Rock, Metal

Queen - A Day at the Races (1976)

2010-06-03T11:43:36Z

Queen - A Day at the Races (1976)


01. Tie Your Mother Down (Brian May) - 4:46
02. You Take My Breath Away (Freddie Mercury) - 4:40
03. Long Away (May) - 3:59
04. The Millionaire Waltz (Mercury) - 4:52
05. You And I (John Deacon) - 3:23
06. Somebody To Love (Mercury) - 4:55
07. White Man (May) - 4:57
08. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Mercury) - 2:54
09. Drowse (Roger Taylor) - 3:42
10. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (May) - 5:50
Bonuses: 
11. Tie Your Mother Down (1991 remix by Matt Wallace) (May) - 3:42
12. Somebody To Love (1991 remix by Randy Badazz) (Mercury) - 4:59

Personnel:
- Freddie Mercury - lead vocals, piano, choir master
- Brian May - electric & acoustic guitars, vocals, leader of the Orchestra
- Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, vocals, pandemonium
- John Deacon - fender bass
+
- Mike Stone - additional vocals on "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy"

Queen's fifth album is a step away from what they'd been doing up to this point. Although it proves to be a good sister album to A Night At The Opera, this is the album where Queen started going more for the concise rock songs than the experimental approach that they'd taken leading up to this point. While this is where Queen starts to get really well known in the rock world (well, moreso on the last album, this one just builds off it) this is also where they more or less turned away from the progressive tenancies that they had going. A very good album, this has a lot of Queen's better known songs - just don't expect anything progressive like March Of The Black Queen or The Prophet's Song.

The album is still very good with the short songs. It seems that the band really got a hold of melodies and put them to use in well thought out pop-rock songs, many of which can be found on may radio stations and compilations even today. Fan favorites that are played live these days even without Freddy at the helm include the rocking, rebellious opener Tie Your Mother Down and the always popular (in the rock world) Somebody To Love. As stated before, this is where Queen really started to go song for song, as there's no short interludes or tracks that link together to form a kind of suite. Each song stands on it's own as a good piece. Drowse is the song on the album which gets voice by Roger Taylor, and what a job he does! This one isn't heavy like some of the other songs he voiced for the band like I'm In Love With My Car or Tenement Funster, but it makes for a zoned out relax-fest with Taylor's smooth vocals harmonies.

The slower songs on the album do tend to drag a bit though. The second (and longest) song on the album, You Take My Breath Away is a delicate ballad which is at times far to silent. Coming right after the powerful opener as well this song seems to be wildly out of place. The closing Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) is a better stab at a slow piece, but it doesn't measure up to some of the more impressive pieces on the album.

Still, there's some utterly fantastic moments on the album that really make it worth it. The previously mentioned Drowse is an easy standout, as is the soft-yet-still-pressing Long Away and the powerful White Man with it's malicious instrumental sections and it's accusing lyrics.

Like many of the Queen remasters, this album comes with some remixes. Tie Your Mother Down and Somebody To Love each get some treatment, but to be totally honest there's no use in listening to them unless you're such a big fan that you really feel the need to.

All in all a very good rock album but for prog heads only to be gotten if you're into the band. There's nothing here like there is on the last albums that will blow your head clean off your shoulders, but if you enjoy good rock and roll then this one will satisfy. 3 stars out of 5 for a prog collection, which is semi-unfair because it really isn't a prog album. Recommended for those who want to rock and roll. ---Queen By-Tor, progarchives.com

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Queen - Absolute Greatest (2009)

2009-10-12T19:15:25Z

Queen - Absolute Greatest (2009)


01. We Will Rock You 
02. We Are The Champions 
03. Radio Ga Ga 
04. Another One Bites The Dust 
05. I Want It All 
06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love 
07. A Kind Of Magic 
08. Under Pressure 
09. One Vision 
10. You're My Best Friend 
11. Don't Stop Me Now 
12. Killer Queen 
13. These Are The Days Of Our Lives 
14. Who Wants To Live Forever 
15. Seven Seas Of Rhye 
16. Heaven For Everyone 
17. Somebody To Love 
18. I Want To Break Free 
19. The Show Must Go On 
20. Bohemian Rapsody

