Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Favorite Tracks: Father To Son, White Queen (As It Began), The Loser In The End, Ogre Battle, The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, Nevermore, The March Of The Black Queen, Seven Seas Of Rhye
I liked it fine, but wasn't anything new or exciting. Was fun to hear a different side of Queen.
Already a Queen fan, so this one gets to be ranked high. Alot of songs on here are absolute bangers.
Overwhelming in places. Thoroughly Queened by the end.
8/10 — far from Queen’s best, but still pretty darn good
Too melodic
Given I always thought of Queen as more of a singles band, it was a nice surprise to see how cohesive of an album experience this was. A lot of the tracks blend right into each other, you can definitely hear some prog rock influence going on. The mix is a little muffled though, especially in the louder moments, and this also makes some of the songs sound a little similar. I enjoyed the album overall though, I just wish there were some standout songs.
Best Songs: Loser in the End, March of the Black Queen
A whole album of Queen where I didn't recognize a single song! Definitely a cool find for me, and interesting to learn more about how Queen got their start. This had a strong rock opera feel.
Typical Queen rock opera. Nothing stand out like Bohemian Rhapsody, but definitely building towards it. Album was played in the background and I did not notice when the songs changed. Great sound, but again nothing truly memorable. High 3
Not bad! First half wasn’t doing much for me but I got more into it as it went on. Always forget how proggy early Queen was. Fav tracks: March of the Black Queen, Seven Seas of Rhye
an absolute favourite of mine. good pick!
Not bad. Of its time. Quite enjoyed.
Cool guitar sounds and some hard-hitting riffs. The vocals are delivered powerfully, with a commanding range - but they're somehow impersonal and technical, compared to the more anthemic stuff Freddie Mercury would sing later. Very hard to take this seriously in a post-Spinal Tap universe. The fantasy-infatuated 70s rock always makes for pretty bad bootleg-Tolkein lyrics about mystical lands of Ogres, Fairies, Queens. Don't Care! The operatic prog aspects of this make for some disjointed over-stuffed songs; just get out of your own way and let Brian May rip in 3-part harmony.
Back when Queen was more of a prog band! Freddie is stellar as usual, and we have a good track list here. It’s good Queen, but not the BEST Quee
Not the best Queen album but it is only 2
This is an interesting album for sure. There are moments that sound like iconic Queen, but other times when it feels like there’s a nod to, for example, the Beatles or The Beach Boys.
Love Freddie! That’s all
Ew
Definitely an early stage in their illustrious career.
Solid album, no stand out tracks for me
I'm just not buying it - overblown
Another Mid Queen Album
Not quite my cup of tea. Great composing, but i found it a bit boring.
I enjoyed this album the further I made it through the tracklist. Was the perfect soundtrack to a lunchtime walk through the city
One of my favorite albums. Great start to this journey!
Not my favorite album of theirs.
standard queen, de e ju onekligen fantastiska musiker
Guess I'm just not the biggest queen fan. Don't have a whole lot to say about it. 2.2
This Queen record is very underrated. When talking about Queen albums, many focus on Sheer Heart Attack or A Day At The Races (my personal favourite) but this album very much has a place with those albums. The front cover is very iconic. The production is very nice and very early Queen - this Is thier 2nd album, so obviously it feels like it. None of these songs are very iconic (apart from Seven Seas Of Rhye), which is probably the reason it's heavily underrated. Each of these songs though, are amazing. Some of the Storytelling is really well done. This 1974 album doesn't really feel that dated. The songs that stand out are: Ogre Battle, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Father To Son and The March Of The Black Queen. Very fun album. I would definitely reccomend. 🌕🌕🌕🌙/🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (3.5/5)
Under delivery
An oddly conservative-sounding record for Queen. You can tell this is very early in their career. It's a solid album, reminiscent of very early 70s Rush. Not bad, but nothing that special either. Ogre Battle is best track on this record.
Solid Queen album before they really skyrocketed into international acclaim
Goats
Nevermore is what did it for me. You really grow a better appreciation for Queen outside of their hits
Classic Queen. This album almost runs seamlessly from one track to the next. Fantasy and early folk influences in some songs. Only marred by Roger Taylor writing and singing a track on the album for me.
Decent Queen Album
Overall was ok, this felt like a connoisseur's album that sees the band in a bit of a transitional period from prog-rock concept to more hard rock and pop elements. You can hear the beginnings of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in this album and the hard riffs that showed up in Sheer Heart Attack later. Listenable but few things really stuck with me. Can't argue with the band's quality though.
Not yet the Queen the world loves, but the epic and grandiosity is already there.
I am not super familiar with the first and second Queen records. Sheer Heart Attack had always been my starting point, so was happy to get this and give it a listen. Certainly a good record from a great band that deserves more listens.
Hlustaði fyrir kannski tveimur þremur árum og var lítið hrifinn. Hlustaði í dag og var lítið hrifinn framan af, en svo vann hún aðeins á. Setti aftur í gang og finnst þetta skemmtileg. Svolítil tilgerð, vantar slagara, en margt skemmtilegt og töff.
Meh
Good album start to finish but now real favorite.
A masterpiece.
Interesting to hear the seeds of their future sound. I heard influences from The Who’s Tommy in there. And fun to hear them in an unpop mode. Nonetheless I don’t think I can listen to this more than once every 6 months. It’s tiring with so much going on. Brian May really got to let loose on this one. Not my favorite songwriting though
Heard before: yes Queen is a lot. Here it sounds like they are starting to find out how much they are. The Brian May songs are good, but Side 2 (the black side) is pretty amazing - Freddie Abbey Road's a bunch of fragments together until it becomes it's own custom mythology. The studio craft of their best albums in coming in focus too - multi-layered guitars and voices and stereo-panned, theatrical soundscapes are already in place this early. And they probably have the heaviest major chord in rock. The whole thing teeters on the edge of ridiculousness, right where they like to be. It's a record that probably makes more sense looking back, but the sense of discovery is exciting. Top tracks: Seven Seas of Rhye, Nevermore, March of the Black Queen Top tracks:
Only knew a couple of tracks from the album and to be honest the majority of the album was, for me, a bit bland and similar. Couldn't tell when one track finished and another started. But guess that's prog rock for you!
I think I like this best of the two ‘74 Queen albums. A little more bombastic and theatrical. Some just unreal performances on here but no real hits. Feels a bit more like a concept album.
