The Curse of the Hidden Mirror

the curse of the hidden mirror

Track Listings

1. Dance on Stilts

2. Showtime

3. Old Gods Return

4. Pocket

5. One Step Ahead of the Devil

6. I Just Like to Be Bad

7. Here Comes That Feeling

8. Out of the Darkness

9. Stone of Love

10. Eye of the Hurricane

11. Good to Feel Hungry

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Blue Oyster Cult have long touted themselves as "the thinking man's heavy-metal band," a notion that must have the members of Spinal Tap scratching their shaggy scalps in envy. On their first album of the new millennium, BOC prove they're still smart enough to play to their strengths, wearing their 1970s classic-rock heritage like a badge of honor. Indeed, there's nary a contemporary influence in sight, just the familiar riff- and bass-heavy hard rock of their Me Decade prime, infused with an enviable--if not exactly Rhodes scholarly--economy of purpose and a deceptively easy pop sensibility forged by the core members' (Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, Eric Bloom, and Allen Lanier) three-decade alliance. Given the idiom and its expectations, the subject matter naturally tends toward 2-D nihilism ("I Just Like to Be Bad") and goth-apocalyptic lite ("The Old Gods Return," "One Step Ahead of the Devil"). The band maintains a level of literacy that would at least do Todd McFarlane proud. The Roeser-produced all-digital recording is crisp and showcases the band's familiar charms with understated clarity. --Jerry McCulley

The Curse of the Hidden Mirror,Blue Öyster Cult,Cmc International,Album Rock,Hard Rock,Pop,Rock

The Curse of the Hidden Mirror

Average customer rating:

Blue Oyster Cult in 2001
Blue Oyster Cult's best album in 20 years *
Average For BOC
good but not excellent
3.5 stars A nice effort.

The Curse of the Hidden Mirror
Blue Öyster Cult
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Heaven Forbid
Cultosaurus Erectus
The Revolution by Night
Fire of Unknown Origin
Mirrors

ASIN: B00005JXQC
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

Dance On Stilts
Showtime
The Old Gods Return
Pocket
One Step Ahead Of The Devil
I Just Like To Be Bad
Here Comes That Feeling
Out Of The Darkness
Stone Of Love
Eye Of The Hurricane
Good To Feel Hungry

Amazon.com

The Blue Oyster Cult have long touted themselves as "the thinking man's heavy-metal band," a notion that must have the members of Spinal Tap scratching their shaggy scalps in envy. On their first album of the new millennium, BOC prove they're still smart enough to play to their strengths, wearing their 1970s classic-rock heritage like a badge of honor. Indeed, there's nary a contemporary influence in sight, just the familiar riff- and bass-heavy hard rock of their Me Decade prime, infused with an enviable--if not exactly Rhodes scholarly--economy of purpose and a deceptively easy pop sensibility forged by the core members' (Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, Eric Bloom, and Allen Lanier) three-decade alliance. Given the idiom and its expectations, the subject matter naturally tends toward 2-D nihilism ("I Just Like to Be Bad") and goth-apocalyptic lite ("The Old Gods Return," "One Step Ahead of the Devil"). The band maintains a level of literacy that would at least do Todd McFarlane proud. The Roeser-produced all-digital recording is crisp and showcases the band's familiar charms with understated clarity. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Blue Oyster Cult in 2001.......2007-03-13

The first thing that struck me was the album cover. Something of stoic symbolism that doesn't get complicated with multitudes of colors. The men in suits portrayed reminded me of Sammy Hagar's "Standing Hampton", Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here" and Rush's "Hemispheres". I have been a big fan of the band and have listened to what I call the "golden years" of their discography for some time. The question is, could the reuniting of Buck Dharma, Eric Bloom and the rest of the major lineup of those golden years bring anything new to the table without losing some of the sonic edge and eccentric themes that garnered them success before?

Suits are off, and the Reaper is long gone. Godzilla has fled Tokyo and with the blues and southern rock tinged track listing that this album has, I don't think anyone is "burning for you" or me for that matter. What the band does is come forth with a very different sound and song structure, but it is not a bad thing. Dharma's signature voice still brings some nostalgia of yesteryear, and the easy, pleasant riffs that are heard from the guitars is not over the top, yet rarely underachieving.

The album opens with a toe tapping, semi-vigorous riff that is every bit Southern Rock, as it is Bad Company. Song's like "Good to feel Hungry" and "Out of the Darkness" have their blues parts but still try to keep an even keel as a fluffy, soft rock song. "Showtime" is perhaps my favorite on the whole album, as it seems to have a lot more energy and power in the vocals and overall instrumental approach. The songwriting on the album is nothing to tip your hat to but at the same time, were the lyrics of hits like "Godzilla" and "Don't Fear the Reaper" really that complicated? This song is also good because there seems to be a better effort in changeups in chorus and harmony. The song "Pocket" is another that opens with a good old rocking beat that holds well throughout the song, which is much faster paced than most on the album. The album has eleven tracks in all, and rounds out with "Hurricane" which has some great slide guitar and rhythm sections that really help this album finish strong.

It is not your father's blue oyster cult, or your grandfathers for that matter. What it is however, is some great blues rock that is fun enough to throw in and just let play. Despite the suits, this is really pretty casual listening, so if you are looking for more energetic, stadium rockers like "I'm burning for you" and "Godzilla", you will not find it here.

