Prog-related Blue Öyster Cult cover

[Jacob Holm-Lupo]

A full song leak from the forthcoming The Opium Cartel album.

[Banquo]

Sorry, but it doesn't work for me. I appreciate the effort but sometimes it ain't enough. Anyone can cover a song, but the trick is making it unique. The absolute worst thing is to have it sound like the original. Clearly that's not what's happening here, but the problem is that it has no attitude, vocally or instrumentally. It's just boring, like someone reading from a book without having any comprehension of the story.

[Jacob Holm-Lupo]

Wow - that's quite a harsh criticism directed at someone who is a life-long Blue Öyster Cult fan and to whom this song is extremely dear. But to each his own, as always. But this version has nothing to do with attitude - I'll leave that to the rockers. Mostly this is a harmonic reinterpretation of the song, presented in an arrangement that is more of a singer/songwriter thing than a rock thing. But I can see how from a certain perspective it might be boring. I've never been the kind of listener who has cared much for unquantifiable qualities like attitude. I listen to notes. Chords. I know that other folks listen for very different things when they hear music.

With Termo Records we are beginning to realize that anything we do that doesn't sound more or less exactly like prog is a hard sell in these kinds of settings. Whenever we post stuff like Rhys Marsh it sinks like a stone. You guys like your bells and whistles. We are optimistic enough to think that people might be interested in what prog musicians do even when they don't play prog, but I have my doubts. Nothing wrong with that of course, just an observation made over years browsing this and similar forums. I love PE, all the same

[Banquo]

Wow - that's quite a harsh criticism directed at someone who is a life-long Blue Öyster Cult fan and to whom this song is extremely dear. But to each his own, as always.

Gee, I thought I was being kind. My criticism was not intended to be "harsh", nor constructive in any way. It was just an opinion from a fellow life-long BOC fan who's favorite song happens to be this one, although admittedly I'm not a fan of covers to begin with. But you put it out there, and not being a musician, my perspective is different from yours. Do you only make music for other musicians? Did you expect only a positive response?

What really makes this song so special are the lyrics. So... notes, chords?

You gotta have a thicker skin, or else. Just sayin'.

[nosebone]

Sorry, but it doesn't work for me. I appreciate the effort but sometimes it ain't enough. Anyone can cover a song, but the trick is making it unique. The absolute worst thing is to have it sound like the original. Clearly that's not what's happening here, but the problem is that it has no attitude, vocally or instrumentally. It's just boring, like someone reading from a book without having any comprehension of the story.

This would probably come off better live.

It's too slow and emo for my taste, but I do dig that loud double bass.

It's also missing Buck, which elevates every BOC song imo.

[notallwhowander]

Not being familiar with the original (my BOC knowledge is pretty shallow), I find the cover rather pretty. Clearly you decided to focus on atmosphere, and you did a great job with that.

[ChrisXymphonia]

With Termo Records we are beginning to realize that anything we do that doesn't sound more or less exactly like prog is a hard sell in these kinds of settings. Whenever we post stuff like Rhys Marsh it sinks like a stone. You guys like your bells and whistles. We are optimistic enough to think that people might be interested in what prog musicians do even when they don't play prog, but I have my doubts. Nothing wrong with that of course, just an observation made over years browsing this and similar forums. I love PE, all the same

Count me in as one of those people who is interested :-). I didn't want to listen to this track instead opting to hear the full album when it arrives but this thread just made me do it. I don't know any BOC except for the one song pretty much everyone knows so I can't compare but I really like what I heard in this one. Love the brooding quality of it, almost Twin Peaks like.

Regarding Rhys Marsh, I need to thank you for pointing him out. One of my favourite singer songwriters out there :-)

[Jacob Holm-Lupo]

Do you only make music for other musicians? Did you expect only a positive response?

What really makes this song so special are the lyrics. So... notes, chords?

You gotta have a thicker skin, or else. Just sayin'.

Honestly, I didn't expect much at all. But to accuse the musicians of not understanding the music they play is a pretty confrontational thing in my book, so I think I'm entitled to my reaction.

Clearly, taking a BÖC song all the way down is not everyone's cup of tea. But to me, the original has all the passion and "attitude" that song could ever hope to to have. Who can better Buck? So I wanted to focus on completely different aspects of the song. Interestingly, this song has also been posted in some BÖC groups, where it's gotten extremely positive feedback.

Again, I guess it comes down to what you expect from a cover. I did actually have some misgivings about covering a song that IMO is 100% perfection in its original version. Again, the answer lay in doing something very different with it, and not to compete with the qualities that make the original so great.

J.

[Gerardo]

I like the song, so Jacob is right: people look for different things in music. For example, 'Signal To Noise' is my favorite White Willow album but I gather it's not a popular opinion here so I'm in the minority on that one. So it all comes down to personal choice and what you like. Put me down as liking what Jacob did with the song.

[Jerjo]

Jacob, I need some background here. What is Opium Cartel? Is this an offshoot of White Willow?

Yeah, I keep waiting to hear Buck's muscular leads but all-in-all it's a nice spooky cover.

[spellbound]

Nice cover of a great BOC song. I like the atmosphere The Opium Cartel created for the song. The flute sounds are a nice touch. The vocals are lovely. Count me as one Blue Oyster Cult fan who enjoys what you did here. Thanks for sharing it, Jacob.

[Jacob Holm-Lupo]

Jerjo - yes, The Opium Cartel is an offshoot of White Willow. Most of the musicians from WW - Mattias, Lars Fredrik et c. but with some different singers and other contributors including Tim Bowness and Stephen (Henry Fool) Bennett. This will be our 2nd album. It was supposed to be a pop project, but it's a little to weird for that as it's turned out.
www.theopiumcartel.com

[Banquo]

But to accuse the musicians of not understanding the music they play is a pretty confrontational thing in my book, so I think I'm entitled to my reaction.

I made no such accusation. It was a description of how I felt upon the first listen. I'm not knocking the performance so much as saying that the subject matter of the song doesn't exactly lend itself to the way in which it was performed. It's like making a New Age version of a Sex Pistols song. Sure, you can do it, but why? Sometimes it's a fine line between artistic license and novelty. But for the record, I felt exactly the same way when I heard the Cowboy Junkies do "Sweet Jane", and apparently I was in the minority because it was a huge hit for them. So how much do I know.

Good on you for doing it your way. More power to ya.