Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Still good but not my favorite. Queen is a good band though so even that’s not saying much.
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.
Queen!
Not a huge queen fan and this is not one of their better albums.
Sounded different than I thought it would in my head but a pleasant surprise
Fun album
Queen has always been *that* band, whose songs I've been enjoying for as long as I can remember (since I was 6 or 7). Their bigger songs "Somebody to Love", "Under Pressure", and "Don't Stop Me Now" were absolute staples for me as a child and some of my earliest memories of music enjoyment as a whole. So, when I saw this album had none of the many songs I've recognized from Queen, I was a bit wary but made sure I still went in with an open mind. It's admittedly a very early release in their discography, released in 1974 far before any of their big singles (like Killer Queen on their follow-up). I love the booming guitar portion on Father to Son, courtesy of Brian May and the closing vocals by Mercury were incredible. Generally, the songs have varied instrumentation and theatrical aspects not unlike progressive rock songs at the time mixed with hard rock and ballad passages. By looking at the song titles alone, I knew I was in for something fantastical, whimsical, and grand. The highlight though, as I had expected, was Freddie Mercury. His melodies, vocal passages, and large vocal range make or break the songs here. His outro on White Queen for example is enchanting and gorgeous. The backing harmonization is another Queen staple and despite being milder than I remember, I find them very enjoyable when they do crop up. My enjoyment unfortunately dwindles whenever the band strays from the progressive sounds on this album or their traditional glam rock and ballad style. The "Hard Rock" inspired "The Loser at the End" despite it showing off Mercury's range, is very dull and one-note for me. There's a big chunk of songs near the middle of this album that I'm quite ambivalent towards. The album regains its footing on the short piano ballad "Nevermore" as it leads into the incredible "The March of the Black Queen". I hadn't heard this song before this album but my god, is it a perfect Queen song. The band plays to their strengths highlighting everything that made the band so enjoyable for me so many years back with a dizzying number of switches and phases. Freddie's lyrics are cryptic but the imagery he paints alone more than makes up for it. The fact that he's able to switch between all these new melodies so rapidly, is astonishing. All the instruments on this track blend beautifully; the mastering is superb. The medley-like nature of this closing part of the album followed by "Seven Seas of Rhye" works very well in closing off this overall enjoyable Queen album. 7/10
a classic fairy rocker, way before queen's pop days, i wish i listened to all of this
Sonido muy Queen, nunca decepciona.
What a band! Rock
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 mean, it's Queen. How can you go wrong?
Toll, eine andere und mir bisher unbekannte Seite von Queen!
First time listening to a full queen album. Felt very story driven
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
Wie immer operngleich!
I think Freddie was one of the great front men. I just didn't get Queen.
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.
While Queen II is an album with no recognizable 'hits' the sound is locked in and probably one of their better albums. Freddy's vocals, Brians distinct sound pair perfectly. 4/5.
Lo mejor hasta ahora
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.
I have been exposed to Queen before with Bohemian Rhapsody and some other loosies. This album is different in some ways from their more popular mainstream music, and I like it a lot.
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.
10/10 freddie te amo✨✨
Phenomenal album. Lost a little bit in the middle but finished very well. Listened to it multiple times immediately. Tough between 4 and 5 stars. Another one where I would go with a half if possible.
nothing special favorite tracks: funny how love is
Certainly has the classic Queen sound. I never knew the others sang lead on songs.
It was just okay. A little boring.
Classic rock bliss! Fun fresh deep tracks and all bangers
Great music that I wasn't aware was even made by Queen.
It's Queen but it's boring prog rock about fantasy crap. I'm a huge nerd but I don't get it. So you read Lord of the Rings. I feel like Led Zeppelin put out some stuff like this too in this era. Whatever, it's not for me.
A prime example of glam-meets-prog rock, performed with skill, passion, and a sense of adventure. An argument could easily be made that this is Queen's greatest and most ambitious album, surpassing even the heights of Sheer Heart Attack and A Night At The Opera. This album is also an example of how not to produce your album. The mixing is a little untidy at times, and it's very obvious when the guitar/drums max out their volume. Still, it gives the music a raw, fierce energy that doesn't really detriment from the sound. The "concept" of this album, featuring the "White" and "Black" sides (reflecting themes of reality and fantasy respectively), is really cool. The songs are wicked, particularly March of the Black Queen, which is one of Queen's best.
Wasn’t familiar with this album, though I love Queen. It might be their best one. It’s Soooo good. I listened to it 3 times.
Great album. Not quite as iconic as some of their other ones, but can't go wrong with Queen.
