Eyes -

Eyes were an American art-rock/pop band from Cleveland, Ohio, that released the 1977 album Stroke a Horse’s Navel on self-press Eyes Record Co., Inc.

For the contemporary Pennsylvanian psych-rock band, click here.

Background

Brothers John and Jim Forcina played together in Eyes, a Cleveland group that rehearsed in a basement practice space. John played drums. The band prepared a self-produced album for Eyes Record Co., Inc., a Cleveland label based at 6141 Dunham Road.

Stroke a Horse’s Navel

Eyes released their singular album, Stroke a Horse’s Navel, in 1977 on Eyes Record Co., Inc.

All twelve selections carry a collective Eyes credit with no individual writer designations. Musically, Horse’s Navel weds McCartney/Nilsson craft with the tempo variations and structural shifts of modern-day Revolver disciples (Stackridge, Nasty Pop).

“Goodbye Finally” hops with tight piano bars and sharp chordal sustain through urgent couplets, tense pivots, and an arching ivory refrain. “Mornings” makes tentative steps to an uncertain day as tension and reflection underscore the slow/fast experience. “Probate Me Baby” rushes by with unison verses amid air-tight keys that break for spacious fret-board licks. “Yesterdays” ascends with taut ivory accents across cloudy synth-string layers and swelling vocal expressions; rescinding layers to a ivory etude.

“509” appears with slow, stately verses and shifts through turgid bars and rhythm-less, lyrical flourishes. “Stroke a Horse’s Navel” grows from plaintive piano balladry through rising passages and ironic phrases; conjoined with “Eyes,” a lively Beatle-esque harmony number.

A1. “Charmer” (3:00)
A2. “Goodbye Finally” (2:48)
A3. “Mornings” (2:37)
A4. “Oh, to Be a Child Again” (2:24)
A5. “Probate Me Baby” (2:37)
A6. “Yesterdays” (3:57)

B1. “Such Is Life” (2:00)
B2. “509” (3:10)
B3. “So You’ve Got a Hit” (3:34)
B4. “Tax Collector” (3:06)
B5. “Stroke a Horse’s Navel” (2:47)
B6. “Eyes” (3:13)

Eyes produced Stroke a Horse’s Navel and recorded the album at QCA Studios in “Queen City” (Cincinnati) with engineer Eric Probst. Redmark also credited Probst as co-engineer on Carmen, a 1977 album by the Cincinnati Symphony Jazz Ensemble.

Drummer John L. Forcina created the cover illustration; Eyes Record Co., Inc. registered the image in an October 1977 filing. The front-cover and labels feature a cartoon drawing of an anthropomorphized horse holding a cigar with its shoehorn. The backside presents enlarged eye illustrations and track information along with lyrics to “Eyes” and a note: “This album is dedicated to Hank Shadrach’s Smashers.”

Eyes Record Co., Inc. assigned catalog 7095Q10 to a 1977 domestic seven-inch release of “Such Is Life.”

Discography: