Reviews (page 10 of 14)
This was a mediocre Queen album. Freddy Mercury is a legend but nothing stood out on this album like others. Still not bad but not memorable.
Love queen not my favorite album
Up and down but some nice guitar work
I like Queen, and I like this album. Sadly, I don't love it.
Listening to early Queen is interesting. This obviously predates their "signature" Queen sound heard later in the 70's, but the artiness is already there. There are hints of The Who and Led Zeppelin in here, but the group was the first to admit this. What set Queen apart during this time were their guitar arrangements (thanks to Brian May), and their desire to be unique, blending hard rock with art rock elements. Their signature uses of multi-layered overdubs and harmonious vocals also appear to debut here. This album has two pretty distinctive sides to it, the first of which ("Side White") being more guitar-focused and a heavier sound. The second side ("Side Black") fully leans into a more fantastical aspect with Freddie Mercury shining here. You've got a kingdom named Rhye and ogre battles galore! Listeners could honestly treat this as two separate short albums as a result. I've been plenty exposed to Queen during my youth, but this album specifically was never one that crossed my path. You can definitely hear the group refining their sounds and finding their feet here. I thought it was a little inconsistent for my tastes, but the best was yet to come of course.
This was cute. This record doesn’t have the hits. But you really can hear their style solidify. It’s not for me, but it’s well made. 3/5
65.45%
Great instumentation, but missing the big hits.
NGL, I've heard enough Queen in my life from classic rock radio. It's not that it's bad, it's that I heard Freddie Mercury's voice daily until 2009, which was when I finally stopped listening to terrestrial radio for good.
Love it. Wel altijd erg dramatisch en vind dat irritant aan Queen. Daarom maar drie sterren. Wel leuk dat Brian May af en toe zong.
To be honest, I didn’t find this album as irritating as I expected, especially considering I’m not a big Queen fan. I’ve never really sat down with any of their albums from start to finish, mainly because my opinion of them is shaped by their overly-played, grating anthem hits. Thankfully, this album didn’t feature any of those overplayed tracks. However, I could definitely sense some early signs of the elements that would eventually evolve into those hits. But for what it is, Queen II came across as a bit better than I initially thought.
Charmingly weird with unsurprisingly great guitar
Didn't care for the heavier elements. Felt more cookie-cutter than anything. I'm assuming there's more Queen on the list and I enjoy their vocal style, so I'm hoping to enjoy the other albums more.
Good
Not bad, not great either. Man, Freddie can sing, but the rest of this feels like early Genesis or Rush.
I think I'm going to need a second listen.
I don't really like Queen and this is an album with almost 0 hits. I do like some songs from later in their discography. This album does not much for me.
Seven Seas Of Rhye is een ongelooflijk top lied. Ogre Battle heeft een coole titel en is op zich niet slecht. De rest is meh. 2.8
An early queen album, definitely before they really nailed down their sound. There are a few flashes of greatness here but overall only decent.
You can hear that they are still discovering their sound. i neither like it or dislike it. bit too traditional rock for me
Didint expect it so mediocre
Fredagstråd! Altid sjovt at høre gammelt Queen fordi det meste af pladen lyder overraskende "normal". Men generelt godt og et par kæmpe bangers (som også er de mere skøre numre)
Pretty good never got into queen but I enjoy prog and you can hear some of that. The classic queen sound came thru at parts.
So viel Hoffnung in dieses Album gelegt, aber das war nun wirklich nicht ihre beste Musik :/ 3/5
nicht mein lieblings queen album, aber trotzdem gute musik
Pretty good for an early work, of one of the most iconic bands.
Pretty boring nothing particularly stands out
# 325 : They've done a pretty decent job, Discovering albums like this are what this project is all about. Somehow never heard any of these songs but liked it. Definitely a more classic hard rock sound than some of their later more famous stuff. I wouldn't spend my hard earned on this, but I'd listen to someone else's copy again ;-) Favourite Tune : Seven Seas Of Rhye
Really good, difficult to dislike queen
Not their greatest album but Queen still delivers a solid performance. Songs are theatrical, well produced, well played, but not as ambitious as other later work. I suppose the album felt a bit flat and unremarkable.
Enjoyable listen but nothing jumped out and grabbed me.
Cover art is cool I geuss
Operatic and lots of fun. No major hits, but q good listen.
As far as Queen albums go, this was less bombastic and over the top than I hoped. Not a bad album, but I expected more. I can see why music historians consider this important, but it doesn't hold a candle to their later albums.
Queen II is a fun listen and I appreciate all of the sounds they experimented with in the album. 3/5 because I enjoy listening to Queen on occasion, but I don’t think this one will get a lot of relistens.
Classic, but not really my cup of tea. Can appreciate the quality, though.
Oh great, yet another British rock band. Kidding! I really feel bad because I did not come into this list thinking these posts would turn into Anti-British music creation so I must stress that I have nothing against any of these bands as people or as they pursued their dreams of fame. My Ogre Battle is with this list and the Fairy Feller's who thought their Master-Stroke was to limit themselves to such a narrow grouping of music when they should have been scanning the entire Seven Seas (of Rhye) to find music that the world needs to hear. Some Day One Day this list could be edited and transformed, most likely due to all the submissions listeners will add to this list so the Loser in the End will be the people behind this list who can no longer justify the inclusion of some of these as we cry out "Nevermore"! Funny How Love Is sometimes. But back to our Black/White Queens here as they March through their second album. As It Began I immediately noticed this being of their more folksy qualities but you can hear many hints at their hard rock future.
no hits ?
Would like their good stuff
Not bad but I had much higher expectations for the Queen
This is fine. I love Queen’s hits as much as anyone else, but this album kind of dragged for me. I feel like Queen shines with its structured pop hits. Whereas all the songs in this album kind of glob together.
7/10…Classic Rock / Glam Rock
I really wish I liked Queen, but it never hits the mark for me - 3/5 Every song on this album sounded the same to me, and while it wasn’t anything offensive, it wasn’t particularly riveting either - I think this is because in the UK before you can even talk, you have listened to Queen some way or another. As soon as I hear the vocal harmonies I think of an Iceland Christmas advert or singing in assembly. Reviewed 05/09/2024
Good album, but I didn't quite enjoy it as much as Sheer Heart Attack. Sometimes I forget just how heavy and proggy early Queen is, I love it. But I found that very little of this stuck with me.