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".
Love queen - orchestral elements were very nice
Good
Average
I like Queen's big hits but that's about it. Deep cuts like this album are tedious.
A bit annoying
Excellent!
Not their best album, not their worst
I like a lot of Queen but yeah, didn't do it for me.
Might have changed my mind about queen?
thought i would like it more, not much was memorable
Muy sin más la primera parte no tiene nada que ver con el resto de discografía. La canción the loser in the end es estilo AC/DC está bien. A partir de la cara negra se nota que las canciones son compuestas por freddie y suena más al rock musical al que nos tiene acostumbrados.
Early Queen. Not quite hitting their stride yet, but finding their sound. Great album, not the best production, but it's fun.
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
Pretty interesting album that I did not know. As it's Queen, it can get a little exhausting to hear anthem after anthem, but these guys were fun in their prime.
Don’t mind queen but this album was just ok.
Entertaining but didn’t really know these songs.
This album is good example of how hard it is to make popular music. Obviously it’s Queen, but wasn’t catchy to me. But not really a big fan of Queen.
A little too theatrical
Not my favorite. Some songs were too timid. There were a couple I liked but I doubt I'd listen to this again.
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
Really enjoyed
Incredible. Father to Son an amazing song.
Not really for me
Didn’t like anything really. I like Other Queen stuff but meh
Bona composició, poques grans cançons
Interesting listening to early queen, enjoyable album
Although I’m a fan of some different Queen songs, didn’t care for a number of ones on this album. Perhaps after listening to more of these “new to me” songs, I might change my mind and grow to enjoy them. That said, I can understand how they became so popular.
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.
Haven’t listened to all of Queen’s music. I really enjoyed this album. Freddie Mercury’s voice is something else. Good album.
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
Clasic
Good music but I definitely prefer the hits I know
fun, deep, better than I expected
Ok
Art rock, hard rock, glam rock, heavy metal, progressive rock
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?
El primer disco que compré con mi (poco) dinero de preadolescente fue un grandes éxitos de Queen, así que estoy un poco condicionado. Cierto es que este álbum (del que no conocía ninguna canción) aún mo está al gran nivel al que llegarían un poco después, pero es una maravilla de 40 minutos que merece la pena.
Not a Queen album I've listened to, enjoyed it.
Starts with quiet rock ballads with an emphasis on vocal harmonies and transitions to a driving percussive rock with riffs and electric guitar solos throughout then back to rock ballads to finish the album.
A classic… I’m not a huge metal fan, but of course this one had some classic songs
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
Great introduction to glam rock! I've never known where to start with Queen, this was a good one.
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
Angenehmes geduddel, aber nix spannendes
I will love this masterpiece evermore.
Has an almost royal feel to it, particularly in the first couple of tracks almost feeling like a fanfare of sorts. Excellent guitar work. The fairy feller's master-stroke, standout track. A very certain album, knows exactly what it is and is produced accordingly with a style that is unique to them.
My fave Queen album. I don't even like the first half very much, but the second half is SO GOOD and such a perfectly structured sequence of songs (I love how they all flow together, ending with Funny How Love Is, then having Seven Seas of Rhye as a palette cleanser). Totally packed with ideas and has the classic Queen sound. I'm also so used to albums giving you their best stuff early and then fizzling out, that having an album do the exact opposite is super refreshing. Love it!
First time listening to it again after 40 years. Brought back memories of my 20s.
A lot more rock and dirty than I expected.
I was honestly debating whether it’s a 3 or 4. It starts off pretty weak to me and didn’t have that signature Queen sound until you get Ogre battle and it’s like OK they definitely switched to a higher gear. All the songs after Ogre battle redeemed this album and bumped it up a star. Except White Queen I liked that one.
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.
We're starting to get into second albums of bands I've heard on here once. Stepping back in time for Queen II (1974). A Night at the Opera (1975) is a phenomenal album, so this was going to be tough to live up to. While it isn't as good as ANATO, this was still an enjoyable listen. This rocks a little harder than ANATO (and harder than most Queen albums from what I'm reading). There are less standout songs, but I feel like this is a pretty solid and consistent Queen sound. "Nevermore" is great but super short, and "Seven Seas of Rhye" was a catchy way to end it. The critics seem to be all over the place on this one, but I thought it was a reasonably strong album. Even when not at their very best, Queen is a fun listen. Favorite song: Nevermore Other: Father To Son, White Queen (As It Began), Some Day One Day, Ogre Battle, The March Of The Black Queen, Seven Seas of Rhye 12/26/23
Queen mag ich nicht
Das ist mir alles zu schrill, zu eckig, zu pompöös (sic), bis auf \"Some day one day\", da tritt die Kreischgitarre nur kurz in unangenehme Erscheinung
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.