The latest in a long line of Queen compilations stretching back to 1981's Greatest Hits, 2009's Absolute Greatest runs a generous 20 tracks yet still manages to miss several classic Queen songs, such as "Fat Bottomed Girls," "Bicycle Race," "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy," "Flash's Theme," and "Tie Your Mother Down." In their place are several latter-day singles that were hits in Europe but not America ("The Show Must Go On," "Who Wants to Live Forever," "These Are the Days of Our Lives"), so it makes sense that this compilation in its various formats -- a single-disc set, a double-disc where the second CD contains commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, one with a hardcover book, one with LPs -- appeared in the U.K. and Europe first, because it was tailored for this market. And, overall, it's a nicely balanced collection of 20 highlights, delivering all the usual suspects -- "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "You're My Best Friend," "Killer Queen," "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- plus good latter-day hits, making it a solid overview but not a definitive one. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

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Queen - Jazz (1978)

2010-06-02T23:06:04Z

Queen - Jazz (1978)


01. Mustapha (Freddie Mercury) - 3:00
02. Fat Bottomed Girls (Brian May) - 4:14
03. Jealousy (Mercury) - 3:12
04. Bicycle Race (Mercury) - 3:01
05. If You Can't Beat Them (John Deacon) - 4:15
06. Let Me Entertain You (Mercury) - 3:00
07. Dead On Time (May) - 3:23
08. In Only Seven Days (Deacon) - 2:27
09. Dreamer's Ball (May) - 3:29
10. Fun It (Roger Taylor) - 3:29
11. Leaving Home Ain't Easy (May ) - 3:13
12. Don't Stop Me Now (Mercury) - 3:29
13. More Of That Jazz (Taylor) - 4:13


Personnel:
- Freddie Mercury - lead vocals, piano
- Brian May - electric & acoustic guitars, banjo, vocals, lead vocals (02,11)
- Roger Taylor - drums & percussion, vocals, lead vocals (10,13)
- John Deacon - bass, electric & acoustic guitars (08)

Famously tagged as "fascist" in a Rolling Stone review printed at the time of its 1978 release, Jazz does indeed showcase a band that does thrive upon its power, thrilling upon the hold that it has on its audience. That confidence, that self-intoxication, was hinted at on News of the World but it takes full flower here, and that assurance acts as a cohesive device, turning this into one of Queen's sleekest albums. Like its patchwork predecessor, Jazz also dabbles in a bunch of different sounds -- that's a perennial problem with Queen, where the four songwriters were often pulling in different directions -- but it sounds bigger, heavier than News, thanks to the mountains of guitars Brian May has layered all over this record. If May has indulged himself, Freddie Mercury runs riot all over this album, infusing it with an absurdity that's hard to resist. This goofiness is apparent from the galloping overture "Mustapha," and things only get a lot sillier from that point out, as the group sings the praises of "Fat Bottomed Girls" and "Bicycle Races." May and Mercury have an unspoken competition on who can overdub the most onto a particular track, while Roger Taylor steers them toward their first disco song in the gloriously dumb "Fun It." But since over-the-top campiness has always been an attribute in Queen, this kind of grand-scale exaggeration gives Jazz a sense of ridiculousness that makes it more fun than many of their other albums. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

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Queen - Made in Heaven (2011)

2012-01-31T09:48:58Z

Queen - Made in Heaven (2011)


01 – It’s A Beautiful Day
02 – Made In Heaven
03 – Let Me Live
04 – Mother Love
05 – My Life Has Been Saved							play
06 – I Was Born To Love You
07 – Heaven For Everyone
08 – Too Much Love Will Kill You
09 – You Don’t Fool Me
10 – A Winter’s Tale
11 – It’s A Beautiful Day (reprise)
12 – (Yeah)
13 – (Dead)

Bonus CD:
01 – Heaven For Everyone (Single Version)
02 – It’s A Beautiful Day (B-Side Version)
03 – My Life Has Been Saved (1989 B-Side Version)
04 – I Was Born To Love You (Vocal & Piano Version)		play
05 – Rock In Rio Blues (Live B-Side)
06 – A Winter’s Tale (Cosy Fireside Mix)

Backing Vocals [Extra] – Catherine Porter (A3), Gary Martin (A3), Miriam Stockley (A3), Rebecca Leigh-White (A3)
Bass Guitar, Keyboards – John Deacon
Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals – Roger Taylor
Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – Brian May
Vocals, Piano, Keyboards – Freddie Mercury

Ten months after the release of the 1991 album Innuendo, Freddie Mercury died of complications brought on by AIDS; he was 45. To this day, most people hold Innuendo dear to their hearts because it was such a solid finale with one of rock's greatest frontmen. After Mercury's death, the remaining members of Queen decided to make one last album with his pre-recorded vocals and a mix of new and old compositions. Thus, in 1995, Made in Heaven was released to much acclaim; this was the the record to bring closure to the band's career, and it seemed to be a bold success. However, this album is more than just a great record; it's a perfect musical epitaph.

