Mirrors (Blue Öyster Cult album)
| Mirrors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Blue Öyster Cult | ||||
| Released | June 19, 1979 | |||
| Recorded |
Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California CBS Recording Studios, New York City The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, heavy metal | |||
| Length | 36:34 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Tom Werman | |||
| Blue Öyster Cult chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Mirrors | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Robert Christgau | (C)[2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 10/10[3] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed)[4] |
Mirrors is the sixth studio album by Blue Öyster Cult, released in 1979. Mirrors is the first Blue Öyster Cult album not produced by long-time producer and manager Sandy Pearlman. The album is notable for a collaboration with British fantasy/science-fiction author Michael Moorcock who co-wrote a song based on his novel The Fireclown. "The Great Sun Jester" is the first of several Moorcock co-writing credits with the band.
After the success of 1976's Platinum Agents of Fortune, 1977's Gold Spectres and 1978's Platinum live effort Some Enchanted Evening, the fact that Mirrors struggled to reach Gold status was disappointing to band and label alike. According to interviews with the band and the production staff, the intent for this album was to make a high charting and glossy production; however the backlash felt from this attempt was a reason for their future pairing with Martin Birch, and their attempt to return to a darker sound.
"In Thee" was written by Allen Lanier. It went in to the chart at No. 74.[5] A live version is featured on their 1998 album Heaven Forbid, it features two acoustic guitars and was a popular "in concert" moment from this era. The line "Jim says some destinies should not be delivered" references the Jim Carroll Band song "Day and Night."
Track listing
| Side one | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
| 1. | "Dr. Music" | Joe Bouchard, Donald Roeser, Richard Meltzer | Eric Bloom | 3:10 |
| 2. | "The Great Sun Jester" | Bloom, Michael Moorcock, John Trivers | Bloom | 4:48 |
| 3. | "In Thee" | Allen Lanier | D. Roeser | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Mirrors" | D. Roeser, Bruce Abbott | D. Roeser | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Moon Crazy" | J. Bouchard | J. Bouchard | 4:06 |
| Side two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
| 6. | "The Vigil" | D. Roeser, Sandra Roeser | D. Roeser | 6:25 |
| 7. | "I Am the Storm" | J. Bouchard, Ronald Binder | Bloom | 3:42 |
| 8. | "You're Not the One (I Was Looking For)" | Albert Bouchard, Caryn Bouchard | A. Bouchard | 3:14 |
| 9. | "Lonely Teardrops" | Lanier | D. Roeser | 3:37 |
Total length: |
36:34 | |||
Personnel
- Band members
- Eric Bloom – stun guitar, vocals
- Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
- Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitar
- Joe Bouchard – bass, vocals
- Albert Bouchard – drums, vocals
- Additional musicians
- Mickey Raphael – harmonica on "Dr. Music"
- Jai Winding – strings on "In Thee"
- Ellen Foley, Genya Ravan, Wendy Webb – background vocals
- Production
- Tom Werman – producer
- Gary Ladinsky – engineer, mixing
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Billboard 200 (North America)[6] | 44 |
| UK Album Chart[7] | 46 | |
| RPM100 Albums (Canada)[8] | 49 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "In Thee" | Billboard Hot 100 (North America)[5] | 74 |
References
- ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Blue Öyster Cult Mirrors review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumers Guide Reviews: Mirrors". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
- ↑ Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1894959025.
- ↑ Schneider, Mitchell (29 November 1979). "Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult – Mirrors". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
- 1 2 "Mirrors Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
- ↑ "MirrorsBillboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
- ↑ "Mirrors Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
- ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 31, No. 24, September 08 1979". Library and Archives Canada. 8 September 1979. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
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