3.5
Nice and chilled. Not what I was expecting. A couple of power ballad ish songs towards the end, but mostly quite subdued. Run rating 5/10
I like Queen a lot, but I never really listened to this album but "Seven Seas of Rhye" is just meh for me on its own. But after listening to this album I am OBSESSED with it. The first half is amazing, and I kept having to force myself to listen to the next song because I just wanted to repeat the one I had just listened to. I even kind of like "Seven Seas of Rhye" now because it fits in so well with the rest of the album. I wish I hadn't slept on this for so long because it's so good.
Some great songs in here but also some ridiculous nonsense
Was interesting not what I would have expected and that’s a good thing, will be back for more
I don't think I've ever heard any of these songs before. This album did not disappoint either. Definitely not their most popular work, but that's OK because some of their most popular is some of their most overrated. I dig the proggy, almost poppy art rock vibe of this. I'll probably end up coming back to this. 4/5
Good album. I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for 70s prog rock. This was more than just prog rock though, it gave it an arena rock/opera feel to it as only Queen can do.
First looking at the track list i was expecting a resident sleep, but this album was actually jam packed w bops.
I really liked White Queen but not much everything else.
I dont like queen, never have, and this was not the start of me changing my opinions on his music not actively annoying though, decent music that was meh for me
Iconic sound. An album without any hit singles and the only song that it among the typical lists of greatest Queen songs, is Seven Seas of Rhye. The album does stand out as uniquely Queen. The guitars of Brian May and the Vocals of Freddie Mercury are undeniable! Standouts: Seven Seas of Rhye, Father to Son, White Queen (As it Began), The Loser in the End, Funny How Love Is. 4/5
This sounds to me like a good band who have found their sound, but haven't found what makes them outstanding yet.
sobrecargado, sobrevaluado y pomposo. más ambición que habilidad. más efectos de guitarra que música.
It sounds and feels more epic that you're use to rock sounding which is the best part.
Absolutely love. Bands like Queen is what I subconsciously save my 5s for. No matter how popular or “underground” a by them is, it’s classic, and Id listen always. Love it.
Interesting selection - very early Queen with none of the typical hits you hear 5x/day on "CLASSIC KROK 93.9!" - haven't heard this in decades but I'm still familiar with a few of these cuts... It's cool to think about how different these guys must have sounded when emerging out of the early 70s. Queen at some point became (and still is) "QUEEN™" and became instantly recognizable by/for their sound or for Freddie's voice but here they're kinda just starting out (with admittedly hilarious/odd topics for lyrics - ogres/paintings/fantasy worlds - hey you gotta have some fun so screw you, punks) and the symphonic and layered sound with progressions that bear some resemblance to classical forms was really revolutionary. As legitimately legendary as Freddie was, I actually love hearing Brian May sing on occasion as well - not sure he could really carry an album but his gentle voice is a real nice contrast at times which gives this record more of a flow (e.g. "Some Day One Day"). [...although in contrast, despite his excellent and essential background vocals I'm not a big fan of Roger Taylor taking lead vox ("Loser In the End")] It was a bit weird (re)listening to this album ... I gave it 2 full listens because the first one didn't catch me at first and i suspect it's because of the unfamiliarity with the songs relative to the *very* familiar Queen "sound" - which created almost a wash over me; i.e. there's a comfort that almost prevented me from actually hearing the songs as individual units. Upon 2nd listen more songs popped out, esp. "The March of the Black Queen" which will probably be dismissed as "old rock" but holyshit think of 1974 here - this was brand new. These vocal layers? The massive guitar harmonies? Dynamics and tempo-shifts? This was and is complex material and truly creative/imaginative. Sum: Not yet ready for the stadiums without the killer (pun) Queen hits but this is a *dense* album that showcases the genius musicianship, creativity, and imagination of all 4 musicians. A great document of a talented band just on the verge of becoming one of the largest acts of all-time. 7/10 4 stars.
Freddie Mercury is my hero
I love Queen... but there is a reason not many of the songs on this album are played on radio.
These songs were all very impressive but I guess I like Queen for their hits and there was not a single one on this album. 3.5 stars
This albums shows Queen can rock - they are very Sabbath-esque here. However it’s lacks the magic of regular Queen fare. I’m surprised at the range of sound this band has - not familiar with their albums - so this is all new to me - however I’ll probably have the heat their heavyweights before I can truly judge their record making. I knew they kick ass as song writers. This album however has neither the hits neither the sheen of a balanced record.
They sound nice but I can’t say there’s much material I come back to on this. It’s funny that it’s a self-titled album, because what Queen became is not really present on here.
4/5
It all starts off quite nicely as a showcase for Freddie's vocals but descends into fantasy prog and that won't do.
Best Queen. Super proggy.
You can very much tell that this is Queen before they've hit their stride. If this were a lesser band, this would be seen as a great insult, but because this is Queen, this is still a decent album all things considered.
Good Queen album, all songs were as you expected from Queen. Nothing really stand out from the album
Lot of mother/father son songs. So far much better than Sheer Heart Attack. Queen doing standard rock sound instead of operatic Queen.
I LOVE Queen. They were one of my favorite bands as a kid, though I mostly listened to their two greatest hits albums. This record has basically one big hit "Seven Seas of Rhye." This record was actually a bit better than I expected not knowing many of the songs.
Solid Queen. I remember it being better back in my high school days.
Many albums on here have songs that don’t go anywhere, but these all go places. I just don’t necessarily like where they go.
snooze fest. honk shoo honk shoo. at least it isn’t unlistenable, just not anything worthy of interest. would probably find it interesting if i was 45 years old. fav song: the loser in the end
so good. so so good
I don't usually like Queen -- all a bit overwrought and melodramatic for my tastes. Liked this better than the other things of theirs I've heard but still not something I'm likely to come back to. 2.5 stars
If you were basing things off the cover, you'd think that Bohemian Rhapsody was here... that's furthest from the case. The second (and last) installment of the Queen album series sees the band exalt themselves towards a new terrain, taking extravagantly huge steps towards becoming the band they were meant to be. While they may tone these stylistic tastes down to a palatable degree, it is still a rather fascinating look into who they initially were and how they weaved the talents they already had into such significant shapes. Favorites: Father to Son, White Queen (As It Began), The Loser in the End, Ogre Battle, The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, The March of the Black Queen, Funny How Love Is, Seven Seas of Rhye.
Grandios
Nooit helemaal begrepen. Niet slecht, maar allemaal wat te moeilijk en overdreven voor mij.
Kan Queen best wel goed hebben met die wall of sound. Maar dit is toch allemaal net iets te onbekend en gedateerd.
Nooit veel aan gevonden, en dit album is daarop geen uitzondering.
