Blue Öyster Cult: Agents Of Fortune - 1976
Blue Öyster Cult released loads of albums, but this is the one I remember from those looking through record shops' stock days, and, of course, it contains their most famous track. Get that air guitar out.
This best-selling album from 1976 is one of those that punk was supposed to blow off the face of the earth - heavy rock riffs, harmonic vocals, AOR breeziness, supposedly sinister, disconcerting lyrics - all the things that punk despised. I have to say that as I got into punk in 1977, I too loathed stuff like this. However, listening to it now, with unprejudiced ears, I find myself able to appreciate it a lot more, it is a fine serving of rock, every track is a fine one. Look, it's just a great album. I can't believe I'm saying that! Time is such a great musical healer.
The point must be made, too, that within a year or so, producer Sandy Pearlman was hired by The Clash to produce Give 'Em Enough Rope. Every now and again you can hear the similarities on the big drum sound and the clarity of the riffs. Another thing worthy of mention is the fact that different members of the band take vocal duties on different songs, something popularised by The Grateful Dead.
The album begins with a couple of short rockers in the vaguely punky and extremely catchy This Ain't The Summer Of Love and the very appealing and energetic True Confessions - check out that Sandy Pearlman sound I was talking about, particularly the piano and saxophone.
Now it is time for the song that was all over the mainstream airwaves in 1976-77 - (Don't Fear) The Reaper - a song that sticks out as being by far the best on the album. Its easy AOR Eagles-inspired harmonies, infectious riffs and general summer's afternoon, driving on the freeway vibe make it a pretty irresistible number. It has some impressive instrumental breaks in the "false ending" bit near the end when the tempo changes before returning to the song's main melody. Love it or being heartily sick of hearing it, one cannot deny that it is full of hooks and has something about it. Personally I can't help but like it. This had been a really impressive three track opening to the album.
The quality doesn't let up, either, on the chunkily riffy, Aerosmith-like E. T. I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence). The Revenge Of Vera Gemini is beautifully deep and bassy and mysterious too. It has a bit of a post punk vibe to it and the female spoken vocal parts are very Patti Smith. I am put in mind of Iggy Pop as well in places. What a first side this had been. Every track was a good one.
Sinful Love has a lot of Alice Cooper in there in its menacing vocal and insistent riffage. Get a load of the mid-song guitar as it lets rip. This was a good band, make no mistake. Forget punk - something that it is possible to do now - this was good stuff. A lot of post punk artists will have been influenced by this, even if they would not have admitted it at the time. This was not your typical heavy metal band - far from it. Stereotypes can be misleading, can't they? Using an umlaut in your name (why??) doesn't make you Motörhead, does it?
Tattoo Vampire also has a noir, punky, demi-monde feel to it. Make those funny first and little finger pointing signs right now. More melodic and breezy is the pleasant, easy going rock of Morning Final. It still finds room for a big bassline, though. I love the cymbals, bass and keyboards interaction near the end too.
Tenderloin blends a post punk air with a slightly hippy sixties vibe. It is a difficult track to categorise. Either way, it's full of great passages. The sound changes again on the carefree and poppy soft rock of the closer, Debbie Denise.
The first side outdid the second one slightly but overall this was a really impressive album, quite a varied one, stylistically, and it is something that I have come to really appreciate in later years.
