BOC: I got it-- a tentative review/overview

[John A. Swartz]

A few comments...

>
> The packaging is cool.

I was in the minority of fans that actually liked the cover of Heaven
Forbid, but this is definitely way better...

> The production is miles better as a whole because its consistent., HF was
> not.

Yes - the recording for HF was done over a period of many years.  Also,
the band that performed the songs also wrote them - HF had stuff
performed by Chuck Burgi and Jon Rogers, who weren't in the band when it
was released.

> Buck is good.

He's better than that!

> Eric's voice  I almsot didnt recognize on Showtime.

At the beginning of the song, I would agree.  However he is definitely
most recognizeable on the rest of the songs he sings.  He sounds
particularly good on "One Step Ahead Of The Devil", although I'll be it
would have been even better if he could have recorded vocals for that
track about 15 years ago.


> Do not pay attention to the lyrics to closely. some are rather BAD.
> -- "exactly" is not a good word to put in a song about old gods returning.
> emphasizing it doesnt help either.  I just like to be bad is not that much
> better for verbiage.

They work o.k. for me.  We've cited examples of bad BOC lyrics before.
And John Shirley is what he is as far as a lyricist goes.

>
> Pocket, is a rocket.

Definitely my favorite track on the album at this point.  Sweet guitar,
lots of movement in the bass, and a nice up-tempo feel-good singing from
Buck -- very fresh-sounding.  Crank this one up loud in the car with the
windows down!

> Dance on stilts, here comes that feeling are pure well honed Buckpop

HCTF is SWEET!  And Dance on Stilts has a nice edge to it that shows
"Buckpop" has come a long way since *Flat Out*.

> Out of the darkness -- moody Bloom (hehe)

"Moody Bloom" is sounding pretty good -- you seem to be a bit overly
critical of the guy in this review.

> Stone of Love - very Meltzery words. and crisp riff

The original demo (can be heard on the Buck Dharma Archive CDs) didn't
impress me so much, but this version is excellent.

> Eye of the Hurricane - power chord o rama. but with lots of lil riff
> changing.
> "theres an eye in my hurricane" - a lyric. (sigh)

"She got less than you or I - She got less than me..."

Another example of a cool song with less-than-stellar lyrics.  Stop
sighing and crank it up!


> Good to feel hungry - sounds almost like they used to be with jazzy sound.
> "good to be angry when youre ready to yell."

An interesting, rather un-BOC-like song for sure.  But cool.


>
> The band has benefited from playing together as much as they have live. They
> sound like a functioning unit. and Bobby R's drumming is gathering some
> courage to syncopate.

Several of the songs definitely have a "live" feel to them.


John

PS:  "One Step Of The Devil" has a really cool riff - sounds a bit like
Motley Crue to me (or, rather, BOC showing Motley Crue how it's done)