First Impressions
I didn't know what to expect from this album, seeing as it was in between Jazz and A Day At The Races. Actually it ended up being kind of a perfect combination of the two. It had a lot of the glits and glamour of their more early era, while also starting to incorporate the more raw rock sound they went into the 80s with. What impressed me the most if the fact that both the raw rock and glam side had some really cool highlights.
Let's get the two big songs out of the way. How does one not only write songs like We Are The Champions and We Will Rock You, but also put them right next to each other? The way this album starts with the stomp clap of We Will Rock You and it just cuts to We Are The Champions is like the biggest brag of all time. Like oh yeah, everyone in the planet has heard these songs and we wrote them like it's nothing.
For how much I've heard We Are The Champions I forgot how actually amazing of a song it is. It's got real power behind, I love the piano intro, and it just keeps building and building, and then those harmonies on the way to the chorus are just so good. Maybe it's because I've heard it so much passively that I didn't really pay attention to how intricate the songwriting wise.
The way the chords and the melody builds in the verses is genuinely incredible. They have a way of writing these types of songs that keep building and building until they finally reach the chorus or climax where everything is released. It was the same in Somebody To Love. I have not heard any other band do this as consistently and as well as Queen.
We Will Rock You is also banging, it's harsh, aggressive, and primitive. I say that in the best of ways. Having such a basic beat could spell disaster if you don't know what you're doing. But of course they know what they're doing. it drives the song forward at all times. And the melodies Freddie sings, the way he sings them, it's all to mold around that beat. Queen really mastered the art of writing very short songs that still spell out a journey. My favorite part is at the end, when Brian starts riffing, the tone is so dirty and raw. I love it.
There is surprisingly a lot of old school tracks here, Sheer Heart Attack is pretty much a punk track, with really surprised me. They really just threw so much at the wall and it stuck much more often than others because you can tell they were genuine. They were four virtuosos that knew how to lay back and have fun. I will say, the production for this track is... pretty awful. But hey I can't say that it's not accurate to early punk.
My Melancholy Blues is... well I think the title says it all. It's a lovely old school blues track. Anytime it's just Freddie and the piano, I expect a little throwback to old school rock and cabaret music, and he always delivers in making it so tasteful.
The song that surprised me the most is Sleeping On The Sidewalk. This is like a proper rock n' roll song, and it's just got so much boogie and attitude. The hook is so tasty, good easy-going and relaxed melody that transmits so much coolness I don't know how else to describe it. It's really subtle but honestly, my favorite new discovery here. It's one of two songs Brian sings here, and honestly I'm starting to think he should've sang more. He's like a perfect contrast to Freddie. he's all power and showmanship, while Brian's just got such a smooth and chill but still lovely voice.
The big epic track here is It's Late. It's got your super tripumphant and massive vocals in the chorus, 6 minutes long. There's this super awesome part in the bridge where it goes double time and it's just so fun. I do think it's maybe a little too long, I missed these kinds of bigger tracks but it doesn't reach the heights of those longer songs to justify it's lenght in my eyes. Still, it was an awesome song.
A bout half of the songs here I will say do feel like filler tracks in the same vein as I've said before, just standard quirky rock but it's nothing special. I will say, not bad though.
I enjoyed this album very consistently even if a song wasn't a highlight. And this album sprinkles enough substance when it has higlights for it to be a very worthwile experience in my eyes.
Ranking
We Are The Champions
Sleeping On The Sidewalk
We Will Rock You
All Dead, All Dead
Sheer Heart Attack
It's Late
Fight From The Inside
Who Needs You
My Melancholy Blues
Spread Your Wings
Get Down, Make Love
Rating