Equally odd compared to the last time I listened to this ... it was the late 1980s.
Very different than what I expected. More of a rock sound.
Classic Queen. No big hits on here that I knew, but it is distinctive Queen sound. Maybe a bit too heavy for me - real 70’s glam rock vibe.
You’ve gotta be in a special mood to throw this album on…few songs are bad and many are good. But listening to the entire album is a chore.
There should be a 2 album per band limit and I don’t think Queen II cracks the top 2 for Queen
Less dramatic, less operatic and camp than the usual Queen. Listenable - some good guitar work. Mostly 'meh.
Not my favourite work of Queen. Ogre Battle sure was something.
No es uno de mis favoritos de Queen, pero tiene joyitas, como todos.
Not as good as I was expecting :(
I understand the appeal (I guess), and the album is maximalist in every way. Orchestral, solos, songs about ogres and magic, whatever. But I find it way too corny to be enjoyable.
Glammy, arty, proggy, fantastical. Some crazy arrangements and strong playing. Lyrics about queens and ogres and shit. Harmonies galore - vocal, guitar, you name it! No doubt that these guys are insane musicians and talented and clever songwriters. I can respect it more than I really enjoy it. For all the styles they cover and twists and turns they make, it’s a pretty cohesive album. Not many songs stand out here, which can be a good thing for the album sake but also makes little pop for me to want to revisit. Overall it’s fine - enjoyable listen but not something I’ll go back to much.
Hmmm. I don’t recognize any one of these songs by title. Very curious now. Nothing memorable. I suppose you could hear the potential they had. This record had some corny lyrical themes.
Not bad, but missing a single.
This was better than I thought!
Good, kinda funky
I did not expect to be underwhelmed by a Queen album, but it's still quite an explosive and fun early effort.
Not as good as I expected. There were a couple songs that hit harder than expected which was nice but most of it was forgettable. Seven Seas of Rye was the only standout that sounded like the Queen I am used to. I’m sure some of the sounds on here were new and exciting in 1974 but they did it all better later.
Queen is just classical music in the best way. That being said it’s just not very captivating to me.
Never been a fan. I think it goes back to the guitar tone. It's just everywhere. It cuts through to the point of almost feels like it belongs in another band altogether. If you remove that you have a pretty proggy band. Maybe that's the point. In the end - I just don't really care about the various queens and ogres that populate this album.
weaker than other queen albums strong 3 69
Enjoyed this album. My first Queen album all the way through. Father to Son was a stand out.
There were a few songs that I enjoyed, namely White Queen, The March of the Black Queen, and Seven Seas of Rhye. I've never been overly infatuated with Queen, and that thought still stands. It was completely fine, wasn't great, wasn't bad.
These guys were so amazing, right out of the box. This album suffers from the same conundrum as Help! It's amazing but is almost impossible to fairly judge because, from here, it stands in the shadows of the legends that follow.
Can I shock you? I’ve never really got Queen. It’s all just a bit cheesy. They’ve got some bangers don’t get me wrong, I’ll shake my arse to Fat Bottom Girls all night long. But I can’t imagine they have strength and depth in the deep cuts. Don’t think they will ever trouble the 1s and 2s, but can’t really give this any more than a 3, it was fine. Simpsons: Yes
It was alright, solid 3 stars. Nothing on this album was as good as any of their big well known songs.
it was ok, didn't love it but didn't hate it
I liked it. 3.5
Alright.
Very nice cohesive album where the sum is better than the parts. 3.5/5
Does not need to be here, it's fine
Populist classic prog, which, as a poptimist who never really had a classic prog phase in her youth, I’m fine with. But it’s still prog — and indistinct prog, at that. It’s just kind of…there, and while Queen oozes talent, they never put it all together. There’s no truly transcendent moment on Queen II, and that results in a bland record that completely washes over me. But at least it’s not so over the top that I’m annoyed. I’ll never revisit this again, though.
I've never enjoyed Queen in the round, only in singles and bursts. This is good, and has interesting songs but it didn't grip me.
before Queen became who they really were. more prog rock and less poppy arena rock that would make them famous.
It's on my radar now as a cult album—gothic, theatrical, and totally over the top. I’ll need more time with it before it becomes a favorite, but I can already hear the seeds of Queen’s madness in full bloom.
No no. These Queens had some growing up to do yet. At this point we were not hearing fully formed Queens. These were merely princesses.
I respect Queen for what they did and it was fun to hear something else than the same hit singles for once, but this band just fails to click with me.
Queen certainly has its place here, but I always find them a tad overrated. Pretty good nonetheless.
As usual with a Queen album that is not a "greatest hits", there are fillers and songs I don't care about. Still a great powerful sound overall, tho. Legendary band, no matter what.
This one was interesting....thought I'd know every song but not at all! Sounded like freddy wasnt the only one singing too, I liked it! Not my most favorite of Queen songs but i like how they mixed it up
3.75
It's definitely Queen, but it's missing that last little bit of Queen factor to reaally be Queen. 3/5
Relatively tame for Queen, but it's still Queen so a solid 3.5 at least
Not the best Queen has to offer, but still Queen.
I initially gave this a light 3.5 when I first heard it, but I’ve heard it a few more times since then and it’s lowered in my estimation every time. Other than “Seven Seas of Rhye”, side B is verrrrry trying for me. Honestly, my favorite song on the record is Roger Taylor’s “The Loser in the End”. I get why a lot of people really dig it, but this could be my least favorite of their 70’s output. 3/5
Freddie Mercury: best voice in all Rock? There’s a growing consensus online that there’s a good argument for that. Not sure I’m there, but agree he’s definitely in the 🐐discussion. Queen on their sophomore release here is clearly still figuring out there sound. The album is quirky: they sound like T. Rex on “The Loser”. I know it’s Roger and not Freddie on lead vocals, but I still had to check my phone and make sure I was still playing the same album, no joke. You do get a sense of what they’ll become (“Classic Queen”) by the mid/late seventies on the second half of the album. More “operatic,” with some touches of Heavy Metal. I appreciate this start, even if I didn’t wholly love it. More than anything it makes me miss the era of music where a band had the opportunity to release an album or three without the demand for it to be a commercial success, with some nomadic touring to help define their sound and build an audience. A lost art in our modern era where record labels outsource this to TikTok 🙄🙄🙄
Do they save the best 100 until the end. I’ve had the Beatles, Radiohead, Elton John , Rolling Stones and now Queen this week. However this is not their finest. Bombastic to say the least.
