Mirrors (Blue Öyster Cult album)

1979 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Mirrors is the sixth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on June 19, 1979. It was the first BÖC album not produced by long-time producer and manager Sandy Pearlman, instead being produced by Tom Werman.

Background

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 disappointed band and label alike.^{[citation needed]} According to interviews with the band and production staff, the intent for this album was to make a high-charting record with glossy production; however, the backlash from this attempt led to the band's future pairing with Martin Birch and an attempt to return to a darker sound.

Artwork

The album front cover image is a photorealistic painting by Loren Salazar, of a side-view mirror. The album’s inner sleeve is an image from the house of mirrors scene in ‘’The Lady From Shanghai’’.

Songs

Allen Lanier's acoustic ballad "In Thee" charted at No. 74.^[5] The song's line "Jim says some destinies should not be delivered" references the Jim Carroll Band song "Day and Night."^{[citation needed]}

"The Great Sun Jester" was co-written by Eric Bloom, John Trivers, and British fantasy/science-fiction author Michael Moorcock based on Moorcock's novel The Fireclown.^{[citation needed]} This would be the first of several songs that Moorcock would co-write with the band.

Critical reception

The Bangor Daily News deemed the album "a relative failure," writing that "the hooks come one after another, but with little power behind them."^[12]

Track listing

Personnel

Blue Öyster Cult

• Eric Bloom – rhythm 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"
• Genya Ravan and Ellen Foley – background vocals on "Dr. Music" and "Mirrors"
• Wendy Webb – background vocals on "Lonely Teardrops"

Production

• Tom Werman – producer
• Gary Ladinsky – engineer, mixing

Charts

References

1. "Blue Oyster Cult singles".
2. "Blue Oyster Cult singles".
3. "Blue Oyster Cult singles".
4. "Blue Oyster Cult singles".
5. "Blue Öyster Cult Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
6. Ruhlmann, William. "Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
7. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
8. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1894959025.
9. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 77.
10. Schneider, Mitchell (November 29, 1979). "Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult – Mirrors". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
11. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 70.
12. Sullivan, Jim (July 14, 1979). "Blue Oyster Cult loses its early uniqueness". ME. Bangor Daily News. pp. 4, 9.
13. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4411a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
14. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
15. "Blue Oyster Cult Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.