Mirrors (Blue Öyster Cult album)

Mirrors is the sixth studio album by American hard 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.

Mirrors
Studio album by
Blue Öyster Cult
ReleasedJune 19, 1979 (1979-06-19)
Studio1979, at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
CBS Recording Studios, New York City
The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length36:34
LabelColumbia
ProducerTom Werman
Blue Öyster Cult chronology
Some Enchanted Evening
(1978)		 Mirrors
(1979)		 Cultösaurus Erectus
(1980)
Singles from Mirrors
  1. "Mirrors" / "Lonely Teardrops"
    Released: August 1979
  2. "In Thee" / "Lonely Teardrops"
    Released: September 1979
  3. "In Thee" / "The Vigil"
    Released: October 1979
  4. "You're Not the One (I Was Looking for)" / "Moon Crazy"
    Released: February 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideC[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal10/10[3]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[4]

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. 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.

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."

"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. This would be the first of several songs that Moorcock would co-write with the band.

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Dr. Music"Joe Bouchard, Donald Roeser, Richard MeltzerEric Bloom3:10
2."The Great Sun Jester"Bloom, Michael Moorcock, John TriversBloom4:48
3."In Thee"Allen LanierD. Roeser3:48
4."Mirrors"D. Roeser, Bruce AbbottD. Roeser3:44
5."Moon Crazy"J. BouchardJ. Bouchard4:06
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
6."The Vigil"D. Roeser, Sandra RoeserD. Roeser6:25
7."I Am the Storm"J. Bouchard, Ronald BinderBloom3:42
8."You're Not the One (I Was Looking For)"Albert Bouchard, Caryn BouchardA. Bouchard3:14
9."Lonely Teardrops"LanierD. Roeser3:37

Personnel

Blue Öyster Cult

Additional musicians

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

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’’.

Charts

Album
Year Chart Position
1979 Billboard 200 (United States) 44[6]
UK Albums Chart 46[7]
RPM100 Albums (Canada) 49[8]

Singles
Year Title Chart Position
1979 "In Thee" Billboard Hot 100 (United States) 74[5]

References
  1. Ruhlmann, William. "Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. "Blue Öyster Cult Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  6. "Blue Öyster Cult Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  7. "Blue Oyster Cult Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  8. "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 31, No. 24, September 08 1979". Library and Archives Canada. September 8, 1979. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
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