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This album must have come as a big shock to
the Bee Gees and their record company when
it was released in 1981. Following the
massive success of the
Spirits
Having Flown album, the Bee Gees
had taken a break to write and produce,
amongst other things, the
new Barbra Streisand album,
Guilty, in
1980. When they returned as the Bee Gees,
music had moved on. But the Bee Gees were
clearly aware of that, which is why this
album showcases a dramatic change in style,
exploring different sounds, both vocally and
musically, and tentatively (perhaps too
tentatively) stepping into the 1980s. What
perhaps the Bee Gees didn't realise was how
much of a backlash there would be to their
music. It was this backlash - a (false)
association of the group with disco, which
was now seen as dated - that killed Living
Eyes. It was certainly not the
quality of the album.
It is for this reason that it is a shame
that the album has been largely overlooked
over the years. The Bee Gees themselves
often dismiss it as an album produced at a
time they were having record company and
marital relationship problems, as if they
have to justify its commercial failure. They
should not feel the need to dismiss it, as
it is one of their finest works. In fact, it
is one of the best albums ever produced by
any artist.
On listening to the album, the first thing
that jumps out and grabs you is the lack of
falsetto vocals. Whereas the previous album
was almost entirely made up of Barry's
iconic high-pitched vocals, this album shuns
the falsetto sound, in favour of going back
to using natural voices and harmonies. Only
'Soldiers', a well-written, almost poetic
pop track follows the falsetto road of
Spirits, but the folk-pop sound achieved is
very different.
The first single released from the album,
the dark and hard-edged 1980s synth-pop
track, 'He's A Liar', flopped, as did the
album itself. But don't let that put you
off. The title track, 'Living Eyes', is an
alluring, graceful and very philosophical
song, as is the classy 'Paradise', the best
natural harmony song they had produced for
years. Robin has some strong leads, with the
captivating 'Don't Fall In Love With Me' and
the contemporary synthesiser-led 'Cryin'
Everyday' being stand-out moments on the
album. It was nice to have him back! Maurice
contributes his first 'token' track since
the To
Whom It May Concern album, and the
result is the heavenly 'Wildflower', clearly
Beach Boys influenced, with a story about a
man falling in love with a younger girl.
This is a satisfying album, showing the Bee
Gees song writing skills perhaps better than
any other album of this period. The closing
track, a Barry Gibb tour de force called 'Be
Who You Are', finishes it all off nicely. It
really is a crying shame that this album did
not get the critical or commercial
recognition it deserved. But it is rightly
revered by fans.
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Where to Buy
Buy reissued CD version
import (released 2005)
Buy rare original CD version (released 1981)
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