The album's music is sort of a mix between 80s and 70s Queen, much like The Miracle or Innuendo. There are the typical synthesizers, melodic guitar lines, and powerful vocals on this record, although there's definitely an emphasis on the softer side of things. This is the sort of album that takes time to let the atmosphere build and let the listener breathe a bit. This is especially demonstrated in the vocal harmonies, which are as soothing as ever. The gospel-oriented intro to "Let Me Live" is particularly beautiful, with lovely female vocals and a nice buildup in dynamics before the drums (and verse) kick in. But it's not only the vocal harmonies; the way the music is arranged plays a big part in this album's quality. For instance, the intro track "It's a Beautiful Day" could have easily thrown the listener right into Freddie Mercury's introductory vocal melody, but instead submerges you in a sea of ambient keyboard work. As the dynamics build and more "nature"-esque samples enter the music, everything just becomes all the more beautiful. There's also a bit of a melancholic side that this record shows when songs like "Mother Love" and "You Don't Fool Me" start up. These songs especially benefit from Brian May's almost new-age guitar lines as he weaves many different melodies throughout the rest of the instrumentation. The band members feel like a cohesive unit on this album, despite the unusual way is was recorded; John Deacon and Roger Taylor are as solid as ever in the rhythm section while Brian May and Freddie Mercury (his voice recordings, to be more precise) keep the solid melodies and hooks coming. The point where all of this meets full circle is in the title track; everything about the song feels so complete, from Brian May's harmonized guitar work to the inspirational chorus. Nothing feels out of place; it's a perfect song all around.

I could spend all day giving a complete analysis of this record, but there's something more to it than that. Just think about the fact that we're listening to the last work of Freddie Mercury, his last time up to the mic for a Queen recording. That really got me thinking: this is the band embracing finality with a sense of joy and splendor. Yeah, there are melancholic moments, but they're certainly overshadowed by Freddie Mercury's strong resolve in the face of his own defeat. This album kinda acts as a reflection of the band's career and Mercury's own life in particular; that fact makes many of these songs more powerful than they otherwise would have been. The biggest example song-wise by far is the untitled track at the very end of the album. There's a reprise of "It's a Beautiful Day" at the end of the record that leads into a four-second song titled "Yeah"; the track that begins beneath Freddie's utterance of this word is a 22-minute ambient piece. This song is what the record is all about. This is one of the most bizarre Queen songs as well; there are no drums (with the exception of some cymbal and hi-hat sounds here and there), no guitar work, no bass work, nothing but keyboard work and some voice clips from Freddie. May people like to consider this song Freddie Mercury's musical "ascension into heaven" so to speak, and I'd actually agree with that. The reason is that, near the very end of the piece, there's a beautifully arranged symphonic section that gives off an indescribable feeling of joy and release. Other portions of the song are a bit more strange; around the sixteen-minute mark, there's a very depressing synth melody that really changes the overall mood. On top of that, the last thing that this song has to offer is Freddie Mercury uttering the word "Fab."

How are we supposed to respond to all of this? That's for you to decide. I see this album (and especially the last song) as an amazing example of perseverance in the face of darkness and death, but everything about this record is up for interpretation. Made in Heaven is a very intriguing way to end a band's discography, but it should be treasured for what it is: a beautiful epilogue to one of rock's finest bands and singers. ---Necrotica, progarchives.com

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Queen - Morumbi Stadium 1981

2009-10-12T19:18:13Z

Queen - Morumbi Stadium 1981

Sao Paulo, Brazil, Morumbi Stadium - March 20th, 1981

01 - Opening
02 - We Will Rock You
03 - Let Me Entertain You
04 - Play The Game
05 - Somebody To Love
06 - Save Me
07 - Now I'm Here
08 - Dragon Attack
09 - Now I'm Here [Reprise]
10 - Fat Bottomed Girs
11 - Love Of My Life
12 - Flash
13 - The Hero
14 - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
15 - Bohemian Rhapsody
16 - Tie Your Mother Down
17 - Another One Bites The Dust
18 - Sheer Heart Attack
19 - We Will Rock You
20 - We Are The Champions
21 - God Save The Queen

"Morumbi Stadium" is a nickname for the venue, as Morumbi is a small district of São Paulo.

