Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Blue Öyster Cult
Label: Columbia Records
Released: 1983
Running time: 43:14
Rating: 4.5/5
»The Revölution By Night« was the ninth studio album from the American hard rock greats Blue Öyster Cult. With it, the unstoppable ‘agents in black’ set out to build on the unexpected success of the masterful predecessor »Fire of Unknown Origin« (1981), but those big ambitions didn’t quite pan out commercially: despite heavy airplay for two unforgettable hits, »Take Me Away« and »Shooting Shark«, on plenty of radio stations back home, the album never went gold. Not that the members of the legendary band lost much sleep over it, because artistically this record was once again a total triumph of craftily structured compositions, where anthemic melodies soak in the classic BÖC conspiratorial atmosphere, backed up by smart lyrics and top-notch production, this time handled by the renowned Bruce Fairbairn (Yes, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Chicago, Van Halen, etc.).
Stylistically, »The Revölution By Night« carried on with the sonic direction laid out on »Fire of Unknown Origin«, crossing hard rock and pop elements, only now the intricate synth lines got an even bigger role than before. Worth mentioning: for the first time since 1971, the classic lineup changed, as drummer Albert Bouchard was fired midway through the previous tour. Taking his place behind the kit was Rick Downey, the band’s former lighting tech, who was only a stopgap and left right after the touring cycle ended.
The record’s outstanding quality is already obvious from the opening AOR evergreen »Take Me Away«, the fruit of a songwriting collaboration between rhythm guitarist/vocalist Eric Bloom and Canadian rock musician Aldo Nova, who also chipped in some guitar and keyboard parts here. This gorgeous creation has every trait of a timeless BÖC classic: a mighty guitar riff up front, an ultra-melodic chorus, and Bloom’s mysterious vocals delivering lyrics about UFO landings and close encounters with the men in black. Meanwhile, lead guitarist/vocalist Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser has a blast with a witty solo that no fan of guitar heroes could possibly shrug off. »Eyes On Fire« is a mighty power ballad with a melodramatic piano intro and an epic melody, once again under Bloom’s command, and its atmospheric intensity easily sends shivers down your spine. The interplay between the two guitarists is once more pure balm for the ears, while the symphonic textures in the background supply a generous dose of super dramatic atmosphere.
The futuristic anthem »Shooting Shark«, which bathes in a sea of shimmering, subtle synth lines and gets its rhythm from Buck’s always distinctly ethereal vocals, became a big radio hit, helped along by heavy rotation of its video on MTV. The wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere is backed by smart sax and guitar solos and a string of harmonic flourishes passing between the synths and guitars, which is the main reason it turned into one of the most magical BÖC classics of all time. The programming of the exquisite synth textures was handled by none other than legendary keyboardist Larry Fast (ex-Peter Gabriel, Nektar, Synergy), while the bass lines were played specially for this classic by respected session musician Randy Jackson. The love-song lyrics were inspired by a poem from old BÖC collaborator Patti Smith, who was then still married to keyboardist Allen Lanier. »Veins«, too, an epic hard rocker with occasional AOR whims, keeps the album’s quality sky-high, thanks to yet another excellent vocal performance from Buck, while the lead guitar, backed by unexpected rhythmic twists, absolutely ‘burns’ through the mighty keyboard lines.
»Shadow Of California«, with vocals led by the eternal ‘grumbler’ Bloom, has, as its title suggests, a rather gloomy atmosphere and conspiratorial lyrics about a mysterious California highway where »strange things« happen at night. It all unfolds amid snarling guitar passages and building rhythms, with the album’s title repeatedly dropped into the lyrics. The peak of this intriguing composition is its mighty chorus, reinforced with layered vocals, while the short instrumental section even allows itself a bit of improvisation. The dark mood carries over into the ‘biker-flavored’ »Feel The Thunder«, where mighty symphonic arrangements and hellish guitar passages rule over an unusually wound-up rhythm, while Mr. Bloom once again unloads about secrets kept hidden (way) too long and also delivers a mighty chorus that at times sounds like a call to a heavy metal revolution to the sound of thunder.
»Let Go« is a socially conscious rock’n’roller with a chanting chorus in Bloom’s wheelhouse, which doesn’t exactly fit the album’s overall sound and also shares quite a few stylistic ties with »Dominance And Submission«, i.e. a typical ‘party’ tune, aimed first and foremost at getting the live crowd going, where the dark side of the eternal agents in black temporarily gives way to sheer partying. It’s actually a serious contender for the worst song in the band’s history. With »Dragon Lady«, the album’s standard shoots back up. It’s downright incredible how Buck keeps conjuring nostalgic magic with his ethereal vocals, while the band, despite some initial ‘reservations’, gradually builds a hypnotic melody that’s bursting with potent guitar passages and unbridled drum fills. The album closes with »Light Years Of Love«, where bassist Joe Bouchard takes over lead vocals, a superbly structured love ballad with a nostalgic chorus and mighty synth lines in the background.
»The Revölution By Night« had all the signature sonic trademarks of the unbeatable agents in black, plus an extra dose of arranging sophistication thanks to a hefty helping of shimmering synth textures, which only boosted their appeal to every devotee of AOR-friendly radio stations. At every turn you can feel that Blue Öyster Cult were still relishing their unbridled experimenting with what was, for the time, innovative synth technology, and constantly upgrading the sound of their remarkable songwriting vocabulary and vision, which over the years earned them the well-deserved title of supreme authorities of the American hard rock scene.
Lineup
Eric Bloom – rhythm guitar, vocals
Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
Allen Lanier – keyboards
Joe Bouchard – bass guitar, vocals on “Light Years of Love”
Rick Downey – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Larry Fast – keyboards and programming on “Shooting Shark”
Aldo Nova – guitar and keyboards on “Take Me Away”
Randy Jackson – bass guitar on “Shooting Shark”
Gregg Winter – backing vocals on “Eyes on Fire”
Marc Baum – saxophone on “Shooting Shark”
Production
Bruce Fairbairn
Track list
1. Take Me Away
2. Eyes on Fire
3. Shooting Shark
4. Veins
5. Shadow of California
6. Feel the Thunder
7. Let Go
8. Dragon Lady
9. Light Years of Love