Ik vond dit best te hebben voor een keer.
The Fairy Feller és a The March Of The Black Queen, egyiket sem ismertem korábban, de ezeket emelném ki, elkapott mindkettő :)
Sounds great
Skipped through most of the tracks then gave up. Can't do overblown fantasy songs with that much guitar everywhere. Especially not this early in the morning. Pop music this is not. Not for me.
Refused to listen.
Very space age and narratively interesting.
freddy’s screams and screeches scare tf outa me. other than that, good album just long
I don't think this is essential. It's good, but the list also has their next two records. Those are the essential ones. This doesn't bring anything much different to the list and the newer records are better. They should have included one of their 80s synth heavy records like The Works instead, to show more of the bands versatility. Favorite song: Ogre Battle.
Actually really liked it. Never gave queen a real shot but it was a really fun and solid listen. Some songs actually gave me some zeppelin vibes. Would definitely listen again
If this had been their first album, no one would be dressing up as Freddy Mercury for Halloween, I promise you that.
Weird to not know one of these tracks, but I know why
4.0
About as good as I expected, which is pretty good! I'd say the second half is stronger, but both are very enjoyable. I've always meant to listen to more Queen, so this was nice. My favourite songs were The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, Nevermore, and The March of the Black Queen.
Little different but already a high potential
Lekker ruig, zeker voor Queen. Ook een beetje rommelig.
I love queen but this not their best album. If you like queen you’ll like it though, just doesn’t have any of the hits.
Interesting! Being what I would describe as a casual Queen fan for most of my life, I can't believe I wasn't already familiar with a single song on this album. Very Zeppelin-esque in parts, but you can also hear the signature Queen sound coming out. The March of the Black Queen sounds like a precursor to Bohemian Rhapsody. I enjoyed this a lot. 4 stars.
Excellent
Un disco promedio de queen 6/10
Good album 3/5 won’t listen again wouldn’t turn it off if it came on.
I am a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this album, given that I'd never heard any of it before. Maybe that's why. It seemed to flow theatrically and be a pretty amazing experience. It really felt like something new, fresh, and creative, and totally rockin'. I can't explain much better, but I felt what I felt.
Well, I only recognized one track, but the album didn't really throw me any curve balls from what I would expect from Queen. This album deserves some more attention from me for sure! It's fabulous!
Surprised to see an album from such a well known band without a single familiar title. But no worries --- this is quite comfortably Queeny. There are pre-echos of more familiar fare like our beloved Bohemian Rhapsody and the Flash Gordon soundtrack. Interesting to hear the difference between the white and black "sides" of the album and to hear other band members taking lead vocals from Freddy Mercury.
A Queen album I have never heard of with not a single familiar song? Hmmmm… what could this be? A dungeon crawl?! This may be my new favorite Queen album. Rock pageantry of the highest order brimming with 70’s fantasy & lore. A grand exotic journey that makes me feel like I’m just discovering Queen again for the first time. Fantastic!
This was a fun listen, probably my favorite "hard rock" album off the list so far. Although I'd call it more like theatrical prog/glam with a sprinkle of hard rock, myself. But yeah, fun and not boring or bland. Nice.
My Mom had Queen records when I was a kid and listened to them to death. Unfortunately, she did not have this album. What a shame. This has so much fantasy stuff in it I would have gobbled it up wholesale. Queen II could easily become my favorite Queen album. I rank it up there with some of those other metal albums like Black Sabbath (even though it's not really metal). Can't wait to sit down with this and pull out the lyrics and get to know it even better.
Seven Seas of Rhye is one of my favorite Queen songs. Great album!
Side I is kinda meh, side II a solid prog suite that closes with one of Queen’s greatest hard rock tracks.
Great album!
It is too musically? Extra? Too much I am not into it
Very well balanced. The somewhat toned down May songs on side I are a nice counterbalance to the extravagant Freddie songs on side II. Makes for a great total package.
almost like what i think of as 'queen' but adjacent...and from a distance?
Buiten seven seas of rhye niet echt iets memorabel.
Ja leuk
I have never fully connected with Queen’s albums in their entirety, I’ve always admired them but would rarely play a full album. QII is a solid seventies rock album, very much of its time. Freddie hasn’t quite broken free and put his stamp on the band, this will come on ANATO, the record that launched them into the land of legends. There are more exciting, experimental and audacious albums to come.
Although I like quite a few of Queen's songs, I don't recall hearing any of these songs in the past. This album very much sounds like Queen -- they always have a signature sound, which is great -- and I enjoyed it. At times, I hear elements of progressive rock, maybe more so here than I usually hear in their music, and overall the album is a good reminder for me just how skilled this band is both as composers and as performers.
I hadn't heard any of these songs before but this album was a blast! The more traditional Queen songs somehow worked so well with the "Ren faire" songs and the music and vocals were on point
An entire album of Queen songs I have never heard and they are all great. What an awesome album!
This album reminds me that Queen had some weird stretches musically. But the drumming on display here was top notch.
Not their best work, in my opinion, but still better than most other bands! Really interesting to hear some of the deep cuts from their early years, including Brian and Roger taking a turn on lead vocals, as well as seven seas of Rhye, one of my favourite Queen tracks.
I like Queen but am not a giant fan and have only heard the last song. It really is the second part that is the real deal and really shows how good of a songwriter Freddie was. Even if it still is a weak album, it is a cool concept album experience and both May and Mercury have their unique sound but the second part really shines a light on how much Mercurys writing impacted the signature Queen sound. I want to give it 4 but it lacks as an album so consider this a 3.5.
Seven sees of Rhye slaps, only hot space sucks more as an album.
Never heard this album before and all the songs were new to me. Really enjoyed it!
I generally don't like Queen. I checked out the song list for this album and did not recognize anything, so figured I ought to at least give it a chance. Listening to Father To Son, I was like... Oh shit, Freddie's voice isn't bugging me. Oh shit, Queen was actually a real rock band at one point. The album however descended back to the Queen I was familiar with. It wasn't so bad though. Hearing this album and it's relative ok-ness to me, I searched for the moment Queen lost me. Nothing familiar on the first album and I recently listened to Sheer Heart Attack for the first time a couple of months ago and it was pretty ok in my book. So I'm certain it Was A Night At The Opera that killed this band for me.
Own this one A bit surprised to see it here but it's a good one.
Lots of solid tracks with character and energy this is lacking from most rock albums at that time.
What an incredible album. I'm a big Queen fan but had never heard most of the songs on this album. Some of them are just the most wonderful Queen songs I've heard. It really justifies my plan to listen to all these albums!
