EVE

I'm torn between a 3 star and a 4. I'm giving it the four, because this is a generally underrated album. What I didn't know before listening to this is it's pop. Eve is a concept album that focuses on womens' effect on men.

The first track (Lucifer) is a fine listen. It was all instrumental, a typical song for The Project. This is probably a more practical song for anyone's progressive rock library. You Lie Down With Dogs is the second track. This is a pop song, and as such, I like the lyrical content (though harsh) and the catchy tune. This was not their more successful prog song, but it is not an average song for pop rock. I'd Rather Be a Man is a successful song as far as instrumentals go. I really like the synth-oriented sound in this track. The lyrics (though catchy and clever) are a tad upsetting. I don't mind it, in fact, I enjoy the perspective in the song. You Won't Be There is on the boring side. The singing doesn't catch my attention, though the chord progression was easy to follow. Winding Me Up is one of my favorite tracks in this album. The cute intro is what originally drew me to this song, but I realize that the orchestration is just marvelous. The chorus is easy to follow, the beat is strong, and I enjoyed this one's message as well. The climax is lacking in my opinion, but all together, it is one of the most accessible tracks to listen to for less prog-educated people. This next song (Damned If I Do) was a minor hit and is definitely a higher than average piece for a pop song. Like the entire conceptual theme of the album, this song was a narration of one aspect of a relationship between a man and a woman. Again, this has a great intro, a nice synth part. The bass took a large role in this song. This is probably one of the most critiqued tracks in the album, and I wish they focused less on listenability and more on the artistic aspect. I really liked the orchestration in this song as well. Clare Torry, in Don't Hold Back, did one of the greatest jobs in the entire album. Her entire rock career is one of the most noteworthy for any female vocalist. As far as the song goes, I like it. The drumming of Stuart Elliot is very important, especially before the chorus. Secret Garden is another more practical song for the purposes of prog rock. It is entirely instrumental, besides the vocalists singing du-du-du near 2:00. I liked the synth lead in this song, though by this track it is a little overused. The sound was pleasing, though almost "cheesy". It is clear that although completely prog, this entire album was conceived for the purposes of being popular, which, in my mind, is completely acceptable even though others are resentful. If I could Change Your Mind is the last track to this album. This one was more successful than Clare's lead song in orchestration and seriousness, though I liked Clare's performance better than Lesley Duncan's. This one seems to be led by piano, with the afterthought of guitar

The entire album was a success, a bridge between popular music and prog, which is very important. In the end, the album was full of mainly light-hearted, almost cute tracks. This is a great purchase for anyone who likes The Alan Parsons Project, likes crossover-prog, or who wants to fill a vast library with excellent music.