The shows in São Paulo are among the most important of Queen's career. They play to 131,000 people tonight and another 120,000 tomorrow night, the largest paying audiences ever to see Queen, and the largest paying audiences for a single band at the time. When the Rio show was cancelled, this extra night in São Paulo was booked, and it sold out very quickly.

The band are interviewed on TV before the show. Just as the host, Eron Domingues, sits down beside Freddie, Mr. Mercury quips, "Sit on my lap." After being asked how he feels about playing for this many people, Freddie, with his usual quick wit, replies, "I haven't done it yet!" He then says the band are looking forward to it, and hopes everyone has a good time.

The concert was then broadcast live on TV. Regrettably, even the best copies of the video aren't anything to write home about, because the quality of Brazilian TV wasn't great in the early 80s. The show was broadcast at least a couple more times later in the year. The first rebroadcast was a week after the show at the same time, and it is the only known broadcast of the complete show, audio or video, without any of the voice-overs. The next rebroadcast was a few months later, a 45-minute version with a red "Queen Special" shown at the beginning and before commercial breaks - and with many different camera angles. Thanks to Marcos Napier for all the details on the various versions.

It is priceless footage, as it shows Freddie Mercury part way through Love Of My Life standing and clapping in sheer amazement, after having witnessed this many people who don't understand English sing his song perfectly without him.

Freddie has rested his voice and sounds fantastic overall tonight. The rest the band are in fine shape as well, with the only slight exception of Brian taking a couple bars to settle into the guitar solo in Somebody To Love. But it is a small blemish on an otherwise perfect night of epic proportions.

In one of the video rebroadcasts, footage of the audience was copied and pasted around (for lack of a better term), sometimes with humourous results. For example, footage of an audience member playing air guitar during the fast We Will Rock You is shown again during the ballad of the evening, Love Of My Life. ---queenlive.ca

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Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (1974)

2010-06-02T17:18:26Z

Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (1974)


01. Brighton Rock (Brian May) - 5:08
02. Killer Queen (Freddie Mercury) - 2:58
03. Tenement Funster (Roger Taylor) - 2:47
04. Flick Of The Wrist (Mercury) - 3:17
05. Lily Of The Valley (Mercury) - 1:44
06. Now I'm Here (May) - 4:12
07. In The Lap Of The Gods (Mercury) - 3:22
08. Stone Cold Crazy (Mercury, May, Taylor, John Deacon) - 2:12
09. Dear Friends (May) - 1:06
10. Misfire (Deacon) - 1:50
11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (Mercury) - 2:15
12. She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettos) (May) - 4:08
13. In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited (Mercury) - 3:43
Bonus:
14. Stone Cold Crazy (1991 remix) (Mercury, May, Taylor, John Deacon) - 2:12

Personnel:
- Freddie Mercury - lead vocals, piano, jangle piano
- Brian May - guitars, vocals, piano, ukulele-banjo, lead vocals on "She Makes Me"
- Roger Taylor - drums, percussion, vocals, lead vocals on "Tenement Funster", screams on "In The Lap of The Gods"
- John Deacon - basses, acoustic guitars, rhythm guitar, all guitars on "Misfire", double-bass on "Bring back that Leroy Brown"

Queen II was a breakthrough in terms of power and ambition, but Queen's third album Sheer Heart Attack was where the band started to gel. It followed quickly on the heels of the second record -- just by a matter of months; it was the second album they released in 1974 -- but it feels like it had a longer incubation period, so great is the progress here. Which isn't quite to say that Sheer Heart Attack is flawless -- it still has a tendency to meander, sometimes within a song itself, as when the killer opening "Brighton Rock" suddenly veers into long stretches of Brian May solo guitar -- but all these detours do not distract from the overall album, they're in many ways the key to the record itself: it's the sound of Queen stretching their wings as they learn how to soar to the clouds. There's a genuine excitement in hearing all the elements to Queen's sound fall into place here, as the music grows grander and catchier without sacrificing their brutal, hard attack. One of the great strengths of the album is how all four members find their voices as songwriters, penning hooks that are big, bold, and insistent and crafting them in songs that work as cohesive entities instead of flourishes of ideas. This is evident not just in "Killer Queen" -- the first, best flourishing of Freddie Mercury's vaudevillian camp -- but also on the pummeling "Stone Cold Crazy," a frenzied piece of jagged metal that's all the more exciting because it has a real melodic hook. Those hooks are threaded throughout the record, on both the ballads and the other rockers, but it isn't just that this is poppier, it's that they're able to execute their drama with flair and style. There are still references to mystical worlds ("Lily of the Valley," "In the Lap of Gods") but the fantasy does not overwhelm as it did on the first two records; the theatricality is now wielded on everyday affairs, which ironically makes them sound larger than life. And this sense of scale, combined with the heavy guitars, pop hooks, and theatrical style, marks the true unveiling of Queen, making Sheer Heart Attack as the moment where they truly came into their own. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

