Album review : BLUE OYSTER CULT – 50th Anniversary Live : Second Night (2CDs+DVD)

Frontiers [Release date : 09.08.24]

BOC’s 1972 album, Tyranny And Mutation (their second), continues to get 4 and 5 star reviews in the mainstream music media in its many reissued forms… special vinyl editions, special Japanese releases, 1990 and 2001 remasters and so forth.
Not been done live though.

In 2022, Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser and Eric Bloom, plus “new Boys”, Richie Castellano, Danny Miranda and Jules Radino celebrated their 50th Aniversary as a rock band, by playing three consecutive nights at the Sony Hall in New York.
Each night a different album.

Second night was Tyranny night (CD1)… plus a juke box selection of songs taken from their career catalogue (CD2) … not all fans have been tuned in since 1972.

To anyone who claims the band are impervious to the evolution of rock culture, this album is the counter argument. Smack in the middle of the band’s 3 album, black & white years, Tyranny And Mutation was jam packed with hard headed songs that are sometimes tough to decipher.

The inherent sense of mystery that was emphasised by the murky, layered, psychedelic arrangements on the debut aren’t so prevalent now. The band went in a heavier direction on Tyranny… maintaining the music’s menacing momentum through the rock solid rhythm section and cranked up guitars.

‘O.D’d On Life Itself’ and ‘Hot Rails To Hell’ are the signature songs. Other worldly heavy metal craftsmanship on display, eventually slipping back into sixties’ psychedelic blues with first act closer, ‘Mistress Of The Salmon Salt.’

As you would expect, there are many standouts on the second disc. The Black Sabbath tribute, ‘Cities On Flame’ still carries an unqenchable, guitar fuelled torch for the liberating, anarchic effect of rock’n’roll.

Full of yearning, ‘Burnin For You’ describes the other side of rock’n’roll. Eric Bloom’s scorched voice allows for the song to sound as bruised and battered as a 50 year old rock song should. The original album version was a landmark moment in the band’s journey to legendary status.

And of course ‘Godzilla’ and ‘…The Reaper’ are here too.

The gig was recorded and videotaped in 4K UHD. It’s clearly cutting edge stuff. See the DVD.

2 CDs, 1 DVD, 21 tracks, over 100 minutes of music. Card carrying fans will love it. *****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)