Blue Öyster Cult "Agents of Fortune (2001 Reissue, Remastered, The Blve Öyster Cvlt Cöllection, Canada, Columbia/Legacy, CK 85479)"

Agents of Fortune is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on May 21, 1976 by Columbia Records.

The Platinum-selling album peaked at No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard chart, while the cryptic single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it BÖC's biggest hit. The band became a bigger concert attraction after the release of the album, in part due to extensive airplay of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," to this day a staple of rock-station playlists.

Additionally, this is the only album in the group's discography to have at least one lead vocal performance by each original band member. It was also their only album to not include any songs written by Eric Bloom. However, the 2020 live release 40th Anniversary: Agents of Fortune Live 2016 adds Bloom's name to the authorship credits for "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)."

The album cover (created by artist Lynn Curlee) depicts Belgian magician, Servais Le Roy holding four tarot cards.

Rolling Stone wrote that "Agents of Fortune is a startlingly excellent album — startling because one does not expect Blue Öyster Cult to sound like this: loud but calm, manic but confident, melodic but rocking."

Cash Box said of the single "This Ain't the Summer of Love" that "growling guitars churn out this realistic message with brief and pointed expression" ... "a mood of evil created in a humorous fashion."

Tracklisting

1. "This Ain't the Summer of Love" Albert Bouchard, Murray Krugman, Don Waller 2:21
2. "True Confessions" Allen Lanier 2:57
3. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" Donald Roeser 5:08
4. "E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)" Bloom, Roeser, Sandy Pearlman 3:43
5. "The Revenge of Vera Gemini" A. Bouchard, Patti Smith 3:52
6. "Sinful Love" A. Bouchard, Helen Wheels 3:29
7. "Tattoo Vampire" A. Bouchard, Helen Wheels 2:41
8. "Morning Final" Joe Bouchard 4:30
9. "Tenderloin" Lanier 3:40
10. "Debbie Denise" A. Bouchard, Smith 4:13

2001 CD reissue bonus tracks

1. "Fire of Unknown Origin" (original version) Bloom, A. Bouchard, J. Bouchard, Roeser, Smith A. 3:30
2. "Sally" (demo version) A. Bouchard 2:40
3. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (demo version) Roeser 6:20
4. "Dance the Night Away" (demo version) Lanier, Jim Carroll 2:37

Total length: 51:42

Recording information:

David Lucas, Murray Krugman, Sandy Pearlman – producers

Shelly Yakus, Andy Abrams – engineers

Tony Stevens – mastering

John Berg, Andy Engel – design

Lynn Curlee – paintings