Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Now this is a Queen I can get on board. For all its whinnying on about ogres and fairies – literally – there sits on this record a handful of hip-swinging heavy rock songs. Ah, hold on, I’ve just had a thought … While considering why these songs about profoundly daft mythologies feel also so in possession of a profound sense of the libidinal, it finally dawns on me that the ogres and fairies may be euphemisms. And before you try telling me that something a black queen is just a black queen, you’ll first need to clarify what it is Freddie means by “I’ll be your bad boy, I’ll be your bad boy” if not “he’ll be your bad boy.” Queen II isn’t just a Queen I can get on board with because it’s heavy. It’s a Queen I can get on board with because it’s barely concealing its true intentions. There’s a freedom to this whole thing that I’m not convinced I’ll find anywhere else in their catalogue (I didn’t in the doldrums of “A night at the operas” circus silliness anyway). Big riffs, bonkers production ideas, moonshots that actually come off and more falsetto shrieking than the Bee Gees trapped in a temperamental shower. This is a Queen album I can finally lose myself to, perhaps because it feels like I’m hearing a member or two of the band finding themselves, musically and otherwise. Let the ogres do battle, indeed.
Never listened to their earlier stuff. Pretty good
Before they blew up? Good stuff
Interesting, I wouldn't say it was recognisable as queen but was alright
All the weirdness of Queen but before they figured out how to write a killer hook.
I just don't care for queen. I see the appeal, but it's too dramatic for me.
Yup!
Progressive heavy metal Queen is really different. Brian May is just going for it. Everything is over the top. Which isn't necessarily bad. Fantasy themed lyrics feel strange coming from Mercury. And the whole thing feels ahead of its time. I need to give this another listen, but I like what I heard.
Still least favorite 70s Queen album... This one just does not resonate with me... I see pretty much all the elements they would refine an perfect in the next couple albums, but idk, I I'd have to go with the song selection seems even less memorable than the debut which I like a lot better. 6.67 ★★★
It's definitely missing the banger single or two that typically elevate Queen's other albums. I'm not even that high on "Seven Seas of Rhye". I prefer the Brian May dominated side one to side two, which has some of Freddie's worst instincts as a songwriter. "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" is one of the worst songs in their discography. 3 stars
3.5
Nice early queen. Good display of folky proggy fantasy choral metal with side long suites about ogres and fairy fellers. It’s all a bit soupish though and you don’t get a truly classic Queen song until bam right at the end with Seven Seas Of Rhye. High 3.5 because still mostly a fun listen.
Really rock opera. A familiar sound but unfamiliar songs. Hard for me to get into because if I wanted this sound, I'd pick the familiar. Edit - coming back to this several months later. On several relistens, my ranking comes up to a 3.
Lite för ruffigt sound, men jävlar vad jag gillar freddie
I was surprised I didn't know most of the songs. Not sure if deserve to be in the list. 5/10
Flojo...mejorarán
Me niego a creer que no hay disco de Queen que no vuele la cabeza. Pero este es medio así. Mitad genial, mitad meh. Necesito volver a escucharlo pero por ahora vamos con... Nota: 3 3
3 stars because even though this is Queen, this album didn't amaze me. Freddie is of course magnificent, but he really doesn't get the chance to shine here that he ought to have. Interesting to hear May and Taylor on vocals. Taylor sounds more like Roger Daltrey or Robert Plant!
I went in not expecting to really like this because I'm honestly not a big queen fan. But I ended up liking it a decent amount. There is a noticeable drop when you get to a song that doesn't feature Freddie on vocals. But those songs do serve as a good pallete cleanser from the bombast of the Freddie songs. A 3.5 for sure but this site doesn't allow half stars for some god awful reason.
You can definitely see the unique style beginning to come into it's own. Funny how most haven't listened to full queen albums - solid 3.
Sounds very cool and obviously impressive but maybe a bit too clever and strange at times for me
This one was fun and a classic! Not my fav Queen album tho
Can't believe this doesn't have Bohemian Rhapsody on it
Its fine, nothing special but not bad to listen to
I knew none of these Queen songs before. Has a lot of the elements that make queen great (the harmonies, Freddie, the guitars), but none of the tracks really blew it out of the water for me. 3*
3/5
Dramatic. Theatrical. A little chaotic? This really leans into fantasy and flair, like a rock opera that doesn’t know when to take a breath. It's just so-so, where most moments feel tangled in their own ambition.
Cool concept, well executed but got old after a while
I got a little hung up on this album... I appreciate Queen's music but this might be more of an album for the hardcore fans. Apparently it's an epic album about the forces of good and evil and it's full of high fantasy. There's even a song called Ogre Battle. But I'm probably not going to listen to this while I play D&D. I like the song Loser in the End. They kind of sound like Led Zeppelin on that one. It's their 2nd album so maybe they haven't quite found their stride yet.
Big fan of Queen here, but not of this album. It had some rockin' moments, but mostly I was just bored with it and it was often too noisy for me. A lot of big sounds, but lacking in good hooks. Not surprised there are no hits from this. Appreciate this anyway though! I mean, it's Queen.
All the overblown pomposity that we know of Queen.Theatrical prog. Great musicianship but not entirely my taste
weird, surprising, wonderfully musical - it's hard to believe that popular music used to involve so many instruments or that it was so unpredictable and complex. It makes the corpus of modern music feel flat and distinctly ~unmusical~ That doesn't mean I loved every moment of it. It's not of my milieu. And predictable as it may be, I love a love song, and that is not the Point of this album. Spotify switched to recommended songs without me noticing - love songs from this era of weird, surprising, wonderfully musical music. And turns out, that's more my speed. But this album was, nonetheless, an absolute treat for my ears. It turned into a meditation on the flattening of popular culture and of music. I thought that you needed an orchestra to love music this much. I was delightfully wrong.