One and done. Nah, not ruining my Christmas with this.
Wow - Queen - really great!!!
Gowns, beautiful gowns.
2.5
Strange concept album. Was not aware of its existence. Songs were fine, but nothing was noteworthy. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Queen has always been hit or miss for me, and that was true even within this album. I think they're at their best when they go for really big, grand ideas. There were a few of those here that were awesome, but the lulls here and there kept me from really loving this one
Queen
Outstanding
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.
“As Brian May later noted, Queen II certainly wasn’t a perfect album—but it was the single biggest step the band ever took.”
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.
Not for me.
I always go into Queen albums thinking "there can't be anything good besides the hits." I need to stop being so stubborn and admit they're a quality band. Sheer Heart Attack and Night at the Opera were both incredible from start to finish, and this is no exception. As usual, prog from the era is sensory overload. It can be a lot with how much songs transition every few seconds. The record's so consistent that it almost plays like one huge song. I tried "liking" a few songs but they cut off at the very end. A bit annoying like Pink Floyd medleys for playlists but it's a worthy sacrifice to look back on these highlights. Plenty of strong moments with just as many that don't hit as hard but still interesting and unique. It grows on me each listen as I'm more used to everything going on. Favorites: White Queen, Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, March of the Black Queen
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
Just can't get into Queen- but recognise the worthiness!
It starts out as a sort of glam Led Zeppelin but you can literally hear them figuring out how to Be Queen as the album progresses. Maybe part of that is the bold/insane choice of putting all the Brian May songs on the A side and all the Freddie Mercury songs on the flipside but it has the effect of making Queen's evolution in sound part of the subtext in a satisfying way. Also, Ogre Battle fucking whips.
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
love these guys!
Just an okay queen album
Just can’t do Queen
4. doesnt slaps as hard as their other albums. last song is really good though!
Como una rock-opera de Queen. Ningún megahit. Un 4 por ser Queen.
Rollo.
Is this even Queen?
Good album. Second half in particular.
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)
fantastic
I like Queen very much, and I didn't know a single goddamn song on this album. It was good. 6/10
I can see how this would have been a revelation at the time but now just seems super forgettable and I would be fine never listening to any of these songs again as long as I shall live. It's not bad but just not what I like to listen to. Maybe it would be better in a live setting since it feels very arena rockish
I've watched 4 Shrek movies and that's NOT what an ogre battle would sound like smh . Hoping we get a little less Queen and a little more Ween
Perfectly okay album. Not bad, but nothing really stuck out to me. Father To Son was probably my favorite.
Decent. Regular high quality rock from Queen
Queen are basically 70’s rock gods.
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.
A strange (but solid) look into Queen before they knew what direction the band was going to take. It has a lot more in common with Peter Gabriel era-Genesis than it does with Queen’s later music, with songs about ogres, faeries, mystical lands and all other sorts of fantasy and whimsy. Great if you don’t mind some prog in your rock, and a fantastic listen if you’ve never heard Queen past the hits and want to see the sort of depth they have.
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.
Procession- 4/5 Father to Son- 5/5 White Queen (As It Began)- 4.6/5 Some Day One Day- 4.7/5 The Loser in the End- 5/5 Ogre Battle- 5/5 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke- 5/5 Nevermore- 4.5/5 The March of the Black Queen- 5/5 Funny How Love Is- 4.2/5 Seven Seas of Rhye- 4.5/5 Total- 4.7/5
A queen album I hadn't listened to! It was very slay🌟. Expected nothing less from the Queen Freddie🌟🌟🫶
uninspiring album name lmao but its queen so i cannot fault them
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.
Not the best Queen album, but still fantastic
Another "good but not my thing" thing!
Rollo.
not that kind of magic, for me
This is certainly a side of Queen I wasn't familar with. What a great fun 70s rocking vibe. Faves: Father To Son, The Loser In The End.
I'm a bit non plussed by this album being on the list, given I've already had "Sheer Heart Attack" which covers the same ground and was released in the same year!? It seems that nothing after "A Night At The Opera" was included on the list? Dimery, you hack, you have neglected to include any albums of Queen being Queen! Why do I need to hear two proto-Queen albums where they sound like a Led Zeppelin cover band in places!? Anyway, it's perfectly serviceable hard rock with a few clues as to what they'd become, so I won't penalize the score. Fave track - "The March of the Black Queen"
It’s Queen. What can I say?
