Glam Music

I found their treatment of the audience at the beginning very rude. They kept swearing at them, calling them "wankers" and such. I love Mott, but they aren't THAT good to treat fans that way. The sound quality, as mentioned already, is not too good.

People complain when you can't buy known archive recordings ,then complain that the sound is not of 2007 standard. That is the whole point of this release.
Previously unreleased live show from the original line-up of Mott The Hoople recorded in July 1970 during the band's first US tour. Also included in this live collection are four tracks recorded at the Fillmore West during Mott The Hoople's second US tour in June 1971. Bonus track is 'The Wreck Of The Liberty Belle' - recorded by the band at Olympic Studios in London in November 1969. Remastered with 24 page sleeve notes. Angel Air. 2006.

Thanks Philip

If you own "The Wild Side of Live" Japanese bootleg then you probably don't really need this because the sound's the same only louder. But if,like me, you can't get enough of unreleased Mott the Hoople tracks,pics and stories then it's definitely worth it. I guess then the bootleg really isn't a bootleg since they used the same Overend Watts mastertape? Strange how these things sneak out.

Never knew much about Mud and figured this collection was a good place to start esp. since it was a good price. After the first 9 tracks tho, it goes downhill into weird Elvis sounding stuff, a little disco, some schmaltz, nothing as good as the first batch of glammy tunes. I do like the bonus tracks of psychedelic stuff at the end of the second disc. I'm glad I didn't pay more than $13.97.

This album is a must own for fans of the likes of Raspberries , Jellyfish , Box Tops et al. Mud crafts exquisite little pop tunes that are hook-laden , melodically remembered , little ditties of fun. The lyrics are simple and even often times forgettable , but lyrics weren't the point of Mud. It is simple feel-good pop music done extremely well. Heck , some of the b-sides could of been the A-sides. Enjoy!

Had forgotten just how much i enjoyed this group way back when..... Searched for it, not thinking i'd actually find anything by them, but was very pleasantly surprised to find this CD. This is just plain old rock n roll the way it should be. great cd.

an excellent album which covers all the groups music from their early days with tracks such as 'up the hairy mountain' through to the private stock material like l'l'lucy. recorded in the singles original state this album is a must, not just for all Mud fans but for fans of glam rock and 70s music in general.

Given the title of the collection, it comes a surprise that it occupies two full CD's. Mud were very successful for a time in the mid-seventies, but they only had about a dozen hits, although most of them made the UK top ten and three went all the way to the top. Of course, the title isn't strictly correct, as there are plenty of album tracks as well as all the hits and some B-sides and rarities. Nevertheless, this is the most comprehensive collection ever likely to be released of Mud's music. Despite being released by a German record company, all the liner notes are in English and the chart information provided is for the UK. Few details of their German hits are given. The liner notes are extensive, including comments on each song by their singer, Les Gray.

Most of the hits are on the first half of the first CD, though a couple are to be found later on that CD. Their biggest hit, Tiger feet, opens the set, while the song they are now perhaps best known for, Lonely this Christmas, closes the first CD. Both of those songs reached number one in the UK, as did their cover of Oh boy!, the Buddy Holly classic. Other great hits to be found here include The cat crept in, Dynamite. Rocket, Moonshine Sally, The secrets that you keep and a cover of Bill Withers' Lean on me.

Of the other tracks, there are plenty of covers that show their musical roots, including Living Doll (Cliff Richard), One night (Elvis Presley), In the mood (Glenn Miller), Cut across Shorty (Eddie Cochran), Drift away (Dobie Gray) and Bye bye Johnny (Chuck Berry).

Most of this collection covers their best years from 1973 to 1978, but the last eight tracks on CD 2 are some of their early recordings from 1967 to 1970, which may not be essential but they are interesting.

Unplug the jukebox and do us all a favour...

Truer words were never spoken in jest.

Moving outside the envelope of what FM radio regurgitates for your delectation is sometimes scary but often fun and rewarding.

Adam and the Ants invite you to step out with them.

Atypical then, and atypical now.

Fun.

