QUEEN SURVIVOR: Results - Innuendo wins!
- Thread starter Mosh
- Start date
Meant to vote for Son And Daughter as well.
Add please, if it matters.
Nice reviews Mosh. Captures a lot of my thoughts as well.
I've never spent much time listening to either of these albums, but I enjoy both.
They've got such a great sound and you hear all those elements, that unique mix of talent and influences and interplay that made Queen so special. Keep Yourself Alive and Seven Seas are the only times we see them wrapped in the tight, infectious packages that what make them the giant hit makers they became, but each album is an interesting journey from start to finish.
Add please, if it matters.
Nice reviews Mosh. Captures a lot of my thoughts as well.
I've never spent much time listening to either of these albums, but I enjoy both.
They've got such a great sound and you hear all those elements, that unique mix of talent and influences and interplay that made Queen so special. Keep Yourself Alive and Seven Seas are the only times we see them wrapped in the tight, infectious packages that what make them the giant hit makers they became, but each album is an interesting journey from start to finish.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
Doing Alright, Great King Rat, Modern Times RNR, Son and Daughter, Master Stroke, Nevermore
EDIT: Since we are allowed to change votes now, I threw in a vote for Keep Yourself Alive, too. Don't get me wrong, it's a good and catchy song and I really like the chorus, but I feel weird listening to it. Maybe it's the lyrics, maybe I've overplayed it in the past, I don't know.
EDIT: Since we are allowed to change votes now, I threw in a vote for Keep Yourself Alive, too. Don't get me wrong, it's a good and catchy song and I really like the chorus, but I feel weird listening to it. Maybe it's the lyrics, maybe I've overplayed it in the past, I don't know.
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I'm surprised Keep Yourself Alive wasn't a hit right off the bat for them. Great hooks, tight composition, nice twists, and those layered vocals and guitar orchestrations that made Queen what they were. Probably my favourite off the debut.
Doing Alright has some tasty guitar licks adding to the delicate atmosphere of the intro, and interesting change-ups. The early part is so light and clean and Brian's rhythm guitar sounds so raw and full when it cuts in. It's a song that never really sticks with me, but I regret voting for it over some others I didn't like as much on re-listen.
The juxtaposition of the breathless, Bolero-esque rhythms, Freddy's delivery of some poignant melodies and Brian's tasty accents — the gritty rhythm guitar and the way the solo contrast different tones — make Great King Rat another of my favourites from I. A great early example of how Queen could leap through shifting tempos without ever sacrificing melody.
The first section of My Fairy King is a little too honky tonk, but it quickly gets flighty — a touch too flighty for me. I love the uptempo piano build near the end, which should have continued. It should get annoying, but it never does and it never gets boring. I don't mind the song, but I'd still have to call it a miss.
With that intro riff and rhythm, Liar could be an early '70s stomper, like something off the Rush debut, but it just isn't produced that way. It's fine, with a nice solo, but I don't find the melodies all that appealing. Unlike Rat, this one lurches through its changes and seems kind of forced.
Cool acoustic guitar run in the intro, but I'll take the Judas Priest Night Comes Down every time. This one fails to find a cohesive structure in its prog trappings and lacks emotional resonance.
Modern Times Rock in Roll, rocks but doesn't offer much else. Roger needs to work on his diction.
Another '70s stomper that actually embraces that identity, Son And Daughter is kinda tedious. The chorused vocals seem forced and are wasted here.
Jesus is the first time that Freddie's music hall/Broadway tendencies start to emerge. I like the dramatic delivery, the earwormy chorus and psychedelic feel of the instrumental section, even though the latter overstays its welcome a bit.
Doing Alright has some tasty guitar licks adding to the delicate atmosphere of the intro, and interesting change-ups. The early part is so light and clean and Brian's rhythm guitar sounds so raw and full when it cuts in. It's a song that never really sticks with me, but I regret voting for it over some others I didn't like as much on re-listen.
The juxtaposition of the breathless, Bolero-esque rhythms, Freddy's delivery of some poignant melodies and Brian's tasty accents — the gritty rhythm guitar and the way the solo contrast different tones — make Great King Rat another of my favourites from I. A great early example of how Queen could leap through shifting tempos without ever sacrificing melody.
The first section of My Fairy King is a little too honky tonk, but it quickly gets flighty — a touch too flighty for me. I love the uptempo piano build near the end, which should have continued. It should get annoying, but it never does and it never gets boring. I don't mind the song, but I'd still have to call it a miss.
With that intro riff and rhythm, Liar could be an early '70s stomper, like something off the Rush debut, but it just isn't produced that way. It's fine, with a nice solo, but I don't find the melodies all that appealing. Unlike Rat, this one lurches through its changes and seems kind of forced.
Cool acoustic guitar run in the intro, but I'll take the Judas Priest Night Comes Down every time. This one fails to find a cohesive structure in its prog trappings and lacks emotional resonance.
Modern Times Rock in Roll, rocks but doesn't offer much else. Roger needs to work on his diction.
Another '70s stomper that actually embraces that identity, Son And Daughter is kinda tedious. The chorused vocals seem forced and are wasted here.
Jesus is the first time that Freddie's music hall/Broadway tendencies start to emerge. I like the dramatic delivery, the earwormy chorus and psychedelic feel of the instrumental section, even though the latter overstays its welcome a bit.
I know II is held in high esteem - a cult favourite at least and an out-and-out great album for some.
I think it's overrated.
Separating it into a Brian side and a Freddy side merely reinforced why neither was nearly as good without the other.
The white side is too considered, too pedantic, too self-important.