Queen II" is a pivotal album that showcases Queen's evolution from progressive rock to a more radio-friendly sound. Released in 1974, it marked a shift in the band's musical style, combining elements of heavy metal, glam rock, and camp theatrics. 1. Lyrics The lyrics of "Queen II" are poetic and often convey a sense of sadness, particularly in ballads like "March of the Black Queen"[1]. The storytelling is intricate, contributing to the album's conceptual nature. 2. Music The album features a diverse musical landscape, ranging from gentle ballads to heavier moments. Notable tracks like "White Queen (As It Began)" showcase the band's musical prowess and Freddie Mercury's vocal range. 3. Production "Queen II" demonstrates meticulous production, with a focus on instrumentation. The album's layers contribute to its rich and dynamic sound, enhancing the overall listening experience. 4. Themes The album explores various themes, including fantasy, mythology, and introspection. Tracks like "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" and "The March of the Black Queen" exemplify Queen's inclination towards imaginative storytelling. 5. Influence "Queen II" has left a lasting impact on the rock genre, showcasing the band's ability to blend different styles. Its influence on subsequent generations is evident in the diversity of Queen's fanbase and the continued appreciation for the album's experimental approach. Pros Diverse musical styles Intricate storytelling in lyrics Meticulous production Cons Conceptual nature may be challenging for some listeners Heavier moments may not appeal to those seeking a more conventional sound
Like many people, I basically grew up on Queen thanks to my father. I was already pretty familiar with this album but it was nice to revisit it. There are some GREAT tracks on here, and even the ones that aren’t necessarily to my usual taste are still pretty good. Best tracks: Father To Son, White Queen (As It Began), Nevermore, The March Of The Black Queen, Funny How Love Is, Seven Seas Of Rye Worst track: The Loser In The End
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
I love this album. Queen is an amazing band, and they really show their skills in this album. I love how songs transition from slow and quiet to fast and loud and back again without feeling jarring. I also love when albums seamlessly transition between songs. The only thing holding me back from giving this album a full 5/5 is The Loser In The End, which I didn't particularly enjoy. Every other song is great. 4.5/5 Favorite song: The March Of The Black Queen Worst song: The Loser In The End
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.
This one is probably where I'll go higher than everyone else because I do like Queen quite a lot, they're stupidly bombastic in lots of ways but part of that is their charm and what made them what they are, though I can never attribute that adjective to Freddie because he was anything other than empty in his showmanship and character. This'll never be a widely-loved album because it lacks their most famous work but it's a great sound and does some really interesting stuff.
Wow, Queen really are the kind of band where you're far better off listening to the greatest hits, aren't they? It's basically a glam rock concept album based around D&D, and is exactly as nauseating as you'd expect something like that to be. Feels like Queen songs are very hit or miss, and this is very much a collection of misses (Seven Seas Of Rhye being the best of a really mediocre bunch). 2/5.
Awesome heavy Queen album. 2 sides, for the white queen and the black. Favorite Track: March of the Black Queen
"Come tonight, come to the ogre site, come see the ogre battle fight." Seriously? I've never understood the adoration of this cheesy Euro-rock arena band. I guess if you don't speak English, "No time for losers, Cause we are the champions--of the world!" feels like a killer sing-along, but anglos have no excuse for celebrating this motley crew of bad English hair and teeth. (Yes, Bohemian Rhapsody is awesome, but that's it.) Case in point, this album's corniness is all that distinguishes it from the sea of 70s Camaro rock we've all moved past. I'll take Tenacious D's loving parodies of these bland odes to pipers, queens, and fairies anyday. Shame on you, 1001 Albums writers!
Fun to listen to, definitely hints of songs to come in future albums. Not my favorite of theirs, but still very good nonetheless.
Melina and the girls are awesome. A real indicator of what is to come
Queen's proggy high water mark. After this they expanded their palette, becoming the eclectic, magnificent group that will always be my favourites. This is how prog should be: Freddie's imaginary fantasy world of Rhye is front and centre. He performs a song about a painting! We get chord and timing changes in abundance. Four superb musicians show us what they have. Yet it never falls into the twin prog evils - overly long songs and unnecessary (boring) solos. Brian is the greatest at playing solos that serve the song. If you want to see extended solos see them live. My favourite album by my favourite band but not my favourite of all time. People are strange.
Overall enjoyable
The whole thing was very enjoyable, always have been a queen fan but this definitely exposed me to some new songs of theirs I really like
White Queen Nevermore Seven Seas Of Rhye
Good
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.
Never heard this album before!
