SOUNDTRACK: BLUE ÖYSTER CULT-Tyranny and Mvtation (1973).
The album cover is similar to the first disc (a simple black and white), but this one adds a touch of red. Similarly, the music adds a touch of something that makes this disc leap beyond the foundation of their first.
The songs are heavier, the lyrics are weirder and yet the whole proceeding is catchier and groovier at the same time.
The first half of the disc is called The Black (going with the first song “The Red & The Black”). It contains 4 great tracks. The highlight is the improbably named “7 Screaming Diz-Busters” a 7 minute song that starts off with great heavy guitars, segues into a spooky/wild moog organ fueled freakout and ends with a denouement that is mellow and creepy.
But the other three songs rock hard too. “The Red & the Black” is a super fast boogie which repeats some of the lyrics from the first disc: “Canadian mounted baby. Police force at work. Red and black. Its their color scheme.” The tempo slows somewhat with “OD’d on Life Itself,” but it quickly comes back with “Hot Rails to Hell.”
Side two, The Red, opens with “Baby Ice Dog” with lyrics by Patti Smith (!). The side is less heavy, with Allan Lanier’s piano coming to the front on this track (although there’s a delightfully cheesy wolf howl at the end). “Wings Wetted Down” foreshadows more familiar BOC with great choruses and harmonies, coupled with cool riffs. And the final song “Mistress of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl)” is yet another wonderfully oddly titled (and lyrically peculiar) song.
Even though the first disc is quite good, BOC totally hit their stride on this disc, showcasing their weirdness and their virtuosity in equal strength. The recently remastered edition contains 4 live tracks that show just how much the band rocked in a live setting too.
[READ: Week of February 22, 2010] 2666 [pg 291-349]
During last week’s reading, I had replied to a post on Infinite Zombies in which I stated that I am a very credulous reader. If I believe that the author is doing something worthwhile, I’m totally willing to suspend my disbelief about whatever the writer tells me. Sometimes, when I’m done, or if I’m asked to be critical, I’ll look for flaws, but generally I like to go with the flow. So, I’d been reading along uncritically primarily because I don’t exactly know what Bolaño is up to, (even 300 pages in) so I’m just going to enjoy the ride. More on this in a moment.
This week’s reading continues Fate’s saga down in Santa Teresa. His story request about reporting on the murders in Santa Teresa has been turned down. And he thinks back to all of his other stories that have been rejected by the newspaper. Like the Mohammedan Brotherhood. Fate met them at a Pro-Palestine demonstration. They were marching under a banner of Osama bin Laden (shortly after 9/11/01). They were so over the top that Fate felt the need to interview them. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 