The biggest bang for the buck would classify this CD appropriately. These 10 songs represent Ant's talent at just about its greatest. Vive Le Rock, Goody Two Shoes, Ant Music, Dog Eat Dog, Mohair Locker Room Pin-Up Boys and Press Darlings all are included here in this significantly rewarding CD. Adam & The Ants apparently received inspiration and leadership from bands such as The Clash and Sex Pistols. And after their major impact, passed their musical format and direction onto later bands the likes of BowWowWow among others. My brother in his days as saxophonist for the English punk influenced rock bands The Theater Of Hate and Spear Of Destiny had apparently met Adam on one particular offstage occasion. According to him, "No artist ever has been so emotionally involved and energy willing to accommodate for each and every live onstage audience expectation." And yes, I do for most ways pretty much agree with him. Not that I myself have ever seen Adam & His(The) Ants in concert, however I don't doubt for a minute my brother's honest segment appraisal. In my opinion, had Super Hits only contained `Los Rancheros` from Kings Of The Wild Frontier and perhaps maybe a better album cover, perfect would none other describe this great compilation. I suppose also the inclusion of `Jolly Roger` would as well been an added benefit but nothing substantial. Apart from those above described minor faults, a genuine must have addition to any rock inspired CD collection. Four stars plus without a doubt could and should best rate this fantastic working.

There is plenty to enjoy on this album: catchy piano and guitar passages, a distinct cavernous production sound, and sax, melodies and vocal works that convey the ache and lonliness of city living. It's raw, entertaining and yes, fun. Personal favorites: Sell your love, Night Theme, Kill City, Johanna, and Consolation Prizes.

Originally released in 1977 on green vinyl, what was essentially a demo tape recorded two years prior was given a studio tinkering by James Williamson for its sendoff on Bomp Records.

The title cut is an Iggy classic, but the rest of the numbers is a mixed bag of mostly inferior material when compared with what the duo cranked out with The Stooges. A pair of Williamson-era songs with the legendary band - Johanna, I Got Nothin' - are interesting, but demonstrates how thin this collaboration was in a tumultuous time for Pop, who was attempting to get a grip on a number of personal demons.

Firmly lodged in a time when The Stooges imploded and before Pop's comeback collaboration with David Bowie, the CD shows an tortured artist who is looking for more than a recording contract.

if you are even remotely into IGGY then get this disk,it contains several of his best non-stooge songs(sell your love,lucky monkeys,kill city,etc)!

Everyone knows Iggy did this record while on leave from a mental institution. It's not a great record, but has some good songs (Kill City, Johanna, a few others). If you're on the fence about it, pick it up if you have all the Stooges stuff and good Iggy solo records (there aren't too many). If you're just starting out, you can live without this for awhile.

It's a shame they never recorded all those great lost Stooges songs in a real studio (Head On, She Creatures, etc).

Check out Mighty High...In Drug City.

Originally released in 1977. Took me awhile to finally get around to landing down a copy of this CD, which I assumed it was Iggy's very first solo record. Guess it's actually a collaboration between Iggy and former Stooges guitarist James Williamson. Was definitely worth the wait. Tracks I thought made the grade were the *ss-kicking title cut "Kill City", "I Got Nothin'", the classic "Johanna", "Consolation Prizes" and "Lucky Monkeys". Line-up: Iggy-vocals, James Williamson-guitar, Scott Thurston-bass, keyboards & harmonica and Brian Glascock (Motels)-drums. A should-have.

I think it is great when bands like Queen, ELO, Styx, and Yes have clear influences from classical music.

Queen is a very versatile band. My favorite tracks are "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Another One Bites The Dust" (original), "You're My Best Friend" (my all time favorite love song), and "Somebody To Love" (original).

If you are considering buying the box set over this one... Don't, look at the tracklisting... you can't compare it! Spellbounding from begining to end!

One of the most successful British rock groups of the seventies and eighties, Queen started as a quasi-glam rock group but evolved a style all their own, combining elements of pop, rock, heavy metal and a few operatic touches.