"Oh My God! Why isn't this at the top of every music list ever made? This album is astonoshing. It's massive hit, after masive hit!! It's almost like it's a Greates ... " ... CLANG This was the moment the penny finally dropped and I realised I'd fallen into the age old trap of Alexa playing whatever the hell she feels like. I had in fact been listening to Queen's Greatest Hits Volume 2. I mean it says a lot that Volume 2 manages to have banger after banger. Volume 1 must be sensational. This album? It was OK. Truth be told I've always found Queen a little bit itrritating. The band finding on their way to finiding their iconic sound.
From Father to Son rocked, the instrumentals were great Love how the songs transition from one to another Ogre battle was good Rest of the album felt like regular queen, it was okay - I did like the transition between songs being mostly seamless I'm still not the biggest fan of Queen, but I'd give this a 3.5 if I could
3.5/5
ja weer niet een heel top album
Ken deze niet Zal wel 1 van de 10000 albums van Queen zijn in deze lijst Wel prima
sooo this album is good but surely this shouldn't be put on this list over say A Night at the Opera?? or The Game??
Solid but not my fav.
IT WAS OK
3.5. nothing wrong with it, just too many renn faire 60s albums already
I didn't know any of the songs on this album but it was still pretty good. Definitely can see how some say it's their hardest rocking album.
First time listen to this one, not the best but good
Second side is better than the first. Good record, but doesn't come close to their best.
Very pleasant and fun but not a hook in the whole album.
This is super weird. Has some of the vibes that Genesis had back in the early days when all their songs were about fairies and gnomes and stuff, not super accessible to a modern ear but if you stick with it you start to hear the blueprint Bohemian Rhapsody rattling around in there. Still better than average, and with a few more listens I might warm up even more.
This seems to be the point at which Queen were figuring out who they would be. There is a glimpse of what could have been had they continued on a journey of copying the Who and Led Zeppelin, as the first half of the album clearly does. There’s also a glimpse of the eccentric creativity of their quintessential years in the fantasy laden suite that is the second half of the album. The foundations of what would become Bohemian Rhapsody are clearly present in Ogre Battle and The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke. It’s an interesting album to hear a band finding itself and there are enough mini-hooks to keep you coming back for more. It’s also a lot more endearing to hear Queen not knowing they are Queen yet.
Queen is hands down the most overrated band in history. They wrote one true badass song and three of the most marketable tunes in R&R history amd are able to ride those laurels. This record here, "II" was revolutionary in 1968, too bad it was released in 74', a year in which it may cracks the top 100 albums produced. This band was great the first time I heard them, when they were called Led Zepplin. Seriously if Queen or AC/DC or KISS are in your top 20 you're basic AF
Of all of the Queen albums this makes the list. Average album at best. Even watching documentaries on Queen they would admit this is not there best work
I was really surprised by this album because it kind of sounded like a bunch of Led Zeppelin's dorky, Hobbit-inspired b-sides. Which is a huge compliment lol
This reminds me of Queen meets Rush!
If you only know the Queen songs from the radio or greatest hits albums then there’s a lot you don’t know. Sometimes you’re really missing out on a treasure. Sometimes it’s an epic about fighting orcs.
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
The album is okay. I don't know really. For 1974, it sounds very clean and smooth. The lyrics, I felt I was listening to some video game explanation. The music is fine, guitars especially. All in all, it's a nice Queen album, but because of their fame, I expected more tbh
It reminded me of David Bowie
Queen when they were just a bit dull, rather than dull, over-blown and pompous. 2 stars, but "Seven Seas of Rhye" absolutely slaps so they can have a rounded 2.6/5
Bombastic and a bit silly, but quite entertaining
Passabler Rock. Werde ich dennoch nicht noch einmal hören
For a band I quite enjoy, and previously would have listed as a favourite, this was not the vibe
Meh, generational talent but not my cup of tea, one or two good songs but that's it.
This rocks. That is all.
3 1/2 Tasaisen kova.
As a fan of prog and Queens hits, I should love it! However, I feel like the dynamic range of Queens pop hits is lacking here. So is the adventurous writing of the prog greats. The album lacks dramaturgical developement and sadly ends up sounding just like most stuff in the early 70s — straight grooves, standarized guitar playing and lyrically focused vocals. I don't really dislike any of these things. However, it just seems disapointing when Queen is doing something more prog-like. The sad thing is that parts of the album is brilliant. Father and Son, Ogre Battle, and Seven Seas of Rhye are all great. Funny How love is and Some day One day are also beautiful at times. But this is also where they try to explore things that separate them from other rockers of the time. Sadly most of this album is relying to heavy on rock tropes that were already explored before this record. Queen did the tropes well, but the album ends up feeling very «meh».
I hadn’t heard most of these Queen songs and I was kind of excited to discover them. And they sound like Queen, good musicality, good vocals, but very little memorability sadly. Guess there’s a reason why most of these weren’t hits.
Never spun this before, seems quite the rarity. Not full of hits like some of their others, but still a good listen.
This was my first listen to this album and it was one of the few where I didn't know at least one song. It has some of the quintessential Queen moments; changes in tempo, layered vocal harmonies and a penchant for the dramatic, though none of the songs were memorable enough to embed themselves in my skull like other classic Queen bangers that would come with later albums. Although it is an intriguing curiosity it is not an album I would readily return to.
It's not the Queen that I personally know well! Guitar is so hardcore in places! Mercury's voice rises above it all and the breakneck transitions that so highlight what Queen was legendary for. Pretty good. Not my fav.
