Blue Oyster Cult

[thrashard76]

With a newly released box set and a renewed interest in BOC material, which studio album of theirs do you consider their best work to date?

*This poll includes post Columbia Records releases as well. \m/

[thrashard76]

After repeatedly listening to all of their albums recently, I have to go with their album Fire Of Unknown Origin as my personal favorite. "Burnin' For You" is still an instant classic that (despite the constant radio play and has seemingly played to death) sucks the average listener in and doesn't let go. Songs like the marching of "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" and catchiness of "Joan Crawford" only adds to the album's charm. My favorite track on the album "Vengeance (The Pact)" has a stirring / hypnotic feel to it with a pulsing keyboard and vocals, that at times sounds not to far off from some of King Diamond's later mid-80's offerings. Not to mention that the bulk of these songs were supposed to be made as part of THE soundtrack to the animated film Heavy Metal, instead only one song was culled for the final official soundtrack.

[KGBRadioMoskow]

Agents of Fortune, without hesitation. This ain't the Summer of Love, Tatoo Vampire, Tenderloin, Morning Final, The Revenge Of Vera Gemini - this Cult album above all others IMO not only shoots for the "all quality, no filler" mark, it tops it. And then there is the over played but deservedly so (Don't Fear) the Reaper. That song alone would get consideration for best album even if the rest was a monotone reading of the New York phone book by Will Ferrell playing the role of fictional cowbell artist Gene Frenkle.

Fire of Unknown Origin has declined in interest for me over the years. Burnin for You, Joan Crawford, After Dark still righteously kick my eardrums' arse. Veteran of the Psychic Wars is a distinct and iconic tune, though it isn't the "stop everything and turn it up" song of my youth. However much of the rest of the album, and (sorry to run counter to a previous post) especially Vengeance (the Pact) has strayed from somewhat like to tolerate to almost grit my teeth and bear it over the years for me. I'll play Agents of Fortune back to back any day of the week, but Fire of Unknown Origin has turned into a skip over tracks album for me.

Spectres is for me the album that has been going up in standing over time. Most radio stations started and stopped with Godzilla, a song that kicks things off with a bit of novelty and just enough quality to the song itself to not wear thin. But the neglected best comes after, with Golden Age of Leather, Searchin' For Celine, Fireworks, and I Love The Night. Only R. U. Ready 2 Rock lands like a thud on this album, the rest is at least listenable.

[Katatonia]

Fire of Unknown Origin is my personal favorite as far as an "overall" BOC studio album goes.

Club Ninja would come in a close second for me. Dancin' in the Ruins and Perfect Water are a couple of their more underrated songs IMO.

Agents of Fortune is of course a classic album due to the inclusion of (Don't Fear) The Reaper, but as for the other songs on the LP, they've never been up there at the top to my ears.

[terry silver]

Hey guys, I'm a longtime reader, first time poster. Discussion about Blue Oyster Cult yanked me into the light. I really love this band, and props to Katatonia for giving mention to Club Ninja - totally underrated.

Gotta choose Imaginos, even though some consider it not a "true" BOC album. The whole thing feels like an insane OTT science fiction/horror novel come to life, it just transports you to another world. Gotta love the cover art too! Anybody else love this album?

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by terry silver

Hey guys, I'm a longtime reader, first time poster. Discussion about Blue Oyster Cult yanked me into the light. I really love this band, and props to Katatonia for giving mention to Club Ninja - totally underrated.

Gotta choose Imaginos, even though some consider it not a "true" BOC album. The whole thing feels like an insane OTT science fiction/horror novel come to life, it just transports you to another world. Gotta love the cover art too! Anybody else love this album?

Welcome to the forum!

Oh yeah, I love Imaginos. It's BOC's concept album, but it's a great one...and also one of their most sought after, being OOP for so long until the remaster/reissue in the new box set. The remaster sounds great too.

[booper71]

Time to watch Stoned Age again!

[Workshed]

Originally Posted by booper71

Time to watch Stoned Age again!

If you watch closely at the end when Joe and Hubs are escaping the house near the old Frankie Avalon place, you can see that they are fleeing while holding hands.

[Mr. Eddy]

One of my alltime favorite bands, gotta go with Tyranny & Mutation! After that, Secret Treaties, Spectres and Fire Of Unknown origin!

[terry silver]

Thanks for the welcome, I've always liked reading these threads.

Do you know if the new box set features the same "remastered" versions as the earlier album releases? I know Imaginos wasn't remastered until now, but I've got all the other early albums when they were re-released. Even if the early "remasters" are the same, a remastered "Fire of Unknown Origin" and "Imaginos" would be worth the purchase.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by terry silver

Do you know if the new box set features the same "remastered" versions as the earlier album releases? I know Imaginos wasn't remastered until now, but I've got all the other early albums when they were re-released. Even if the early "remasters" are the same, a remastered "Fire of Unknown Origin" and "Imaginos" would be worth the purchase.

Some of the CD versions in the new Box Set are just the same remaster discs (with the bonus tracks) that came out previously, and some are new remasters available for the first time.

All of the BOC albums from 1979 to 1988 are the new 2012 remasters in the set, so it's definitely worth the cost of purchase if you're a fan of the band. And then you also get the Rarities CD and the Radio Broadcasts CD, plus the live DVD. I don't think there's been any official word if the new remasters or the bonus discs will be released seperately, yet at least.

[SaviniFan]

Blue Oyster Cult are what I personally would define as a studio band. I enjoy their music a lot, but I cringe anytime I see a live clip of them performing. If someone disagrees and can link a good live video from them I'd appreciate it because I sure can't find one.

[7dizbust]

I vote for Secret Treaties. Great songs and great song titles: ME262, Astronomy, Harvester of Eyes, Flaming Telepaths.

I'm going to see them live friday at the Hard Rock Biloxi with Foghat.
http://www.hardrockbiloxi.com/entert...hard-rock-live