Great album. Not sure I've ever listened to this one. I've always listed to the best of or Inuendo or A kind of magic. This was a fun listen.
queens albums always suck everythings good except the material
Way worse than expected lol
One of the all time greatest albums of all time. This album has worlds in it. It has characters. It has melody and harmony. And rock. The faerie fellas master stroke, controlled insanity. Father to son with its beach boys harmonies. March of the black queen, with its six sections. Oh, did they do that type of thing again? And it’s an album. You start with procession, and you listen till seven seas of rhye fades out. I pity those who don’t get it. It’s its own universe. Walk in and let Freddie, Brian, Roger and John guide you through.
weird cover tho
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: White queen, The fairy feller’s master-stroke, Nevermore, The march of the black queen
IT'S FUCKING GOOD
Queen!
Meh. Don't bore us, get to the chorus.
Great Queen effort
3.5/5 I had a hard time reviewing this album. Maybe it's because they set the bar so high and I overhyped myself for it that I was kind of disappointed but I couldn't even tell if Freddie Mercury was on the album at first. Maybe it's because it's a concept album, but it just did not feel like Queen very much, and it didn't hit. It's still way better than a lot of albums I've listened to during this project but it's not my favorite Queen album. As I told somebody very important in my life, "It's a High Fantasy Rock opera, but whose fantasy? Not mine."
For Queen I found it pretty uninspiring but it is still Queen. Not one I'll return to but nothing upsetting.
I've always viewed Queen as overrated. One of those bands that have a decent greatest hits album but then too many album fillers when you try to actually deep dive into their discography. Queen II was actually alright, surprising given none of the big hits were on here (despite the weak Seven Seas of Rye). I enjoyed the heaviness of Father to Son, something I've not really heard in Queen before. Bit of a Zeppelin vibe in some songs on side 1, The Loser In The End particularly sounded like a range of bands that weren't Queen, so maybe they were still finding themselves at this point. Side 1 was definitely better, side 2 was the reason I'm not a Queen fan, gives off that 'rock opera' vibe that didn't age well, and I'm surprised was even a thing at the time. 4* side one, 2* side two. Funfact: I once had a long chat with Brian May when we worked at the same place. He spoke about Badgers for the majority of the conversation.
First Queen Album. Pretty good just not something I'll seek as a purchase. 3/5
mehhhhh
Muy buen álbum
To make it clear this is a fantastic record, a truly powerful and dynamic piece of art. Now something that appeared in my head that i wont be able to get rid of is that this record sounds like a soundtrack for a fairy tale amazing nonetheless best song: the march of the black queen worst song: some day one day overrated song: none underrated song: funny how love is
Even though it's the beginnings of Queen, you can't mistake their sound with any other band.
Not their best, but still good. Much to be expected from Queen. Standouts were White Queen, The Loser in the End, Funny How Love Is, and Seven Seas of Rhye.
Another Queen album without any big hits. The overall style is also not massively like any of the hits. It is proggy and fantastical, with the iconic Brian May guitar sound turned up to the max. I enjoyed this. Minor technical point: You are Queen. Your lead singer is Freddie Mercury. The decision to let Roger Taylor sing a song is, therefore, mental. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Seven Seas of Rhye Date listened: 09/04/23
I'm lord of all darkness, I'm queen of the night I've got the power.
It was awesome
Queen’s biggest hits are so unique that I tend to think of them as a band without peers. But I enjoyed hearing them on this early album making music that sounds like the prog/folk/heavy metal mash-up that Led Zeppelin was doing around the same time. This whole album is new to me and it’s just killer top to bottom. They sound ferocious when they’re in hard rock mode! The epic “Father to Son” and the blues crunch of “The Loser in the End” are early favorites for me.
I absolutely adore Brian May's crunchy overdriven guitar tones. Glad that you get to hear that pretty quickly here. His solo on track two, "Father to Son" at around 2:36 is so sick. Love the fuzz tone here mixed with the whammy bar pitch dives. VERY cool sound. I love the state of photo manipulation tech showing itself here in the album cover. They have this grey-ness around them and then a pure black background behind them and it looks funny to me. There's no blending going on or anything and I bet at the time this cost a lot of money to do (and to meticulously crop the photo around their wild hair). This is a great record. I'm not really familiar with a lot of the tracks but you can tell this one is killer.
A fine listen. Totally respect the influence and greatness of the band and especially Mercury's talent, but just not much for my listening pleasure. Would definitely listen if on the radio or background, but I wouldn't purchase much of any for myself
Muy suave
Good soup
Shows what a strong album act Queen were before they went worldwide. Not their finest, there are clunky moments in May's half which misunderstand the album's tone, but overall, this is the Queen album I never knew I wanted. A great record.
Not bad, nothing special
I am surprised they let them have a third album. This did absolutely nothing for me.
Vanmetin plata.
I mean it's Queen, so it's hard not to love. I think the only thing holding back 5 stars is the lack of their well known hits, it's definitely a deep cut collection. But its a lot of fun, with masterful musicianship and fun sonic experimentation.
Queen w swojej średniej odsłonie.
hadn't listened to this one before.
gut
sloppy toppy on my ears
this album is exactly what i wanted to find when I started doing this. complete rock opera, fantastical, medieval, epic lol. its like almost nerdy in how hard it goes, and i love that. they created this whole other world here like this album needs a labyrinth style movie to go along with it. love it. favorite song is white queen but they all bang.
I'm more familiar with their later work. This has all the talent but less silly.
Don't know why I love Queen 1 and Sheer Heart Attack and rate them with 5 stars but can't really appreciate this one m this one is just 2 stars for me.
it's good
It's quite good. Bits of 'Queen' shine through, but at this point they still sound in thtlrall to Zep and Cream - the glam and camp parts that make them unique aren't there yet. It's a good album, by a band that hasn't realised it's true potential yet.
I grew up listening to Queen; they were my first CD and to this day they occupy a very special place. Their fearlessness in occupying the space between glam, opera, dance, and hard rock is inspiring. This lesser known album is the first to really sound like Queen. The layered vocals and instrumentation are present here and hint at what's to come. The music itself is very prog/art rock and doesn't lean heavily on commercial viability. That's another reason to love this album; it is taking a risk. During the mid-70s, releasing an album that focuses more on fantasy themes and art music than pop sensibility would have been career suicide. Thankfully, this was not the case here. Though this album has very niche appeal, it is a fundamental step in the realization of Queen's potential, and it is one I find very compelling.