“Queen II” is a very consistently solid Queen album. It also doesn’t have any Queen hits. And nothing that sounds quite worthy of their greatest. Is it just that we know the hits so well? Or are they genuinely special songs that naturally stand out above others? I wonder this often when listening to classic hits on the 1001 in their full context (often for the first time).
It’s got the grandiose-ness of Queen for sure. However, I feel like there is a tendency to cram as much into the sound as possible without critically thinking about what belongs best. For me, this album is mid.
Very different to other queen albums
Ever since my formative years I’ve held the belief that Queen is a singles-only band. This album is a great example of that.
Queen to Bon Jovi to Queen? Worried that I am going to get over-Queened. Half a track in and I am already feeling that this is much Queenier ;). This Queen album is wildly better than Sheer Heart Attack. Crazy that these were put out the same year. This one is loosing steam for me. I liked the album to start and it started to fall off for me.
Nothing memorable; wouldn’t listen again
One of my two favorite queen albums. Not the all thing is consistent but the second half is a prog masterclass from freddie
Probably one of their more forgettable albums, but it’s Queen so you still get an above average listening experience
Really great, perhaps too heavy for my liking, but definitely opened my eyes to some Queen songs I hadn’t initially considered ‘good listens’.
Love the band. Album was okay
Interesting to hear them before they really pinned down the iconic sound. In any case, Freddie Mercury steals it and great instrumentals. I'm sure I'd enjoy other Queen records more, however.
Pretty generic 70s rock album. I was kind of surprised by this given it's Queen. Not bad, but quite forgettable.
Great drums, shredding guitar, classic queen that rocked generations. Songs were like stories. Couldn’t quite hold my attention though
I like everything about this album, except for the songs. Not that they are bad, but they are a little all over the place. Once you get into the groove of the song, they switch up to a completely different part/pattern, and after a while, another song starts. I only had the time to listen to the album 1,5 times, and would perhaps have rated it higher if I had more time to get familiar with the songs. Seven Seas of Rhye is a banger, though.
Definitely a stronger Queen sound - some of the songs were standout but still doesn't have the super strength of their later albums. I enjoyed Black Queen and Ogre Battle a lot -- wonder why all the fantasy imagery so early on?
This is easily their best album tbh
Seems like a baby version of Queen. Not yet at full power.
It was fine but it’s not really the Queen I’m going out of my way to listen to
Loved this album! A look at Queen music that I had never heard before but could see all the pathways that led to the music that I know and love
So many damn ideas and I feel like none of them last long enough. I respect it tho. Probably wouldn’t come back to this one much. I love the over the top guitars but sometimes they drown everything out.
There’s two of them?
The album starts out with an epic intro and I thought I was really in for a treat, but then the real songs come in feeling a little lackluster. The first half I didn't like. But everything after "The Loser In The End" is pure genius and talent. Though I hate that fade out when the drums start going crazy
This is a bit meh.
Another one I listened to with a friend, but this was felt a little more subdued. Would rate it pretty low on the Queen scale, but even a 0 on that is higher that a lot of other bands' best output.
Queen II was an album that honestly, came so close to being great but just missed the mark. The songs on this album were generally pretty fun and had fast and catchy vibes but some of the songs i feel did need a bit more of work done on them. Though thankfully, even when the songs were long, they still managed to be interesting when they were. It is a good album but it just lacks that small spark for it to be great. Best Song: The March of The Black Queen Worst Song: Some Day One Day
3.5 My husband got this album a while ago and, if I recall correctly, described it as just okay with glimpses of what makes Queen so good. I wouldn't say falling short of A Night At the Opera, etc. is mediocre, but I'm certainly biased by knowing what comes after. Side White was fine but Side Black has the operatic quality that I love about Queen. The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke and The March Of The Black Queen are going in the permanent rotation.
I want hear seven seas of rhye with banjo. This album really grew on me as I listened, I think I need to give it another go and see what comes out in future passes
Queen has better, still good.
Not my favorite queen album :/
It's Queen all right -- but not the Queen I know and love.
Nice work!
a little too much, but enjoyable
Correcto.
Below average queen is still great
A different side of Queen than I'm used to! I didn't know a single song off this album; I liked it OK, but it didn't blow me away.
In which Queen goes all out medieval/middle earth fantasy prog rock. Its still got that rock opera thing happening, but this is a slightly more straight-ahead record, a little less over the top. It’s not unwelcome and serves as nice counterpoint to their better-known stuff that we are all more familiar with.
Quite a surprise as a a very casual Queen enjoyer - a much heavier sound than they evolved into later, and the fantasy-inspired second side is also quite cool. I quite like how the dark side doesn't have gaps, it gives it a proggy feel. I didn't LOVE this album but it shows an additional side of their songwriting that probably isn't what made them one of the biggest bands in the world
No conocía ni una sola de las canciones de este disco, pese a su portada tan icónica. Creo que eso influyó a que me gustara más.
You can certainly hear the beginnings of What became came the signature sound of Queen …. Certainly not my favorite album by them, but solid…
Hmm, interesting inclusion. Starts with a medieval "Here Comes the Bride", or it least sounded that way, so could it redeem itself? Their ability to rock is not in question, especially as a live act, and that is in evidence here ("Father to Son"), as is their apparent devotion to the overly-bombastic ("Father to Son"). I guess they were still finding their way. May's guitar tone would become legendary nevertheless and Freddie could hold a tune. Not sure it's aged terribly well (and it's deffo over-produced). Would award **.5 if I could, so I've rounded that up.
Of a time, busy prog rock, concept album, wizards kings and queens, Yes, ELP, Zep, I guess that was the trend. Thick as a Brick made fun of it all. Punk rock smashed it. I like the softer stuff, 'Some Day, One Day'. "The Loser in the End" and "Funny How Love Is" seems from another album. 'Ogre Battle' is a blueprint for some future hits. it is an interesting album from a Queen development perspective. Is it one of 1001 albums you must hear, that's debatable. 3*
Favorite Tracks: The March Of The Black Queen Seven Seas of Rhye Ogre Battle
It's ok but doesn't really hit until Seven Seas of Rhyme. That one's a banger!
