Tag: queen band

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.

Another album from my early teenage years that had a big impact on me. After hearing the single, Seven Seas Of Rhye, I was hooked – mainly due to the amazing guitar of Brian May. I think you can trace back my infatuation with all things guitar, to Brian and Ritchie Blackmore – and a bit later on with Zal Cleminson. The pure majestic sounds that Brian coaxed out of his homemade guitar, was mind blowing to a young (and very impressionable) me. Of course, Freddie was this larger than life character with this incredible voice. Watching them on Top Of The Pops was life changing for me.

This album is split into Side White, which is predominantly all Brian songs, and Side Black, which is all Freddie. It’s very noticeable on this record that the pop leanings of future Queen releases had not yet made an appearance, and the overall vibe of this record is part Prog and part hard rock. The mix of the two is present in the opening track, Father To Son, which is perfect Queen for this time in their career (and Brian does let rip on this track). White Queen on the other hand is a very progressive sounding track, and you get the feel as though the original idea behind this album was for it to be a concept piece. Some Day One Day has the same feel, except it has an added folk medieval vibe. Loser In The End is Roger Taylor’s contribution to proceedings. It’s a very odd sounding piece, even though I do love Rogers voice.

Side Black is a much more heavy affair, and the opening track, Ogre Battle, is one of the best early Queen tracks. You get the first glimpse of those beautiful layered vocal harmonies that the band were famous for, plus this is a showcase for Brian. The brilliance of producer Roy Thomas Baker is at its best on The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke, as the band were using everything in this track – he did well to keep it all together. The rather short piece, Nevermore, follows and is just basically Freddie and a piano. My favourite track on the album, The March Of The Black Queen, follows and is as epic as the band get. The delicious over the top vocal harmonies lead into a very dramatic song, with some great playing from Brian and the WEM Copycat was in full use. One of those tracks that only Queen could get away with is next with Funny How Love Is. It has the full Phil Spector treatment. Seven Seas Of Rhye closes out the record, and to me, is just awesome!

I lost interest after A Night At The Opera as it all became a bit too soap opera and cheesy for me.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.