BOC: review of the HOB version of DFtR (ouch!)

[Bolts of Ungodly Vision]

 A hypnotic hit from the Summer of '76, "Don't Fear The Reaper" is one of the
greatest rock songs of all time, melding patented Blue Oyster Cult heaviness
with the euphoric jangle of vintage Byrds records. The song's perfection was
such that it proved almost impossible to duplicate in concert, as the slightly
rougher versions captured on such live documents as 1978's Some Enchanted
Evening and 1982's Extraterrestrial Live attest. But even those renditions are
light years better than this one, which was recorded live at Orlando's House of
Blues in May 2000. Part of the problem is an inept mix -- the backing vocals
are placed much higher than the lead, and the keyboards and cowbell grow
disproportionately loud at times -- but most of the blame has to be laid at the
feet of the band members themselves. The vocals are half-hearted and tuneless,
the drums occasionally come in at the wrong time, and the whole thing sounds
like the ham-fisted work of paunchy, middle-aged sanitation engineers trying to
recapture their lost youth by jamming B.O.C. tunes in a weekend cover band.
Buck Dharma's guitar licks are immediately identifiable, of course, but even
they sound tired and out of practice. Don't fear the Reaper, boys; call it
quits before the B.O.C. name loses every last vestige of its magic and
mystique.


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