L'album si dice sia conosciuto soprattutto per aver riscritto la storia del rock, avendo dato inizio all'Art Rock, un sottogenere del rock psichedelico riconducibile allo stile musicale dei Pink Floyd e dei Led Zeppelin, che perciò deve la sua futura popolarità tra le band britanniche degli Anni Settanta proprio a Queen II. Al momento del suo inserimento nella prestigiosa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame è stato definito un pilastro della storia della musica. Non uno dei migliori album dei Queen, ma uno degli LP che suonavo da giovane appassionato dei Queen.
This album was alright, nothing offensive, but nothing to really grip onto
Being the first of what I'm sure will be many rock albums to come, I want to clarify my current relationship with the genre: I respect it, but it isn't my forte. But who isn't familiar with Queen? I'm happy to say that this album did grow on me, and I'm thankful that I don't have to write a bad review for it, because I got a taste of what that would feel like this morning about half way through my first listen. I'm glad that I decided to re-listen to some of the songs on here at a later time, and furthermore look into the album a bit, because I can now proudly say that I have grown to appreciate it more and that I enjoy a rock album. Well, half of a rock album. One disadvantage of listening to this album in the modern era is that you lose the whole Side A, Side B structure to the album, which apparently, this one relies pretty heavily on. Upon first listen, I noticed that I liked the second half of the album a lot more, starting at Ogre Battle (a bop), and especially into the March of The Black Queen. I realized that the second half was written by Freddie Mercury (the only member of Queen who's name I could tell you), but also, upon further research, I found out that this was the Side B of the vinyl, and that these songs were entitled 'Side Black'. The wiki points out that these tracks lean more into a more fantastical theme versus the first half of the album which is set more in reality, and I must say, this, along with the overall sound puts the second half much above the first, for me. A realization I've had today is that Queen songs can have a LOT going on, and I think the first half really misuses this trait. It just doesn't really work with the rock outfit those first 5 tracks wear. The second half leans more into Queen's iconic flamboyance, and that's where the album truly starts for me. You've got tales of Ogres, Fairies, Black Queens, and even swashbucklers. The final run is just a fun experience, but I think this album overall is a bit peg-legged. I know I'm really drilling what some might consider some great songs, but those first few tracks really don't give the album good feet to stand on. That being said, I can see why this album is not very esteemed amongst the rest of their discography, and the way I had to scroll a good ways down their profile on Apple Music to find a singular track from the album speaks to that. Do I like it? Yes. Do I love it? No. Favorite Track: Ogre Battle - I think Black Queen will grow on me, but man, I just want to hear this one over the speakers opening the second half of a football game this season. I got to reward this one for reviving the album for me. Least Favorite Track: Father to Son - This one kind of symbolizes the entire first half of the album for me. It's so long, the instrumentals are fine but don't really catch my ear, and the words just kind of blend in amongst the music. The kind of song I would maybe enjoy more live. It's just too much going on and not in the way that Bohemian Rhapsody does it. I couldn't have handled a full album of this. Final Rating: 6 out of 10.
The loser in the end, the march of the black queen, and seven seas of rye are bangers. Everything else was pretty meh tbh
Good stuff
I'm a bad music fan. Not a huge fan of Queen. I enjoy a lot of their big hits but any deeper into their discography loses me.
Procession 3.1 Father to Son 3.5 White Queen (As It Began) 3.3 Some Day One Day 3.3 The Loser in the End 3.4 Ogre Battle 3.4 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke 3.4 Nevermore 3.1 The March of the Black Queen 3.4 Funny How Love Is 3.6 Seven Seas of Rhye 3.3 Score: 3.345454545
This is a 70s hard rock Queen, it has Led Zeppelin vibes but without the dirty blues sound. I think I prefer the more bombastic sound they would have later. Ogre Battle is awesome though
Mid
Pretty good
pretty poggers Some of the Songs were good Father and son i liked but lots where repetitive
Pretty solid. Very theatrical and mostly deep cut album but really does showcase what a powerhouse talent this group was. This also feels fairly experimental between father and son, ogre battle, White Queen etc. There are still some great power guitars and epic harmonies/drum rolls that do define this band. Too much has already been said about Freddie but that voice really is unmistakable. I never thought of them as an album band more of a greatest hits band but pretty solid listening if you're into classic rock and a pillar band in the genre.
Queen are absurdly talented. This isn't my favorite of theirs though, and even my favorites don't always work for me. Still can't go below a 3 though.
Ja wel goed ofc maar niet hun beste album
That's two 80s albums now that have decided to invent a whole new fantasy world rather than be annoyed at this one. Can someone who knows about music history explain why they stopped? Anyway, decent fun but it did get a bit samey until the end. 3/5.
I don’t love Queen as much as most. But I think that’s because all their big hits are just loud songs for loud people to shout loudly. This album isn’t Queen for the laypeople, who love to shout songs, screaming about Galileo and bicycles. It’s Queen for intellects like me, who prefer music about Ogres. I enjoyed it a lot more than most Queen I knew already, but I still think Queen don’t do it for me.
ehh...it was fine
I forget that Queen hits that weird fantasy-rock niche, like with Ogre Battle on this album or when they did that album for Highlander. they hit such a wide gamut but stay consistent to their sound, if you dont like something here chances are you'll find it on another album.
I enjoyed this album and think I’ll like it more on subsequent listens. Nevermore and Seven Seas of Rhye are my standouts on this listen
Not as many bangers as I had hoped for. This reinforces what I long suspected, that I’m not a big Queen fan
I hope this makes me not think queen is mid Genesis clears Better than the other queen tho
Almost forget how PROG ROCK Queen was in early days but why? Everything they did was PROG.
I really like the medieval fantasy rock aspects and the band played great. I don't think it did anything to ascend higher though.
Pretty interesting other side to queens music
You could see how this band ended up becoming great from listening to this album, but this didn’t really do it for me. Brian Mays guitar playing is good and obviously Freddie Mercury sings his ass off, but this is just fine.
Het blijft een fenomeen dat je Queen direct herkent en dat niets anders zo klinkt als Queen. De zang van Freddy, de gitaar van Brian, de superieure productie, de onnavolgbare experimenten. Dus je zet Queen op, zet je schrap, en... waar is het wauw-gevoel? Het is een verzameling aardige glamprogrock-nummers, maar je wilt van deze heren muziek horen waarmee je Wembley plat krijgt. Ik snap dat ze eerst dit moesten maken voordat ze de echte hoge toppen zouden bereiken, maar zet DIE albums dan in de lijst.
