Blue Oyster Cult
Mirrors

Blue Oyster Cult- Mirrors-1979

Veterans of the hard rock scene, considered the American B. Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, around since the early seventies, have been among the groups that inspired much of modern heavy metal. Creators of an imaginary universe that mixes horror, science fiction, political fiction, noir, and fantasy.

In the full disco and new wave era, the heavy metal and obsessive atmospheres of the 'Blue Oyster Cult', are enriched - but also according to the old fans betrayed - by contaminations with all genres, from beat to southern boogie, honky-tonk, psychedelia, blues, rock'n roll, until achieving a strange but fascinating Californian psycho-heavy-rock.

In short, even BOC, after the albums of yearned-for and deserved worldwide success - Agents of Fortune, the one with the famous and heartbreaking Don't fear the Reaper, and Spectres, with Godzilla-, laser beams, full stadiums, what do they do... They dive into the reflux, and even a bit into the disco that was raging at the time. But this doesn't mean that Mirrors is a disco album: it's somewhat a return to certain 60s roots in a modern way.

In short, for some, BOC have rejuvenated and liberated themselves, but many fans just can't stand this album. In the end, Mirrors is a great work, better than Spectres, and its Godzilla comic, and a precursor to the masterpiece Fire of Unknown Origin.

It's certainly the period of the band's decline, of the retreat into the intimate magic of UFO and adolescent sentiments, of lost loves after the black parade of monsters and evil, but it's also the one of the most arcane, most moving songs, to which it is difficult to remain insensitive: and perhaps they are also the less bombastic, closer and truer ones. Regardless of the wrong albums, BOC have a distinctive sound, even in these late 70s. The vocal and instrumental arrangements are beautiful, the keyboards excellent, the guitars always in the forefront... It seems to me to relive a psychodrama of that last summer of the 70s listening to this album: magic, moons, loves, illusions, disturbing presences...

Starting the dance is the wonderful Doctor Music, with reminiscences of Chuck Berry's Rock'n'roll music, heavy bass and disco snippets(!). Stand out In Thee, with beautiful vocals and chords that somewhat recall Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane," then The Great Sun Jester", a little gem of a song about the sun as an archetype, the title track "Mirrors " sort of disco-rock is perhaps the slightly more uncertain episode, between pop disco music and Hard rock. To the Californian psychedelic pop of Mooncrazy... (What a beautiful bittersweet midsummer's dream of '79: "mooncrazy summer of changes, let the shine on, until the feeling is gone dreaming what could it be, Summer's embraces Had a hold on me)
Followed by The vigil", with a mysterious, martial and seductive text at the same time, just this one is worth the album; then the metallic I am the storm, the adolescent pop of the delightful You're Not The One (I Was Looking For)

The last pearl: the touching finale with Lonely Teardrops: the dream is ending and the sky is leaden with time spreading over everything a heavy film of melancholy for something, someone, a love, youth, that has been taken from us and can never return.

The sky is grey and I am cold
Lord I tell you, Lord I tell you
All I want to do is get back home

The album was considered a half flop but in Europe it sold quite well. But the more you listen to it, the more it's fabulous... it's a lost classic.

In the choruses, in a couple of songs ("Dr. Music" and "Mirrors"), the famous singer and backing vocalist Ellen Foley.

Valerio Rivoli (weeping)