I was so surprised that I didn't really know a single song from this album. Some of them I liked but overall there is a reason why I don't know them
I wasn't blown away but the musicality is obvious, even gratuitous at times. Hard to understand the lyrics.
How could you not listen to a Queen album containing such hits as . . . uh . . . well there’s um . . . wait does that say “ogre battle”? What the fuck is this? Like, I guess it is kind of cool that this is an album from a band that you can hear figuring stuff out that they would later go on to incorporate into better songs, but why not just listen to the albums with those better songs on it instead? Some of this is okay but some of this sounds like Meatloaf.
Good album
Oooohhhhh someone got a fancy new stereo-panning knob on their production board!!! Other than Seven Seas of Rhye, I was surprisingly unfamiliar with this album.
First impression was it was a lot proggier than I thought it'd be, and I didn't hear a lot of the Queen I recognized as someone who's only really heard a few of the big hits. On second listen, though, it was easier to spot the connections. This is a solid 3.5; nothing stands out immediately as something I think I'll remember a year from now, and prog isn't so much in my wheelhouse, but it's got a few fun tracks on there and I definitely wouldn't turn this off if it was playing randomly.
Enjoyed almost every track, but I don't think I've heard even one of them before now. How's that possible?
Not a 2.... definitely not a 4.... three it is.
This was a weird one. I've heard all their back catalog, but this is one without any obvious singles/hits on it. Kinda prog rock (in a good way) and you can definitely see how they go from this to bohemian rhapsody. This is fine but I feel like sheer heart attack, NATO, DATR are stronger conceptually and more fun to listen to.
Not the classic Queen hits which was kinda nice to hear some of their other stuff. High 3
Good rock opera
Showcases Freddie Mercury’s incredible vocal Chops and Brian May’s unique and innovative guitar solos. At times, felt like I was watching Rocky Horror Picture Show. Not crazy about the fairy tale theme. Seems they were figuring out their sound.
Eh, it was alright, not Queen at its best by any means.
A rare fear to put the best song on the album at the end! Also the best but of the song is the end of the song!..... To many high harmonies for me which lost a star.
I’m just not a Queen fan …
Actually quite good Got better with each listen. Sure it doesn't have the glamour of the latter half of the career, but its quite enjoyable Between a high 3 and a 4?
Not the best Queen. But this was from a time when bands had a few records to find their footing.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but it was the most forgettable album I’ve ever listened to. Except the ogre fight song lol. 2.5 I don’t make the rules. No nopes but no yeps.
Listenable but nowhere near as good as A Night At The Opera.
Not the best
Seven Seats of rhye. Bijzonder album. De rest kende ik niet
средне
I enjoyed this album, although I think its an odd choice for inclusion in this challenge!
I just didn’t enjoy this album as much as I thought I would! To be honest, even though I enjoy Queen, I don’t think I’d ever heard any of these tracks. Cover is amazing though
Fun Queen album we know and love. This gets more theatrical the further you get into the album. March of the Black Queen is my favorite.
Better than sheer heart attack
This album seems kind of "meh". It has the Queen sound, with vocal harmonies, that guitar sound, etc. But after 2-3 listens I don't find myself hooked on any songs. I'm surprised they included this album.
There's something Barroque about Queen, with their tendency to ALWAYS GO BIG that starts to wear on me. That said, it's hard to deny there is talent there.
'Excalibur' or 'Lion in Winter' soundtrack rejects.
Great, but not their best album
Ok. I see this is when they “ found their sound”. But it’s just ok. 3 for being Queen.
Underrated but still not top notch
Yes its Queen, and they're brilliant musicians, but this album was pretty average, boring even.
Pretty cool, very 70s. Rock opera. Will get better with multiple listens. Still, most of the time I'm just not into electric guitars. 3/5.
Decent
Definitely the first time I have listened to this album. Not quite Queen's big break, but you can hear their distinctive sound on this recording. While the albumnis very listenable because of their raw talent there no songs that really stick with me.
It was okay. I have listened to Queen but this album didn't hook me.
Roots of Glory Hammer
Excited to listen to some Queen, but I am entirely unfamiliar with this album. Didn't know a single track on it and it turned out to be a bit to concept-y for me. Weird juxtaposition between the country rock sounding song "The Loser in the End" and "Ogre Battle." "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke......." Really??? And ends with a sort of sea shanty? Feels like Queen trying to figure out who they are.
Okay.
- Es ist Queen und ich liebe viele von denen - nicht ihr bestes Album, aber immer noch gut anzuhören
Hab ich nicht gefühlt
Pre-listening thoughts: wait why did I think this was the one with bohemian rhapsody??* Turns out I know zero songs from this album. Interesting Queen pick. *Turns out actually I thought this because the cover was just reused for the MV. I am NOT a total idiot for that association. Post/during listening thoughts: my brain knows this is Queen but also it’s so not what I KNOW from Queen. It’s a lot more prog rock than I expected. Boo. I shamelessly like their later stuff more. Freddie Mercury always rocks though. Maybe the biggest thing saving this from a two star rating. 5.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: The Fairy Feller…, Nevermore, Funny How Love Is (can you tell I enjoyed the second half of this album a lot more than the first?) Least fav tracks: was just lukewarm on a lot of it. Disappointed in Queen ☹️
6/10 - it’s really theatric which is very interesting and separates this album from many other albums on the list. But it didn’t work for me on all of the songs.
Still don’t care about queen
Another queen album that I had heard songs from but never the entirety of. Quite good ended up going through it three or four times today
I'm a genuine Queen fan, been rocking out to them since I was a 3rd grader. This album has a one of listens on Spotify, the weakest song has over 3.5M listens so it's popular. I'm not sure I'd consider it essential as compared to 2-3 of their other albums. It's very much early 70's rock. Good songs, very creative & unique, conceptual with continuity throughout, but missing the song THAT holds it all together. "Seven Seas..." was the lone song that made a best of collection (and had 99M plays on Spotify! That's crazy), but it wouldn't make my Top 25 Queen songs. I did enjoy "The Loser In The End" which is rocking track I hadn't heard in a long time. "Ferry Feller's..." is just plain annoying. Enjoyable but just not that great for me, not T1001.