Een zeer gevarieerd album. De muziek is al duidelijk met volle kleuren weergegeven, maar heeft nog niet de fluoriserende kleuren, waar Queen later om bekend is geworden. Maar zelfs met de nog wat matte kleuren weten ze een voorstelling neer te zetten. Het label theatraal kunnen we er wel opleggen. Een label waar ik zelf wat op afknap. Als je iets doet, moet je het goed doen. De meest theatrale nummers (wellicht de nummers met het sterkste Queen signatuur) komen dan ook bovendrijven. The March of the Black Queen bijvoorbeeld.
Pretty good
Sounds like queen
I enjoy this album more than my previous from the list (Sheer Heart Attack) despite not knowing any of these songs. There are definitely typical Queen glam sounds but in general a bit heavier. I like the fantasy subject matter, some beautiful lyrics throughout. White queen on A-side, black queen on B-side. 3.5/5
Not bad
These Queen dudes are really good at what they're doing, but I have never liked what they're doing. The pathos in every note, the flourishes of it all, the operetta/musical-esque grandiosity. Blerg. This here however, I don't mind too much. Unrefined Queen > Polished Queen. Still pretty blerg.
sounded like Queen
Solid Queen album, but it didn't stand out as much as others. Not much sticks with me from my first listen.
My favorite was “The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke.”
Not my favourite Queen album, but I get it.
Eu consigo entender como esse eh um álbum clássico do rock, todas as músicas são incríveis, com aquela vibe dramática de queen, com a composição das melodias e das harmonias sendo mt épicas, com um sentimento de propósito, em toda música, sempre parece que vc tá escutando a obra prima daquele artista, mas eh apenas uma outra do álbum, vc consegue sentir o amor que eh colocado em cada projeto, e como cada um foi pensado e revisitado várias vezes até ficar perfeito. Queen eh uma banda única que colocou o patamar de música rock Mt alto, não tem como comparar com alguma outra, tanto no quesito artistico como no de quão famoso a banda é. Entretanto, esse estilo não me entretem, não eh uma coisa que eu me interesso, e eu acho meio brega, justamente por toda música ser épica, me da preguiça de ouvir, e fica meio pesado escutar ao álbum inteiro de uma vez, porém, concordo que com cada ouvida, eu vou me impressionar e achar detalhes incríveis em toda música, mas, por enquanto, não eh meu favorito e nem me considero um fã de queen. Outro ponto, eh Mt reconhecível oq eh uma música do queen, toda a banda tem seu jeitinho e deixa a marca em quase toda a música, não apenas o Freddy Mercury eh super reconhecível, com a voz bem específica, mas a guitarra, piano, bateria e baixo também tem seus tons únicos. Mas, eu não consigo dar uma nota pro álbum, teria que de fato escutar mais, mas não eh minha vontade no momento, deixarei a nota em aberto.
Very 80's. Big, dramatic, and a lot of energy. A fun listen but probably not something I'd come back to too frequently.
3.5 First Listen
Pretty good. Technically proficient. Just nothing that really hooked me. But not bad at all.
I'm a simple person. I drink coffee, I sleep on my side, and I enjoy Queen's music. It's interesting listening to early Queen; I can hear where their influence bled into artists after them, but I can hear them wear their own influences on their sleeve. I can hear The Who all over "Father To Son" and The Beatles on "White Queen (As It Began)." They were still fully in their rock bag on 'Queen II,' with some glimpses of the high-drama to come. That all being said, there are Queen albums I like more. Highlights: Some Day One Day, The March Of The Black Queen, Seven Seas Of Rhye
Ok, so here's the thing, I don't like this. But the serious dedication is worth a 3 ... would rate 2 if it wasn't tight as hell.
Meh
Another Queen album and we're going backwards in time. The last one they were just finding that "Queen sound" so I'm interested what this proto-Queen-sound album will be like. It turns out that it is fine in a lot of ways and perfectly listenable all the way through. Tracks 2 and 9 stood out a bit for me but overall it is never going to be one of my favorites. Track reactions: 1 - Fine intro track that makes sense going into track 2 2 - I like the build up to the vocals. The do-do-di-di-di's are not what I expected. 3 - A nice gentle tune. Its ok. 4 - Such a tame tune for Queen. Fine track. 5 - Almost sounds like a Beatles song that is more on the hard rock side. It's fine! 6 - Well this one is a little wild and gave a bit of that classic Queen sound with the vocals. 7, 8 - A couple quick and just fine tracks. 9 - This one rocks a bit. 10 - Not my favorite style. 11 - Another fine track :)
Queen is definitely still developing here. Some good stuff…some not as much. The Roger Taylor composition is (as usual) the weakest part of the album. The musicianship is good, but it, too, is still developing. Good album, but not as great as what’s to come.
A heavier version of Queen than I'm used to but that's not a negative really. The main negative here for me is the lack of hits. Other than that though it's a solid album, awesome guitar work as always and the drumming was a highlight as well I'd say. Excited to see what else Queen has in this 1001 albums list. Fav songs: - Father to Son - The Loser in the End - The March of the Black Queen - Seven Seas of Rhye
Æææ mér fannst þetta nokkuð slappt, fyrir utan Seven Seas of Rye sem er banger. Ekki komnir með rétta soundið. Hetjuhljómurinn feidaði burt fljótlega og ég nennti þessu varla. 2.5 stjörnur frá mér.
Wasn’t familiar with this album of early Queen upbeat prog rock.
I'm generally not a huge fan of Queen and how over-theatric they are. This record is surprisingly heavy. There is a lot of good prog stuff on here too. I think side 1 is the stronger side.
It was fine, which is a terrible indictment for a Queen album. Felt a bit like Queen trying to do a generic rock album
Very cool and rich in polyphony and interesting vocal moves album. But it seems more like an experiment album, with musicians bringing new ideas, not yet fully polished perhaps. That's not a bad thing, it's just an observation.
