EVE

'Eve' comes to be the fourth studio album by the Alan Parsons Project, a less exciting addition to the catalogue that is essentially a pop album with progressive influences. Gone are the days of classical crossover for the band and the playful, sometimes funky tunes of the previous two albums are also not to be found on here. But what do you expect from a concept album on women written and performed [mostly] by men? And with the loose conceptual side of the project's releases, one must acknowledge that 'Eve' is also a well-done album for what it is, an enjoyable, easy listen that might not captivate with the complexity of the textured sound but can rather make an impression upon the listener with the well-constructed pop/soft rock songs and the gorgeous melodies. Being an Alan Parsons Project album, 'Eve' is also a finely-produced work but also quite an imbalanced one - with the first side being overshadowed by the largely better songs on side two, including 'Damned if I Do', 'Secret Garden' and 'If I Could Change Your Mind'. 'Lucifer' is a great into, of course, and worthy of mention. I believe this album was never intended to be a creative apex and if you take it as a pop record that continues a thread began on 'I Robot', you might as well enjoy bits and pieces of it.