[2020-11-06] Albert Bouchard "Re Imaginos" re-recordings of 1988 album (Deko)

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14200

Description
For fans of Blue Öyster Cult, Blue Coupe, and Classic Rock! Albert Bouchard is best known as one of the founding members of Blue Öyster Cult. The original band sold millions of albums for Columbia Records with such classic songs as “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and the #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart “Burning For You”. As a songwriter, he wrote many BÖC songs including the very popular ”Astronomy” which was covered by Metallica on their 1998’s release Garage Inc and the live staple “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll”, which he also sang lead vocals. Today when not writing and recording in his home studio, he performs with several bands. His latest group, Blue Coupe, is a superstar combo which features his brother Joe Bouchard, also a founding member of BÖC, and Dennis Dunaway, a founder of the Alice Cooper Group and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Albert’s famous cowbell on “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” was the basis of the popular SNL skit with Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken, which has gained over 13 million views and spawned the phrase “More Cowbell”. Re Imaginos sees Albert revisiting the 1988 Blue Öyster Cult album Imaginos, which was originally intended as his solo album. The album weaves scripts and poems by the late Sandy Pearlman, a concept album about an alien conspiracy that is brought to fruition during the late 19th and early 20th century through the actions of Imaginos, an agent of evil.

Tracklist
1. I Am The One You Warned Me Of
2. Del Rio Song
3. In The Presence Of Another World
4. Siege And Investiture Of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle At Weisseria
5. Girl That Love Made Blind
6. Astronomy
7. Imaginos
8. Gil Blanco County
9. Blue Oyster Cult
10. Black Telescope
11. Magna of Illusion
12. Les Invisibles

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HGZWBKX/?tag=imwan-20

Kym · 11 Nov 2006

Yaaaaaaay!

Tricky Kid · **Joined:** 23 Sep 2007 **Posts:** 8297

Quote:

The idea behind this version is that if you are sitting around a campfire and someone (Sandy Pearlman) is telling this tall tale that is surprisedly intriguing. He is singing in his high, sweet and soft voice. Suddenly you realize you've been transported to a different world…

Bouchard discusses the project in some detail on this thread from his Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/altbouch/posts ... 4815093322

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

I will buy this and have some excitement about this as the Imaginos album is a personal favorite, but I'm a little less excited after hearing that it sounds like some really significant changes have been made. I was hoping this would happen someday, but more along the lines of keeping the original "tones" of the songs and the former track listing intact...really the only major change would be to find someone else to do the lead vocals because it didn't sound like anybody other than Albert (and maybe Sandy) liked the vocals on the original recordings (and I have my doubts that Albert is a better singer now than he was then...and maybe that is some of the motivation for "reimagining" some of this material).

And it's probably a real safe bet that Albert has no ownership over the Imaginos demos that are up on youtube...those would make one of the greatest bonus discs of all time if they were available.

Tricky Kid · **Joined:** 23 Sep 2007 **Posts:** 8297

The album teaser:

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14200

"Black Telescope":

ted262 · 22 Aug 2004

Y'know, I'm a huge BOC fan. Have been for decades. I even love Imaginos, which a lot of BOC fans look down on because it was such a hodge-podge of sessions with lots of outside musicians involved.

I have almost zero interest in this, and that song does nothing to change that, Albert was probably the worst singer in the band, and while he wrote some good stuff, it’s not like he was Dylan or anything.

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Imaginos has always been difficult for me and I know it was put together in a hodgepodge way back in 1988.

It’s my least favorite BOC album and I’ve tried many times with it.

A few ideas and songs I can find some good in.

But I agree with Ted.

Al is not a very good singer and hearing him do re-recordings of already shaky, convoluted material is not my idea of fun.

This is an easy pass for me.

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

I could see where Albert's voice could actually work pretty well on something like "Girl That Love Made Blind." But I can't see him sounding very good on "I Am the One You Warned Me Of," and absolutely no chance on something like "Siege and Investiture." That's what worries me, that re-imagining means that all the heavy stuff has been toned down primarily to accommodate Albert's voice. "Seige and Investiture" is an absolute monster and I just can't see it any other way. If I'm not mistaken, even way back in the 80s when this was a solo album and Albert was intending on doing (most of) the lead vocals, they were still planning on having someone else sing "Siege and Investiture" because Albert just couldn't sing it.

ted262 · 22 Aug 2004

Yeah I’m pretty sure that’s why Joey Cerisano ended up singing on it.

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14200

In anticipation of Friday's release, the pre-order price for this CD has been reduced by $5, down to $10.99:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HGZWBKX/?tag=imwan-20

Charlie · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2014 **Posts:** 14200

"Blue Oyster Cult":

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

Just catching up on some stuff that has been out for awhile....

I think this is a really good release and would definitely recommend it for people who had forgotten about it or might still be on the fence. Only a couple spots that I didn't like the vocals and frankly I found most of the interpretations to be rather "inspired." Double thumbs up from me.

[2020-11-06] Albert Bouchard "Re Imaginos" re-recordings of 1988 album (Deko)

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