Conor Fynes
'Agents Of Fortune' - Blue Oyster Cult (5/10)
So this is 1970's heavy metal?
The actual album aside, this shows how far music (specifically the aforementioned genre) has come in it's diversity and extremity. Although Blue Oyster Cult certainly has a bit more of a cutting edge then their typical 'classic rock' contemporaries, they seem to craft a 'just-slightly-heavier-than-usual' brand of '70s rock.
'Agents Of Fortune's claim to fame is undoubtedly the psychedelic anthem 'Don't Fear The Reaper' was I will not lie, is a fantastic track. Very well composed with a trademark guitar riff and some shimmering melodies and harmonies, this track is what convinced me to check this record out. Unfortunately, the other songs on this album don't compare to the single; made very surprising by the fact that this is considered by many classic rock fans to be one of the best rock albums ever made.
When the first track came rolling around, I was unsure if it was even the same band that had played the song I was already familiar with. 'This Ain't The Summer Of Love' sounded almost like a Rolling Stones b- side that had never been released; the vocals had gone from being soft to being a near carbon copy of Mick Jagger. However, as the actual music goes (regardless of comparisons to other bands,) it is a pretty rocking way to open up a rock album. Some of the latter tracks such as 'Tenderloin' and 'E.T.I' scramble up to higher levels of artistic exploration. 'E.T.I' in particular has grown on me alot; there are some great upbeat riffs to be heard there, as well as a great solo in the typical classic rock vein.
I'm not going to recommend this to everyone; especially people thinking this is going to be 'prog' or 'metal.' What this is for the most part is competently executed hard rock, and a refreshing middle-of-the-ground area between the highly complex art rock and laid back pop of the area.