Zaczynają z hardrockowym zacięciem. Brighton Rock to głównie zwariowana gitarowa jazda, w której pobrzmiewa coś zarówno z Led Zeppelin, jak i z Deep Purple. Tym razem, co daje niezły efekt, śpiew (nie tylko Mercury’ego) pozostaje na drugim, a nawet trzecim planie. Z kolei Killer Queen to pierwszy wielki przebój Queen. Całkiem zasłużenie. Główne role grają tu głos Freddiego i płacząca gitara Maya. W Tenement Funster Taylor śpiewa: Give me a good guitar, and you can say that my hair’s a disgrace. I czuje się, jakby to on w zespole pilnował, by Queen przede wszystkim grał rock’n’roll.

Dalej stykamy się z odrobiną queenowego wodewilu (Flick Of The Wrist). Później mamy fortepianowo-wokalną balladę, z tych co przynajmniej jedna na każdej płycie (Lilly Of The Valley), szkoda tylko, że trwającą niewiele ponad sto sekund. Kolejne na płycie Now I’m Here w jakimś stopniu to niedopatrzenie wynagradza. Jeszcze jeden żywiołowy, mocno rockowy kawałek z typowymi dla Queen harmoniami wokalnymi najlepiej sprawdzający się na wielkich koncertach (dowód na Live Killers). Potem mamy jeszcze coś z operowego rocka (In The Lap Of The Gods) i zmieszany z odrobiną boogie hard rock (Stone Cold Crazy). Jest czas na chwilkę zadumy (Dear Friends), kolejną odsłonę kabaretowo-teatralnych szaleństw, które stały się jednym z wyróżników Queen (Bring Back That Leroy Brown) i monumentalny, choć może nieco zbyt monotonny song She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettos) Maya. Szczęśliwie ostatnie słowo należy do głównego głosu w Queen. Z czymś takim jak In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited spokojnie mógłby poprowadzić ludzi na barykady, albo przynajmniej do zwycięstwa ukochanej futbolowej drużyny. Wszystko? Prawie. Jest jeszcze debiut kompozytorski Deacona (Misfire). Właściwie wokalno-gitarowa miniatura. Prawda jest taka, że gdyby się na Sheer Heart Attack nie pojawiła, nikt pewnie by po niej nie płakał.

A cała płyta? Mimo wszystko po czymś takim jak Queen II troszkę rozczarowuje. Może po prostu za szybko ją nagrali? --Grzesiek Kszczotek, terazmuzyka.pl

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Queen - Singles Collection 1973-2007 (2008)

2011-12-10T14:57:09Z

Queen - Singles Collection 1973-2007 (2008)

Japan CD Single Box (1992. EMI TODP2251-2262)

1974 - Killer Queen 
1974 - Seven Seas of Rhye 
1975 - Bohemian Rhapsody 
1976 - Somebody to Love 
1977 - Queen's First EP 
1977 - We Are The Champions 
1979 - Crazy Little Thing Called Love 
1980 - Another One Bites The Dust 
1981 - Under Pressure 
1984 - A Kind Of Magic 
1984 - I Want To Break Free 
1984 - Radio Ga-Ga 

Singles Collection (2008. EMI Records Ltd.)

