Spectres (album)
1977 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult
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Spectres is the fifth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. The album features one of the band's biggest hits, concert staple "Godzilla," and was certified gold by the RIAA on January 19, 1978.[5]
| Spectres | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1977[1] | |||
| Recorded | July–September 1977 | |||
| Studio | The Record Plant (New York City) | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 40:29 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producers | Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman, David Lucas, Blue Öyster Cult | |||
| Blue Öyster Cult chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Spectres | ||||
The cover art features lasers, which Blue Öyster Cult used in their live shows at that time.
A remastered version was released on February 13, 2007, which included four previously unreleased outtakes from the Spectres sessions as bonus tracks.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B+[7] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 10/10[8] |
| Q | [9] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [10] |
Record World called the single "Goin' Through the Motions," which was co-written by Mott the Hoople singer Ian Hunter, a "thumping, hand-clapping pop-rocker."[11] AllMusic said it's "[...] a surprisingly delicate song that balanced yearning verse melodies with a sing-along chorus." They also called it "a standout track" on the album.[12]
Cover versions
Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler covered "Goin’ Through the Motions" on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Godzilla" | Donald Roeser | Roeser, Eric Bloom | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Golden Age of Leather" | Roeser, Bruce Abbott | Roeser, Bloom | 5:53 |
| 3. | "Death Valley Nights" | Albert Bouchard, Richard Meltzer | A. Bouchard | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Searchin' for Celine" | Allen Lanier | Bloom | 3:35 |
| 5. | "Fireworks" | A. Bouchard | A. Bouchard | 3:14 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "R. U. Ready 2 Rock" | A. Bouchard, Sandy Pearlman | Bloom | 3:45 |
| 2. | "Celestial the Queen" | Joe Bouchard, Helen Wheels | J. Bouchard | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Goin' Through the Motions" | Bloom, Ian Hunter | Bloom | 3:12 |
| 4. | "I Love the Night" | Roeser | Roeser | 4:23 |
| 5. | "Nosferatu" | J. Bouchard, Wheels | J. Bouchard | 5:23 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Night Flyer" | Roeser | Roeser | 3:48 |
| 12. | "Dial M for Murder" | A. Bouchard | Bloom | 3:11 |
| 13. | "Please Hold" | A. Lanier | Lanier | 2:47 |
| 14. | "Be My Baby" (The Ronettes cover) | Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector | Bloom | 3:01 |
| Total length: | 53:16 | |||
Personnel
- Blue Öyster Cult
- Eric Bloom – guitar, vocals
- Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, vocals
- Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitar
- Joe Bouchard – bass, vocals, guitar
- Albert Bouchard – drums, vocals, harmonica
- Additional musicians
- Newark Boys Chorus – vocals on "Golden Age of Leather"
- Production
- Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman, David Lucas – producers
- Shelly Yakus – engineer, mixing
- John Jansen, Corky Stasiak, Thom Panunzio, Andy Abrams – engineers
- Gray Russell, Dave Thoener, Jay Krugman, Rod O’Brien, Sam Ginsberg – assistant engineers
- Joe Brescio – mastering
- Roni Hoffman – design
- Eric Meola – photos
- David Infante – laser effects and photo assistance
Charts
| Chart (1977–78) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[13] | 58 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[14] | 28 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 47 |
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[16] | 60 |
| US Billboard 200[17] | 43 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[5] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||