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
Nice concept album. Did not recognize any song. Lol
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 are such an incredible band, hadn't heard any of the songs prior to this but what a top album. Best song - father to son
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
Gotta give this a 5, Queens entire catalog is bangers
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.
Amazing
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.
Queen II: Judgement Day
Every British guy loves to sing songs about old world creatures like fairies and monsters. Guys in Queen no exception. It’s good though.
Its Queen, what else do you expect
Standard Queen
Love the prog, the vocals from may are just so so, surprised how few singles are there.
Top Lads
as familiar as I am with Queen's hits, this is the first time I'm listening to an album in full and it was fairly good. Definitely interesting to look at the bands more "underrated" tracks. favourite track : 'The March Of The Black Queen'
"BIG" sounding album, pretty hard for a Queen album. Enjoyed the fantasy/lore aspects of some of the songs. Solid listen.
Probably this is my least liked Queen album, otherwise I love them.
Funny to hear less famous songs from queen
Ah, one of those albums from before they found the magical recipe. Nothing memorable, but I did like some of the songs. Torn between 2 big stars or 3 small stars.
Good for what it was.
This doesn't sound like the queen you get on all the compilations. Sounds like a band finding their voice. Boring, nothing really grabbed me
Rock classic
Ogre battle maakt het 4 sterren
Liked a couple songs but most were just okay to me. Fav song was the White Queen. March of the Black Queen sounded like a forerunner to Bohemian Rhapsody
Pretty interesting. Haven’t heard any early queen songs apparently
Queen are awesome. We all know that! Is this as good as the first Greatest Hits package? No, it’s not. However, there are some lung bustingly good tunes on here and also, of course, the more melancholy of their tunes as Freddie dealt with his mortality in ways that only he can. Still an excellent album though!
Just Queen. Not a fan
Queen!
Témoignage LGBT 70s Roadtrip avec la génération précédente
A quintessential Queen album. While a fan of Queen, many of the songs didn't connect with me. Perhaps I need to listen to it more for it to connect.. it sounds wonderful, it sounds like a fantastical dnd campaign musical. Queen rarely if ever misses, and they didn't miss with this album. It just didn't stick with me, but even then I recognize it's a wonderfully made record
This would have been a 4 if we stopped letting drummers write songs.
A really solid album. Easy to listen to, and work to. It lacks many of 'the hits' and, as a moderate fan of Queen who has a significant appreciation for their musicianship, and individual virtuosity (Freedy and Bryan are perhaps the best in their discipline), I was slightly underwhelmed with this - whislt still appreciative of how high qulity the music is. I prefer the high-energy music they produce, and this is a more complex, deep and laid back dynamic.
Not my favorite from them, but it's still alright.
not a hit on the album
Fuck yeah.
I love a lot of queen songs, but I always felt their albums were a bit weak.
Anything not sung by Freddy isn't the vibe. All vocals and guitar is godlike. 4.25? 4.5? Not a 5 since Freddy wasn't lead on all songs
Solid Album
Great Queen, not the best Queen but on the way to the top Queen.
While not a fan of each track, those I am are really strong. Standouts include Father To Son, White Queen, Some Day One Day, The Loser In The End, and Seven Seas Of Rhye.
The second half is very fun. Mostly I appreciated the vocals. Favourites were Nevermore and the Black Queen one. I’d give it 3.5.
Rating a 3 star. Overall this album is really great, 4.5/5. But its not really my style. I really love the first 3 songs. Seven Seas is a great ending. I never really dove into Queens music besides the most popular songs so it was cool to listen to them. It definitely sounds like an album made from the mid 19070s. Lots of Led Zeppelin vibes imo. 4 songs added to Justin's Jams
Love it
This album was enjoyable, but nothing stood out to me. It actually put me almost to sleep, but in a soothing way. Very musical and mystical
Nobody gives those first two albums the love they deserve this was fantastic
I thought I knew a good bit of Queen, but looking over the tracklist, I don't think I know any of these songs? I guess my classic rock education needs more work. But thats what this project is for, right? First Impressions: Very dramatic opening, with the heartbeat and the building instrumentals setting the stage for the vocals to burst in. I love me a good "doo-doo-do-do-doo" so this first track has me pretty well hooked and ready to listen to more.
Stand out songs: Father to Son The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroker Nevermore The March of The Black Queen
Perfect, every song is good and flows well into the next.
A lot of mid but some strong highlights
Fun.
