Blue Öyster Cult – Agents Of Fortune

Nice sounding piece of vinyl! Plays quiet (right before the guitar solo in Reaper, it's dead quiet). Good balanced mix. I have no other pressings of this album to compare against, but it does almost feel like it's mixed a little quiet. That said, it sounds really good when you crank it up.

Needs more cowbell Needs more cowbell Needs more cowbell Needs more cowbell

Easily the most famous and best selling studio album of the catalog, a career maker if you will, ‘Agents of Fortune’ confirmed BOC’s headline status as a major player in Seventies heavy rock. Also there is no song more revered than “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper '' which has been a classic rock mainstay for over 45 years and has been featured in countless TV and movie soundtracks. This haunting mainstream number, really a ballad, with a melody often attributed to the Byrds as an influence, forever cementing the band’s legacy. Written and sung by lead guitarist Donald Roeser, who in many ways became the commercial voice of BOC, the song struck an immediate and lasting nerve and not without some controversy. Many critics claimed the song promoted suicide but this would be a very supeficial interpretation. “The Reaper'' should not overshadow several of the other great songs on Blue Oyster Cult’s fourth studio album. “ETI” is probably my favorite; great riff, mystical lyric and strong vocal from Eric Bloom. The macabre has always been a part of the band’s mystique and Eric also sings “Tattoo Vampire '' and album opener, “This Ain’t the Summer of Love”. Supposedly all band worked on demos individually before the LP was recorded, so each brought mostly completed songs to the sessions. Allen Lanier actually contributes his first lead vocal on his own composition ''True Confessions”, which is not a heavy metal song by any means. In fact much of ‘Agents’ is not very heavy at all which is kind of funny as the follow-up ‘Spectres’ seems to measure up unfavorably against it, according to critics yet it has just as many “heavy” songs as ‘Agents of Fortune’. ‘Agents of Fortune’ is not my favorite BOC record, though I do think it has some great moments. Some weird ones too, courtesy of the Bouchard brothers who contribute some oddities - “Debbie Denise''? Anyway, mainstream success was Blue Oyster Cult’s reward but this album shouldn’t be ed just for one song. Don’t report this three men said…

I love this album. I bought it to have the Reaper but I like all of the songs. Some people say besides the Reaper this was a weaker release but I think this is still great. The pressing a great but just a little warped when I bought it. I can expect that as this is over 45 years old.

Tragically a mediocre and rather aimless release after the superb trilogy of albums the B.Ö.C. put out before this. Obviously the reaper steals the show, but even the few gems here like This Ain't The Summer Of Love, E.T.I. and Morning Final pale to even the most forgettable of filler on their previous albums.

Why is Joe Brescio listed as the mastering engineer when inside the gatefold, Tony Stevens and The Cutting Room is listed as the mastering engineer?

Has anyone ever seen a quad pressing of this?? Would probably have been PCQ- 34164. It seems plausible based on catalog numbers...next in the series is Aerosmith Rocks which DID have a quad version (PCQ- 34165).

Interesting discussion from a a few years ago about a possible test copy at QQ forums:
http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?7527-SQ-Blue-oyster-Cult-quot-Agents-of-fortune-quot-release

Love the reaper, such an amazing song. Glad to have in my collection.

My copy has the Side 1 label on side 2, and side 2 label on side 1. Confused me for longer than I care to it.

I also have this pressing.
Have you got any replies about this pressing?