I don’t think queen have ever done a good album. Last morning in Florence, travel to Mikki’s today. Met Lisa last night, she was a great laugh:) 15th March
queen rocks
When I first saw which Queen albums were on the list, I was kind of shocked, because most of the picks certainly weren't the big ones but after listening to this album, I can kind of see why this was picked over others, as this feels a lot more like an fully realized album, rather than just an album of attempts at the next hit maker. That does benefit that album, feeling pretty consistent throughout, and enjoyable in such. Nothing crazy amazing, but very good, looking forward to Sheer Heart Attack, as I assume its more similar to this? Perhaps not, we'll see.
Did I know any of these song? No. But Queen II is a decent album that truly showcases the arrival of Queen and their unique sound. With guitar work that feels inspired by Led Zeppelin and vocals that are at times reminiscent of The Who, Queen II melds different musical influences into something that's distinctly Queen. Every song on this album is a standout, from the epic opening track "Procession" to the powerful closer "Seven Seas of Rhye". The harmonies and complex arrangements are impressive, and the album as a whole is a testament to the band's musical talent. Queen II is not a must-listen, but it does demonstrate the birth of one of the most iconic bands in rock history and their lasting legacy.
Banger
Every song is just a Queen song. (which is most definitely a compliment) Ogre Battle and The March Of The Black Queen were amazing tracks (alongside Seven Seas Of Rhye, which is definitely the best track on the album) There were a couple parts in songs that I thought dragged the track down for me but sooner rather than later it was back to hard hitting vocals or a sweet solo I think my real rating would be somewhere around 4.75, because it didnt WOW me like some other albums i've given 5 too, but in the same breath it was a constant stream of great music
WE FINALLY GOT SOME QUEEN!! This is my 2nd favourite Queen album (Night At The Opera can't be beaten, sorry not sorry) This album is pure joy for me, from start to finish. It really introduces what Queen will go on to become further in their career (and it does this way better than Queen I which is far less polished and cohesive imo) March of the Black Queen is such an underrated song, one of my favourites in their whole discography. Seven Seas of Rhye is one of my favourite Queen singles (love the piano). Love Roger and Brian's vocal tracks on this record You really get everything here, quality songwriting, huge Freddie vocals, killer Brian May guitar, big harmonies and well written, interesting music
Ok gentlemen, been way under the weather for a week and music hasn't been a priority, but I'm ready to get caught up. Welcome back, Will! So we got Queen. I do love Freddie's voice. I do love many of their songs. But, it's either love or just didn't like with not much in the middle for me. This album, here, just didn't do it for me. I mean I really liked The Loser in the End, but not much other than that... Luke has convinced me this is an underrated album, but I did listen a couple times and it did not get there for me. I haven't toked/Mario in awhile so when my chest feels better, maybe I'll revisit after a few, but in the meantime, my rating not very good for this album and it hurts to write. I'm giving a 2.5. But that's probably generous due to thinking of all the songs I do love. 2
Oh shit here we fucking go!!!!!! This is by far my least favorite Queen album and it still freaking good. I had originally started this review in 2023 and my opinions on the album today are much the same. It's not Queen's most iconic work but there's some cool shit sprinkled through out. A little proggy for my taste.
4 Welp, this album confirms a theory I’ve had about Queen - their best songs aren’t their hits. Somebody to Love, Another One Bites the Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Don’t Stop Me Now? Skip, skip, skip, and skip for me. (Yeah fine I’ll admit Bohemian Rhapsody and Under Pressure are great, though tbf that second one is 50% a David Bowie song) But goddamn, almost immediately, Father To Son went harder than anything else I’ve heard by the band - and then it just proceeded to keep going hard from there. I was half convinced I was listening to a Who song when The Loser in the End came on, so I had to look it up on Google to confirm I wasn’t hearing a Roger Daltrey cameo (it’s Roger Taylor). The second half of the album leans slightly off of the harder rock elements of the first, and more into a theatrical and operatic direction, which in hindsight feels like foreshadowing to the future ventures of the band. That change in tone made a lot of sense when I learned Brian May composed the majority of the first half (Side White) and Mercury the second (Side Black). Each side is absolutely fantastic though and complements the other nicely, highlighting the strengths of both songwriters as well as the band as a whole and results in an overall consistently enjoyable and balanced listen. I’ve never claimed to be the biggest Queen fan, so I didn’t expect to enjoy this one as much as I did. People are sleeping on Queen II.
Father and son, fave song
Sonically interesting but the songs themselves are not my jam.
5/5 queen slays I love them. queen will always hit
Interesting music you wouldn’t expect from Queen if you only know the big hits.
I understand why this one isn’t talked about as much as the others. Sounds like it’s a soundtrack for a play, which is actually very on brand for Queen. Not for me. Seven Seas of Rhye kinda goes.
It was solid but nothing I'd want to hear a ton of
I’m too maistream about Queen. Didn’t know any of these songs. Great album
The classicest of Rocks
Ah Queen. My first favorite band. Queen has always been, and in many ways remains, extremely popular. Liking Queen is kind of like liking Star Wars. It doesn't make you cool or unique or nerdy. They're one of the biggest bands of all time. That being said, I feel like most of Queen's fame and notoriety comes from their middle years. The Stadium Rock Anthem belters, occasionally veering into weird artsy stuff. For as big of a band as they are, I feel like their early years and later years are underrated. Queen II is a Queen in transition. They are still finding out who they are, and that is Queen in a very interesting place. Queen II is a dark fantasy, something clearly created by young art students. Fairies! Ogres! Queens! They get a lot of their imagery and philosophies form the early days of prog rock, but their musical sensibility is much more hardcore than the boops and beeps of Yes. An early mantra for the band was "No synthesizers. Ever" (This lasted until Freddie changed his mind). You can hear the beginnings of their Rock Opera mentality in pieces like White Queen and The March of the Black Queen. They're almost the Queen everyone knows, but they're still trying on different outfits. I also REALLY enjoy the B-side of See What a Fool I've Been. We get a great glimpse into the "what if" or "sliding doors" scenario of a Queen that pulls more influence from Led Zeppelin (and Black American Blues music by extension). Anyway it's a perennial favorite.
Not the best Queen album by a large margin, but I see how it was significant, especially in the history of the band. It shows where they are going with their sound - sounds much more like Queen than their first record. "Side Black" is much better than "Side White". I wish the entire record was more of that.
Brian's side sounds like Black Sabbath. Freddie's side is really, really fun.
