Boston - Boston (1976)

The term "corporate rock" has been applied to any act, especially a band, that is largely held in contempt by the "cultured" musical press who believe only they possess the right to determine what music people should listen to. These snobs' self-importance includes an overwhelming need to constantly attack the fans of any band they deem unworthy, sometimes even more than the artists themselves.

Back in the 70s and 80s the corporate rock label was used freely to describe bands like REO Speedwagon, Toto, Journey, Styx, and one band I truly despise, Foreigner. (Isn't "I Want To Know What Love Is" just awful?)

Let's assume for a minute that corporate rock is a real thing and these aforementioned groups only played music for fame, fortune and easy access to girls in lieu of creating art. Even if that statement is true we all know that Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" is still a classic while Boston's eponymous debut holds the distinction of winning Bloggerhythms' imaginary award for the greatest corporate rock album of all time. Readers, please take note: this should not considered faint praise!

Boston has an interesting backstory. Group founder, Tom Scholz earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering from MIT then spent years perfecting ways to obtain different guitar sounds out of his homemade, twelve track, recording studio. The band was born out of these efforts.

All of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Scholz with with some help from lead singer Brad Delp, whose soaring, sky high, voice perfectly suited the kind of rock Scholz was laying down in his basement.

Boston is a very loud rock album but Delp's vocals, Scholz's distinctive guitar work, and his ability to write songs that are more melodic and hook-filled than those usually found on many hard rock records made this album a deserving hit.

Highlights include "Rock and Roll Band" about a fledgling group's rise from bar band status to stardom, the long, prog-influenced "Foreplay/Long Time" and of course, the classic rock staple, "More Than A Feeling."

Boston went platinum and became the biggest selling debut LP ever until Whitney Houston topped it a decade later.

Unfortunately, the quintet's status as an arena rock giant didn't last long. Their second album, released in 1978, was a virtual carbon copy of the first one, indicating that Scholz ran out of ideas quickly. Then they took another six years to release their third disc. By that time popular music had changed and Boston's days as a top act were done.

Comments

  1. Jeff Ash11:54 PM, May 08, 2019

    OK, but I still will blast this at top volume with the windows down during the summer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Peter12:12 PM, June 04, 2019

    I am an unabashed fan of "corporate rock" - My first album was Foreigner's self-titled album, and I was a huge Styx, Journey and Boston fan. REO Speedwagon makes me puke, though. ;)

    I love Boston's first three albums. I don't care that it's the same formula - it's like having a great piece of cheesecake and then ordering the same thing because you liked it so much. I wrote on my blog about "A Man I'll Never Be" being the perfect power ballad.

    Brad Delp could sing out of a phone book and it would send chills down my spine. He is truly missed.

    As usual, well done.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Todd Mason10:18 PM, June 06, 2019

    For me, Foreigner was one of the easiest of the "faceless" AOR bands to take, usually...Journey at their commercial height was my bete noire. Boston was mildly more interesting to me, given the virtuosity of the playing.

    ReplyDelete

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