Dancin' In The Ruins - Blue Öyster Cult, Gottlieb, L.
Make Rock Not War - Blue Öyster Cult, Halligan, Bob Jr.
Perfect Water - Blue Öyster Cult, Carroll, J.
Spy In the House of the Night - Blue Öyster Cult, Meltzer, R.
Beat 'Em Up - Blue Öyster Cult, Halligan, Bob Jr.
When the War Comes - Blue Öyster Cult, Bouchard, J.
Shadow Warrior - Blue Öyster Cult, Bloom, E.
Madness To the Method - Blue Öyster Cult, Roeser, Donald
Digitally remastered edition of this 1985 album from the Classic Rockers. Club Ninja, the band's 10th studio album, saw the return of B?C's co-creator and svengali producer, Sandy Pearlman. A pivotal album at the time due... more » to the loss of original keyboardist Allen Lanier, Club Ninja nevertheless features some of the best material in the band's catalogue. Tracks such as 'Dancin' In The Ruins', 'When The War Comes Down' (with intro. by U.S. shock jock, Howard Stern) and the sublime 'Perfect Water', display why B?C are still regarded as one of the World's premier Rock outfits. This version offers the superior U.S. mix of the album available officially for the first time in the U.K. Lemon. 2009.« less
Digitally remastered edition of this 1985 album from the Classic Rockers. Club Ninja, the band's 10th studio album, saw the return of B?C's co-creator and svengali producer, Sandy Pearlman. A pivotal album at the time due to the loss of original keyboardist Allen Lanier, Club Ninja nevertheless features some of the best material in the band's catalogue. Tracks such as 'Dancin' In The Ruins', 'When The War Comes Down' (with intro. by U.S. shock jock, Howard Stern) and the sublime 'Perfect Water', display why B?C are still regarded as one of the World's premier Rock outfits. This version offers the superior U.S. mix of the album available officially for the first time in the U.K. Lemon. 2009.
CD Reviews
I Joined the Club
PIP Squeaks | Salisbury MO USA | 10/29/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I received BOC's first album as a gift, and they've been my favorite band ever since. While Club Ninja has childish cover art, the music is superb. I confess that most new BOC songs sound lousy to me at first. Listening again, I am often mesmerized. Listen again to PERFECT WATER, MADNESS TO THE METHOD, and SPY IN THE HOUSE OF THE NIGHT. The songwriting and performances are haunting. Sometimes BOC takes an irritating musical phrase and works it into a beautiful song, so even a hard core fan may not like it at first. Compared to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, a punk band who "take a pretty tune and bury it alive". I like them, too. And BOC's hardest rock. BOC sounded like punk at times, e.g. Tyranny & Mutation, before punk was even born! My brother has a degree in classical music (piano), and this album seems to be his favorite. It might be the best BOC album for a newcomer. Why not? Many people have no idea how many gorgeous songs BOC has created. I call them "love songs", like it or not. I attempted to make a tape of "BOC Love Songs", and ran out of tape. Who wants to hear 18 year olds sing about love? BOC's subject matter is obscure and something to ponder; it stays fresh. This album never seems dated. Get it. If someone like Paul McCartney or Paul Simon put this many great songs on one album, it would hailed as genius, a breathtaking comeback."
One of the best BOC works
Burritoman "USA" | Pennsylvania | 07/23/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I must also state that, as a long time Blue Oyster Cult fan I really cannot believe the bad rap "Club Ninja" receives from many other fans. I cannot for the life of me find fault with this cd. Every song rocks, every performance is outstanding, the mix is clear (especially considering this was released in late '85) and the production (by Pearlman once again) is pristine. It's true that many of the songs come from outside sources, but, really, so what? As long as they're on the mark I don't really care. 'White Flags' is a truly amazing all-time pearl from the Oyster; if this had been written by Eric or Buck I think it would easily be a setlist mainstay. Even those two badly titled ones (and you know which they are) are great, saved by the sheer power and majesty of BOC. I think another reason some fans insist upon knocking "Club Ninja" is the fact that Lanier isn't on it. Well, he left the band. Tommy Zvoncheck, his replacement, is truly amazing though. Listen to his flourishes on 'Beat 'Em Up', 'Perfect Water', 'When The War Comes' and 'Madness To The Method' and tell me you don't agree! The concept of war is certainly more relevant today than it was at the time. All in all, "Club Ninja" is one of those great, vastly underrated masterpieces that will one day receive it's due. But why wait. Buy this cd and find out for yourselves here and now why this is one of Blue Oyster Cult's greatest recordings to date."
It doesn't matter if we turn to dust
Tim Brough | Springfield, PA United States | 08/07/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This was Blue Oyster Cult making a prototypical late 80's album; heavy on the reverb, loaded with sythns and hooks that sounded semi-forced. Alan Lanier had already left, and Al and Joe Bouchard were so frustrated that they bailed out during this album. Some two decades after its initial release, "Club Ninja" still stands as BOC's weakest of their CBS records. This was BOC trying to sound like they were radio relevant, like they could show those whippersnappers in Def Leppard who came first.
Which would explain arena rock-chant silliness like "Beat'em Up" and "Make Rock Not War." It also is telling that almost half the album was penned by non-band members. The strongest of "Club Ninja's" tracks is "Perfect Water," penned by Don Roeser. There's a blatant attempt at making another Burnin' For You in "Dancing In The Ruins," which ain't bad. Even though it's written by the Legget Brothers, "White Flag" does start the album off with a bang. The closer, "Madness to the Method," overcomes the dopey title to sound like the band still wants to steer back to the old Agents of Fortune years.
"Club Ninja" is half a good album. What is kind of sad that BOC made so many rock albums that defined the art that half-cocked arena rock just sounded disappointing. The follow-up, Imaginos, was one of the band's best, but the fall-out from "Club Ninja" left fans so far out in the cold that "Imaginos" all but disappeared on issue (only recently has it finally been re-issued on American Beat)."
An awesome CD by an all-time awesome group!
Ricardo Haskins | Dallas, TX United States | 08/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'll try to make this brief (good luck, right?). I got into BOC after their first album was released and they've been among my favorite groups ever since. I've seen them live four times since way back when. Since updating all my albums to CD's, I bought this a few weeks ago and have played it about 50 times in my car since! All the tunes I almost forgot from this album came back with intensity. The power, the energy, the great rock melodies, and of course the heavy driving force that has always been this predominantly Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma led band is all there. I love this group and always have. Their music has never been for the faint of heart. This CD has superb music from start to finish, something a few of their other albums didn't quite have. It surprises the bleep out of me that any true BOC lover would find ANY fault with the music here, since to me it is now among my top 6 of all of theirs (their first 3 will always rank at the top!!!). At the price offered here, you BOC fans, if you have never picked this one up, should find plenty of great rock here to satisfy, again and again and again!"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1