A band on the cusp of greatness. Not there So this adds to my quibble of multiple albums by the same artist. Is this as good as Sheer Heart Attack or Night at the Opera? If not, is there another album by an artist not featured on this list get a look in? Some artists do deserve multiple entries, of which Queen already do but in this case, regardless of how much I love Queen II, it falls short
Way more hard rock riffs than I was expecting. Some interesting images presented in some songs.
This Queen album has grown on me over the years, I now love the faerie themes and over-the-top glam elements. Nevermore, what a song, I wish it was three times longer.
I appreciated the chance to discover Queen songs I didn't know before. Especially, White Queen (As it began) was really good and surprising for me.
Erste Hälfte so naja. Zweite richtig gut
I was excited when I saw I had Queen. Then, I realized it was this album. The album of no hits. Better than a bad album, but that’s about it.
It's Queen. It's never going to be bad, but it's not up there with their very best work.
Turns out I’ve never listened to Queen before outside of their singles! Didn’t recognise a single track off this but it has changed my perception of them. It’s a lot more rocky than I ever think I gave them credit for, and has some interesting little bits here and there (can’t remember the song in particular, but it had a very weird / catchy little jangle halfway through). Gonna state the obvious here but Mercury has quite the singing range too! Sometimes he reminded me a bit of Robert Plant, which is only a good thing for me. Very pleasantly surprised me this, not half as pompus as I expected. Not really my cuppa tea to return to, but good nonetheless
If this makes the list I guess we're getting half a dozen Queen albums! Was an interesting listen, they sound like a typical rock band for the first few songs and then it gets increasingly fantasy themed and familiarly over the top. I like queen but they are overplayed and I don't feel like I need to revisit their back catalogue, though it seems like we'll have to.
I'm not a Queen fan - never have been. This album is so different from their later work - in particular the guitar is excellent, but it falls short of other prog rock artists and albums of the same era. Too many non-descript songs. Despite "finding" their sound over the next few years, I would probably still prefer their earlier work.
I do like Queen but did not recognise any of the tracks on this album. It's not their best but I thought it was overall a good album. Highlights: Father To Son Ogre Battle Seven Seas of Rhye
Don't know why, by Queen just don't do it for me. It's not bad but just not something I really want to listen to. No hits here either. Tbh I didn't really listen to this properly and give it a proper chance
Queen: Weirder than you thought. And that's a good thing.
I’ll admit I’ve never given Queen a real try, but I’ve never heard a song of theirs and thought, “I want more of this.” So, an album was too much. No desire to hear this again.
Favorites: -Ogre Battle -The march of the black queen -Funny how love is -Seven seas of rhye
Great album! It doesn't contain any of the major classics that everyone knows of Queen, but the music is still on point and just brilliant!
A classic glam rock album, Queen never disappoints. 4/5. Favorite Track: Ogre Battle
Unique songs and voices, good first album to listen to in this journal. Classic rhythms brought to life.
For the amount that they have going on in each song, it does make for easy listening. Wasn't sure what I'd make of a Queen album but hoped for a bit more of a narrative. You can tell they were just beginning to find their sound. It's raw with the high range vocal harmonies and the driving guitar sound is a little bit toned down.
Best Song: The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke. That piano (harpsichord?) sounds really nice, and the vocal harmonies aren't so over-the-top to distract from the song entirely. Worst Song: Nevermore. Needlessly self-indulgent piano interlude. Overall: This might be the album that solidifies for me that Queen is just okay. They're not some mythic superband that can do no wrong. They're not infallible. They made some good songs (all of which have since gone on to be massively overplayed) and a bunch of mediocre ones.
I once went on a sporting road, 10 hours driving in a minivan during the golden age of tape decks. Team mates insisted on Queen's Greatest Hits on repeat for the journey rather than my collection of well crafted indie and alternative hits. Fuck you Queen, and fuck you Clive.
Honestly wouldn't have guessed this tracklist, a fair number of tracks I'd never heard before. A rockier/less cheesy affair than some of their output, and I loved it.
i feel like i hear a decent amount of zeppelin influence here
This is most definitely early early days queen, quite different than the Queen we all know and love. It's fine, pretty great guitar going on, but I wouldn't say anything mind blowing going on here.
Okay.
Never a big fan of Queen. Decent ok album, but not more than that
I listened to all of this record. This is an important album in the history of popular music as it is this stuff that hastened the emergence of punk rock. Perhaps this process should be renamed 1001 Albums That Will Hasten Your Demise. Stephen Stills is suddenly looking good.
Exuberance or excess? I guess it depends on the mood of the listener. This was Queen developing their trademark sound, but it’s no accident that people don’t sing the songs from this album.
This was the first Queen LP I bought (courtesy of the Australian Record Club) in early 1975. It did not grab me. The following year I bought A Night At The Opera, & the rest is history. That album was full of poppy singles, tunes you could hum and Bohemian Rhapsody, which my housemate/fellow teacher & I would sing at the top of our voices every morning, as we drove the expressway from Lurnea to Campbelltown. I have to say I’ve rarely played Queen II since then. Having just given it a few spins, I don’t think my opinion has changed. But it is fascinating to hear so much in the sound that indicates where they were heading - May’s guitar sound particularly. There are just no killer tunes on it.
Queen. I love Queen they are awesome. Way, way, way over the top, because nothing exceeds like excess. This is my mate David Lewis' favourite Queen album, and that is saying a lot. See his Queen summary here: https://www.toppermost.co.uk/queen/ This record is where they worked out how to use the studio to get their trademark sounds; layers of harmony vocals, orchestras of overdubbed guitars, weird sounds and tape effects, all more more more. They really perfected the techniques that built the sound they used to conquer the world through the 70s on this record. But, the songs just aren't really there. Sorry, Dave. I have listened to this through about four times in a row today (ad I know I have listened to it several times before. I own a copy). But I just can't remember any of the songs. There are a few good riffs that come and go quickly, but everything is so overdone, and overblown, I'm just overpowered. I much prefer the (slightly) more stripped down hard-rockin' Sheer Heart Attach, or, conversely, the even more over the top A Night At The Opera, which has far far better songs, and a bit more light and shade. Fun fact: the working title of Queen II was "Over The Top". I love this review from Pitchfork (https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15221-reissues/), which encapsulates my feelings about the band: "Fucking Queen. For all their reported bombast, pomp, and tendency to overshoot and double-slaughter any semblances of good taste, everything you've heard about them is still true. They're one of the few phenomena who deliver on the hype, regardless of how you approach them. Hate or love proggy album suites? Doesn't matter, Queen will make you feel good about your choice. Can't stand operatic drama, or can't get enough unitard-clad frontmen? Love to hate prime 1970s hard rock with arena sheen? Welcome to the greatest/most horrible band of the 20th century. They did and wanted it all. Yet, so much of Queen's music is still under-recognized even by people who know and love the hits." Robert Christgau (http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=queen) was a bit more succinct: "Queen II [Elektra, 1974] Wimpoid royaloid heavoid android void. C-" On this record, they are working it out, how to do The Sound. It took a while to learn how to simplify their songwriting (mostly) and how to apply The Sound to best effect. Great moments, but tedious hours.
