Ghost Stories is not strictly a new studio album from the Oyster Boys. There are no new songs here. Instead it is a collection off odds and sods recorded a couple of years either side of 1980 which must have been deemed not worthy of a spot on an album.
The exception is an insipid cover of the Beatles’ If I Fell from 2016. It’s so bad it should have been left in the can.
As Blue Oyster Cult fan for going on half a century of course I had to have a copy…..as should any self respecting BOC fan if for nothing else completeness and the curiosity value.
The story appears to be that the old tapes were discovered then demixed and remixed with some embellishments here and there with the result being Ghost Stories. Rumour has it this will be the last studio-based output from BOC – which isn’t surprising if true with Buck and Eric approaching eighty years each on the planet.
I’ve left reviewing for a few weeks after release go give the album a fair crack of the whip as prior I’d heard mixed news as to the songs.
After a good few listenings, it’s not bad overall though not hard to hear why what we have on Ghost Stories hasn’t been deemed worthy of making an appearance on a Blue Oyster Cult album – though two or three are up there I think. That said, most are not and middling to average – not “proper” BOC.
Late Night Street Fight is OK. A quite catchy mid-paced melodic rocker. Cherry a sort of chugging pop-rocker with a catchy chorus and hook.
The real winner on the album is what comes next – So Supernatural. This is “proper” BOC. A haunting, spooky, atmospheric number. A bit trippy and proggy as it broods away with an infectious hook. Think something like I Love the Night crossed with Nosferatu from Spectres. So Supernatural would have been a nice fit on that album. Check out the video:
Other than the instantly forgettable cover of If I Fell, there are studio covers of We Gotta Get Out of This Place and Kick Out the Jams – both of which of course were in the live set regularly back then. Can do without studio covers.
Soul Jive plods along and is rather dull. I like Gun. A jaunty rocker with bite and melody. Shot in the Dark rather average, The Only Thing a well paced melodic ballad with feeling – do like that one.
Money Machine is rather forgettable then Don’t Come Running to Me is a classy effort with the hook and a fine solo.
The album has grown on me since initial few listens. Overall it will be/is of interest to Blue Oyster Cult fans. As a fan and trying to be objective, I’d say So Supernatural, Gun, The Only Thing and Don’t Come Running to Me are worthy.
The rest not so much as whilst generally competent they do fall short. Especially the covers.
The cynical part of me suspects that given the success of The Symbol Remains there may have been some, ahem, “gentle persuasion” from the record company for another release resulting in these old songs being “rediscovered” in the vaults.
If you’re not familiar with the band, start with either the superb The Symbol Remains from 2020 or any of their first three albums from the mid-1970s.
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