1973 - Keep Yourself Alive 
1974 - Killer Queen 
1974 - Seven Seas Of Rhye 
1975 - Bohemian Rhapsody & I'm In Love With My Car 
1975 - Now I'm Here 
1976 - Somebody To Love 
1976 - You're My Best Friend 
1977 - Queen's First EP 
1977 - Tie Your Mother Down 
1977 - We Are The Champions 
1978 - Bicycle Race 
1978 - Spread Your Wings 
1979 - Don't Stop Me Now 

The remaining singles:

1975 - Bohemian Rhapsody & These Are Days Of Our Lives (1991. EMI Records Ltd.)
1986 - Who Wants To Live Forever 
1989 - Breakthru 
1989 - I Want It All 
1989 - Scandal 
1989 - The Invisible Man 
1991 - Another One Bites The Dust 
1991 - Headlond (1991. Japan CD5 EMI TOCP-6801) 
1991 - Headlong (1991. CD QUEEN 18) 
1991 - I'm Going Slightly Mad 
1991 - Innuendo 
1991 - The Show Must Go On 
1995 - A Winter's Tale (Christmas Version) 
1995 - Heaven For Everyone (Single UK Part 2 CD5 Parlophone CDQUEEN21) 
1995 - Let Me Live (Single UK Part 1 CD5 Parlophone CDQUEENS24) 
1995 - Let Me Live (Single UK Part 2 CD5 Parlophone CDQUEEN24) 
1995 - Too Much Love Will Kill You 
1996 - You Don't Fool Me (The Remixes)
1996 - You Don't Fool Me 
1997 - No-One But You (Single Holland CD5 in jewel case) 
1999 - Under Pressure (disc 1) 
1999 - Under Pressure (disc 2) 
2000 - Princes Of The Universe 
2003 - Flash 
2007 - Say It's Not True

Queen were an English rock band originally consisting of four members: vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bass guitarist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor.

The band formed in London in 1970 after May and Taylor’s former band Smile split after having released an album and single. Freddie replaced lead vocalist Tim Staffell, after the latter’s departure from the original trio.

There was much deliberation as to what the band’s name would be. May and Taylor had settled upon the Grand Dance, derived from a C.S. Lewis Trilogy of books Out Of The Silent Planet.

Ultimately, the band went with Queen, a name that was entirely Freddie’s. Originally Roger and, especially, Brian did not like the name, though Mercury would eventually persuade them both that it was “right” for the band.

“Years ago I thought up the name Queen… It’s just a name, but it’s very regal, and it sounds splendid. It’s a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of the gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it. “ - Freddie Mercury.

Queen went through several bass players before a young electronics major by the name of John Deacon arrived on the scene in January of 1971. ---last.fm

Queen — brytyjski zespół rockowy utworzony w 1970 roku w Londynie. Jego frontmanem (bo nie liderem) był Freddie Mercury. On sam wielokrotnie zaprzeczał temu, że jest ikoną zespołu i podkreślał często, że wszyscy członkowie Queen są równi, wkładają tyle samo pracy i wysiłku w istnienie zespołu i mają takie same zasługi. Uważany za jeden z najwybitniejszych zespołów w historii rocka.

Zaliczenie grupy do jakiegokolwiek stylu jest trudne ze względu na wyjątkowość brzmienia. Najczęściej muzykę charakteryzuje się jako melodyjny rock, część kompozycji charakteryzuje hard rock, a także glamour rock. W wielu utworach grupy daje się zauważyć wpływy rocka progresywnego.

Grupa Queen wypracowała łatwo rozpoznawalne brzmienie, oparte na melodyjnej grze gitary elektrycznej, ostro grającej sekcji rytmicznej oraz bardzo charakterystycznym i technicznie poprawnym śpiewie. Nie stroniła również od muzycznej groteski. Muzyczne i pozamuzyczne ekstrawagancje (takie jak przyjęcia na kilkaset osób czy kobiece przebrania w teledyskach), muzyczna integralność, pełne profesjonalizmu koncerty, a przede wszystkim utwory, pod wszelkimi względami dopięte na ostatni guzik przyczyniły się do popularności zespołu.

Nie można mówić o całkowitym rozpadzie zespołu zaraz po śmierci lidera, choć de facto zespół jako Queen nie istniał bez osoby Freddiego. Po śmierci Mercurego (w 1991 roku) wydano jeszcze jedną płytę, zatytułowaną „Made in Heaven” z roku 1995, zawierającą partie wokalne nagrane jeszcze przed śmiercią wokalisty. ---last.fm

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Queen - The Game (1980)

2010-06-02T19:47:38Z

Queen - The Game (1980)


01. Play The Game (Freddie Mercury) - 3:29
02. Dragon Attack (Brian May) - 4:18
03. Another One Bites The Dust (John Deacon) - 3:33
04. Need Your Loving Tonight (Deacon) - 2:48
05. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury) - 2:41
06. Rock It (Prime Jive) (Roger Taylor) - 4:31
07. Don't Try Suicide (Mercury) - 3:52
08. Sail Away Sweet Sister (May) - 3:32
09. Coming Soon (Taylor) - 2:49
10. Save Me (May) - 3:46

