Another band and album that had a great impression on me as a young-un. This album didn’t do a whole bunch chart-wise, but I loved it and still do! Mainly due to the brilliance of Brian May and his use of the WEM Copycat. A delay and echo device that would become a huge part of the Queen sound. It gets its first airing on opening track and first single, Keep Yourself Alive. Again, it did nothing in the charts but what a killer song with a great melody and lots of Brian.
Doing All Right follows, and starts as a very laid back piece with Freddie doing his thing then, BAM that freaking awesome riff and groove just nail you to the wall. Great King Rat is Queen’s first attempt at the big operatic (at least theme wise) song that would serve them well in future endeavours. Even though Brian’s guitar rips you a new one right from the off it’s Freddie’s vocals and lyrics that run this one, and the time and groove change in the middle is killer. My Fairy King closes out Side 1 and what an awesome opening with Roger really hitting that high note. It’s the rhythm and groove change that really get me on this tune, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a really impressive set of tunes.
Side 2 kicks in with Liar, featuring Roger’s phased drums and a very 70’s heavy riff from Brian. The song doesn’t do it for me but they are the kings of the instrumental middle section and this one’s a doozy. The Night Comes Down is the weakest song on the album. I don’t really care for the hook and chorus, but Brian’s echo guitar is cool. Roger gets his chance to sing with Modern Times Rock N’ Roll, and it’s my favourite on the album. A big riff driven beast of a tune with a killer vocal from Roger. You have to admit that Roger sings the rockier tunes better than Freddie.
Sons And Daughter is a heavied up blues riff with a great vocal from Freddie. The very medieval sounding Jesus closes out the album, or does it? As the short instrumental piece Seven Seas Of Rhye follows. They would later expand and release this track on Queen 2 and it would become their first hit single. Side 1 is killer and Side 2 is more filler. The production is not the best as the drums sound flat, but I still love it.
8.5/10 from The Grooveman.