менее глэм чем другие, не так напряг, но и не запомнился
"Queen II" is the second studio album by British rock band Queen. Some called it the "heavy Queen album" combining a heavy rock sound with art rock and progressive rock elements. I'll agree on that description and especially this one going even deeper: "containg elements of the band's multi-layered overdubs, vocals harmonies and varied musical styles." It is also considered a concept album as some medieval faery realm following royal lines magical battle against forces of darkness. Sure, OK. The album had mixed reviews bit has gained a cult following. Commercially, it reached #5 in the UK and #49 in the US. The first or White side opens with the instrumental "Procession." A heart-beating pulse, Brian May's multi-tracked guitars and cool stereo effects. Piano keys give way to heavy guitars and beat in "Father to Son." Freddie Mercury comes in vocally as he, the father, is talking to his son about the facts of life (I guess). Multi-layered backing vocals in higher octaves. A lot going on in this song. "White Queen (As It Began)" continues the busy-ness. The song bounces back and forth between heavy metal acoustic guitar strums and electric guitar slashes. Angelic backing vocals. Brian May wrote this and drew inspiration from a fellow student, a "perfect" woman. The second or Black side begins with "Ogre Battle." Yes, it is. A wobbly start with backards-recorded guitars giving way to heavy guitars and layers vocals. Mercury screams "come tonight, come to the fight." "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke" is based on a Richard Dadd's painting and poem of the same name. A ticking noise, piano keys, a pulsing bass and fast beat. Very dramatic. A lot going on. Their most prog rock song on the album. The album ends with its only single "Seven Seas of Rhye." A spiraling piano, guitar slashes, the band kicks in with Mercury's vocals. Their most focused, rockin' song. Rhye appears to be a fantasy world of sorts. This is a great Queen song that I don't think I've heard before. If I hadn't heard "Bohemian Rhapsody" before I'm not sure what I would have thought about this album. But since I have heard it, a lot of the elements in these songs sound like their practicing to eventually make that masterpiece. Layering and overdubing of guitars and vocals. The guitar, bass and drums are heavy. Their style is unique bouncing between rock, heavy metal and prog rock. I wouldn't call this my favorite Queen album but there's a lot to like throughout even through the musical busy-ness.
not typical queen but still queen 👍
I mean it's Queen. Although it's interesting because like, none of the hits are here. I actually don't think I've ever heard a Queen album front to back before, outside of their live at Wembley album because for a band so beloved like them, they don't really have like that album. Anyways there are a few tracks here that are very Queen-ish and a couple where you can tell the band is still figuring out who they are. 7/10
More of a conventional rock album than A Night At The Opera and more consistent, but Seven Seas of Rhye is the only song I'd care about hearing again.
Good - a real album kind of album
Seven Seas of Rhye is the stand out on this album, a terrific closer to a just ok album. The loser in the end is a true testament to not letting your drummer have a song. It’s a real dud, and kills the flow of the rest of the album. The rest of the album flows together pretty well, a lot of fantasy themes and a proggy sound. It’s just that the songs themselves are meandering and uninteresting. Queen has a lot of great songs, and most of them are on the greatest hits albums. There’s a reason most of the songs on this one did not make the cut.
This wasn't really what I was expecting. I had no idea Queen had such a heavy rock sound in their early days, being familiar only with their later more poppy hits. It's delightfully weird and they sound like they're having a great time performing, but not really to my taste. Not sure I'd listen to any of these tracks on their own to be honest
This album bothers me less than their Sheer Heart Attack one did, which was randomized to me than a week ago. This one has slightly less theater style melodrama. Now I wish i had given that album only two stars. Because this one is better but still ain’t getting four!
Not my thing unless Freddie was singing.
Second half was great.
Actually alright
Classic but not near Queen's best IMO
Good stuff. Nothing particularly noteworthy.
It sounded good but I wasn't drawn in to listen again which I think is about par for the course three star material.
Not their best, notably all hits are absent 3/5
Solid operatic prog, hints at what is to come. There is a beauty to the lush orchestration yet overall rather one note.
Absolutely epic rock. Queen’s hardest rock album. Bonkers at times. Theatrical.
This album would be a 2 but Seven Seas of Rhye is a classic. I really think Queens hits are their best stuff, but the rest of their music really isn't my jam.
Heavy, glam, flamboyant, complex - Queen as I recall them from their heyday were always exciting, if not something I'd choose to play. Queen II sees the band in the middle of an extraordinarily productive period in the mid-70s. In reality, I think they were still moving towards a significant place in the rock pantheon, and while many of the elements of future greatness are here, I don't think this is a truly great album.
There are better queen albums
It's mostly fine, they hadn't really found their distinct sound by this stage, I would expect this would not be included if it wasn't Queen 3*
It was solid.
All new songs to me. Classic rock opera. Love the harmonizing vocals.
I was let down by this album but I have to give it at least a three since you exit the record with one of my favorite Queen songs in 'Seven Seas of Rhye'.
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 👤👤👤👤 Production (2011 Remaster): 🧏♂️📏💩 Music: 🖤👑✨ Rating: 👤👤👤(👤)/5
Very Queen, pretty cool but not one familiar tune though and probably won't listen to it again.
