Albert Bouchard [Blue Öyster Cult] – Imaginos III – Mutant Reformation (2023)

ALBERT BOUCHARD is best known as one of the founding members of legends Blue Öyster Cult. The original band sold millions of albums for Columbia Records with such classic songs as “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and the #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart “Burning For You”. As a songwriter, he wrote many BÖC songs including the very popular “Astronomy” (which was covered by Metallica on their 1998’s release Garage Inc) and the live staple “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll”, which he also sang lead vocals.
Bouchard’s new album ”Imaginos III : Mutant Reformation”, is the third and final record of the ‘Imaginos’ trilogy, a concept he created back in ’80s with the first ‘Imaginos’, still under the Blue Öyster Cult banner.
This final chapter had plenty of help from Albert’s friends, such as former BOC band mate Eric Bloom, Joe Cerisano, Kenny Aaronson, Ross “The Boss” Friedman, and many more.
The first trilogy album, “Re Imaginos”, came out in 2020, as a mostly acoustic, mostly solo album. The second, “Imaginos II – Bombs over Germany” appeared in 2021, a little more fleshed out than the first one.
”Imaginos III : Mutant Reformation” is a rocking effort, mostly uptempo with that classic BOC craziness, progressive at places, always interesting. Easily the best of the three, full of guitars (hey, there’s a track titled ‘Heavy Metal/Black and Silver’) and rich instrumentation.

Bouchard has shepherded the concept of ‘Imaginos’ through its many incarnations over the years, translating Sandy Pearlman’s feverish visions into sonic resonance. As Bouchard states, “Sandy’s not being here to feel the long-awaited culmination is perhaps the greatest irony of this epic journey through the invisibility of conspiracy, the shape-shifting, and eternal light that is Desdinova.
But legend lives on, as will tales told ‘round the fire of when Man still walked the Earth, and the carnage had yet to begin. Hear the final chapter in this monumental saga when the record is released on July 7, 2023.”

The Imaginos story is once again driven by Albert’s carefully orchestrated chronology and a passioned telling of the stories and songs. He was on a mission. With ”Imaginos III : Mutant Reformation” mission is complete.
If you don’t follow the story, you’ll be regarded with great music instead. On this new album Bouchard finally captured that Blue Öyster Cult mysterious sound, that unique approach.
Highly Recommended

Tracklist:
01. Welcome To Desdanovaland (1:01)
02 Flaming Telepaths (05:32)
03. The Queen’s Graveyard (4:13)
04. Transmaniacon (feat. The Dictators) (3:24)
05. Career Of Evil (feat. Steve Conte) (4:40)
06.St. Cecilia (03:35)
07. Curse of the Hidden Mirrors (feat. Mike Watt) (3:22)
08. Mountain of Madness (feat. Richie Castellano) (5:57)
09. Redeemed (feat. Joe Cerisano) (4:08)
10. Mothra & Starfish (feat. Susie Loraine) (2:56)
11. Godzilla (feat. Kasim Sulton and Mike Fornatale) (4:10)
12.R.U. Red D. 2 (3:36)
13. Sole Survivor (feat. R.J. Ronquillo) (4:29)
14. E.T.I. (feat. Joe Bouchard) (4:45)
15 Aldebaran Alien Take Me Away (3:42)
16. Arianna Of Earth (feat. Susie Loraine) (3:53)
17. Heavy Metal/Black and Silver (4:34)
18. Buddha’s Knee (feat. Jim Bouchard) (3:41)

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