Uhm that RIPPED. I love Queen but this album has somehow missed my ears until now. March of the Black Queen had me headbanging en route to work, so goood. 4.5/5
Loved it 4.7/5
Queen is so flipping good. I hadn’t heard many songs on this album but I enjoyed all of them.
Mixing of styles, heard some prog rock influences which were very enjoyable. The march of the black queen remains one of my favourite underrated Queen songs.
Proof that I need more Queen in my life. Especially the deep cuts.
Thematic. Samey. Didn't really grab me.
Great album, I enjoy it a lot.
Queen is underrated. I know what I typed.
I have never heard any of the songs in the album before. In some way the songs seem FRESHER as I am not really used to them. Especially the first couple of songs that does not really focused on Freddy's vocal. The guitar works are superb and I started to really appreciate Brian May's style now. 3.9/5
I like queen, never listened to this album before. Thought it was sound. Seven Seas of Rhye the standout for me. Low 3
First ever Queen album I have ever listened to. It was exactly what I expected. Their sound is so unique that within the first 3 seconds of the album you know who it is. I enjoyed it to be fair and they really are so unique. I am just not into that big feel operatic rock/stadium sound I don't think. Worthy of a 3 though
Er... No, thank you. I respect Queen's hardcore fans and their obsessions for their early, more proggy albums. But honestly, not much stands out in the tracklisting of *Queen II*. It's a lot of technical prowess (the harmony of background vocals, those guitar solos...), but *all* songs quickly end up sounding samey. It's like a pointless puzzle where all those elements are assembled in different ways ad nauseam, bringing no discernible dynamics to the whole thing. "Father to Son" has some nice moments. But everything after is quite a borefest, in spit of all the effort put into it. If really I had to include a Queen record in my list, *A Night At The Opera" would be the most likely candidate. There you have those catchy tunes (in a vast array of different styles), along with interesting 180-degrees turns in it. And *maybe* i would add *News Of The World* for its timeless hits, or *Jazz* and its similar stylistic endeavors. But that's about it. Number of albums left to review: 673 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 160 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 75 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 92 (including this one)
Queen er Queen! Dette var riktignok et ukjent album for meg, og ikke så hyppig spilte sanger som de senere - men umiskjennelig Queen i vokal, gitarspill, instrumentalisering. Seven Seas of Rhye var en klar favoritt.
Great band, great album - always a good listening experience
Definitely not my favorite queen album but it still has some great tracks on it.
I think Queen should be in the contention for the most overplayed bands in history of human music (and probably non-human as well). It's very hard to rate their records. Luckily, Queen II is a less known album, so it should be a little easier. But, by saying that, I think this record is very generic and none of the songs catches your attention. It sounds more like a tribute band, than a real one. Of course it's unfair, it's just a second album by Queen, so they didn't find their final style yet. Also, at the time this album had to be more impactful than nowadays. Entertaining stuff, but nothing exceptional.
Brilliant album, proper talents and fantastic production for its time
Nice to hear the origins of Queen but I’m glad they’ve done more 😂
The classic Bohemian Rhapsody cover even though that song is on another record. You can tell from the get go that they were highly influenced by classic tunes and tempos when they made Queen II. Truthfully, I only know the hits with Queen, but I gave this album a full chance. Freddie's voice sails! I enjoyed Father to Son. They are masters of their own sound, for sure. Fully unique unto themselves. The Loser In The End is a jam with screeching guitars a la Mississippi Queen. I enjoyed the rise and rise and rise of Nevermore. Seven Seas of Rhye was the only song I'd heard of. Decent album although I'm not the biggest Queen fan out there.
I like the hits, but some sound like fillers.
there wasn’t many songs that i’d listen to on their own, but the album as one long project is very good
Father To Son- 9.0 White Queen (As It Began)- 8.6 Some Day One Day- 7.2 The Loser In The End- 8.1 Orge Battle- 9.2 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke- 8.1 Nevermore- 8.0 The March Of The Black Queen- 9.6 Funny How Love Is- 7.0 Seven Seas Of Rhye- 9.7 It's a 4.5 out of 5 overall
To be honest, no where near my favorite Queen album. You can hear they are still developing their signature sound and balancing it with pop sensibilities
Worst Album Ever ! Hate it
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not, really. Iconic band and sound so get a free pass but just not that interesting and engaging to me Favourite song: Track 9 - The March Of The Black Queen
Never heard any of these songs. All of Queen's hits are awesome but so overplayed. It was refreshing to just hear Queen being awesome.
I didn’t love this album. I guess I prefer their later work.
A decent album without any of the big hits
Queen is certainly not my thing. I just can't listen to it, it's not relaxing, not exciting, just annoying. I don't get the hang of it.
I love Queen, but this album isn’t a favourite. To my ears, it’s the soundtrack to the world’s most frantic D&D game. The standout tracks to me are “March of the Black Queen” (a proto-“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and “Seven Seas of Rhye”.
Good album with some songs I really like on here. I'm a huge fan of the spasmodic stuff like Ferry Feller. A trait that System of a Down (one of my top 5 bands) really runs with 30 years later. I'd like something a little more cohesive throughout. While it's not a 4, I want to come back to this one. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding
3/5 no songs stood out
I am a big Queen fan and this is an album I haven’t listened to much. It’s good but I like their next album, Sheer Heart Attack much more.