Personnel:
- Freddie Mercury - lead vocals, piano, guitar, synthesizer
- Brian May - guitars, banjo, piano, vocals, synthesizer
- Roger Taylor - drums, guitar, vocals, synthesizer
- John Deacon - bass, gitar

Queen had long been one of the biggest bands in the world by 1980's The Game, but this album was the first time they made a glossy, unabashed pop album, one that was designed to sound exactly like its time. They might be posed in leather jackets on the cover, but they hardly sound tough or menacing -- they rarely rock, at least not in the gonzo fashion that's long been their trademark. Gone are the bombastic orchestras of guitars and with them the charging, relentless rhythms that kept Queen grounded even at their grandest moments. Now, when they rock, they'll haul out a clever rockabilly pastiche, as they do on the tremendous "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," a sly revival of old-time rock & roll that never sounds moldy, thanks in large part to Freddie Mercury's panache. But even that is an exception to the rule on The Game. Usually, when they want to rock here, they wind up sounding like Boston, as they do on John Deacon's "Need Your Loving Tonight," or they sound a bit like a new wave-conscious rocker like Billy Squier, as they do on the propulsive "Coming Soon." But even those are exceptions to the overall rule on The Game, since most of the album is devoted to disco-rock blends -- best heard on the globe-conquering "Another One Bites the Dust," but also present in the unintentionally kitschy positivity anthem "Don't Try Suicide" -- and the majestic power ballads that became their calling card in the '80s, as they reworked the surging "Save Me" and the elegant "Play the Game" numerous times, often with lesser results. So, The Game winds up as a mixed bag, as many Queen albums often do, but again the striking difference with this album is that it finds Queen turning decidedly, decisively pop, and it's a grand, state-of-the-art circa 1980 pop album that still stands as one of the band's most enjoyable records. But the very fact that it does showcase a band that's turned away from rock and toward pop means that for some Queen fans, it marks the end of the road, and despite the album's charms, it's easy to see why. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

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Queen – A Kind Of Magic (1986)

2009-10-12T19:06:32Z

Queen – A Kind Of Magic (1986)


1 	One Vision	5:11
2 	A Kind Of Magic	4:25
3 	One Year Of Love	4:27
4 	Pain Is So Close To Pleasure	4:22
5 	Friends Will Be Friends	4:08
6 	Who Wants To Live Forever	5:17
7 	Gimme The Prize (Kurgan's Theme)	4:35
8 	Don't Lose Your Head	4:38
9 	Princes Of The Universe	3:33
	Extra Magical Ingredients
10 	A Kind Of 'A Kind Of Magic'	3:38
11 	Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends...	5:58
12 	Forever		3:21

Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Guitar [Occasional] – John Deacon
Drums, Vocals [Occasional], Keyboards – Roger Taylor
Guitar, Vocals [Occasional], Keyboards – Brian May
Keyboards [Computer] – BBC B, UMI 
Keyboards [Extra] – Spike Edney
Vocals, Keyboards – Freddie Mercury
+
Saxophone – Steve Gregory
The National Philharmonic Orchestra
Vocals [Incidental] – Joan Armatrading

By the release of 1986's A Kind of Magic, Queen's stature as a prominent rock band in the U.S. had slipped considerably, while in all other parts of the world (especially Europe), they remained superstar hitmakers. A Kind of Magic was their biggest album yet in England, where it reached number one, remained on the charts for 63 weeks, and spawned several hit singles -- the epic title track, the tuneful pop/rocker "Friends Will Be Friends," and one of their most haunting ballads, "Who Wants to Live Forever" (also included was the Live Aid-inspired hit anthem "One Vision," which was originally released as a single in 1985). Most of the songs were written for the movie Highlander -- "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)," "Princes of the Universe," the aforementioned "Who Wants to Live Forever," etc. -- but instead of issuing just a movie soundtrack, the band added a few non-movie tracks and made an official Queen release out of it. It may not have been as cohesive as some of their other albums, but A Kind of Magic was their best work in some time. Queen would embark on a sold-out tour of outdoor stadiums in Europe upon the album's release, which would sadly turn out to be their final tour. ---Greg Prato, AllMusic Review

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Queen – A Night At The Opera (1975)

2009-10-12T19:11:28Z

Queen – A Night At The Opera (1975)