Excited to listen to a Queen album that I've never heard before (besides Seven Seas of Rhye) but ultimately disappointed. Procession and Father to Son were strong starts, but White Queen caused things to drag quite a bit and that continued through the end of Side A. Side B is much more my speed, with The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke and The March of the Black Queen being stand outs. Ultimately, the album is less accessible than the Queen I'm more familiar with. Brian May's guitar tone is explosive as always, and the moments he combines with Freddie's vocals tend to be the strongest for me on the album. 3/5
The beginning of Queen. I liked Father to Son
I enjoyed this more than I had expected
so interesting- a couple times I thought that apple music had switched to a newer album while listening to this one. they were ahead of their time. Sometimes I hear rough drafts of their most famous music, but this felt like a complete album experience.
Felt like a 70s-style concept album. Not a lot of individual standouts. Glad I listened as an album, but not my favorite.
I love that Queen is simultaneously groundbreaking rock and roll and also the kind of music that you are clearly listening to if you have a wizard painted on the side of your van. Sonically incredible and ripe for parody at the same time. I’ll be watching Spinal Tap tonight. In some ways, I’m kind of surprised this album made the list. It may have broken the mold for rock ‘n’ roll, but to me, it sounds so much like bands that aren’t Queen. Like I hear quite a bit of Led Zeppelin in here and maybe The Guess Who - especially on tracks like “The Loser in the End.” Already by Sheer Heart Attack they had found a voice that was so much more uniquely their’s. And frankly, I would take “Brighton Rock” over any song on this album. But you know, it’s still Queen. Probably the best music to have on when you’re playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Oh, it was interesting to hear some of the less commercially popular Queen songs. And there were a lot of Led Zeppelin influences here, I was expecting to see Glyn John’s name on the record. If I don’t see this record going into heavy rotation at my house, it has accomplished the goal of introducing new music into my life.
Favorite Songs: Father to Son; The March of the Black Queen. Candidly this is the first time I listened to this album, and it was good Queen. I feel like I know their more well known songs better.
Not their best, but still...
Solid album from start to finish. The stretch of songs from Ogre Battle to The March of the Black Queen might be some of my new favorite Queen songs.
A definite different kind of rock than I am used to with Queen. There is some really great guitar work and arrangement on these songs. I do prefer the more pop rock sound of later Queen. It is interesting to see where they come from! I did not dislike the sound of this album, but it continually got more and more operatic and strange. I would have rated the first half of the album higher than the second half. Upon research, Mercury wrote all of the B-side of this album while May wrote almost all of the A. I definitely prefer the A-side. I'd lean high 2, probably 2.5 if possible.
all respect to queen, but not my scene
Ok
It's such a weird, bold, arty album. It has some similar DNA to something like Sheer Heart Attack, but the songs aren't anywhere near as compelling or succinct. It's all a bit chaotic.
I hadn't heard a lot of these before but my god I wish I had. So distinctly Queen, Freddie M's vocals and Brian May's guitar playing is absolutely *chefs kiss*, loved this from start to finish
Queen was an odd art metal prog band. This album is nifty, you can see the band they would become starting to form.
Consistently enjoyable. Unmistakable Queen sound.
This prog/baroque rock intro reminds me of Switched on Bach and Moog music generally - the novelty of electrified instruments playing formerly acoustic music was clearly in the zeitgeist. Father to Son is a beautiful love letter to the their contemporaries. I can hear the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd. This song is dusty, though - there's hair on every track, nothing like the shimmering clarity and crunch of those other bands' hits. White Queen is such a beautiful prog fantasy. The melodrama drips from every word and reverberates with every drum hit. I can hear Led Zeppelin IV so clearly in it. Some Day One Day is an interesting psych folk piece. They're trying out some fascinating vocal effects and comps, with lots of phasing and stereo panning. It's gorgeous - I still hear a ton of Led Zeppelin electrified folk in this, but the phasing vocals remind me more of John Lennon trying to sound like a Himalayan Guru than Robert Plant croons. The Loser In The End sounds like David Bowie meets a Beck - some incredibly forward thinking use of delay on drums and gritty yelling from Freddie Mercury has it sounding like ground breaking 2000s dirt rock more than baroque prog. Fuck, those drum fills during the outro jam are DIRTY. Ogre Battle has one of the best song-played-in-reverse executions I've ever heard - the beginning is epic, disorienting, overwhelming. Then it turns into a frankly corny song - though the studio tricks throughout still delight. The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke is the first most obviously original, iconically "Queen" song on the album. Melodramatic, beautiful, rock-operatic. It and the next song, Nevermore, are really a single song with two movements that take the listener on a beautiful journey, guided by Freddie Mercury's golden siren song. The March Of The Black Queen continues the rock opera of what I assume is the second side of the album. It's gorgeous and complex, a fully developed crystal of a style and mood. I will have to revisit this again to fully appreciate it - my notes can't keep up with my thoughts keeping up with my ears. These chaps know what they're doing. The transition into Funny How Love Is is straight out of Abbey Road, but the song itself sounds like the Beach Boys meets Neil Young. Not my favorite of the album - feels more like an interlude than a full song. And the album comes to a close with Seven Seas Of Rhye - a total barn burner, although the cheeky sea shanty transition at the end kills its momentum. I bet it was a treat to hear live! And on the album, it leaves the listener raring for more.