All Queen albums are amazing
You ever type out a word, know it’s spelled correctly, but when you look at it, it looks…wrong? Is there a name for that, because I’m having that right now with word “Queen”. I don’t know why, but those two “e’s” seem out of place. Maybe it’s because as I write this, Queen II is playing (I write these reviews in real-time as I listen to the records) and while the sound is familiar, something feels off. I’m not really a Queen fan, so this is my first listen to Queen II. Obviously, I am familiar with Queen’s hits, but as far as the catalog goes, I’m mostly unfamiliar. This might be the first time I’m hearing a Queen album in full. What’s making me feel like I’ve entered another dimension, is that this record feels more like an off-brand Peter Gabriel-era Genesis record, than what I know Queen to be. It’s kind of a lite-prog/early metal record. What I’m getting at is this sounds like Queen, but it also doesn’t. They’re clearly still figuring things out, but it’s not bad….just weird. “Nevermore” is the first one that really felt like a full-fledged “Queen” song to me. Props to them for the title “The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke”, though - quite a song title. A lot of this record doesn’t work to my ears, so I’m a little surprised by its inclusion. The vocals are the clear highlight. The production is weirdly muddy at times and a lot of the guitar overdubs come in way too hot. The song construction is kind of a mess - a lot of changes for the sake of changes. These songs are really busy, but not in a good way. It was funny to hear Freddie Mercury sing about Ogres, though. This record is so fucking weird, bro. I don’t know what else to say.
Au début, je le trouvais plus sage que les albums de Queen que je connais. Mais finalement j’ai retrouvé les arrangements grandioses et théâtraux, l’omniprésence des guitares et des harmonies, les mélodies inattendues
A lot of fun, enjoyed the comparative lack of bombast - felt like a working band rocking hard
Perhaps brilliant for how bespoke it is, but didn’t compel me
Wanted to love it because it’s queen. Got bored really quickly. Can appreciate it however.
This album felt like 1 long song that didn’t end. I ended up liking one song, but everything else felt like a drawn out blur. I won’t deny the talent of the band, but it’s definitely not for me. 1/5
Fear me you loathsome, lazy creatures I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine At the seven seas of Rhye Decent album, not their best though. 3/5
No songs particularly stood out to me, but none of them distracted me at all. I might use this album for studying in the future.
I like plenty of Queen songs but I rarely listen to entire album but this one of them. Sure there's no big hits, Seven Seas of Rhye perhaps but it's just consistent and quite heavy. Ogre Battle is one of my all time favorites. This Album, the Game and occasionally Sheer Heart Attack are the only Queen albums I listen to start to finish.
Just give me the hits, please. Of course May’s guitar and the harmonies, but the songwriting is terrible.
This wasn't the Queen i was expecting. Sounds more like a standard rock band then what I have come to expect from Queen.
It was just okay. Queen doesn't seem to have great albums, just great songs, and I don't know if there were any great songs on this one for me.
I just love Queen.
Honestly have never heard any of the songs on this album. Probably why I didn't enjoy it as much had it been some more classic bangers. However, I didn't hate it.
Queens one of my favorite groups. Interesting how hit free this one is. I really enjoy that because its not immediately contextualized as the song from might ducks or wayne's world or whatever.
A surprisingly bad Queen album. Why this and not their first, Sheer Heart Attack, or A Night at the Opera?
Nikad nisam slušao Queen osim ono kad se pusti negdje koja pjesma. Vjerujem da je drugi dio albuma, odnosno "Side Black" onaj klasični Queen kojeg znam. Po meni puno bolja strana od "Side White". Osvrt lagani općenito - nikad mi nisu smetali, niti će mi ikad smetati, ali iskreno ne bih si, bar ne još, pustio iz želje da ih čujem. Ne znam. Ovo je solidan album sve u svemu.
Always going to love a Queen album!! This one is very epic I actually haven't listened to all of these tracks before as it's only their second album and not exactly packed with their top hits. But it's real classic early Queen glam rock which I wouldn't really want to listen to from any other band particularly. You can't beat the genius and creativity of Freddie but all of them really together. Also bonus that I watched Bohemian Rhapsody film very recently which is amazing so nice timing to then listen to this album. It's brilliant.
I am finding this hard to rate - as I respect it but its not my bag to listen to. It is great songwriting and very fun, Queen are of course legends. I found it a bit tiring though, I listened twice to try and build an opinion. I reckon I need to listen to this on a car journey
Good stuff. I never really listen to Queen, but obvs know a lot of their stuff anyway so it was nice to actually sit down and listen to this
It's Queen, do i need to explain?
Interesting how the band's evolution from a rougher rocknroll sound to the operatic bombast we know and love occurs roughly mid-album.
Was ok
I’m not a huge Queen fan per-say, but whenever I catch a song in passing I find myself getting drawn in by the theatrics. They are full force and shining throughout this album, making for an entertaining listen.
For those used to singles and greatest hits - here's an album for you. And for me! Did I recognise any of the tracks? Not really (all Queen tracks sounds vaguely familiar though so you're never sure). This album to me just served to remind me what a great ROCK band they were/are. Each track is so polished, so noisy, and so Queen.
Refreshing to hear new Queen songs as i only knew one song. Listened to the album a few times, which does not happen a lot in the 1001. I like this early queen sound.
Used to be a 5 star album for me in the 80s but listening to it again now I was less impressed. It still has some great moments, but fall short of 5 stars.
Not bad, but to me it feels like they are still trying to find their balance on this album. I hear many ideas that return on later albums in a much better way.
Interesting that there is a beta version of bohemian rhapsody on this album. But not my cup of tea.
An album replete with signs of what was to come. I wish I had heard Queen's albums in their release order, but unfortunately that was not the case (The first I heard was A Night at the Opera). This is from the days when Queen were unquestionably a Rock band, but the transition to being full blown Queen is evident in tracks such as The March of the Black Queen. As ever, with them, there is a variety of musical styles as the songwriting is split amongst the band (Principally Mercury and May, but with contributiond fro Taylor), however in this case it was distinctly divided between the white (A) and Black (B) sides of the album. The majority of the material will be new to non afficionados - the exception being Seven Seas of Rye which was written specifically to be a single. Not their best album (the world will never agree on which is their best - but it is not this) but even so it is still an impressive piece of work
I’ve rated this higher than I expected for a couple of interesting tracks towards the latter part of the album, the lead guitar is preventing this ever going beyond a 2 though
Second listen. I liked this a lot more this time. It was pretty good. Not much to say about it, though. High 3. (Is that how you say that?)
Very good. Just what you'd expect of Queen, with hints and echoes of what was coming.
I enjoyed every second of this album. Most of these songs aren’t their big hits so I was surprised by that
Queen is the kind of band you put on while eating grilled cheese.
Excited for this one as someone who knows their biggest hits but never fully explored their earlier work. I definitely want to give this another listen. First impression is a 3/5 but it could easily be a 4/5.
Said in the style of The Simpson's Comic Book Guy: "Most. Overrated. Band. Ever!"
None of their hits, all of their style.
It was like listening to an alternate universe where Queen had all their musical and production skills but none of their song-writing talent.