BOC: UK CD

[M R Godwin]

Just got the album this weekend. It's a German edition from SPV records,
whom I've never heard of. Every copy has the pic of the girl on the front,
which is an additional page stuck on top of the Phantom of the Opera
booklet cover. Someone somewhere was obviously unhappy about the original
artwork. I went to 5 shops and the price varied from 10.99 to 14.49
pounds, so it's worth shopping around.

My initial reactions to the album are:

There just isn't enough Eric vocal. Long sections of the record sound like
Buck's solo album 'Flat Out'.

Best tracks are SYIB, HM and X-ray eyes, but I think the only
sensible choice for the next single is 'Still Burning'. 'Cold grey light
of dawn' is pretty good too.

I think John Shirley's lyrics hold up for a couple of tracks, but overall
they are just not way out enough. Too many vengeful knives and not enough
secret treaties and black telescopes. Couldn't they have got Pearlman,
Meltzer and Patti Smith to contribute a lyric each?

On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Brian Frenck wrote:
> Eric asked on AOL what 2 songs we all think should be added to the list.
> I think all but one person said Damaged.  But it didn't get played.

I'm surprised, I would have thought that 'Hammer Back' had the edge on
'Damaged'.

Cheers

- Mike Godwin