Customer Reviews

Cult Classic

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Actually the rating should be 4.5 stars, but oh well. This is a great way to introduce newbies to BOC; it was my first CD, and now I'm a big fan of this great group. NOTE: These are NOT the original songs; they are REMAKES of BOC's old classics. There's been some confusion over that. Now onto the songs (I'm comparing them to the originals):

1.) Don't Fear the Reaper- sounds almost exactly the same, but the guitar solo sounds much clearer here

2.) E.T.I.- a much better-and harder- version; improved vocals

3.) M.E. 262- also a much better version; like ETI, the vocals are improved

4.) This Ain't The Summer of Love- this was one of the first BOC songs I listened to, and it's still my favorite; sounds and "feels" much better than the original; guitars sound better

5.) Burnin' For You- almost exactly the same as the original, but I thought that the original had better vocals (Roeser's voice is too high in this one)

6.) OD On Life Itself- I hate this one; it's the only bad one on the CD

7.) Flaming Telepaths- the original was a little better because it had more impact and a sharper edge to it

8.) Godzilla- almost exactly like the original, but the sound is improved

9.) Astronomy- although this has an all-new guitar solo near the end, it's basically the same, though I personally thought that original was a little better

10.) Cities on Flame With Rock And Roll- a MUCH better version...the original had horrible vocals

11.) Harvester of Eyes- the original was mediocre- this now ranks among the best

12.) Buck's Boogey- a much-updated version of the original instrumental; very good

13 and 14 are remixes of Godzilla and Reaper- add your own lyrics:)

Oh, I'd also like to see that ALL the songs are better-made. Unlike the originals, all the vocals and sounds are on cue and flow nicely.

Instead of releasing yet another GH compilation (greatest hits for those who don't know), BOC instead re-recorded the classics, lending many of them a facelift and new personality. The outstanding ones (all of them, but some more than others) include a killer nine minute version of "Astronomy," the penultimate version of "E.T.I.," a longer, more humorous version of "This Ain't the Summer of Love," and the immortal "Flaming Telepaths," b/w "Don't Fear the Reaper," "Godzilla," and a slightly weaker version of "Burnin' For You." Pick it up as a BOC primer, or even if you're a diehard fan; the songs, it would appear, have changed, and the change is good.

The great thing about this recording is that it should be a fine introduction to Blue Oyster Cult for those who are just discovering the band, but it's also a must-have disc for the old die-hard BOC fans. Newbies get the hits they want: The Reaper, Burnin For You, Godzilla and so forth. Serious BOC fans will delight in overhauled remakes of their old favorites -- I thought the transformation of Flaming Telepaths was especially good. The two bonus tracks with lyrics removed were a nuisance to me, but some folks might like them. (Karaoke, anyone?) This might be the first BOC album you ever buy, or it might be the one that completes your collection. Either way, it's most highly recommended.

This cd is a real treat for Blue Oyster Cult fans of all kinds (expecially you guitar players out there). If you are new to the band, you'll love it! If you have been a long time fan, you'll love it! This FANTASTIC group of Rock N' Roll songs have been recut with better sound, MUCH improved guitar tones, and MUCH improved vocals. The singing is on pitch and on time, unlike some of the older recordings, and the guitars really wail! They have much clearer and crunchier guitar tones that really bring the rock out in these tunes, but still have a great classic feel to them. Some will say "the originals are better" or "these songs were perfect the way they were done" and all that, but let's be honest, Blue Oyster Cult has always had one major issue with thier albums...the sound. The tones always seemed to weak for the level and type of music they play and the vocals were often shakey at best. The band has finally done themselves justice. If you like Blue Oyster Cult, get this album. If you don't know them, get this album. To appreciate it, you only need to love great songs, Rock N' Roll, and amazing guitar work!

In my opinion this has got to be the best collection of Blue Oyster Cult out there. Killer versions of Don't Fear the Reaper and Godzilla are on this CD, as well as other great songs like Astronomy and a slightly worse version of Burnin' For You. The wordless versions of Don't Fear the Reaper and Godzilla are an added bonus.

I was introduced to BOC through this album, then I heard a few other songs. For a 'best of' album, there should be more classics like R U Ready 2 Rock, but this album does have some good Cult tunes. Of course, it has Don't Fear the Reaper, and it has good ones like Godzilla, Harvester of Eyes, Astronomy, This Aint the Summer of Love, Cities On Flame WIth Rock n' Roll, and Burnin' for You, but it's missing some good tracks. It's an okay album to introduce people to, I mean, it has some of their best songs, but there are lame ones like Od'd on Life Itself. Bottom line, it's not a bad album, it's got the basic Cult classics, as the name implies, but it misses the point.

PROS:

Has some of the best Cult songs
Has TV versions of Don't Fear the Reaper and Godzilla
Vocals and instruments sound somewhat better

CONS:

Misses some of the good ones by BOC
Has some pretty lame ones for a Best Of album
Not a very good introducing album
Better Best Of's by BOC out there!

If youre a fan of great guitar work then you will love this album. Blue Oyster Cult music stripped down to where you can hear the brilliance of BOC guitarist Buck Dharma. If youre not a fan of great guitar work you may think this album is only worth 3 stars.

Contains many of the essential BOC favorites, RE-RECORDED and mildly reworked. Conspicuously absent are master pieces like "The Last Days of May," "Before the Kiss," "Golden Age," "The Vigil, "Perfect Water," "I love the Night," and so on.

Also, not to quibble or anything, but "Harvest Moon" is absent. Written 3-4 years prior to the release of "Classics" one would think it would be in the line up.

Also, the album art is courtesy of Melne Murphey (formerly Melne Gregmar).

Good stuff even if it is the umpteen gazillionth "Best of" release.

There are as many Blue Oyster Cult compilations out there as I have fingers and toes (probably more), but this is by far the best one. The problem with the majority of the 'Best Of's' is that they're either skimpy or suffer from the obvious disparity in sound quality that of course results from different era's, albums and producers. Neither hold true here. BOC re-recorded 14 of their best- known songs, following the original releases pretty closely but also throwing in some juicy extras. The result is the definitive BOC compilation; a great introduction to the band as well as a necessary item for the fans who already own the original recordings. I think that a number of these remakes actually pack more power than the originals, which is to say, this cd isn't the halfhearted work of a band past their prime, cashing in. "Cult Classic" is the work of a great rock band still able to throw some mussel (sorry) into their music.

Both mixes of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and "Godzilla" are excellent, even if the TV mixes are mostly instrumentals. "This Ain't the Summer of Love," "Burnin' for You" (even though it is a weaker version than the original), "ME 262," "E.T.I.," and "Astronomy" are the best songs on this collection of BOC's classics. These songs are timeless and are certainly not devoid of talent, originality, and emotion. Some of the weaker tracks like "O.D.'d on Life Itself," and "Flaming Telepaths" are present, but they are still better than what most bands can only hope to release. A great collection.