AGENTS OF FORTUNE

I have to shake my head when I hear some people tear down this gem of an album. I just don't understand sometimes why people just don't get it, even those that say they are BOC fans tend to say it's one of their least favorites. I suppose it may have something to do with the fact that I bought this years ago and that it was my first BOC album. Yes I'll admit I knew nothing about BOC but damn I sure am glad that this was my introduction to what became one of my favorite bands of all time. I still listen to it and get shivers. I truly thought there was no music like this anywhere else out there.

This music was so imperfect, yet it's imperfection made it beautiful. It was so different yet captivating. I bought it for two reasons; 1) I loved (Don't Fear) The Reaper just like anyone else did, but everytime it came on the radio, I hoped it would be the non-edited version so I could hear that uncanny bass/guitar interplay. I believed then and still do that it is the most evil sounding instrumental section ever. Yet the singing was so almost spiritual and naive sounding. These two sounds together still make me shiver. 2) I loved the radio spot for the album where they said that this album should be illegal. Yes it was just hype, but it intrigued me. How could music be illegal? Well, I was pleasently surprised when I heard the entire album...that sound of "spiritual" evil and naitivity were constant through the album. And I've been able to find that sound in all of their albums and I still love it. I love the contrast. That's why I fell in love with this band and this album.

"This Ain't the Summer of Love" and "True Confessions" flow into each other beautifully and the songs are somewhat similar, yet individual in their own ways. The guitar in TAtSoL and the sax in TC almost mimic each other in a sly kind of way in each individual instrumental section. Have you ever noticed the drunken sound of the piano in TC? I love it! I can't help it. These things have been discovered with the many repeated listenings that I have had of this great album. "The Revenge of Vera Gemini" sounds almost like it belongs in a warped western soundtrack like some wacky LSD version of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or something. "Tattoo Vampire" is great and I love it's imperfections that make it so much more gothic sounding. "Tenderloin" just moves me especially the guitar solo. Everything is so great in this album. But the thing that keeps me coming back is all the imperfections, not the so called "radio friendliness" that everyone claims this album has so much of. Stop thinking about whether this was truly their attempt to become more radio friendly, I only wish the radio would play more imperfect music like this. Listen to it for what it is. Raw, perfect in its imperfection, evil, and beautiful

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