Bohemian rhapsody, their biggest hit, was twice a UK number one hit - first on its original release and second on its release to raise money for AIDS charities, following the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury due to AIDS. The song also made the American top ten twice - first on its original release and second following its use in Wayne's world, a few months after Freddie's death, when it made number two. This classic song, seven-minute mini rock opera, overshadows everything else that Queen recorded, but they made plenty of other great music.

Queen had two other UK number one hits - Under pressure (with David Bowie) and Innuendo. They also had five UK number two hits (Killer queen, Somebody to love, We are the champions, Crazy little thing called love and Radio gaga) and three UK number three hits (I want to break free, A kind of magic, I want it all) as well as some other UK top ten hits including You're my best friend, Another one bites the dust, It's a hard life and One vision.

Freddie Mercury has a great voice, many of the songs are great, the arrangements are exciting, and there is no other band like them. Apart from his music as lead singer of Queen, Freddie recorded a few other hits, also featured in this collection. These include Barcelona (a duet with Montserrat Caballe) and a great cover of the old Platters classic, The great pretender.

Queen were truly unique - it's not often you can say that about any singer or group - and this collection contains all their classic tracks.

This set is a repackaging of the three Queen greatest hits. I bought this at my local (British) shop, but I note that it has since been released in this form in America. Rather than pay import prices, you'll find it cheaper to buy the domestic edition.

I have owned this triple 'Platinum' Album for some months now, already being a big fan of Queen, I couldn't believe my luck when I found this album. Disc one most obviously contains all of queens most popular hits, from the marvelous Bohemian Rhapsody to the Banging We will Rock You.

Disc Two contains yet more hits, including 'Its a kinda magic' and Under Pressure.

Disc Three contains tracks that are queen, but either covered, or sung with other artists, such as Show Must go on, Somebody to love and Another one bites the dust. There are also a couple of the bands solo outings, such as: Living on my own and driven by you.

I recommend you to add this sraight to your basket immedietly, whether you are a long standing fan or a new comer to the unique sound that is Queen !!

Queen - The Platinum collection is absolutly a beautiful set. The nicest set in my CD collection. It comes in a sharp looking double jewel case in a slip cover. Contains the UK versions of Greatest Hits I and Greatest Hits II (released with a slightly different track lineup in the states as Classic Queen). All three discs are picture discs with the art that appears on the UK covers and the sound is incredible! The 48 page booklet is also nice. For any Queen fan or fan of rock, this ultra rare import is a must!

What can I say about T-Rex and especially about Marc Bolan that has not been said or written before. Marc at his best! This one is a great addition for the yanks that don't know anything about Marc and his music except "Bang a Gong" or as released in the UK "Get It On". I am no real fan of Gloria Jones and there are a couple songs that she is singing back up...needless to say, I will listen to because I still love the music. Marc was a true loss in the world of music and poetry!

First, this is almost every single after "Electric Warrior" on. Great to have all the singles in chronological order. Great sound also. The material starts to drag a little during the second disc, but by the end of that disc and you hear "Dandy....." and "Celebrate Summer" you know Bolan was back on track. Makes me wonder what he might have done had he not been killed in that damn car accident. This is almost everything. One single was left off, I believe it's "Christmas Bop", a seasonal record. Would have made this complete, but that is just a very small omission for a set that is this good. A nice compliment to the regular albums, that include some but not all the singles as bonus tracks. If you like T. Rex this is a winner.

Great sound! The original 2 track masters were used, giving the best possible sound quality, less hiss, clean highs and rich bass. Worth the price!

I don't know why people got so up in arms because Queen used synthesizers. I mean especially in the 80's every band was using them. Make no mistake, Queen never sold out and never violated the basic premise of their own sound. This album is yet another example about how they can change yet still retain their unique sound. It's filled with everything you'd expect from a classic Queen album, filled with beautiful solos, Freddie's perfect voice, great solos from Brian, John, and Roger Taylor's great drumwork.

A great transitional record that's a bit stripped down and rocks! Play the Game, Need Your Loving Tonight definitely stand out.