3 star
It was fine. Really good guitar work but the songs weren’t interesting to me
Some Day One Day Nevermore. It’s Funny How Love Is.
Albúm muito gostoso de se ouvir. Na minha impressão é um Queen mais tímido do que estou acostumado a ouvir. Ele já traz alguns recursos que eu curto e que se tornam proeminentes e perfeitos em A kind of Magic, que foi lançado 12 anos depois do presente albúm.
Sounded different than I thought it would in my head but a pleasant surprise
In Queen II, one can appreciate the album's audacity and the sheer breadth of ambition that propels it. While initially its grandiose approach may seem overly adventurous, a second listen reveals a layered complexity and a daring attempt at storytelling that, while not flawless, certainly warrants admiration. It's evident that Queen was not content to merely tread the well-worn path of their rock contemporaries but instead sought to forge their own way, even if it meant stumbling occasionally. "Father to Son," one of the standout tracks, encapsulates the best of what this album has to offer. It is a powerful and emotive piece that showcases Queen's ability to meld lyrical depth with compelling musical arrangements, including intricate harmonies that add to its emotional resonance. This track, along with "The March of the Black Queen," hints at the band's future direction – a blend of hard rock and intricate harmonies that would come to define their sound. It's in moments like these that Queen II shines, offering glimpses of the greatness that lay ahead for the band. However, Queen's attempt at blending ambitious storytelling with a diverse musical palette, while pioneering, can be seen as imperfect, especially when compared to bands like Jellyfish, who, a few decades later, would refine and perfect this approach to pop and rock music. Jellyfish's ability to seamlessly integrate complex narratives with musically diverse and harmonically rich compositions illustrates what Queen was reaching for—a balance that at times, Queen II struggles to maintain. Despite these criticisms, Queen II's adventurous spirit is worth acknowledging. The album's rich tapestry of sounds and styles showcases a band unafraid to experiment and push the boundaries of rock music. Even as they were still finding their musical identity, Queen demonstrated a willingness to explore and innovate that would eventually lead them to iconic status. Queen II is a fascinating, if imperfect, chapter in the band's history. Its ambition might be too much for its own good at times, but it also serves as a testament to Queen's artistic vision and their refusal to be pigeonholed. This album, with its iconic cover art and moments of brilliance, like "Father to Son," is a crucial stepping stone that paved the way for the band's later, more universally acclaimed works.
While I'm not really into the classic rock sound, Queen has a way of getting into pockets that I really enjoy.
I’m already familiar with loads of things queen have done but I’ve never listened to this album before. Loved the guitar and vocals as expected from Queen. 3/5
Hmmmmm. This was all over the place. Some tracks featured strong guitar riffs and were solid rock tracks. Some were “easy listening” type tracks. Some tracks were progressive rock- like. It was all over the place. The vocals were superb. This had so much potential, but it was a bit of a let down for me.
Lots of good shit
Is hard to attempt to listen to albums without the knowledge of what the band does after. Glad this generator got me to listen to this album because it's a really amazing foundation to have when listening to later Queen, but I like what Queen becomes more than this. Felt like cool musical education but it's not something I'll return to often. In fact, with all the respect I have for Queen, they in general are a little bit and lots for me. Sometimes their sound is a bit too theatrical for me.
I like Queen; they are a fun band and they all play very well together. But I don't *love* Queen. I just don't get into the songs that much. They are all good songs and they have excellent musical qualities. I'm just not that into it.
Before this I had only really listened to Queen's Greatest Hits (a stellar album in its own right), and so this is almost entirely new music for me. It both gave me a good perspective on why the Greatest Hits album really is some of Queen's best, but also gave me insight into more of the operatic vibes and killer guitar that Queen has become synonymous with. With that said, the songs themselves mostly don't inspire the same sense of awe that I think their greatest hits do. Seven Seas of Rhye is absolutely killer, but I could take or leave the rest.
Certainly has the classic Queen sound. I never knew the others sang lead on songs.
El segundo disco de Queen avanza en el rock pomposo, casi histriónico, que caracteriza una buena parte de su trabajo. Destaca la canción que cierra el disco, "Seven Seas of Rhye", la más conocida de un álbum rico, oscuro y florido, en el que abunda la idea de "tormenta de ideas".
Average
A bit annoying
OK it's Queen, but it's early Queen, and there is a lot of growth to be done. Seven Seas of Rhye is an absolute banger though
Don’t mind queen but this album was just ok.
A little too theatrical
Was ok
Thoughts before listening: I obviously know Queen, but I don't think I've ever listened to a full album other than A Night at the Opera. I don't know what is on this album, but I know it will be theatrical 70s hard rock. This is certainly an iconic cover so I assume this is one of their bigger releases with likely some massive hits. Review: Well there aren't any hits on here. This is early Queen a year or two before they became the massive hitmakers that we know so well. It seems that they were still trying to figure out their sound, and while you can hear glimpses of the over the top theatricality found on later songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Don't Stop Me Now", the songs on here do not reach those heights. This is a pretty good album that is in league with the other hard rock bands of the era, particularly the Who in their arena rock opera phase, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. The true star of this album is Brian May who lays down some awesome guitar work, while Freddie Mercury still hadn't quite developed the style that would make him one of the greatest vocalists of all time. As far as songs go, these are interesting, but nothing really stands out. Many of the lyrics are surprisingly fantasy based (ala Zeppelin and Sabbath) with songs about ogres and black queens. My favorites are "Seven Seas of Rhye", The March of the Black Queen", and "Ogre Battle". This is a 3-star album.
Well, it's Queen, but this is far from being one of their best albums. I can't remember any song except for Seven Seas. 3/5
Interesting listening to early queen, enjoyable album
Expected a little more of this for my first Queen album, I added a song or 2 to my playlist but I most likely won't be revisiting this record.
A bit like an extended version of Bohemian Rhapsody. Some interesting vocal performances and lyrics. Heavier than expected.
