Customer Reviews

Eyes That See in the Dark (Reis)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kenny's albums have been many and varied in style, reflecting the widely varying styles of music that influenced him. He has worked in jazz, folk and country but this album is pop music at its finest, albeit with country influences. The album was produced by the Bee Gees whose own musical pedigree is also varied, from their folk-pop records of the sixties to their disco music of the seventies and all the diverse sounds they have created since.

This is an almost relentlessly up-tempo album, Seven of the ten tracks are up-tempo with just two ballads (You and I, Hold me) and one mid-tempo song (I will always love you). All the songs are originals and were written by the Bee Gees. The appearance of Dolly Parton on Islands in the stream tempts you to think that I will always love you is a cover of her song - it isn't, though Kenny has recorded that song too.

The album begins with This woman, one of the seven up-tempo songs. It sets the tone of the album. Islands in the stream is, of course, the most famous track on the album. My favorite track of all is actually Evening star (and it always was, even before any singles were released from the album, which I originally bought immediately upon its release on vinyl in 1983), but the other up-tempo songs - Buried treasure, Living with you, Midsummer nights and Eyes that see in the dark - are all brilliant. The Bee Gees provide backup harmonies, more prominent on some tracks than others. Larry Gatlin also puts in a guest appearance.

For a long time, this was my favorite album of all. I wore out my vinyl copy and was glad to upgrade to CD I still regard it as one of the finest albums ever recorded.

Finally rereleased, this album is arguably Rogers best studio album and critically his peak. Producing three singles, "Islands In The Stream" is the biggest C/W single in history - written originally as an R&B song! Every song soars with Barry Gibb providing much needed backup singing. The Gatlin Brothers enthusiastically join in on "Buried Treasure" and the Bee Gees sing back on the only odd song selection, "Living With You". However, the rest of the tracks are some of Rogers best to this date, "Evening Star" representing a high point. Probably only temporarily available, it would be wise to purchase this CD now. It's a landmark album.

In 1983, Kenny Rogers had already had a successfull hit album with "We've got tonight", but straight after recording that he switched record labels to RCA and almost instantly put out this set, which quickly overshadowed the "We've got tonight" album (on Liberty records) halfway through the promotion.
I was only three years old when this album was released, yet I do remember having it bought for me by my parents as, even at that young age, I was a huge Kenny Rogers fan, as I still am today.

As several reviwers have already pointed out "Islands in the stream" (a duet with Dolly Parton) is the most populr song here, being one of the biggest hit songs for both artists (UK top 10, US number 1). It is by all means a wonderfull love song by any standards but I wouldn't say it was Rogers best by a long shot, or even the best track on this album.
As a kid my favourite song on this album was "Buried Treasure" not to be confused with the song "Buried treasures" Rogers recorded in the 1970s). As I get older I can see all the Bee Gee-isms in this song (they wrote it, as they did with all this albums material) but it is still pure Kenny Rogers.
My Mum used to play this album in the car when she used to pick my Dad up from work (In my lifetime I have owed three copies - LP, Tape and now the CD) along with most of Rogers others and I can remember singing along to "Evening star" and what could be better than driving with the windows down in a car, the cool air breezing by in the summer listening to "Mid-Summer Nights", especially when the lyrics are about making a journey to a better life :-)

This album is mostly love songs such as, "You and I", "Islands in the stream", "Midsummer nights" and "I will always love you" (not to be confused with Dolly Partons own song, that was later covered by Whitney Houston, Vince Gill and others including Rogers himself for his 1997 "Love Songs" album). Infact every track on this album is a love song.

As mentioned before this album was Kenny's first for RCA in a multi-album deal that put many millions into his pocket, it was a smash hit album and contained hit singles and got good reviews (even if some country critics were knocking Rogers pop influence).

Facts and figures aside however, this is a wonderful collection of songs. Full credit to The Bee Gees for the vast majority of production and song wrighting, but also full credit to Kenny Rogers, his voice, talent and charisma make this album just as much as The Bee Gees did.

One day..on the TV music channel...I heard Kenny Rogers singing...but the sound...the music...had to be..and it was...from the album of the songs written by the Bee Gees.
An awesome CD....great songs...and yes...you can "hear" the heart of the Bee Gees in each song...undoubedly...
And BONUS...the Bee Gees sing most of the back up in all the songs!
Bonus!
Makes a girl go country!
Excellent mixture all the way!