Probs would have been fine dying without hearing an album with none of Queens hits on it
Very Queen with the vocals and harmonies and all that. Not enough rock n roll. It kind of sounds like it could be the soundtrack to an adventure movie. Meh.
nunca han sido mis favs pero el album no ha estado mal
meh, it was fine
its a queen album! nothing wrong with this particular one, i do enjoy queen quite a bit, but theres nothing special about this album either. a very middle ground album
The best Queen album for me? It has the trademark Queen sound without being too much.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
A solid output but not among Queens heights.
you know what actually. this wasn’t totally dreadful. it was just TOOOOOO much. i really liked the song “some day one day” and i didn’t mind “the loser in the end” because they felt slightly more subtle (lol) even though they were both still obviously over the top. fav tracks: some day one day
i feel like if everything is special then nothing is special. this album feels like that because every song is so theatrical and bombastic that it all just feels like nothing. obviously as musicians they're very talented, and Freddie Mercury has one of the most impressive voices of all time. But it's just way too much to listen to all of this as one album.
Let's be honest, Queen has a particular fame brought about by Mercury's tragic absence. That said, the album is difficult to really judge here in hindsight outside of noting that this was not their strongest album. It is a Queen album, but it is one of those albums that today you sit through knowing that the best stuff is still on the way.
Being as super-popular as they are, I was surprised to find I hadn't heard of a single song on this album. This was apparently released about 10 years before the heyday of the Queen songs that everyone knows. Some of the trademark elements that define their later sound are evident here, but it hasn't been fully formed yet, either. I thought there were some interesting moments in the first five songs of the album - it occasionally gets considerably heavier than I expect from Queen - but the latter half kind of lost my interest. I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could. Meh. 5/10
Pretty good. Not great though.
To be honest, I didn’t find this album as irritating as I expected, especially considering I’m not a big Queen fan. I’ve never really sat down with any of their albums from start to finish, mainly because my opinion of them is shaped by their overly-played, grating anthem hits. Thankfully, this album didn’t feature any of those overplayed tracks. However, I could definitely sense some early signs of the elements that would eventually evolve into those hits. But for what it is, Queen II came across as a bit better than I initially thought.
Okay album. Didn’t live it didn’t hate it. Sounds like queen alright
I appreciate Queen, I really do. But for some reason this album just really didn't do it for me. I can tell that it's good, so I'll still give it the benefit of the doubt, but it's far too grand and theatrical for me.
an enjoyable listen in the moment, but also incredibly forgettable. i couldn’t hum a single one of these songs now that i’m a couple days removed highlights: some day one day, the fairy feller’s master-stroke, the march of the black queen, seven seas of rhye (mar 18 2026)
I enjoyed this one
You can see what they're building up to here. They still sound like an all-parts-equal band, but the songs are more dramatic and thematic than Queen I.
Like the rough draft of Bohemian Rhapsody! I thought I knew every Queen song but this album was all new to me! It had a cool rock opera feel to it, which I really enjoy. I could see owning this on vinyl and listening to it again on a proper stereo system. Ogre battle was cool -- in fact the whole B side was really good.
I find myself conflicted by this album. On one hand I love me some Queen and recognize the talent and mastery of this album. Songs like Father to Song and White Queen add to the tapestry that makes this beautiful rock opera. By the other respect I think being raised on Greatest Hits has spoiled me to their more radio friendly songs. I admire the prog-rock nature of this album, but it might be too much prog for me to return to. This is a headphones and solitude album, not a up-and-out album.
Random thoughts review: - What if you took Zeppelin and leaned into fantasy even more, added some Broadway flair, and mix in some glam rock? You'd have Queen II. - I always thought that this album had Bohemian Rhapsody based on the cover art. Apparently, they just used that cover art at the end of the Bohemian Rhapsody video in the early 90s. - I never really noticed the glam influence in Queen until hearing this album. You can clearly hear the connection to T Rex. - What is this story about? Did the White Queen destroy the Black Queen? Did the ogre's win the battle? I couldn't quite follow - Surprised there are no proper Queen hits on this album. - I see what you did there 1001 Album Generator. Queen of Soul to Queen. Well played.
Very prog rock. First time hearing a Queen album and glad it’s this one although i didn't know any of the songs...that includes the only song that was a hit...
Like most of the albums I've been hearing, they start out slow and then get better. This is just kind of standard proggy stuff with a couple of hits of what Queen's hits would sound like. I don't care for it but it's not bad.
This was good. But if “A Night at the Opera” (their Magnum Opus) is a 5 and I gave “Sheer Heart Attack a 4 then I can only give this a 3.
The album is divided into two sides: the “White Side,” featuring more emotional and personal songs primarily written by Brian May, and the “Black Side,” which contains fantastical and theatrical compositions mainly penned by Freddie Mercury. It showcases the band’s willingness to experiment with complex arrangements and diverse musical styles. I'm a huge Queen fan, and while I appreciate the talent, and still stand by my opinion that Freddie Mercury has the best singing voice in Rock 'N Roll history, this album didn't have anything that blew me away. To be honest, I'm disappointed I can't rank this higher. Favorite Song: "Ogre Battle".
Better than I expected.
A curious choice for a Queen album for this collection, given how many radio hits Queen has had, and yet I don't think *any* of the songs on this album count as one of them. It definitely *sounds* like Queen--almost more princess than queen, as they struggle to emerge from a prog rock orientation--and that's always nice to hear. My favorites were "The loser in the end" (mainly because Taylor's compositions are so very un-Queen-like and yet still rocking) and the proto-Bohemian "The march of the black queen", but the rest is kind of forgettable, sadly, and poor Brian May's side ("White side") is actually painful, although fun to hear May sing lead vocals on "Some day one day". I also really wanted to like "The fairy feller's master-stroke", mainly for the backstory of this weird/sad/ornate painting, but the song wasn't for me. I'm not really sure this particular Queen album is must-hear-before-you-die-worthy, frankly, although I certainly wouldn't go as far as Christgau's eviscerating and hilarious summary of the album as "wimpoid royaloid heavyoid android void." (I also can't agree with Nikki Sixx's evaluation that "Queen II will knock your dick in the dirt every time"....)
classic rock, ballads, opera, ambitious, very diverse, concept, but no hit and not catchy for me. fully convinced this is a masterpiece, but not for me, needed 3 spins and reserache for details.
