Book review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Every Album, Every Song (On Track) by Jacob Holm-Lupo

March 10th, 2019 by jason

Sonicbound Publishing [Published 22.02.19]

These Every Album, Every Song books are coming thick and fast with this one on Blue Oyster Cult coming after ones on Queen, ELP and Deep Purple. Norway’s number one Blue Oyster fan Jacob Holm-Lupo penned this one and he has a forthcoming book on Toto due later this year.

The author has a fair opinion on each song, let’s face it I have yet to meet a BOC fan who likes ‘Let Go’ and gives a good look at ‘Imaginos’, the band’s 1988 and one of this reviewer’s personal favorites.

There is plenty of information on the background of the album, a long running musical idea from Albert Bouchard and Sandy Pearlman. The album featured plenty of guest musicians, with Eric Bloom only on vocals, and is not considered by some fans a true band album.

Each album is given a good critical review and it highlights how many great songs the band have, particularly the pop flavour Buck Dharma adds with this songwriting ‘Pocket, ‘Light Years Of Love’ and ‘I Love The Night’ are just a few examples. Then there is the band’s love of sci-fi, specifically Eric Bloom, giving us classic songs like ‘Black Blade’, ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Take Me Away’.

There is plenty on the ongoing lyrical themes created by Albert Bouchard and Sandy Pearlman, plus key co-songwriters in the band’s history including Michael Moorcock, Patti Smith and one name whose name may not come to mind, John Trivers, who after reading the book you realise he pops up quite a bit in the band’s discography.

Blue Oyster Cult continue to this day, still touring albeit with only Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma from their early days (Allen Lanier died in 2013, Joe & Albert Bouchard have been in Blue Coupe since 2008).

It lacks a discography and the live albums are dealt with briefly, although most songs on these have been covered in the albums they first appeared on in the book.

Overall though a perfect read for anyone who is into the music of Blue Oyster Cult – a band who have never had the plaudits heaped on them like other rock bands – and good to see another book about the band, to go along with Martin Popoff’s history.

Review by Jason Ritchie

On track…Queen
On track…ELP/Deep Purple/Rainbow
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Gig review (February 2019)

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