Actually kind of underwhelming. I was excited when I saw Queen but I guess I only really know their hit singles.
Listened on a gray & brown fall day. Going to the gym, wearing a puffy Levi’s jeans jacket from the 70s. Interesting to hear all these classic rock sounds from Queen (I knew their greatest hits being a bit more “poppy”), I can only begin to imagine how much influence they must have had in shaping the sound of the era back then.
Des paillettes partout ! Excellent album de Queen, avec des guitares nerveuses, un chant impeccables, des thèmes qui partent dans la fantasy. Would sail the seven seas of rhye again
Seven Seas of Rhye and Nevermore were my standout favourites. You can really hear every flavour of Freddie’s voice on this album.
i dont recognize a single song on this. brian may is a legend 'Nevermore' is my favorite so far. track 8/11 deep tracks on this album for me and they were all fine. nothing has stood out much.
I appreciate how the album told a story.
It's not my favorite Queen album, but it's still good.
Arena rock isn't usually my thing, but there's some fun tracks here. I appreciate the artistry of it.
Love classic queen but couldn’t get into some of these tracks
Yes
This album didn't exactly elevate Queen in my mind, I did enjoy their style a good bit here but it didn't have the hits I wanted
It’s nice to get a record from a band that you know but haven’t listened to for no good reason. Discovering some songs from long gone band is a neat thing. This album is one of those for me. I enjoyed this a lot.
Led Zeppelin knock-off. The album probably tells a whole story that I'm not interested in.
Had never listened to this before and was really looking forward to it. I think for me the magic of Queen is the pairing of complex prog rock arrangements with a pop hook. I don’t think they have the balance right on this album.
Easy 4, starred out a little boring, but it picks up around ogre battle and it finishes really strong. As an album,ni find it well put together.
banger
I'm not a big Queen fan. First leg I totally missed, but did not dislike. I get why my mom and sister enjoy it. But I do not so much.
Listened to this on the way home from Hillview Stables pumpkin farm. Fun album. Fairy feller's master stroke and March of the black queen are good.
Funnily enough, literally yesterday evening someone recommended that I listen to Queen II as I might enjoy it. I took a quick look at the Wikipedia article, saw the only song I recognised on the track listing was Seven Seas of Rhye, then worried that it might come up on 1001 albums. I played some Starfield instead and went to bed. The very next day..! Well yes, I did like it very much. I grew up with Queen in the charts and vaguely remember Bohemian Rhapsody being played on TV when I was very young. My parents wanted me to come out to the car and I was hanging back to listen to the song. I said, "just this one song" and they agreed - then regretted this decision. Then Queen changed into their 80s form and I lost interest, just another stadium pop/ rock band who sang songs that were big hits, but didn't really interest me in any way. Lots of "ga ga do do" nonsense mixed with silly videos that were funny a few times but got stale quick. This album however was definitely a blast. I liked the fantasy lyrics, the ones that I guess many people don't like. The muddy production was only a problem for the first five minutes or so. I didn't love the harmonizing vocals in some places, but it worked in others when it wasn't so heavy-handed. Lots of Led Zeppelin influences, some enthusiastic guitar solos (some of which were also okay technically, others not so much), and a few progressive rock elements all add up to a pretty great album. Not perfect, but definitely a strong 4 stars as I will definitely listen to this again.
Classic Queen, but not to the gigantic hits yet. Gave me more of a Flash Gordon vibe than anything, but still a good good time. Top 3 Seven Seas of Rhye Nevermore The March of the Black Queen
Freddie and the boys rocking out. Gotta love it.
Fantastic album
- It's Queen and I love a lot of them - not their best album, still okay to listen
Classic Queen, can't hate it 1 bit. Great album overall and is a classic. I really liked March of the Black Queen for some reason, and the 2nd half feels stronger than the 1st half.
Delightfully nerdy. Maybe not the best Queen, but still Queen.