A good album I've listened to off and on over the years. A few duds in the mix (White Queen, The Loser in the End, Some Day One Day) and some that are a bit too theatrical (The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, Seven Seas of Rhye). But most of the other tracks are good to phenomenal (Father To Son, Ogre, last 2 mins of Black Queen). I may have to listen again before I rate. Listened again and my rating generally went down. But still not bad. 3/5
Got bored part the way through. Not terrible but I think I need to be in a certain mood to listen.
The previous Queen albums that have been generated have been able to get my appreciation, but this one kinda missed. The music is definitely not bad/unlistenable, but it just didn't keep me enthralled. One of the more poorer showings from Queen.
I'm not a huge Queen fan, so I only knew one or two of these tracks before listening to the album. I'm not a bigger Queen fan now, but I enjoyed my time with Queen II.
This was a mediocre Queen album. Freddy Mercury is a legend but nothing stood out on this album like others. Still not bad but not memorable.
Love queen not my favorite album
Up and down but some nice guitar work
I like Queen, and I like this album. Sadly, I don't love it.
Listening to early Queen is interesting. This obviously predates their "signature" Queen sound heard later in the 70's, but the artiness is already there. There are hints of The Who and Led Zeppelin in here, but the group was the first to admit this. What set Queen apart during this time were their guitar arrangements (thanks to Brian May), and their desire to be unique, blending hard rock with art rock elements. Their signature uses of multi-layered overdubs and harmonious vocals also appear to debut here. This album has two pretty distinctive sides to it, the first of which ("Side White") being more guitar-focused and a heavier sound. The second side ("Side Black") fully leans into a more fantastical aspect with Freddie Mercury shining here. You've got a kingdom named Rhye and ogre battles galore! Listeners could honestly treat this as two separate short albums as a result. I've been plenty exposed to Queen during my youth, but this album specifically was never one that crossed my path. You can definitely hear the group refining their sounds and finding their feet here. I thought it was a little inconsistent for my tastes, but the best was yet to come of course.
This was cute. This record doesn’t have the hits. But you really can hear their style solidify. It’s not for me, but it’s well made. 3/5
65.45%
Great instumentation, but missing the big hits.
NGL, I've heard enough Queen in my life from classic rock radio. It's not that it's bad, it's that I heard Freddie Mercury's voice daily until 2009, which was when I finally stopped listening to terrestrial radio for good.
Love it. Wel altijd erg dramatisch en vind dat irritant aan Queen. Daarom maar drie sterren. Wel leuk dat Brian May af en toe zong.
To be honest, I didn’t find this album as irritating as I expected, especially considering I’m not a big Queen fan. I’ve never really sat down with any of their albums from start to finish, mainly because my opinion of them is shaped by their overly-played, grating anthem hits. Thankfully, this album didn’t feature any of those overplayed tracks. However, I could definitely sense some early signs of the elements that would eventually evolve into those hits. But for what it is, Queen II came across as a bit better than I initially thought.
Charmingly weird with unsurprisingly great guitar
Didn't care for the heavier elements. Felt more cookie-cutter than anything. I'm assuming there's more Queen on the list and I enjoy their vocal style, so I'm hoping to enjoy the other albums more.
Good
Not bad, not great either. Man, Freddie can sing, but the rest of this feels like early Genesis or Rush.
I think I'm going to need a second listen.
I don't really like Queen and this is an album with almost 0 hits. I do like some songs from later in their discography. This album does not much for me.
Seven Seas Of Rhye is een ongelooflijk top lied. Ogre Battle heeft een coole titel en is op zich niet slecht. De rest is meh. 2.8
An early queen album, definitely before they really nailed down their sound. There are a few flashes of greatness here but overall only decent.
You can hear that they are still discovering their sound. i neither like it or dislike it. bit too traditional rock for me
Didint expect it so mediocre
Fredagstråd! Altid sjovt at høre gammelt Queen fordi det meste af pladen lyder overraskende "normal". Men generelt godt og et par kæmpe bangers (som også er de mere skøre numre)
Pretty good never got into queen but I enjoy prog and you can hear some of that. The classic queen sound came thru at parts.
So viel Hoffnung in dieses Album gelegt, aber das war nun wirklich nicht ihre beste Musik :/ 3/5
nicht mein lieblings queen album, aber trotzdem gute musik
Pretty good for an early work, of one of the most iconic bands.
Pretty boring nothing particularly stands out
# 325 : They've done a pretty decent job, Discovering albums like this are what this project is all about. Somehow never heard any of these songs but liked it. Definitely a more classic hard rock sound than some of their later more famous stuff. I wouldn't spend my hard earned on this, but I'd listen to someone else's copy again ;-) Favourite Tune : Seven Seas Of Rhye
Really good, difficult to dislike queen
Not their greatest album but Queen still delivers a solid performance. Songs are theatrical, well produced, well played, but not as ambitious as other later work. I suppose the album felt a bit flat and unremarkable.
Enjoyable listen but nothing jumped out and grabbed me.
Cover art is cool I geuss
Operatic and lots of fun. No major hits, but q good listen.
As far as Queen albums go, this was less bombastic and over the top than I hoped. Not a bad album, but I expected more. I can see why music historians consider this important, but it doesn't hold a candle to their later albums.
Queen II is a fun listen and I appreciate all of the sounds they experimented with in the album. 3/5 because I enjoy listening to Queen on occasion, but I don’t think this one will get a lot of relistens.
Classic, but not really my cup of tea. Can appreciate the quality, though.
Oh great, yet another British rock band. Kidding! I really feel bad because I did not come into this list thinking these posts would turn into Anti-British music creation so I must stress that I have nothing against any of these bands as people or as they pursued their dreams of fame. My Ogre Battle is with this list and the Fairy Feller's who thought their Master-Stroke was to limit themselves to such a narrow grouping of music when they should have been scanning the entire Seven Seas (of Rhye) to find music that the world needs to hear. Some Day One Day this list could be edited and transformed, most likely due to all the submissions listeners will add to this list so the Loser in the End will be the people behind this list who can no longer justify the inclusion of some of these as we cry out "Nevermore"! Funny How Love Is sometimes. But back to our Black/White Queens here as they March through their second album. As It Began I immediately noticed this being of their more folksy qualities but you can hear many hints at their hard rock future.
no hits ?
