Boston Album Review
Before the Coronavirus trapped me in my house, and I had the privilege of actually driving to school every day, I always listened to classic rock during my commute. I had a well-laid-out system of picking my music. I would make a new spotify playlist and fill it with whatever songs I was enjoying at the time. It’s not very often that I listen to one album in its entirety, but Boston’s 1976 debut album is a notable exception.
Part of what makes the album interesting is the story behind how it was recorded. All of the songs on the album were written by Tom Scholz, an MIT graduate who, in the early 1770s built a studio in his basement to record demo tapes. After years of recording, the band finally signed a record deal in 1976. The label insisted that the band record the album in a professional studio. To avoid having to do this, Scholz and producer John Boylan were able to appease the record label by sending guitarist Barry Goudreau, and singer Brad Delp to a studio in Los Angeles, while Scholz stayed in Massachusetts to perfect the demo tapes in the basement studio. The end result was an excellent album, made more impressive by the fact that it was essentially written and produced entirely by one person in his basement. Here are a few highlights:
More Than a Feeling
This is the one that everyone knows. “More Than a Feeling” was Boston’s most popular song and remains a fundamental part of classic rock radio over forty years later. As the first song on the album, this song introduces listeners to Scholz’s guitars and Delp’s distinctive voice.
Peace of Mind
This song is notable for the story behind the lyrics. When he was recording songs in his basement Scholz worked full time for Poloroid. The lyrics perfectly describe his frustration with the dreariness of corporate life. “Now you're climbing' to the top of the company ladder/ Hope it doesn't take too long/ Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter/ Come a day when you’ll be gone?”
Foreplay/Long Time
This song is known for the intro which lasts for almost two and a half minutes. The intro is played on a Hammond M3 organ and leads into “Long Time,” a song similar to the first two, defined by heavy guitars and soaring vocal harmonies.
Rock & Roll Band
While many assume that the lyrics, which tell of a small bar band being discovered and signing a record deal, are autobiographical, the story has little in common with the story of Boston. At the time the song was written, the band had never toured or played live.
Hitch a Ride
Hitch a Ride was never released as a single and is rarely played on the radio, and that’s a shame because it is actually my favorite song on the album. It is definitely worth a listen because of the closing guitar solo which lasts for almost the entire second half of the song.
In 1978, two years after the release of the debut album, Boston released their second album, Don’t Look Back, which was also commercially successful. After this however, a major legal battle with the record label caused tension within the band. They didn’t release another album until 1986s Third Stage, although this album was popular, it never could evoke the same energy as their debut album. However, the debut album has left behind a tremendous legacy. It is one of the mainstream rock albums that defined the late 70s, and remains a classic over forty years later.