This is a prog-rock concept album, not exactly what you would hear from Queen as time went on. Although it doesn’t have any of the hits, it’s remarkably focused and there isn’t a bad song on the album. “Nevermore” has hints of Bohemian Rhapsody and “Funny how love is” sounds like it was produced by Phil Spector.
I’ve not heard any of these songs before. It sounds like quite typical Queen. I liked the production and I thought it was a fun album with lots of unexpected twists.
I like Queen, but not this album
Decidedly meh album. Can really hear Brian and Freddies uniqueness which gives it the queen "sound" but the songs kind of stink. Seven seas of rhye is a good song, but the only one on the album that is memorable. The album art is classic. One good song = one star. I'll bump it up to two stars for album art and musicality.
A fine album but not one I feel the need to listen through again anytime soon. Never realized anyone other than Mercury performed lead vocals, so that was cool I guess
I think it was a pretty solid album but not really my thing. Maybe like 3.5?
One of my favorite bands, and an incredible album.
Not the best Queen Album imo, still one of the best in the world though.
Too prog for me, really. I didn't enjoy this.
I only knew Seven Seas of Rhye from this one, but most of this was pretty enjoyable. I liked Some Day One Day especially.
Some great crunchy guitar early and gorgeous vocals and production. But forgettable and repetitive songs with dumb lyrics.
I guess I hadn't heard any of these songs for a a reason. The front half felt like standard Queen fare, and the latter half more experimental. I enjoyed the first half more.
Les plus : White Queen (As It Began) : sitar, grandiose, prog-rock, transition avec Some Day One Day et son explosivité. Les moins : ventre mou fin de face A / début de face B, manque de ce petit truc qui fait d’un album de Queen un album de Queen. Freddie timide, qui se cherche, dans les prémices du grandiose à venir. A un poil du classique. Les 4 premiers sons mettent en jambe et sont très plaisants à écouter, milieu un peu mou par la suite. Mais les titres s’embriquent et se suivent divinement bien. Un véritable opéra-rock. N’oublions pas qu’il ne s’agit là que de leur second album ! Des précurseurs. Quels génies de la composition. The March Of The Black Queen est un exemple parfait du style typique de Queen. L’album fini en trombe avec l’hypnotisante Funny How Love Is et l’explosif Seven Seas Of Rhye. Globalement, on a ici un album savamment construit, très intelligent, audacieux et sombre dans la gaieté. Un léger manque de maturité qui viendra plus tard dans la discographie du groupe.
Mid-70s high water mark. Really brought it with operatic bombast and the musicianship to back it up. Brian May's guitar and Freddie Mercury's vocals and piano make this a world. You have no choice but to immerse in it and hold on. Plus the riffs are metal as fuck. Gimme that pony curl rock.
When I fist looked at the track listing for this album I was surprised that there wasn't a single song that I had heard of. After listening to the whole thing, I have no idea as to why that is. Great album, top to bottom! I have always been a hits guy with Queen but after listening to this, I have to go back and listen to more albums instead of just songs.
Old fashioned 70s rock! Besides the obvious hits, Uncle Salty and Big Ten Inch Record don’t disappoint. You can tell by these songs they were still a little rough around the edges, but then you hit Sweet Emotion and you remember why they are legends. I like the roller coaster in Disney to.
Never actually given this a full listen. It feels like Queen finding itself amidst the changing rock landscape of the 70s. But when it hits, it hits beautifully. Happy to put it into the library.
El album empieza horrible, pero las canciones despues de "Father To Son" son mil veces mejores que ese inicio, de todos modos, nunca fui fan de queen así que no es mucho mi estilo, tal vez pueda darle otra oportunidad algún día
Fantastic! This album felt like a full on opera or something, like it needs a whole stage play to it. The movement of the tracks makes pictures in the mind. The vocals are incredible. Start to end, felt like it took me for a ride.
Not their best, but Queen holds a special place in my heart. 3 Actually. This is not something I'd like to hear again. 2
I've never been much of a Queen fan. I like this album because there are no hits on it. Brian May is an outstanding guitar player.
I remember when I was younger I used to tell people Seven Seas of Rye was the fastest song on record. Do with that what you will. Ultimately prefer their later stuff. This seems like it could be coming from any band around in 1974.
When Queen were like... prog-metal? Glam? Honestly think this has some of the best Queen features of tunes without being 'over popified'. Of course Queen were the band they are for those tunes, but its easy to understand their strangely broad fanbase. Especially people of a certain age. Brilliant musicians, great songwriting. Great band. Though this album doesnt have those big pop hits. This is Queen. 4/5