Would like their good stuff
Not bad but I had much higher expectations for the Queen
This is fine. I love Queen’s hits as much as anyone else, but this album kind of dragged for me. I feel like Queen shines with its structured pop hits. Whereas all the songs in this album kind of glob together.
7/10…Classic Rock / Glam Rock
I really wish I liked Queen, but it never hits the mark for me - 3/5 Every song on this album sounded the same to me, and while it wasn’t anything offensive, it wasn’t particularly riveting either - I think this is because in the UK before you can even talk, you have listened to Queen some way or another. As soon as I hear the vocal harmonies I think of an Iceland Christmas advert or singing in assembly. Reviewed 05/09/2024
Good album, but I didn't quite enjoy it as much as Sheer Heart Attack. Sometimes I forget just how heavy and proggy early Queen is, I love it. But I found that very little of this stuck with me.
Equally odd compared to the last time I listened to this ... it was the late 1980s.
Very different than what I expected. More of a rock sound.
Classic Queen. No big hits on here that I knew, but it is distinctive Queen sound. Maybe a bit too heavy for me - real 70’s glam rock vibe.
You’ve gotta be in a special mood to throw this album on…few songs are bad and many are good. But listening to the entire album is a chore.
There should be a 2 album per band limit and I don’t think Queen II cracks the top 2 for Queen
Less dramatic, less operatic and camp than the usual Queen. Listenable - some good guitar work. Mostly 'meh.
Not my favourite work of Queen. Ogre Battle sure was something.
No es uno de mis favoritos de Queen, pero tiene joyitas, como todos.
Not as good as I was expecting :(
I understand the appeal (I guess), and the album is maximalist in every way. Orchestral, solos, songs about ogres and magic, whatever. But I find it way too corny to be enjoyable.
Glammy, arty, proggy, fantastical. Some crazy arrangements and strong playing. Lyrics about queens and ogres and shit. Harmonies galore - vocal, guitar, you name it! No doubt that these guys are insane musicians and talented and clever songwriters. I can respect it more than I really enjoy it. For all the styles they cover and twists and turns they make, it’s a pretty cohesive album. Not many songs stand out here, which can be a good thing for the album sake but also makes little pop for me to want to revisit. Overall it’s fine - enjoyable listen but not something I’ll go back to much.
Hmmm. I don’t recognize any one of these songs by title. Very curious now. Nothing memorable. I suppose you could hear the potential they had. This record had some corny lyrical themes.
Not bad, but missing a single.
This was better than I thought!
Good, kinda funky
I did not expect to be underwhelmed by a Queen album, but it's still quite an explosive and fun early effort.
Not as good as I expected. There were a couple songs that hit harder than expected which was nice but most of it was forgettable. Seven Seas of Rye was the only standout that sounded like the Queen I am used to. I’m sure some of the sounds on here were new and exciting in 1974 but they did it all better later.
Queen is just classical music in the best way. That being said it’s just not very captivating to me.
Never been a fan. I think it goes back to the guitar tone. It's just everywhere. It cuts through to the point of almost feels like it belongs in another band altogether. If you remove that you have a pretty proggy band. Maybe that's the point. In the end - I just don't really care about the various queens and ogres that populate this album.
weaker than other queen albums strong 3 69
Enjoyed this album. My first Queen album all the way through. Father to Son was a stand out.
There were a few songs that I enjoyed, namely White Queen, The March of the Black Queen, and Seven Seas of Rhye. I've never been overly infatuated with Queen, and that thought still stands. It was completely fine, wasn't great, wasn't bad.
These guys were so amazing, right out of the box. This album suffers from the same conundrum as Help! It's amazing but is almost impossible to fairly judge because, from here, it stands in the shadows of the legends that follow.
Can I shock you? I’ve never really got Queen. It’s all just a bit cheesy. They’ve got some bangers don’t get me wrong, I’ll shake my arse to Fat Bottom Girls all night long. But I can’t imagine they have strength and depth in the deep cuts. Don’t think they will ever trouble the 1s and 2s, but can’t really give this any more than a 3, it was fine. Simpsons: Yes
It was alright, solid 3 stars. Nothing on this album was as good as any of their big well known songs.
it was ok, didn't love it but didn't hate it
I liked it. 3.5
Alright.
Very nice cohesive album where the sum is better than the parts. 3.5/5
Does not need to be here, it's fine
Populist classic prog, which, as a poptimist who never really had a classic prog phase in her youth, I’m fine with. But it’s still prog — and indistinct prog, at that. It’s just kind of…there, and while Queen oozes talent, they never put it all together. There’s no truly transcendent moment on Queen II, and that results in a bland record that completely washes over me. But at least it’s not so over the top that I’m annoyed. I’ll never revisit this again, though.
I've never enjoyed Queen in the round, only in singles and bursts. This is good, and has interesting songs but it didn't grip me.
before Queen became who they really were. more prog rock and less poppy arena rock that would make them famous.
It's on my radar now as a cult album—gothic, theatrical, and totally over the top. I’ll need more time with it before it becomes a favorite, but I can already hear the seeds of Queen’s madness in full bloom.
No no. These Queens had some growing up to do yet. At this point we were not hearing fully formed Queens. These were merely princesses.
I respect Queen for what they did and it was fun to hear something else than the same hit singles for once, but this band just fails to click with me.
Queen certainly has its place here, but I always find them a tad overrated. Pretty good nonetheless.
As usual with a Queen album that is not a "greatest hits", there are fillers and songs I don't care about. Still a great powerful sound overall, tho. Legendary band, no matter what.