1. "Death on Two Legs" (Mercury) – 3:43 
2. "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" (Mercury) – 1:07 
3. "I'm in Love with My Car" (Taylor) – 3:05 
4. "You're My Best Friend" (Deacon) – 2:50 
5. "'39" (May) – 3:31 
6. "Sweet Lady" (May) – 4:03 
7. "Seaside Rendezvous" (Mercury) – 2:15 
8. "The Prophet's Song" (May) – 8:20 
9. "Love of My Life" (Mercury) – 3:34 
10. "Good Company" (May) – 3:17 
11. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Mercury) – 5:55 
12. "God Save the Queen" (arr: May) – 1:12

Bass – John Deacon
Guitar – Brian May
Percussion – Roger Taylor
Vocals, Piano [Bechstein Debauchery] – Freddie Mercury

Queen were straining at the boundaries of hard rock and heavy metal on Sheer Heart Attack, but they broke down all the barricades on A Night at the Opera, a self-consciously ridiculous and overblown hard rock masterpiece. Using the multi-layered guitars of its predecessor as a foundation, A Night at the Opera encompasses metal ("Death on Two Legs," "Sweet Lady"), pop (the lovely, shimmering "You're My Best Friend"), campy British music hall ("Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon," "Seaside Rendezvous"), and mystical prog rock ("'39," "The Prophet's Song"), eventually bringing it all together on the pseudo-operatic "Bohemian Rhapsody." In short, it's a lot like Queen's own version of Led Zeppelin IV, but where Zep find dark menace in bombast, Queen celebrate their own pomposity. No one in the band takes anything too seriously, otherwise the arrangements wouldn't be as ludicrously exaggerated as they are. But the appeal -- and the influence -- of A Night at the Opera is in its detailed, meticulous productions. It's prog rock with a sense of humor as well as dynamics, and Queen never bettered their approach anywhere else. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

Wiadomo, o tej płycie napisano właściwie wszystko. Wiadomo, ta płyta jest genialna. Bo jest tu Bohemian Rhapsody. Nie było wcześniej i później utworu w tak w spójny sposób łączącego rock, operę, orkiestrową aranżację (wyczarowaną jedynie z pomocą gitary), dźwięki fortepianu i głos wokalisty. O Bohemian Rhapsody już tu nie będzie. Ilość sprzedanych singli z tą „piosenką” i ilość radiowych prezentacji mówić muszą same za siebie.

Problem z A Night At The Opera polega na tym, że poza tym niezwykłym utworem jest jeszcze dziesięć innych wspaniałych kawałków. O jedenastym nie wspominam, gdyż God Save The Queen, hymn Wielkiej Brytanii, powstał na długo przed tym, nim Mercury i spółka umieścili swoją wersję na płycie. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...) – z wstępem jak z zaświatów, zestawieniem ostrej gitary i delikatnego fortepianu oraz pełnym zawziętości głosem Mercury’ego na dodatek. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon – żart muzyczny z odpowiednio spreparowanym śpiewem. I’m In Love With My Car – hardrockowy wyraz taylorowskiej miłości do samochodów. You’re My Best Friend i ’39 – dwie ballady, w których pobrzmiewa coś ze starych, dobrych beatlesowskich czasów. Sweet Lady – ostra, rockowa jazda, a zaraz potem pastisz a la lata dwudzieste – Seaside Rendezvous. No i The Prophet’s Song, zbyt trudny, by umieścić go na singlu, by grać go w radiu. Niewiele ustępujący Cygańskiej rapsodii. Pogmatwany rytm, zaskakujące zmiany melodyczne, nieoczekiwane modulacje harmonii. Mało? Jest tam też rozpisana na głosy, niezwykła, dwuminutowa partia zaśpiewana a cappella, zakończona niezłym gitarowym wymiataniem. Czapki z głów. A to nie wszystko, bo przecież na płycie jest jeszcze Love Of My Life – najcudniejsza ballada świata. Dobrze, jedna z najcudniejszych. A potem już tylko Bohemian Rhapsody, poprzedzone Good Company w stylu Paula McCartneya. Miało już nie być o Bohemian Rhapsody, ale... Piętnaście lat temu, niemal nazajutrz po śmierci Mercury’ego, napisałem, że to jedno z najbardziej niesamowitych nagrań ostatnich stu lat. Nic się nie zmieniło... ---Grzesiek Kszczotek, terazmuzyka.pl

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