I love their first album. The guitars sound cool and it just sounds really well produced. Are their other albums up to the same standard?
I liked the first album as well. A lot of people agree that if you’ve heard one Boston album, you’ve heard them all.
It’s the signature Tom Scholz guitar sound and Brad Delp vocals.
I love The Boston Song, as I call anything off of their first album. Or any of their other albums, really. They’re a decent band, but they’re essentially a one hit wonder who made that one hit about 60 times.
Oh, and I went to high school with Brad Delp’s niece.
If there’s a better driving/going fast song than “More Than A Feeling”, I have yet to hear it.
The albums get progressively worse.
“Don’t Look Back” has the title track, which would fit into the first album easily, but the rest is definitely below its standard.
“Third Stage” sounds like it was recorded by just Tom. At least, it doesn’t really sound like a real band. The bass playing, and especially the drumming lack imagination, and kind of just sit there. There are some decent ideas there, but none of them are as realized as you would like. Don’t let the radio success of “Amanda” fool you, none of the songs are really as good as anything on the first album.
I don’t even know the last two albums. They got no support on radio. “Walk On” didn’t even have Brad Delp. I gather that the last one only has him for some of the songs. “I Had a Good Time” from that one is halfway decent, but it’s a retread.
It’s gone, baby.
Yes, Boston was an incredible phenomenon back in the late 70’s. On par with Aerosmith, Supertramp or Journey. Don’t Look Back was big, too, but then that was it, and it was all over for them for one reason or another.
I love that stuff, and not ashamed to admit it!
On the flip side, people who disliked Orchestra Bands (wasn’t that the term coined to describe them?) were the ones who gave birth to punk.
That’s your factoid of the day. 
Bostons first album was a work of art. “Dont look back” Is also very good. but I have to agree that they went downhill after that.
“Third stage” has “Amanda”…Eh, okay I guess.
“Walk on”…Well, it aint Boston without Brad Delp.
Damn straight… I’m a singer, and I love Geddy Lee/John Anderson high tenor-type stuff… But there is Boston material I couldn’t touch on the best day of my life.
Delp in the day was as spot-on a singer in range and ability as there was, at least on vinyl. I know Tom Scholz (the guitarist)was a studio and gear wizard, but the technology of the day couldn’t turn some run-of-the-mill singer into what you hear on those albums vocally.
I’ve never heard him live (and I live in Boston)… I’m an idiot… One of these days, I’ll catch his new band Beatlejuice.
-Rav
GMRyugin:
St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion).
You know, he’s always at that place on Bridge Street that’s been about 7 different places over the past 10 years…near Dunkin Donut’s. Bridgeport? Portside? Somesuch.
In my opinion:
The first album is awesom!
There’s only two songs from Don’t Look Back: Don’t Look Back and Feelin’ Satisfied
From The Third Stage The only two good songs were Amanda and We’re Ready.
I like a lot of the songs from Walk On even if the only origional member of boston on that album was Tom Scholz.
And I haven’t heard anything from their newest album Corporate America
Oh, and slightly off topic, when reading some info on Fran Cosmo (lead singer on the Walk On album, and still with the band today) I found this slightly amusing:
Only if I want to drive my car into a tree.
the best drive fast song is - Highway Star by Deep Purple
this tune gets me going…the lyrics taunting you to drive faster and faster and the awesome keyboard/guitar riffs…that song adds 50 mph to any speed your driving
take a peek at the lyrics…i feel like going for a drive now
{snip}
Very nice, but we’re not supposed to quote whole songs here, as they’re copyrighted.
Bad user!
lmao!
Radar Love - Golden Earring.
HA! I was thinking something along those lines, but was unable to articulate it so well.
I’m no longer a man in motion,
'Cause I hit this walnut tree.
I can feel St. Elmo’s Fire,
Burning my Chevyyyyy.
As for Third Stage, I thought it was a pretty decent album. I have fond memories of cranking “We’re Ready” and “Cool the Engines” way up on my walkman in high school. A couple of the other songs on the album were quite listenable as well.