This one was interesting....thought I'd know every song but not at all! Sounded like freddy wasnt the only one singing too, I liked it! Not my most favorite of Queen songs but i like how they mixed it up
3.75
It's definitely Queen, but it's missing that last little bit of Queen factor to reaally be Queen. 3/5
Relatively tame for Queen, but it's still Queen so a solid 3.5 at least
Not the best Queen has to offer, but still Queen.
I initially gave this a light 3.5 when I first heard it, but I’ve heard it a few more times since then and it’s lowered in my estimation every time. Other than “Seven Seas of Rhye”, side B is verrrrry trying for me. Honestly, my favorite song on the record is Roger Taylor’s “The Loser in the End”. I get why a lot of people really dig it, but this could be my least favorite of their 70’s output. 3/5
Freddie Mercury: best voice in all Rock? There’s a growing consensus online that there’s a good argument for that. Not sure I’m there, but agree he’s definitely in the 🐐discussion. Queen on their sophomore release here is clearly still figuring out there sound. The album is quirky: they sound like T. Rex on “The Loser”. I know it’s Roger and not Freddie on lead vocals, but I still had to check my phone and make sure I was still playing the same album, no joke. You do get a sense of what they’ll become (“Classic Queen”) by the mid/late seventies on the second half of the album. More “operatic,” with some touches of Heavy Metal. I appreciate this start, even if I didn’t wholly love it. More than anything it makes me miss the era of music where a band had the opportunity to release an album or three without the demand for it to be a commercial success, with some nomadic touring to help define their sound and build an audience. A lost art in our modern era where record labels outsource this to TikTok 🙄🙄🙄
Do they save the best 100 until the end. I’ve had the Beatles, Radiohead, Elton John , Rolling Stones and now Queen this week. However this is not their finest. Bombastic to say the least.
"Oh My God! Why isn't this at the top of every music list ever made? This album is astonoshing. It's massive hit, after masive hit!! It's almost like it's a Greates ... " ... CLANG This was the moment the penny finally dropped and I realised I'd fallen into the age old trap of Alexa playing whatever the hell she feels like. I had in fact been listening to Queen's Greatest Hits Volume 2. I mean it says a lot that Volume 2 manages to have banger after banger. Volume 1 must be sensational. This album? It was OK. Truth be told I've always found Queen a little bit itrritating. The band finding on their way to finiding their iconic sound.
From Father to Son rocked, the instrumentals were great Love how the songs transition from one to another Ogre battle was good Rest of the album felt like regular queen, it was okay - I did like the transition between songs being mostly seamless I'm still not the biggest fan of Queen, but I'd give this a 3.5 if I could
3.5/5
ja weer niet een heel top album
Ken deze niet Zal wel 1 van de 10000 albums van Queen zijn in deze lijst Wel prima
sooo this album is good but surely this shouldn't be put on this list over say A Night at the Opera?? or The Game??
Solid but not my fav.
IT WAS OK
3.5. nothing wrong with it, just too many renn faire 60s albums already
I didn't know any of the songs on this album but it was still pretty good. Definitely can see how some say it's their hardest rocking album.
First time listen to this one, not the best but good
Second side is better than the first. Good record, but doesn't come close to their best.
Very pleasant and fun but not a hook in the whole album.
This is super weird. Has some of the vibes that Genesis had back in the early days when all their songs were about fairies and gnomes and stuff, not super accessible to a modern ear but if you stick with it you start to hear the blueprint Bohemian Rhapsody rattling around in there. Still better than average, and with a few more listens I might warm up even more.
This seems to be the point at which Queen were figuring out who they would be. There is a glimpse of what could have been had they continued on a journey of copying the Who and Led Zeppelin, as the first half of the album clearly does. There’s also a glimpse of the eccentric creativity of their quintessential years in the fantasy laden suite that is the second half of the album. The foundations of what would become Bohemian Rhapsody are clearly present in Ogre Battle and The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke. It’s an interesting album to hear a band finding itself and there are enough mini-hooks to keep you coming back for more. It’s also a lot more endearing to hear Queen not knowing they are Queen yet.
Queen is hands down the most overrated band in history. They wrote one true badass song and three of the most marketable tunes in R&R history amd are able to ride those laurels. This record here, "II" was revolutionary in 1968, too bad it was released in 74', a year in which it may cracks the top 100 albums produced. This band was great the first time I heard them, when they were called Led Zepplin. Seriously if Queen or AC/DC or KISS are in your top 20 you're basic AF
Of all of the Queen albums this makes the list. Average album at best. Even watching documentaries on Queen they would admit this is not there best work
I was really surprised by this album because it kind of sounded like a bunch of Led Zeppelin's dorky, Hobbit-inspired b-sides. Which is a huge compliment lol
This reminds me of Queen meets Rush!
If you only know the Queen songs from the radio or greatest hits albums then there’s a lot you don’t know. Sometimes you’re really missing out on a treasure. Sometimes it’s an epic about fighting orcs.
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
The album is okay. I don't know really. For 1974, it sounds very clean and smooth. The lyrics, I felt I was listening to some video game explanation. The music is fine, guitars especially. All in all, it's a nice Queen album, but because of their fame, I expected more tbh
It reminded me of David Bowie
Queen when they were just a bit dull, rather than dull, over-blown and pompous. 2 stars, but "Seven Seas of Rhye" absolutely slaps so they can have a rounded 2.6/5
Bombastic and a bit silly, but quite entertaining
Passabler Rock. Werde ich dennoch nicht noch einmal hören
For a band I quite enjoy, and previously would have listed as a favourite, this was not the vibe
Meh, generational talent but not my cup of tea, one or two good songs but that's it.
This rocks. That is all.
3 1/2 Tasaisen kova.
