BLUE ÖYSTER CULT

Unlike it's followups, Tyranny and Mutation and Secret Treaties, the first BOC album has never been one of my favorites. I am a huge BOC fan, but this is one album I rarely play. Even the best tracks on here I find to be better on the live On Your Feet or On Your Knees(my favorite live album of any group and an awesome title too!). This album also has a "filler" problem with some tracks not being really up to snuff- "Im the Lamb...", "Screams", "Shes as beautiful as a foot", are just poor BOC tracks with little inspiration. However, there are also some great tracks here- "Last Days of May" (The first of Buck Dharma's many softer singing songs with BOC which is also a classic live), "Transmaniacon MC", "Cities onFlame" (the first of many BOC classic guitar riffs), and "Redeemed". I enjoy all of my BOC titles in some way, but this one does not really show the fully developed Blue Oyster Cult that would appear as the years went on. This album is a bit rough and raw and bluesy- with their real skills undeveloped yet. But still a fine debut album. 3 stars