What The Critics Say
After scoring a massive solo hit with 1975's dewy-eyed ballad "All by Myself," Eric Carmen spent the remainder of the decade recycling the same treacly formula, effectively scrubbing the last vestiges of the Raspberries' immortal power-pop from his DNA in the process. While the ludicrous S&M-inspired cover art of his final Arista effort Tonight You're Mine may promise a return to edgier fare, the album itself is pure pabulum--ballads like "Foolin' Myself" and "Sleep with Me" are excruciatingly sappy, and even rockers like "Inside Story" are shockingly tepid given Carmen's past glories. That dumb-ass cover notwithstanding, if anyone here deserves a good spanking, it's Carmen himself. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Following the success (and distress) of the Raspberries and a truly exquisite 1975 solo debut album, Eric Carmen was indeed a hot recording property. This album is a very elaborate collection of recordings, and although it really hasn't dated that well and certainly doesn't contain his finest songs, it is quite pleasant. On this record, Carmen is moving toward a more soul-based sound, as opposed to his strong pop leanings, with limited success. "End of the World" and "Haven't We Come a Long Way" are fine, if somewhat tepid L.A. late-'70s soul-pop. A cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown classic "Baby I Need Your Lovin" underlines Carmen's influences during this period. The only problem is that Carmen's true strength always lay in rock & roll, and, unfortunately, there is very little of that on this record, save the minor hit "Hey Deanie," which was also covered successfully by Shaun Cassidy. But, the record contains an excellent ballad, "Heaven Can Wait," which is buttressed by David Campbell's excellent string arrangement. Campbell's work on the album's opening track, "Desperate Fools Overture," is also quite striking. In the end, though, the album tends to veer into being slightly top-heavy, with some of the trappings of the Los Angeles recording scene of the period. ~ Matthew Greenwald, All Music Guide
'Boats Against the Current'
What The Critics Say
Though at times Boats Against the Current almost drowns under the weight of overwrought arrangements, it is still a highly listenable record. Producing himself, Carmen is joined by such stellar musicians as Andrew Gold, Tom Scott, and Jeff Porcaro. The title track, inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, is reportedly Carmen's favorite song. And it is a good one, an adult song about love lost and the illusions that people cling to (though Carmen has said it is actually inspired by the breakup with producer Jimmy Ienner). Most songs are ballads, with the exception of the Beach Boys-inspired hit "She Did It" and the hard-rocking "Take It or Leave It." The problems enter in when strings predominate beyond what the songs or Carmen's voice can really can support, such as the final cut, "Run Away." Though most of the string arrangements are well thought out, on several occasions the songs would have been better served with a more sparse arrangement. On the other hand, Carmen has not lost the knack for writing great melodies, and he is in fine voice throughout. Though one might wish he would stray more from the sensitive songwriter mold that is apparent on this record, it is also true that Carmen is still a pop craftsman at heart, and a very good one. ~ Michael Ofjord, All Music Guide
