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Rating: In the collective imagination, and, if we want, of the average American, the music of Blue Öyster Cult is associated with the opening track of this album, "Godzilla", with its driving riff (which Cobain almost plagiarized for "Smells like...") and its imaginative themes, where science fiction meets certain B-movie horror: essentially, the average American got to know Blue Öyster Cult, marking their national success, with a track that trivializes, almost to the point of ridicule (hopefully with self-irony) the sound of the quintet, as well as the themes addressed in the band's songs. The Elsewhere that characterizes their poetry is not merely suggested here, but revealed and unmasked in the form of the mutant dinosaur, which throws us into despair almost like at the end of the TV version of IT and upon seeing the giant spider.
This premise allows us to say almost everything about "Spectres" ('77): an album in which the quintet's hard rock tinged with blues, jazz, and psychedelia is forced, even more so than in the previous "Agents of Fortune", into the forms of consumer music, depleting its allure.
In addition to the considerations made for Godzilla, similar arguments could be presented regarding other tracks on the album, including the rhythmic but boring "R.U. Ready to Rock", the melodic - albeit simpleton - "Celestial the Queen", the embarrassing "Going Through The Motions" (with Ian Hammer), the predictable "Searchin' For Celine", rather than the banal "Fireworks" and "I Love the Night", more worthy of a more melodic Supertramp album than the New York group's.
Overall, these are tracks with undeniable radio appeal, also easy to memorize and sing, ideal for a long car journey, almost serving as a soundtrack for a four-wheel adventure: there's nothing wrong with this, except that thousands of bands in the '70s were making music of this genre (unwitting models for the worst Red Hot that have plagued us for some years), while those who appreciate Blue Öyster Cult seek sensations and anxieties, awakenings of hidden fears, suggested fears.
By vulgarizing their language, the group has essentially betrayed their enthusiasts, though gaining swarms of admirers in the American middle class typical of Matt Groening's stories, as far removed as possible from the counterculture of the Big Apple in which the lyricist-producer Sandy Pearlman and the five musicians originally moved.
Fortunately, even on this album, something can be saved: let's immediately clarify that these are tracks that, in the group's first three albums, would have deserved at most the role of filler, but so be it. "Golden Age of Leather" is memorable for the variety of musical themes and the agility of the arrangement (qualities that, in truth, did not interest the group at its origins!), while "Death Valley Nights" stands out for its dark intimacy, ideally reconnecting to the "black" side of "Tyranny and Mutation". The concluding "Nosferatu", perhaps with some excessive length, benefits from an oppressive atmosphere and some flashes of class, especially in the vocal performance, again recalling the atmospheres of the early albums.
After listening to "Spectres" and overcoming the initial bewilderment, those who love the group can only shrug, returning to listen to the group's previous works. Those unfamiliar with the Cult of the Blue Oyster may mistakenly take the five for yet another '70s "Arena Rock" band, worthy of ending up in some compilation alongside a multitude of neglected and negligible groups. Truly a shame.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Godzilla (03:42)
With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
He pulls the spitting high tension wires down
Helpless people on a subway train
Scream for God as he looks in on them
He picks up a bus and he throws it back down
As he wades through the buildings toward the center of town
Oh no, they say he's got to go
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, there goes Tokyo
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, they say he's got to go
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, there goes Tokyo
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Rinji news o moshiagemasu!
Rinji news o moshiagemasu!
Godzilla ga Ginza hoomen e mukatte imasu!
Daishkyu hinan shite kudasai!
Daishkyu hinan shite kudasai!
Oh no, they say he's got to go
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, there goes Tokyo
Go go Godzilla, yeah
History shows again and again
How nature points out the folly of men
Godzilla!
05 Fireworks (03:11)
She went down to her house by the water To hide herself from his grasp He went down to the water to find her To consumate their love at last Then the lightning flashing.........lightning, flashing, crashing Fireworks shooting off in her head..in her head The earth was shaking...............earth, shaking, quaking Fireworks pouring down on her head..on her head Only sound she heard was............sound, lovely word Fireworks like a charm..............annointed Blazing red She went down to escape from her prison To free herself from her fear All those years up to here with tradition And opportunity so near Then the lightning flashing.........lightning, flashing, crashing Fireworks shooting off in her head..in her head The earth was shaking...............earth, shaking, quaking Fireworks pouring down on her head..on her head Only sound she heard was............sound, lovely word Fireworks like a charm..............annointed Blazing red She went down on a snow white pillow To cast herself in the looking glass He knew the time had finally come now To break the spell they shared at last Then the lightning flashing.........lightning, flashing, crashing Fireworks shooting off in her head..in her head The earth was shaking...............earth, shaking, quaking Fireworks pouring down on her head..on her head Only sound she heard was............sound, lovely word Fireworks like a charm..............annointed Blazing red
08 Goin' Through the Motions (03:12)
Too wild to care
You got animal stare
You got "stay anywhere" in your eyes
Think you're leading me on but you can be anyone
'Cause I know you'll be gone 'fore I rise
And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions
Staying with you gave us something to do
I almost thought it was true for a while
'Cause there's love in your lies
You're so thinly disguised
You couldn't tell right from wrong if you tried
And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions
To thee I dedicate this photograph
I'll even sign it "love to you" again
And when it's faded and forgotten in some book
You'll sometimes look
You'll sometimes look
You'll sometimes look
It's a game, it's a game
No let's call it a shame
'Cause there's no one to blame just to pay
You were a friend for a day
So don't cry if I say
That you got what you want, it's OK
And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions
Yeah, yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions
10 Nosferatu (05:21)
Deep in the heart of Germany
Lucy clutched her breast in fear
She heard a beat of her lover's heart
For weeks she raved in dreams he appeared
From far off Transylvania
Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart who will offer herself
To Nosferatu
This ship pulled in without a sound
The faithful captain long since cold
He kept his log till the bloody end
Last entry read "Rats in the hold.
My crew is dead - I fear the plague"
Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart who will offer hefself
Mortal terror reigned
Sickness now then horrible death
Only Lucy knew the truth
And at her window
Nosferatu
So chaste, so calm, she gave herself
To the pleasure of the dreaded master
He sucked the precious drops of life
Throughout the long and cold dark night
One last goodbye, he was blinded by love
One last goodbye, he was blinded by love
Blinded by love
He screamed with fear, he'd stayed too long in her room
The morning sun had come too soon
The spell was broken with a kiss of doom
He vanished into dust, left her all alone
Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart, who will offer herself
Only a woman can break his spell
Pure in heart who will offer herself
To Nosferatu
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