BOC: re:Heaven Forbid review

[Ted Alger]

ok, once more into the breach......

sez Matthew Braun
>(Attribution, please?  It was William Fuller <fswof at AURORA.ALASKA.EDU> you
>were whomping there...)
>
so my email program doesn't automatically quote the author....
like I said, it was late

>>>Although it is obviously not fair to compare Heaven Forbid to Imaginos,
>>>such a comparision is inevitable considering it was the last original
>>>BOC studio album.
>>ok, since you say it's not fair....why do it?
>Ummm...because to him it is "inevitable" that a band's any two consecutive
>albums be compared to discuss how the band has changed/improved?
>
I agree it would be inevitable if the albums were only a year or two
apart, but people on this list are supposedly a little more in the know,
and should realize better than the average bear just how much has
changed since Imaginos, especially since we are more aware of the
recording irregularities than Joe Shmoe would be

>
>I agree with you, Ted, that the comparison isn't valid, but for a different
<snip>
>the last album because it was representative of BOC circa 1993.
>
no real comment about this

>
>I *think* the point might have been to suggest that BOC was substituting
>volume for quality, or something like that.  One trick of audio equipment
>salesmen is to play something on system A, and then play it on (the more
>expensive) system B slightly louder.  This can trick people into thinking
>system B sounds better because "you can hear more".
>
>Or else it was just a random gripe.  (I agree, "So what".)
>
he didn't really say much about it just he thought it was louder,
and then griped about different output levels when he made a mix
tape.....not really relevant to the matter at hand IMHO

>So it's unfair (unjust? whatever) for anyone except the author of the
>song to criticize the lyrics?  That doesn't seem right.
>
no, and you are doing just what you accuse me of doing to the other
extreme.....I didn't say only Shirley should have the right to bitch...
what I was getting at basically, is that it's very easy for someone
who isn't involved in the creative process to denigrate the results,
but for someone who doesn't actually write music, I think they might
be surprised how difficult it can be....especially after 25 years...
god knows _I_ haven't managed to produce anything worthy, and I
haven't had the experience they have

>>>I am disappointed with most (certainly not all) of the lyrics. But on the
>>>whole I still like it. I recommend it to any fan of Blue Oyster Cult.
>>funny I would never have guessed you liked it
>He didn't like the lyrics.
>
that was pretty obvious.  while I'm not one of those "it's the music
maaan" types, I do think that strong music can sometimes overcome
what might not necessarily be strong lyrics....I just think that
his bitching about the lyrics was obsessive

>>methinks some people are just never satisfied.
>Some people had higher hopes.
>
and some people are realistic.  do I think it's the best album they've
ever made? no.  am I completely happy with it?.....no.
but am I satisfied with it? definitely.

>>while I'm not going to gush like some people do, I'm also thankful to have
>>music by a talented bunch of musicians with some (IMHO) really good songs
>I'm sure Mr. Fuller would agree.
>

not really evident to me

>>again, I'll probably regret this in the morning, but what really is the
>>point of yet another review of an album that probably most of us have
>>heard and made up our own minds about by now?
>Because if we ain't gonna talk about the album (in reviews or whatever)
>what's the point of the !@#$#@ing list?  We finally have a new album to
>talk about!  I'd be surprised if it wasn't a "given" that all of the BOC
>fans on the list are going to buy the album.  I don't think the point of the
>review was to persuade/dissuade anyone from buying it--it was to put forth
>his views of it.
>
I'd agree if I saw anything that seemed remotely constructive....but
I didn't really see anything that came off that way to me...maybe it
was the hour

>>especially when it's full of little bitches about "this could have been
>>done better" or "I would rather hear this"...  especially when I haven't
>>recently seen any CDs with the name William Fuller on them?
>I'm afraid I couldn't see Mr. Fuller's so-called arrogance as you did, and
>must admit slight puzzlement to the degree with which you took him to task.
>Everyone's entitled to their opinions.
>
--"He ain't never coming back" or "we'll get that bastard back"...
--Ok those aren't the greatest but it took me 5 minutes. They have had
--10 years!

to me, to compare these comes off as arrogant <shrug> maybe not to
everyone else, but to me......

as for to the "degree".....well, as I said, it was late, and I was
tired.......I guess in the "Cold Gray Light of Dawn"....it really
didn't bother me as much.

>Ironically, his review mirrored the album: just as he perceived the lyrics
>to be repetitious, you perceived his "bitchings" about them to be. :-)
>
>>as Buck said himself..this album represents where "BOC is at right now"
>>...not where they were 20 years ago, despite what some people might wish
>
>Except for those cases where it represents where they were six or seven
>years ago, since a few of the songs were first done in concert back then. :-)
>(Sorry--I'll stop now.)
>

I think Buck was referring more to the performances and the style of the
music instead of the actual songs themselves.

truth be told, I guess what's got me so annoyed is the extremes again -
over on AOL everyone is of the opinion that it's the second coming of
Christ, and sometimes it's hard to take it seriously, though, believe it
or not, there was a thread not too long ago where a couple people (Bolle
was one of them!) basically took others to task for kissin' Buck's ass
....it was actually pretty boring though....

I guess I just wish there was a little more discussion that was more
grounded....a little more realistic...guess maybe I should wait a month
or two for the glow to wear off, huh? :-)

oh well, I'm going to bed now.
(and by the way, I bear no animosity towards anyone for these
posts...I don't want it to seem that way...I guess I get a little
aggressive when I argue)

Ted

ObVideo: Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray (live)
ObCD: Gingham Shmuz - Sick With Laughter


Ted