif, carrying a decisive guitar riff, is simple but extremely effective, while very good backing vocal harmonies add the ethereal touch.
“I’d Rahter Be A Man” has everything it takes to be the opening anthem of some eighties action TV show, with its hypnotic synthesizer arrangement and grooving bass line. David Paton delivers one of his more sarcastic vocal performances, while the electronic flourishes and a Wurlitzer solo prove that the urge to experiment was far from extinguished. Two interesting but relatively atypical TAPP creations follow. The power ballad “You Won’t Be There” strangely evokes some pre/post-disco-era Bee Gees number, for several reasons. Dave Townsend’s vocal, with its high, almost falsetto register, comes very close to Maurice Gibb’s traditional approach, and the syrupy love lyrics, gentle melody and rich orchestral arrangements add to the resemblance.
The excellent “Winding Me Up” is the album’s first high point and a potential hit. With its charming disco pulse, hypnotic chorus and lush string arrangements, it strongly recalls something from Electric Light Orchestra’s disco era. Chris Rainbow proves he was a great pop rock/AOR singer, even if most Camel fans don’t remember him fondly. The classic “Damned If I Do” was a minor radio hit, which is no surprise, since it’s one of the best things in the TAPP story. A dramatic opening motif with lavish orchestral arrangements, which returns several times later, gives way to an elegant section with an almost jazzy rhythm and Zakatek’s charming singing. His vocal gets more exasperated by the second, since the lyrics are once again wrestling with female infidelity. Eventually Bairnson slips in a short but exquisitely tasteful guitar solo, which seasons the symphonic grandeur that always makes the heart of every symphonic prog rock fan skip a beat.
“Don’t Hold Back” confirms what all Pink Floyd fans had long known by then: Clare Torry is a superb singer. With her charismatic tone and range, she turns a fairly average sonic backdrop into yet another pop rock classic. The ethereal instrumental “Secret Garden” is a very solid prog rock moment with plenty of interesting symphonic passages, grooving bass lines and ambient twists. On the closing love ballad “If I Could Change Your Mind”, Lesley Duncan’s emotionally rich singing impresses, dressed up with dramatic backing vocal harmonies and orchestral arrangements that make for an excellent end to the album.
“Eve” is a very good, varied pop rock album with a string of potential radio hits and a few shorter moments where the legendary project’s symphonic prog rock roots come alive. Everyone who swears by quality art pop rock has had this album in their collection for ages. As a whole, “Eve” is an exceptionally balanced effort with no weak moments, superb production and some spectacular songs, which means it doesn’t lag far behind the best of TAPP’s output. Those who prefer the pop side of the legendary project over the prog side have even more reason to sing its praises.
Lineup
Alan Parsons – additional instrumentation
Eric Woolfson – keyboards, additional instrumentation
David Paton – bass guitar, vocals
Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
Ian Bairnson – electric and acoustic guitar
Duncan Mackay – keyboards
Chris Rainbow – vocals
Lesley Duncan – vocals
Clare Torry – vocals
Dave Townsend – vocals
Lenny Zakatek – vocals
Production
Alan Parsons
Track list
1. Lucifer
2. You Lie Down With Dogs
3. I’d Rather Be a Man
4. You Won’t Be There
5. Winding Me up
6. Damned If I Do
7. Don’t Hold Back
8. Secret Garden
9. If I Could Change Your Mind
