OFF THE CHARTS: EPISODE 4 - Ranking all the Blue Oyster Cult albums

OFF THE CHARTS: EPISODE 4 - Ranking all the Blue Oyster Cult albums (A collection i started and completed in a few months last year)
/ vinylrecordsoftheday

[@donkeyshot8472]

after almost fifty years of listening to them, "secret treaties" is still by far the best album by blue oyster cult.

[@offthecharts2272]

Ya, i do like more that album than I did at the time of recording this... it's really grown on me! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@musicisajourney]

Beat ‘em Up was written by a fellow named Bob Halligan Jr. He wrote Rock You for Helix, a couple of songs for Judas Priest, one for Kiss, and some others. Lee Aaron didn’t actually cover the BOC song. She recorded the Bob Halligan Jr. song. It’s an odd song for her to do, and I’m sure it wasn’t entirely her decision as the album Call of the Wild and the next self-titled album had a lot of label and producer input. The song White Flags is a cover of a Leggat song. Leggat was Hugh and Gord Leggat from Toronto. Hugh was in the band A Foot in Cold Water who recorded (Make Me Do) Anything You Want, which was covered by Helix on the same album as Rock You was on.

[@offthecharts2272]

Ya, I knew Beat Em Up was written by Bob Halligan... but did not know Lee Aaron recorded the Bob Halligan song... i thought it was BOC... I guess it's the same story (sort of) for Hot Cherrie... not a Streetheart cover, but a Danny Spanos... Thanks for confirming!

[@MikeHunt90731]

Not knowing how to pronounce Transmaniacon says its all 🤣

[@offthecharts2272]

😂😂 i try! 😋

[@tomgorman748]

And ranking the first album way at the bottom. Makes me feel like you haven’t given many of these enough of a proper listen. Which is hard to do if you got them all within the last year. I did a similar exercise starting in 1981, so at the time had just 7 studio albums to go through (I started with FOUO and then two of the live albums before I decided I had to buy the whole back catalog). Some of these albums took many, many listens before I could fully appreciate them. No way I could’ve done all 14 in a year. Barely got through the first 7 before TRBN was released in ‘83. And that was after having listened to just Fire of Unknown Origin, Extraterrestrial Live, and Some Enchanted Evening for the better part of ‘81-‘82. Another reason I decided to buy all of the old albums - the inner sleeve on FOUO had pictures of all of the previous albums. And I was just mesmerized by the album covers.

[@kevinbrown1893]

1. Cultosaurus Erectus 2. Fire of Unknown Origin 3. Tyranny and Mutation 4. Spectres 5. Secret Treaties 6. Heaven Forbid 7. Imaginos 8. The Symbol Remains 9. Blue Oyster Cult 10. Agents of Fortune 11. Mirrors 12. Club Ninja 13. The Revolution By Night 14. Curse of The Hidden Mirror

[@offthecharts2272]

Great list too! Thank you for commenting!

[@musicisajourney]

It’s interesting to hear the opinions of someone who just got into the discography. I bought Revolution by Night probably around 83/84 and Club Ninja when it came out. Then I bought a greatest hits album about ten years later, and finally over the last ten years or so I’ve picked up everything little by little except Curse of the Hidden Mirror. It is surprising the see the B&W albums so low, but I know what you’re saying about the production. I really like Club Ninja but not the eighties drums and synthesizers. Mirrors was supposed to be a disappointment but I really like a lot of songs. I found I liked some albums more after I got special high quality CD reissues. They just sound so much better. I wish they’d do that for Revolution. Great coverage of BOC’s discography!

[@offthecharts2272]

If you're looking for Curse of the Hidden mirror on vinyl, it's going for over 400$ now... ouch! Ya, BOC is one of the best discoveries I've made in the past 5 years (even if I had a Greatest Hits on CD for over 15 years... it didnt do anything for me... Two years after making this episode, I can honestly tell you the three B&W albums have grown on me... a LOT (especially Secret Treaties)... I seem to discover something new every listen (especially musically).... Club Ninja is good, but is a product of its time! Mirrors I listen to LOTS... and I mean LOTS! GREAT album! Thank you for the nice comments and watching! :)

[@tillwesenberg1178]

One of my favourite albums of all time was named after a line out of Dominance And Submission, Radios Appear by the mighty Radio Birdman

[@offthecharts2272]

Thank you for watching! I will check that album out as i never heard of it!