This was the album that opened Queen 2.0. For the first time, the band declared they would use synthesizers on record, after being almost militant about not using them. So how best to state the obvious? Make a huge descending set of synth sweeps the first sounds on "The Game." So opens the last really great Queen album and ended their hot streak on the Elektra label.

Those synth sounds, and the ensuing album, found Queen sand-blasting their sound down radically. Gone where the 1,000 voice overdubbed choirs, muliti-tracked to oblivion guitars, and epic theatrics. Instead, the band crafted an arena ready parcel of big popo-rockers (like the terific "Dragon Attack") with an eye towards the wave of stripped down bands entering the scene. For example, there's the chiming guitar in "Don't Try Suicide" that cops directly from The Police's "Walking On The Moon" and the The Stray Cats faux rockabilly of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." After being the Kings of Excess for so many years, it was as if Freddie Mercury and company opted to prove that they could do it without the pomp.

Nowhere is this more evident than the monster hit "Another One Bites The Dust." Blatantly lifting from Chic's "Le Freak" (Chic successfully sued), it was Queen's most successful foray into funk and highlights the underrated bassist John Deacon's playing and songwriting. It also emphasized that Queen, even if they weren't layering it on musically, was still willing to step outside expectations and make an extraordinary song outside their usual realm. Same for "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," a song so classic that Dwight Yoakam eventually covered it without any irony involved whatsoever.

Thing is, this was the first album where Queen seemed less interested in strutting their stuff than blatantly pleading for your attention. "The Game" is so eager to please (right down to Freddie's new haircut), so straight-ahead poppy, that you wonder what was motivating them. This is still among their most consistent albums (matching News of the World or A Night at the Opera), but other than the hits, there's nothing particularly regal here. Given that the band would completely loose focus on the follow-up, Hot Space, "The Game's" new direction and stunning commercial success seems almost an accident.

Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music (which was something seen by other bands such as the Kinks) as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. In 1977 Queen would achieve their greatest commercial success with "News of the World" (spurned by the hits "We are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You"). Their follow-up "Jazz" wasn't quite as successful, but I felt was a superior effort to "News of the World". The reason why "Jazz" is better is because Queen does an incredible job at incorporating a variety of styles into their music. However, Queen would achieve even bigger success than "News of the World" with the release of "1980's The Game". While this is a short album from Queen, it is not short of effort - this would prove to be even a better effort than "Jazz".

Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting. This is the album where we really see Deacon come into his own - as a songwriter and as an all-time bass player.

On "The Game", Queen would move away from their heavy metal sound and the ragtime sound (found on "A Night at the Opera" and "A Day at the Races"). This album is more pop-friendly in some ways, yet Queen continues to do some trademark innovating. In addition to the stellar bass work by Deacon, this would also be the first Queen album to incorporate significant use of the synthesizer - showing that Queen was ready to usher in the 1980s. Here is a synopsis of the ten original tracks.

"Play the Game": The opening sequence immediately showcases the use of the Synthesizer. The song features trademark Queen's theatrical sound. Great piano work by Mercury and outstanding guitar by May.

"Dragon Attack": This track has a definite funk feel to it. May's guitars are brilliant as always, but here we see how good Deacon performs on bass as he demonstrates how it can be a lead instrument. Look for Taylor's marching band style drums almost two minutes into the track.

"Another One Bites the Dust": Everyone knows this classic tune that has a funk beat to it. Deacon's bass line is legendary on this one. This is not only a song where Deacon showcases the bass as the lead, but he also reinforces himself as an awesome songwriter.

"Need Your Loving Tonight": Here is another Deacon penned tune - and this one is completely underrated. It has a pop friendly feel to it. Great guitar work on this one.

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love": Everyone knows this to be Queen's foray into Rockabilly. Deacon's bass is spot on again and plays an integral role in the sound. Mercury plays acoustic guitar on this one - something he did in concert. May's guitar solo is awesome on this one.

"Rock It (Prime Jive)": Underrated song. I love how Mercury sings the slower intro and then turns it over to Taylor when the song hits a faster pace. Lots of synthesizers on this one. Taylor's naturally higher octaves work well here.

