BOC: Songs that Set the Hook

[Joseph Brooks]

> Yep, no doubt about it.  One has to grudgingly admit the brilliance of
> SP and RM in helping give BOC a shot of lyric adrenaline in the early
> days, one which, sad to say, has been lacking in the group since
> then.

We think alike. Lyrics are more important to me than I like to admit. They
are a big part of what drew me in to BOC in the first place. Spooky, funny,
mystical and odd all at the same time...

>Granted Albert could always be counted upon to kick in a great
> song here and there [along with the odd flyer too] as could Buck, but

No doubt. The BD songs are for the most part, the only thing that saves many
of the later releases (IMO). "Dancing in the Ruins" was the only song off CN
that I could bear listening to.


> While, overall, I was disappointed by them, I nonetheless listened to
> each countless times.  Anything with BD's guitar on it is eminently
> listenable [well, okay, most of CN is unlistenable--guess any band
> deserves one clanger]...

What I finally did was take the few songs from each that I deemed worthy and
make my own "best of" tape.

>
> BUT, OTOH, HF was way better than I'd imagined it would be, and

Sorry to say, I didn't care for HF much at all. With the exception of 1
song, I find the lyrics hackneyed, awkward and cliche` and the music, while
*OK* is largely not what I consider BOC style, its more like they're trying
to emulate the younger bands out there that have replaced them. If it wasn't
for the familiar voices of EB & BD, I think I'd not even recognize it as BOC
(well, except that BD's guitar work is always distinctive and recognizable).

> BD is far from Going Through the Motions at their live shows.
> Ironically, BD has never played as well as he's doing nowadays.
> I still go way out of my way to catch their shows, so I guess they're
> still doing something right.

Agreed. I've been catching them live for 26 years. No reason to stop now.
They can still please.

>I could do without the drum and bass
> solos, and some of the other campy shit they pull  out of their hats--

Hey, we need that time to go stand in the beer line!

> it's a sad testimony to BOC fans that the group feels like
> they need to
> do that not to disappoint them!

Thats one of my biggest gripes. I would be FLOORED if they did a show and
skipped the "big three". I've heard them enough. Play something thats more
of a challenge both to the band AND the audience.

>There's still plenty of good
> music left
> in the band, and I'm not quite ready to write them off yet.

Definitely not. I will buy their CD's and go to their shows for as long as
they feel fit to keep going (and keep at least the last 3 original members).
And I will be entertained. But its more out of a sense of nostalgia and..
loyalty to my roots (?) than in any expectation of seeing anything really
new and exciting.

I suppose I'd better get off my ass and do some actual work now, eh?

> One listen
> to Flaming Telepaths live would convince anyone of
>  that...

"..and the joke's on YOU!"

JB