Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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The Alan Parsons Project

  • I Robot [Arista, 1977] C
  • Eve [Arista, 1979] D

Consumer Guide Reviews:

I Robot [Arista, 1977]
I might agree that the way this record approximates what it (supposedly) criticizes is a species of profundity if what it (supposedly) criticized was schlock. As it is, the pseudo-disco makes Giorgio Moroder sound like Eno and the pseudo-sci-fi makes Isaac Asimov seem like a deep thinker. Back to the control board. C

Eve [Arista, 1979]
Musically, this is a step toward schlock that knows its name--a few smarmy melodies mixed in with the production values and synthesizer furbelows. Thematically, it's both sophomoric and disgusting--programmatic misogyny rooted in sexual rejections that were clearly deserved. Visually, it's sadistic--the three women on the Hipgnosis cover wear black veils that only partly conceal their scars, warts and blotches. What is it they stencil on street corners? Castrate art rockers? D

Further Notes:

Everything Rocks and Nothing Ever Dies [1990s]