"Well I've opened up my veins too many times,
And the poison's in my heart and in my mind;
Poisons in the bloodstream, poisons in my pride;
I'm after rebellion, I'll settle for lies
Is it any wonder that my mind's on fire,
Imprisoned by the thought of what to do;
Is it any wonder that my joke's an iron,
And the joke's on you..."
From "Flaming Telepaths
by Sandy Pearlman
Glad to be back--I thought for first trip back, I would review one of my all-time favorite albums--Blue Öyster Cult's Secret Treaties from 1974.
I acquired this album from one of those mail order record sites that advertised in the back of Cream, or Hit Parader, or Trouser Press magazines. I think the company was Rather Ripped Records out of Philadelphia--either that or some mail order company out of San Luis Obispo, California that would send monthly catalogs. At the time I was more into punk and new wave but the mail order company had a huge cut-out record section and I ordered the first three BÖC albums for seven dollars, so I gave it a try. This turned out to be a smart move for a Junior in high school in Ottawa, Illinois in 1980, as these records were and still are, a treasure.
I acquired this album from one of those mail order record sites that advertised in the back of Cream, or Hit Parader, or Trouser Press magazines. I think the company was Rather Ripped Records out of Philadelphia--either that or some mail order company out of San Luis Obispo, California that would send monthly catalogs. At the time I was more into punk and new wave but the mail order company had a huge cut-out record section and I ordered the first three BÖC albums for seven dollars, so I gave it a try. This turned out to be a smart move for a Junior in high school in Ottawa, Illinois in 1980, as these records were and still are, a treasure.
I have
to admit to being tainted slightly at the time to the point of a bias, as I had the On Your Feet and
On Your Knees album--I would argue among the greatest live albums ever--so I
expected the revved up, faster versions of these early BÖC songs. Something of these albums on first listen
seemed to be missing--the sheer speed of "Hot Rails To Hell" from Tyranny And Mutation, for example
seemed to be so much more plodding on the studio album. That characteristic of the music being less impactful compared to the live version continued with the first listen of these studio albums. With time and repeated listens, I began to
enjoy the intricacies and subtleness of the studio albums as well as the musicianship
of the band.
Secret Treaties
opens with "Career of Evil' which does not sound evil at all--kind of a
bouncy jaunt through a formulaic song. The
ever-present keyboards add to the ambiance of the "safeness" of the song. Still a highlight of this track is the "I
will not apologize" line. The
effect is fantastic as this jaunty song breaks for the full impact of the
line--perhaps the true mantra of the band.
Immediately following "Career" is the ominous
beginning of "Subhuman"--a tour de force on "On Your Feet,"
here more melodic and a bit more complicated with duel guitars clashing through
a web of power. Adding to the song's
impact is Buck Dharma's guitar solo on the bridge--one of his better of the
early albums.
Next up is "Dominance and Submission" with drummer Albert Bouchard handling the vocals--including the low pitched understatements in breaks. This device seems humorous now, but the robotic voice feeds adds to the heaviness to the song--with Bouchard's emphasis on "Submission" giving the song an evil-esque quality; still one of my favorite songs, as the clash between guitars and keyboards takes the listener on a wild ride.
Next up is "Dominance and Submission" with drummer Albert Bouchard handling the vocals--including the low pitched understatements in breaks. This device seems humorous now, but the robotic voice feeds adds to the heaviness to the song--with Bouchard's emphasis on "Submission" giving the song an evil-esque quality; still one of my favorite songs, as the clash between guitars and keyboards takes the listener on a wild ride.
After the "Dominance and Submission" romp comes
a Chuck Berry-like number "ME 262."
One of the most spirited songs in the early BÖC cannon. This type of song is somewhat expected on an album from 1974--as a rocker that plays an homage to the past with sound effects of
explosions and sirens--a cool song, but not a classic in my mind.
With
side one ending on a spirited note, side two opens with a speedy rocker, albeit
an odd song--"Cagey Cretins," perhaps the least known song on the album.
Bizarre chorus with falsettos and an ever-present up-tempo drum beat
that keeps the listener interested, but a song out of the norm for the
band. I would wager this was a throw-away track as the album only clocks in at 39 or so minutes--so I can only imagine a producer coming in and saying we need another three or four minutes, and this was whipped up for a quick 1970s genre inspired sound.
Following the oddness of "Cagey" comes the absolute joy of the Heavy Metal
classic "Harvester of Eyes." Dark,
heavy, an incredible bassline and an interplay with the guitars and keyboards, make this among the
best songs in the BÖC catalogue--especially the solos and the ending
chorus. That riff at the end is simply a
moment of metal mayhem, followed by the slow grind of bass and energy-laced
guitar crescendos.
"Flaming
Telepaths" is the next cut and is an incredible, powerful, and advanced
song by the band. This song is impactful
and sounds as if it could have been recorded today. Crisp guitars, an urgent singing voice by
Bloom--'I'm after rebellion, I'll settle for lies." That incredible subtle keyboard and the
swirling guitars makes this a moment to cherish. The first time I heard this, I was shocked at how
it came together: the chorus, the power; and then the urgency takes over. Fantastic lyrics abound on this song alone
and the mixture of mysticism, folklore Aleister
Crowley-esque imagery and a sinister quality makes this a classic. I would safely argue, this is the best song that
Blue Öyster Cult has ever done.
Following
"Telepaths" is Blue Öyster Cult's most complicated song and perhaps
their most beautiful. A calm voice and
piano solo open the track with the subtle basslines backing the intro. Then the power of "Astronomy" comes into a
controlled guitar clash and a refrain that perpetuates and brings the song
together. Written almost as an Edgar
Allen Poe poem tribute, this song exudes a sense of dread and decay with a narrator trying to
come to grips with life, death, and the wonders of the universe. This is a beautiful, yet ultimately sad song. The last refrain is just so memorable and so glorious,
words do not do it justice. The wind
effects enhances the song as well.
The trilogy
of "Harvester," "Telepaths," and "Astronomy," are
among the best paced and best placed songs on any BÖC album and gives Secret Treaties the recognition as one of the best Hard Rock/Heavy
Metal albums ever made.
Blue Öyster Cult:
Eric Bloom: Vocals; Stun Guitars; and Keyboards
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser: Lead Guitar
Alan Lainer: Keyboards; Rhythm Guitars; Synthesizers
Joe Bouchard: Bass; Vocals
Albert Bouchard: Drums; Vocals
1 comment:
Not going to lie. Have not listened to a lot of BOC but after this review I am intrigued. Going to have to give it a spin.
Post a Comment