The black side is too cacaphonic, too busy, dare I say too mercurial?
It's less hit-and-miss than the debut, but I don't think any song completely hits the mark, not even the much-lauded Ogre and Black Queen - those two along with Feller and Rhye are my personal favourites.
I think it's overrated.
Separating it into a Brian side and a Freddy side merely reinforced why neither was nearly as good without the other.
The white side is too considered, too pedantic, too self-important.
The black side is too cacaphonic, too busy, dare I say too mercurial?
It's less hit-and-miss than the debut, but I don't think any song completely hits the mark, not even the much-lauded Ogre and Black Queen - those two along with Feller and Rhye are my personal favourites.
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As someone who is a big fan of Queen II, I disagree with you, but understand what you mean. Queen II is a fascinating document of a band that is still finding itself. When the debut came out, the band was dissatisfied, because it had taken almost a year from recording to release, and they had significantly evolved since then. Hence, they did not feel it properly represented them and their style anymore. Like many debuts, it was a collection of songs that had been developed and refined over several years, tried and tested live, and thus the album seems comparatively tight and structured. Queen II is a mess. But that, I think, is what is so great about it. You can hear so many brilliant ideas that are not yet dealt with in the disciplined manner of a professional recording artist. On the one hand, it makes you wonder what would have happened had they decided to further explore a certain set of ideas or continued on this or that avenue. On the other hand, you can hear masterpieces in the making. What is March of the Black Queen if not an embryonic version of Bohemian Rhapsody? This song deserves much more attention as a document of the development of musical ideas. Freddie reportedly had been working on Bohemian Rhapsody since the late sixties, and I think this is the first time he tried to shape his ideas into a coherent song. It is certainly not as coherent, refined and composed as Bohemian Rhapsody, but it's a remarkable glimpse into the mind of a genius nevertheless.
I think your remark about the Brian and Freddie sides is true to a certain extent. It presents both songwriters as distinct individuals, and it probably does help to appreciate their later combined efforts, although both remained prolific songwriters of their own. Many of Queen's most enduring classics were written by only one of the two (or neither). Again, this presentation of the album allows for a unique glimpse into the development of the band. I guess it boils down to whether this is what you want to appreciate in a song or an album or not. Generally speaking, I probably wouldn't care enough for it. But in the case of Queen, investigating and exploring the individual threads is just as fascinating as admiring the whole tapestry. I think this is why Queen II is so popular and admired among fans.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
I agree that II is a mess (especially the second side) though I still like it more than the debut. Let's say, if the debut was half-baked, this one is already two-thirds or three-quarters baked and closer to the sound of Queen as I like it and love it. The two sides of II used to bother me as well - the first being way too sterile while the second attempting this sort-of Absolutely Free mishmash of good ideas put together in a slightly schizophrenic way (similar to My Fairy King from the debut, actually), but after listening to the album for nearly a decade now, I think I actually already got used to it. I usually like the Taylor songs, but Loser is not my particular favourite. Also, I can't stand Funny How Love Is - the track's ridiculously annoying, IMHO, and March should not have sequed into it. Father to Son reminds me a lot of the Who, for some reason. Ogre Battle is a kickass hard rock tune, possible one of their heaviest, though I might remember this incorrectly.
For the record, I actually prefer March to Rhapsody (though possibly also A Prophet's Song to both) - although the Rhapsody's a bigger classic and probably even better from the compositional point of view, I get more kicks from its predecessor - more ideas speaking directly to my heart. The vocal switch is really cool, since their voices contrast nicely. Also, that "subdued" section before and about the sixth minute definitely sounds like Freddie preparing for BR, IMHO.
Oh, and I remember reading somewhere II's actually May's favourite Queen record or something.
For the record, I actually prefer March to Rhapsody (though possibly also A Prophet's Song to both) - although the Rhapsody's a bigger classic and probably even better from the compositional point of view, I get more kicks from its predecessor - more ideas speaking directly to my heart. The vocal switch is really cool, since their voices contrast nicely. Also, that "subdued" section before and about the sixth minute definitely sounds like Freddie preparing for BR, IMHO.
Oh, and I remember reading somewhere II's actually May's favourite Queen record or something.
frus
Barbed Wire Hen
@JudasMyGuide
Father to Son totally has a Tommy Overture vibe and there is no doubt Black Queen is an embryonic, inferior Rhapsody.
Another to consider: side Black has a touch of Abbey Road in it, thus Funny.
I also hear a predecessor of 2112.
@Perun
Well-said. I do like the album and I can't disagree with anything there.
It's definitely interesting.
Father to Son totally has a Tommy Overture vibe and there is no doubt Black Queen is an embryonic, inferior Rhapsody.
Another to consider: side Black has a touch of Abbey Road in it, thus Funny.
I also hear a predecessor of 2112.
@Perun
Well-said. I do like the album and I can't disagree with anything there.
It's definitely interesting.
I will comment on this more when I get home, but I agree with both mckindog and perun. Queen II is a mess but I like that. I also appreciate albums with a clear duality between the sides or discs. Good call on Absolutely Free, Judas. Very similar setup although the two sides were both written by Zappa.
It's true that there is no clear standout song like there is with Queen I, but I find the album as a whole a more rewarding listen.
It's true that there is no clear standout song like there is with Queen I, but I find the album as a whole a more rewarding listen.
Cornfed Hick
Ancient Mariner
I agree with this. "White Queen" is one of my favorite Queen tracks, ever. A perfect representation of the band at that point in time. Live version from Hammersmith is awesome too.
Cornfed Hick
Ancient Mariner
Wrong. See post above.
OK I need to check out these live DVDs.