Mmm…average…
7.1
Honestly, I got bored. 3/5
Ok
Art rock, hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, progressive rock
Not a Queen album I've listened to, enjoyed it.
i managed to get this far without a relationship to queen and although this was better than i expected i believe i will continue to keep queen at arm’s length, no hard feelings
Good even then - the start of a great career
A pretty okay album Top tracks: The Loser In The End, Seven Seas of Rhye
Felt operatic, which was somewhat unexpected. While I doubt I'd put any one song on any of my playlists, I dug the whole experience. 3/5, with the caveat I'm just starting my rating systems.
I like the later Queen stuff more
The unknown ones, except for 7 seas
An absolutely refreshing find - I can’t say I’d heard any of these tracks prior to today, so it was nice to hear the classic Queen sound as if for the first time. This LP does come across a bit muted relative to the band’s later discography, but again it’s somewhat novel to hear Freddy and Co. in a different gear. It’s a shame that we as a society have decided to beat Bohemian Rhapsody/Bites the Dust/Killer Queen, etc. within an inch of their life and squeeze any remaining serotonin they may have dry when a more fair-handed look at all of Queen’s albums could’ve spared some fatigue.
It's nice until it goes full boring rock.
Ich hab ein Problem mit Queen
Ok… love Queen. Did not know this album. May be a treasure for hard cores
Not my favorite Queen album and definitely has a bit of a "we recorded all the songs we had so far, now what?" energy.
Gowns, beautiful gowns.
2.5
Hmm I had some notes in here from Friday but I guess I didn't save them first. I think it was something along the lines of, I like Queen but never heard this album before. The March of the Black Queen was my favorite.
Art rock goodness from their early days.
A little to operatic to run to but still a baller album if you can put in some noise cancelling headphones and get lost in the theatricality and the studio masterwork. To be honest though, I'm more of a "greatest hits" Queen fan.
When the blokes from Queen took a time machine to the 2000's, listened to all of the grand ambition and pomposity of Muse, then went back to the 70's and recreated it all just a weeny bit better. Brilliant band, not so brilliant album.
What I expected
I can see the quality in Queen, but I can't say I get much from the music itself. It's all a bit pop for me tbh. Apart from Seven Seas I can't recall anything standout 2 minutes after the album has finished.
Better than expected. Especially after reading the background notes to this it makes more sense why it's in the list
Just an okay queen album
Just can’t do Queen
Queen is good. There's no doubt about it. I was pretty surprised that they had an album with zero songs I knew on it. But at the end of the day, I'm not too surprised. The songs here were good, and they were classic Queen, but nothing really stood out on its own. I imagine more Queen albums to come, but in the meantime this was a decent if not exceptional part of this list. Highlight: Seven Seas of Rhye Lowlight: Some Day One Day Surprise Hit: White Queen (As It Began)
I like Queen very much, and I didn't know a single goddamn song on this album. It was good. 6/10
Decent. Regular high quality rock from Queen
Mais understated que os outros álbuns do queen que já ouvi. Sinceramente não meu favorito
Deacon’s bass on Father to Son reminds me of Sabbath. Has a lot of Geezer’s sound to it. I don’t love the album’s theme in it’s entirety, but I do like both the White and Black queens’ representations.
This is great, and belongs here. But this also didn’t reach any high points. It didn’t swell into the genre in the same way other prog rock albums do.
Favorite Song: Procession & The March of the Black Queen Album Notes: It's a nice art/prog rock album, very coherent and has a great flow from song to song.
Less grand than their hits, and that's a good thing.
Another "good but not my thing" thing!
Nothing like listening to a non-Best of Queen since you realize how many hits they had that were padded with some fairly midrange songs. I'm glad to see this album on here knowing more Queen is coming. The composition and skill (especially guitar and vocal) is world class and the band only grows from here, but there's some chaff on this one. Queen is one of those bands you can't picture playing a small venue.
Had not heard any of these songs before. Some alright ones on here, but not the hits. Felt like a pretty cohesive album though.
father to son
Enjoyed it but I couldn't really say any song made a particular impression.
Fantastic lp Great energetic rock Top notch production
Like most albums in this list, I need to grade based on a curve. This definitely holds true with queen. Even their worst songs on this album show how talented they are. They intentionally broke this album into 2 parts, the white and dark sides. I’d say the quality of the songs are pretty well split too. The first half is clunky and meandering. The 2nd half is more reflects what their sound would become. The 2nd half has some good highlights but I’d give it 3 stars because the first half shows that they hadn’t quite figured out what made them great yet.
Overall enjoyable
Good album, more cohesive and harder than other Queen albums. Songs don't stand out to me individually, I've only known Seven Seas of Rhye, which is a good closing track. Overall an enjoyable album, 3.5 but I'll give it a 3 since a couple of other Queen albums are stronger than this one.
Only one song I've heard of before. Odd choice. It was okay, but not what I come to Queen for.
It was fun to hear some less known songs from Queen. Mostly fun and enjoyable but became more annoying toward the end
didn’t get into this one as much but queen is queen. ogre battle was a real rock out banger tho
Good god, Brian May
If the entire album had been more like Side Black, this would have been a 4 or 5 for me.
Queen sounds an awful lot like Led Zeppelin here. As I've mentioned in a few other Queen reviews, they continue to be a singles band for me. Obviously, there are some fantastic musicians on this, but they don't always come together in ways that I love. Also, Christ, why is Freddie Mercury ever giving up the microphone? Favorite tracks: "Father To Son", "The March of The Black Queen"
Guitar is crazy -- across the board Ogre battle is so real, what is this genre where they are telling weird fantasy stories to rock music, like a rock opera? Really cool melodies, need to listen closer
1974, жанр -- смешанный. Тут и баллада и рок и блюз и всё подряд. Похоже, самые ранние квин. Ни одной общественно известной песни, но всё при этом звучит как родное. Звук действительно интересный, несмотря на то что всё это я уже слышал в более поздних их альбомах. Очень всё так... сказочно, играючи. В целом мне понравилось. Но не так, чтоб хоть одна песня осталась в голове.
seems like even Queen's less notable stuff is still pleasant. Heavier Queen probably never as good as a good Zeppelin song, never as bad as a bad Zeppelin song. I listened to this doing something else and didn't notice it was about elves & whatever. when Zeppelin does it, you know.
Every British guy loves to sing songs about old world creatures like fairies and monsters. Guys in Queen no exception. It’s good though.