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
Released	June 19, 1979 (1979-06-19)
Studio	1979, at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California CBS Recording Studios, New York City The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Pop rock hard rock power pop
Length	36:34
Label	Columbia
Producer	Tom Werman
Blue Öyster Cult chronology
Some Enchanted Evening (1978) Mirrors (1979) Cultösaurus Erectus (1980)
Singles from Mirrors
"Mirrors" / "Lonely Teardrops" Released: August 1979 "In Thee" / "Lonely Teardrops" Released: September 1979 "In Thee" / "The Vigil" Released: October 1979 "You're Not the One (I Was Looking for)" / "Moon Crazy" Released: February 1980

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	10/10[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.	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

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"
• Ellen Foley, Genya Ravan, Wendy Webb – background vocals

Production

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

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.