Blue Oyster Cult's best album in 20 years *.......2007-02-13

The 2001 version of Blue Oyster Cult rocked! This cd even topped the highly spirited "Heaven Forbid" release, from '98. This time, the band gels quite nicely, and they groove big time. The sound is a perfect balance of "classic" B.O.C. with new and fresh ideas - evoking many contrasting tones, moods, offbeat, yet inspiring lyrics, with sharp, heavy, and as always- jazzy riffs. Just listen to "Out Of The Darkness"-that's classic BOC all the way. Good melodies, and strong vocals are on display as well. Best tunes are the vintage '70's, quirky Cult- "Good To Feel Hungry" (which features a nice organ solo from Allen Lanier), the rock 'n' reggae of "Showtime", intense rocker "Eye Of The Hurricane", and even the laid back, groovin' opener, "Dance On Stilts". Danny Miranda's melodic bass style is the best heard on a BOC record since Joe Bouchard was in the band. Bobby Rondinelli's drumming is tight, and complimentary to the material, never going off track, and always suiting the personality of the song. The power-pop stylings of "Here Comes That Feeling" and "Pocket" are a breath of fresh air, with soaring, fierce soloing by Buck and catchy vocal arrangements. I must say as well, that both Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom's vocal chops are great on this album. The only bad track here is the forced heavy metal of "One Step Ahead Of The Devil" which tries a bit too hard. Other than that one misfire, everything here works. The jammin' guitar-driven rocker, "Stone Of Love" features a unique lyric from Richard Meltzer, always welcome on a B.O.C. album. Once again novelist John Shirley contributes some fine lyrics as well, some dealing with living in the moment ("Pocket") and self awareness. Give this album a chance, and listen to it a few times to let it sink in- without comparing it to "old days" BOC, also, some of these tunes get better with repeated listenings, especially "I Just Like To Be Bad". Overall, this album rocks hard with great songs, and inspired performances from all 5 members. The Old Gods have returned! Looking forward to the next BOC studio album, I hope they make another record.

Average For BOC.......2006-10-24

It took three years for BOC to put out another studio disc after the excellent "Heaven Forbid" and this time the results are a bit more mixed. "Curse" is a solid enough album, but there are no instant classics like were found on "Heaven Forbid". Overall the album is a bit pedestrian. Some of the lyrics are downright stupid which is unusual for this band. I tend to like the Buck songs the most on this disc, although Eric Bloom does himself proud on the very BOC like "The Old Gods Return" which is very much in the tradition of older BOC. Buck treads more pop-ish ground for the most part with the opening track "Dance On Stilts" which I could see as a single. "Pocket" which is a catchy little ditty. "Here Comes That Feeling" is another decent one. Other than that the album is pretty average BOC. The production on this is superb as it is probably one of the best sounding BOC albums, from a sonic perspective, the band's history. Overall the album is not bad, but not essential either.

good but not excellent.......2006-04-16

Some songs of this cd are obvious and disposables. But BOC are a great rock band and the mistery, aliens and black magic follow.

3.5 stars A nice effort........2005-12-16

I am pleased they came out with this, and I like many of the songs. Overall, it is a good CD, but none of the tracks stand out or are any better than their past work. This release lacks originality, and one tends to get bored with it after a while because you hear a lot of cliches that have been done many times before. But this was what they were aiming for; an embracing of their past triumphs, and I can respect that. Other than that one gripe, this is THE highest quality recording of all the BOC catalog. Their sound was never as crisp and clear as it is here. Bloody well right.

Average customer rating:

Not quite up to standards
BOC saving their best for last...

Curse of the Hidden Mirror
Blue Oyster Cult
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Heaven Forbid
Some Enchanted Evening
Spectres
On Your Feet or on Your Knees
Agents of Fortune

ASIN: B00005LJN0
Release Date: 2001-12-12

Customer Reviews:

Not quite up to standards.......2007-01-29

This cd is the follow up to the absolutely brilliant "Heaven Forbid" and it misses the mark that Heaven achieved. But BOC remain (along with UFO) to be one of the old 70's bands still putting out good quality albums. Don't be fooled this is not "Secret Treaties" Tyranny and Mutation or any of the other classic Cult stuff. But it works more than not. If you want to get back into Cult or into them for the first time, try this cd. Also try the ones mentioned above along with the first album, Mirrors (great songs, absolutely lousy production job by Tom Werman) any of the live albums, agents Of Fortune. So enjoy the Cult!!

BOC saving their best for last..........2005-08-10

While Cultosaurus Erectus, Secret Treaties, Spectres and Mirrors are pretty good releases, they are not as strong as BOC's two most recent studio efforts. This one and "Heaven Forbid" are very strong CD's. I am quite impressed that the band has essentially come full circle to the type of material they produced in their early years and even improved upon it with better sound production (they had some really dogs in the mid 80's). This disc has a few decent rockers from Eric Bloom on vocals and some terrific mid-paced pop tracks that Buck Dharma is famous for singing. It seems that even mild rock fans appreciate tracks such as: "Pocket", the late 70's classic sounding "Here Comes That Feeling Again" and the tongue-and-cheek selection "Dance on Stilts". This CD has about five mentionable standouts. This is very ecclectic, typical BOC material... Odd metaphorical lyrics and excellent musicianship. I give it five stars.

Music:

Music

music