Boston - Third Stage

Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing. Universal. 2008. Album Description

The reason behind the music...

There is a great article on Wikipedia about Boston, which can give you some insight on Tom Sholtz's way of thinking, and why there was an 8 year hiatus between Don't Look Back and Third Stage. No matter what people might think about Tom, his style of playing and technical contributions to the electric guitar have changed rock music, the way it is recorded, and how it is played. Although Brad Delp's vocals define Boston's characteristic sound, to say that there could be a Boston without Tom Sholtz would be naive. You have to imagine what it was like to hear the songs for the first time, when you had never heard a "dive bomb" before, to understand why so many guitarists looked up to the guy...

Anyways, this album's first side (yes, my first listen to it was on vinyl) is one of the best arranged sequences of songs I've ever heard, in my opinion. "Amanda" is such a powerful song, then to follow it with "We're Ready" and "Cool the Engines" is just amazing. We listened to this over and over on the way to college in 1986. It gave me chills then and it still does now.

One clarification: The first two albums were such strong works, I could never take anything away from their first 2 albums - every song was an instant classic. On the contrary, I will always consider Third Stage to be an outstanding and worthy completion of a legendary Boston "trilogy". The material that follows the first 3 albums could only be weaker, in my opinion. So that is why I highly recommend Third Stage - to complete what was started in Boston and Don't Look Back. August 9, 2008

A good and solid 3rd album

I remember buying this album(literaly) the first day it came out back in 1986. At first my feelings were so-so for it because I was expecting it to be a rocker like the first two albums. In time however, this album grew on me and it is on my top 25 list of my favorite albums of all time. I saw Boston live in concert in 1987 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Tx in front of a crowd of 70,000 people. Boston was actually the headliner and it was in support of this album that Boston was touring and drawing large audiences. Every song in the album is good, except "To Be A Man" just didn't do it for me. The stand out tracks are "Amanda", "We're Ready", "Cool The Engines", "My Destination", and "Can'tcha Say/Still In Love", and "Hollyann". If you like Boston, this album is highly recomended. Pay no attention at the reviewers that keep saying that this album falls short in comparison to the first two. It's just that it is a bit different that's all. I mean you still get Boston's traditional guitar sounds and studio gadgets plus Brad Delps(RIP) sweet vocals and harmonies.
By the way the current cd needs to be re-mastered. The sound output is very low in comparison to the re-mastered "Boston", and "Don't Look Back" and also the sound could be "clean up" a little bit. April 20, 2008

"The Long-Awaited Comeback"

After enjoying succes with "Boston" in 1976 and "Don't Look Back" in 1978 Boston seemingly disapeared and for the most part where unheard of.Boston experienced trouble with its original lineup as with the exception of guitarist Tom Scholz and vocalist Brad Delp everybody left.Then came the trials with the company and it seemed like it was the end and the album they were working on was never coming out.Then as a surprise it exploded on the charts in 1986 when it was finally released after an 8 year long wait.It was an instant classic and best of all the trademark Boston sound was still there.So many bands changed their sound to adapt to the 1980s sound but not Boston,it sounds like classic Boston and its just as good."Third Stage" provided plenty of great songs and the band's biggest hit : "Amanda" which reached # 1 in 1986.The album for some part featured a spaceship concept(songs 2 to 5)and another concept that is maturity(songs 1,6-10)so its sort of a concept album no matter what you say.The songs are mostly great and you'll find yourself to be liking probably each of them,they're all different but they fit really well on the same album.One would think that the two concepts,that is spaceship and maturity,can't go togheter and would rather need to be on seperate albums but it works for "Third Stage".The mix of songs is good,ballads(Amanda,My Destination...),rocking tracks(Cool The Engines,We're ready...),slower ones(To Be A Man),there's even a combinaison of two songs,"I Think I Like It/Can'tcha Say"(very good)like they did with "Foreplay/Long Time" which was present on the first album.The songs don't sound like each other.Exception "My Destination" which from the first time I heard I recognized as another version of "Amanda"(slower than Amanda),and to be honnest at first it bothered me but I grew to accept it."A New World" had me a little deceved as it rocked and it was great but it turned out to be the (great)intro to "To Be A Man"(if it isn't then it surely ain't a song on its own!).A few songs from this album wounded up on the "Greatest Hits" album and I'm glad as their third album is an excellent and much worth-owning one.'What is left to say?Nothing much,this album would make a great addition to your collection with all the great songs it has and its colourfull music.They managed to come back succesfully when it seemed like they were gone and done and that's not easy but Boston handled the task perfectly.Along with Boston's self-titled debut album this is the absolute best of Boston,"Don't Look Back" is quite good also,think before getting the greatest hit,this would be really great too.Do I really need to explain my rating?What an easy decision,five stars all the way,"Amanda" really surprised everybody and the whole album is nothing short of excellent!Much more than an area,AOR band oor whatever name you call them.I can't really say any more,highly recommended! April 9, 2008

Not bad

This was the first Boston album I heard. It came out in 1986 as I was starting my senior year in high school, and I was hooked. Later I discovered their earlier albums which are by far more memorable, but I still like Third Stage just because it was my first exposure to Boston, but for those who'd heard the earlier albums, they were not as impressed by this one. At least it's better than "Walk On". That was terrible!
March 13, 2008

BOSTON's triumphant comeback...

When an early version of the smash-hit Amanda by BOSTON and Tom Scholz leaked to radio-stations in the US during 1984 the word was out - THIRD STAGE - BOSTON's triumphant comeback from 1986. Kickin' off with Amanda followed by We're Ready, Cool The Engines, To Be A Man, I Think I Like It, Can'tcha Say and Hollyann. All of them excellent songs and as always the key to success is in the quality of the songs. THIRD STAGE has to this day sold several millions of copies around the world. Listen to it and you'll know why... January 2, 2008

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