As a fan of prog and Queens hits, I should love it! However, I feel like the dynamic range of Queens pop hits is lacking here. So is the adventurous writing of the prog greats. The album lacks dramaturgical developement and sadly ends up sounding just like most stuff in the early 70s — straight grooves, standarized guitar playing and lyrically focused vocals. I don't really dislike any of these things. However, it just seems disapointing when Queen is doing something more prog-like. The sad thing is that parts of the album is brilliant. Father and Son, Ogre Battle, and Seven Seas of Rhye are all great. Funny How love is and Some day One day are also beautiful at times. But this is also where they try to explore things that separate them from other rockers of the time. Sadly most of this album is relying to heavy on rock tropes that were already explored before this record. Queen did the tropes well, but the album ends up feeling very «meh».
I hadn’t heard most of these Queen songs and I was kind of excited to discover them. And they sound like Queen, good musicality, good vocals, but very little memorability sadly. Guess there’s a reason why most of these weren’t hits.
Never spun this before, seems quite the rarity. Not full of hits like some of their others, but still a good listen.
This was my first listen to this album and it was one of the few where I didn't know at least one song. It has some of the quintessential Queen moments; changes in tempo, layered vocal harmonies and a penchant for the dramatic, though none of the songs were memorable enough to embed themselves in my skull like other classic Queen bangers that would come with later albums. Although it is an intriguing curiosity it is not an album I would readily return to.
It's not the Queen that I personally know well! Guitar is so hardcore in places! Mercury's voice rises above it all and the breakneck transitions that so highlight what Queen was legendary for. Pretty good. Not my fav.
“Queen II” is a very consistently solid Queen album. It also doesn’t have any Queen hits. And nothing that sounds quite worthy of their greatest. Is it just that we know the hits so well? Or are they genuinely special songs that naturally stand out above others? I wonder this often when listening to classic hits on the 1001 in their full context (often for the first time).
It’s got the grandiose-ness of Queen for sure. However, I feel like there is a tendency to cram as much into the sound as possible without critically thinking about what belongs best. For me, this album is mid.
Very different to other queen albums
Ever since my formative years I’ve held the belief that Queen is a singles-only band. This album is a great example of that.
Queen to Bon Jovi to Queen? Worried that I am going to get over-Queened. Half a track in and I am already feeling that this is much Queenier ;). This Queen album is wildly better than Sheer Heart Attack. Crazy that these were put out the same year. This one is loosing steam for me. I liked the album to start and it started to fall off for me.
Nothing memorable; wouldn’t listen again
One of my two favorite queen albums. Not the all thing is consistent but the second half is a prog masterclass from freddie
Probably one of their more forgettable albums, but it’s Queen so you still get an above average listening experience
Really great, perhaps too heavy for my liking, but definitely opened my eyes to some Queen songs I hadn’t initially considered ‘good listens’.
Love the band. Album was okay
Interesting to hear them before they really pinned down the iconic sound. In any case, Freddie Mercury steals it and great instrumentals. I'm sure I'd enjoy other Queen records more, however.
Pretty generic 70s rock album. I was kind of surprised by this given it's Queen. Not bad, but quite forgettable.
Great drums, shredding guitar, classic queen that rocked generations. Songs were like stories. Couldn’t quite hold my attention though
I like everything about this album, except for the songs. Not that they are bad, but they are a little all over the place. Once you get into the groove of the song, they switch up to a completely different part/pattern, and after a while, another song starts. I only had the time to listen to the album 1,5 times, and would perhaps have rated it higher if I had more time to get familiar with the songs. Seven Seas of Rhye is a banger, though.
Definitely a stronger Queen sound - some of the songs were standout but still doesn't have the super strength of their later albums. I enjoyed Black Queen and Ogre Battle a lot -- wonder why all the fantasy imagery so early on?
This is easily their best album tbh
Seems like a baby version of Queen. Not yet at full power.
It was fine but it’s not really the Queen I’m going out of my way to listen to
Loved this album! A look at Queen music that I had never heard before but could see all the pathways that led to the music that I know and love
So many damn ideas and I feel like none of them last long enough. I respect it tho. Probably wouldn’t come back to this one much. I love the over the top guitars but sometimes they drown everything out.
There’s two of them?
The album starts out with an epic intro and I thought I was really in for a treat, but then the real songs come in feeling a little lackluster. The first half I didn't like. But everything after "The Loser In The End" is pure genius and talent. Though I hate that fade out when the drums start going crazy
This is a bit meh.
Another one I listened to with a friend, but this was felt a little more subdued. Would rate it pretty low on the Queen scale, but even a 0 on that is higher that a lot of other bands' best output.
Queen II was an album that honestly, came so close to being great but just missed the mark. The songs on this album were generally pretty fun and had fast and catchy vibes but some of the songs i feel did need a bit more of work done on them. Though thankfully, even when the songs were long, they still managed to be interesting when they were. It is a good album but it just lacks that small spark for it to be great. Best Song: The March of The Black Queen Worst Song: Some Day One Day
3.5 My husband got this album a while ago and, if I recall correctly, described it as just okay with glimpses of what makes Queen so good. I wouldn't say falling short of A Night At the Opera, etc. is mediocre, but I'm certainly biased by knowing what comes after. Side White was fine but Side Black has the operatic quality that I love about Queen. The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke and The March Of The Black Queen are going in the permanent rotation.
I want hear seven seas of rhye with banjo. This album really grew on me as I listened, I think I need to give it another go and see what comes out in future passes
Queen has better, still good.
Not my favorite queen album :/
It's Queen all right -- but not the Queen I know and love.
Nice work!
a little too much, but enjoyable
Correcto.
Below average queen is still great
A different side of Queen than I'm used to! I didn't know a single song off this album; I liked it OK, but it didn't blow me away.
In which Queen goes all out medieval/middle earth fantasy prog rock. Its still got that rock opera thing happening, but this is a slightly more straight-ahead record, a little less over the top. It’s not unwelcome and serves as nice counterpoint to their better-known stuff that we are all more familiar with.