I bought an LP copy of this album in 1983,the year of its release. Unfortunately,due to a not-too-great sales record,this album is no longer made in the USA despite the huge popularity of both Kenny Rogers and the Bee Gees. There are used CD copies available for purchase in compact disc stores that sell used CD's and through this website. This album is one of a series of Bee Gees productions. Aside from this album,the same year it was released,the Bee Gees put out 5 original songs for the STAYING ALIVE movie soundtrack. Now for the songs:THIS WOMAN was written by Barry Gibb and Alphy Galuten(Galuten was a longtime co-producer of the Bee Gees). The song tells about a beautiful shapely female. YOU & I is a beautiful love ballad written by Barry and his brothers,fraternal twins Robin and the late Maurice. BURIED TREASURE features the Gatlin Brothers and was also written by all three Bee Gees. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM,the most famous of all,is a duet between Rogers and Dolly Parton. The Bee Gees themselves later recorded the song for their ONE NIGHT ONLY concert and in the studio for THEIR GREATEST HITS-THE RECORD. The song to this day is the RCA label's most popular(this album is Rogers' debut on the label). All 3 Bee Gees provide background vocals on LIVING WITH YOU(Barry participates on every song on this album). EVENING STAR features the Gatlin Brothers again. HOLD ME is an easy listening piece featuring Barry's guitar,a piano and a string orchestra. MIDSUMMER NIGHTS is pretty cool. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU is another beautiful easy listening love ballad(not to be confused with Parton's composition recorded by Parton herself and later by Whitney Houston). Then there's the title track with Barry's immediately noticed guitar. Like Barbra Streisand's GUILTY album and Dionne Warwick's HEARTBREAKER album,Barry Gibb has worked on this album with the same people,some of them who never participated in any of the Bee Gees' recordings. Some of them are a female trio called 'Magic'. They are heard on I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. The trio also worked on GUILTY(the album). And of course,like on some of the Bee Gees' albums,The Boneroo Horns are heard on ISLANDS IN THE STREAM. On the back cover is a photo of Kenny,Dolly and Barry,in that very order from left to right. Just several months before the release of this album,Kenny released his last one on the Liberty label. That one has the hit,WE'VE GOT TONIGHT,a duet with Sheena Easton and written by Bob Seger(Seger himself recorded the song in or around '78).

The Gibb Brothers songs and the great voice of countrysinger Kenny Rogers is a good match. As a Bee Gees fan in the beginning I was most fond of songs with the typical Bee Gees sound as This Woman, Eyes that see in the Dark etc, but after a few listenings I found myself singing Buried Treasures and Evening Star - country style songs - with pleasure. I did'nt like country music before this album, but now I love it - when The Gibb Brothers makes it! I love all the songs. I also of course have to mention Islands in the Stream - the duet with Dolly Parton. I have read, that it is the best selling country song ever. You would understand why when you listen to the song! A super CD!!!

In late 1982 Kenny Rogers was about to sign a major record deal with RCA records and was in need of a great first album with the company. He had noticed the great success that both Barbra Striesand and Dionne Warwick had had with Bee Gee written and Barry Gibb produced albums("Guilty"-Streisand), "Heartbreaker"(Warwick). He, consequently tapped Barry Gibb to produce his first RCA album It was to go on and become the biggest commerical album of Roger's career selling over 4 million copies. It also showed that the Bee Gees could write and produce music that had a Pop/Country flavor.The biggest single from the album was the mega hit: "Islands in the Stream" a duet with Dolly Parton. It rocketed to the top of both the Pop and country charts and became according to RCA the biggest selling single in their history(this included all of Elvis Preseley's singles). But the album had much more to it. There are s few great ballads especially a lush, beautiful, "You and I" with Barry doing backing vocals sounding abit like the early Phil Spector from the late '50's. It is simply a lush, lovely ballard. Other ballads include " I Will Always Love You" and the title track "Eyes that See in the Dark". For country fans there was also much to cheer about, such as "Buried Treasure", "Evening Star", and "MidSummer Nights". The collaboration turned out to be great for both Rogers and the Bee Gees. It gave Rogers the best album of his career and gave the Gibb Brothers the chance to take a little time off from recording of their own songs to enhance the career of others. Little wonder why they would be elected to the "Song Writers Hall of Fame" in 1993 before their election to the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1997. A true gem. Paul Hanna

This album features one #1 hit song that's one of the best songs in country music, Islands In the Stream. The song was composed by Bee Gees, and Kenny sang with Rogers as a duet. It sounds very nice. Kenny Rogers in this album successfully showed his full potential in country music.

I would have to say that this album is definately one of Kenny's best! All the songs on here are great! "Islands in the Stream" is the most played and popular song on here!

Why this isn't readily available is a mystery. It is one of the finest country/pop crossover efforts of the 1980's. For some reason country music doesn't seem to have the shelf life that rock and pop music does. No matter. This collection of Bee Gee songs as performed by Kenny when he was at his peak is consistent. There isn't a bad song on the CD.

My favorite songs are Buried Treasure, Evening Star, and Islands in the Stream - the duet with Dolly Parton. The Bee Gees provide back up vocals and Barry Gibb produced the album. These are some of the best songs the Brothers Gibb ever turned out. If you only own one Kenny Rogers CD, get this one.