[@pascaldesgagnes9033]

1. Spectres 2. Fire Of Unknown Origin 3. Cultosaurus Erectus 4. Secret Treaties 5. Mirrors 6. Agents Of Fortune 7. Tyranny And Mutation 8. Blue Oyster Cult 9. Imaginos 10. Curse Of The Hidden Mirror 11. The Symbol Remains 12. The Revolution By Night 13. Heaven Forbid 14. Club Ninja

[@offthecharts2272]

Your list is closer to that Kevin guy than mine :)

[@bunnysoup6858]

This is a tough band to rank, they don't have a single bad album in my opinion Ranking of albums including favorite song from each album 1. Secret Treaties - Astronomy 2. Cultosaurus Erectus - Unknown Tongue 3. Fire of Unknown Origin - Vengence 4. Spectres - Nosferatu 5. Tyranny and Mutation - 7 Screaming Diz-Busters 6. The Symbol Remains The Alchemist 7. Blue Oyster Cult - Cities On Flame 8. Heaven Forbid - Harvest Moon 9. Mirrors - The Vigil 10. Agents of Fortune - E.T.I 11. Club Ninja - Perfect Water 12. Curse of the Hidden Mirror - One Step Ahead of the Devil 13. Revolution My Night - Shooting Shark 14. Imaginos - The Siege And Investiture

[@offthecharts2272]

Yes you are correct! This band has no bad albums…. I love that you added your fave song on each album! 🤘🏻. No favorite song off Club Ninja? 😋

[@bunnysoup6858]

@@offthecharts2272 Oh no how did i miss that? Would have to be Perfect Water, I love that one sorry. I'll add that

[@offthecharts2272]

@@bunnysoup6858 lol. All good! ;). I also have the “Stalk Forrest Group” on vinyl (which is pre-BÖC)…. A few earlier versions of songs we know…. You have that one?

[@bunnysoup6858]

@@offthecharts2272 I've heard of Stalk Forrest Group, though never listened to anything from them so far.

[@offthecharts2272]

@@bunnysoup6858 its not bad…. Similar to the first 3 BÖC albums…

[@stephennorris2524]

Godzilla was the first BOC song I heard on a 1980 metal compilation, first album owned was Secret Treaties, a blind buy due to the Cover, It's still my favourite album. 2. Fire of Unknown Origin 3. Tyranny & Mutation 4. Spectres 5. BOC 6. Cultosaurus Erectus 7. Agents of Fortune 8. Imaginos 9. Heaven Forbid 10. The Symbol remains 11. Curse of the hidden Mirror 12. The Revolution by Night 13. Mirrors 14. Club Ninja

[@offthecharts2272]

Ya, i had a GH myself of BOC which was "good" but the albums themselves and deepcuts make them that much better (by listening to them as a full album) Great list! :)

[@stephennorris2524]

@@offthecharts2272 Agreed they are albums you need to listen right through, such clever writing.

[@Scrubjay001]

No bottom end on tyranny and mutation?? Just listened to that last night. It’s fantastic from the top to the bottom. Maybe your bass was turned down a bit, or your crossover was a little too high. It’s also my favorite album. :-)

[@offthecharts2272]

LOL I do like all BOC albums... ok, maybe it does have some bass but nowhere near as much as all releases that came after... And, THANKS FOR WATCHING! :)

[@mightar]

My favorite album!

[@PetesCDVinylWorld]

Cool ranking, I recently rank their albums on my channel

[@offthecharts2272]

I shall go check out and subscribe back! 😋

[@MikeHunt90731]

1. Fire of Unknown Origin 1981 2. Spectres 1977 3. Agents of Fortune 1976 4. Secret Treaties 1974 5. Mirrors 1979 6. Cultosaurus Erectus 1980 7. Blue Oyster Cult 1972 8. Tyranny and Mutation 1973 9. Revolution by Night 1983 10. Symbol Remains 2020 11. Club Ninja 1985 12. Imaginos 1988 13. Heaven Forbid 1998 14. Curse of the Hidden Mirror 2001

[@offthecharts2272]

Great list too! Thank you for watching!

[@pascaldesgagnes9033]

Haah! Grand Marner's good huh? I drink that all the time too now :-)

[@offthecharts2272]

Yes it keeps me warm in the winter (like today!). 😋

[@stephen1562]

Worst to best...and I totally hear what you're saying about the first three albums...sound so dated now. Tyranny and Mutation Revolution by Night Club Ninja Imaginos Mirrors Blue Oyster Cult Heaven Forbid Secret Treaties The Symbol Remains Fire of Unknown Origin Curse of the Hidden Mirror (very underrated) Spectres Agents of Fortune Cultosaurus Erectus (great album)..

[@offthecharts2272]

Thank you for watching and commenting! The first three may sound dated but they are still great! :) Good ranking! Mine has changed a bit over the past year! LOL

[@stephen1562]

Thanks for doing the review, I love all things BOC, we don't get a lot of them here in The UK All I'd say is give Curse of the Hidden Mirror more of a chance, Pocket and Stone of Love are top 10ish songs for me.

[@markslezak8098]

When you ranked Secret Treaties at ninth I turned you off.

[@offthecharts2272]

Lol. Ya that ranking is 2 years old and has changed lots. 😋

[@Concert_Steph]

I bet this Steph guy needed hours of therapy following this rude peer fashion review.

[@offthecharts2272]

actually he grew up to be a successful and well educated guy who i am proud to say is one of my best friends!