"Don't Try Suicide": Once again, Deacon takes the lead with some great bass work. At times this song has a blues feel to it. This is another underrated track.

"Sail Away Sweet Sister": May takes lead vocals on this. This song has a classic Queen theatrical feel to it. Super guitar solo by May on this one.

"Coming Soon": This song was written by Taylor. May's guitar work is awesome on this one.

"Save Me": The album wraps up with a classic Queen theatrical-styled song. Great harmonies. The song almost has a "Beatles"-like interlude toward the end.

Overall, this would prove to be Queen's strongest effort they would put out to date. While many may know this album for "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", there is so much more that this collection offers. Deacon's contributions should not be overlooked either. Finally, the songs aren't long, but you will get the most out of them. Highly recommended.

Mud were very successful for a time in the mid-seventies, having about a dozen hits, of which most of them made the UK top ten and three went all the way to the top.

Their biggest hit was Tiger feet but the song they are now perhaps best known for, Lonely this Christmas, is not included although it can be found on any number of British Christmas compilations. Both of those songs reached number one in the UK, as did their cover of Oh boy, the Buddy Holly classic. Other great hits to be found here include The cat crept in, Dynamite. Rocket, Moonshine Sally and The secrets that you keep.

Of the other tracks, there are plenty of covers that show their musical roots, including Living Doll (Cliff Richard), One night (Elvis Presley), Hippy hippy shake (Swinging blue jeans), Diana (Paul Anka) and End of the world (Skeeter Davis).

This is a great introduction to Mud's music although lacking Lean on me, which was recorded for a different record label, and the aforementioned Christmas song. You can get both of those songs on the comprehensive double-CD Singles '67-'78, which I've already reviewed.

Although not conceptual in the least, had "A Night At The Opera" and "A Day At The Races" been written, recorded and released two-years earlier or later than 1975 and 1976 respectively, they would have no doubt been released as a double album. Each track has the compositional and technical consistency that only comes from artists working in a concentrated period of creativity, and as such has the weight and importance of other albums of their era such as The Beatles "White Album", Genesis' "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall".. These two albums also stand apart from all of Queen's earlier and later works and in many ways represent the "middle period" of the bands history. Certainly no Rock music collection is complete without both of these great works, and certainly no collection of Queen's discography is whole without these two albums centered together prominently.

Although we didn't know it at the time, this would be Queen's last great album. Was there any greater arena rock group of the seventies?

"A Day At The Races" didn't quite measure up to the three predecessors that had put Queen on the map - Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, and the trump card A Night At The Opera, but it was still a good album from a band in its prime. I replaced the vinyl with CD long ago but were I to settle for Amazon mp3 downloads, the first track I would demand would be Brian May's "Long Away", a wonderfully understated track that commands the prime position in this album's track sequencing.

Any Queen compilation will include Brian's raveup "Tie Your Mother Down" which was the most stunning show opener I've ever seen, as well as Freddie's gospel-affected single "Somebody To Love". After these three songs my personal favorite (but possibly not yours) would be Roger Taylor's "Drowse", a song that effectively reflects the feeling of its title. "Teo Torriate" would be a top tier Freddie ballad which toys with schmaltziness without ever succumbing to it. The remaining tracks vary in their resilience over the years; I could live without them.

If only Queen had recognized that maintaining loyalty to the fans they'd already harvested was the key, but unfortunately they took the same route as, say, Peter Frampton, thinking that the fickle fourteen year old girls would be their ticket to endurance in album sales. Artistically they were signed, sealed and delivered to the same dire dead end.

Before you purchase any later Queen albums, make sure you invest in the treasures that established their reputation first - Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, and A Night At The Opera. You will quickly understand why Queen became one of the top arena acts of the mid-seventies. These albums all are worthy of five stars, and it's very well possible that you will find them more appealing than the ramshackle assemblings of latter day 'greatest hits' that clutter the marketplace today.

Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. The next three albums, "Queen II", "Sheer Heart Attack" , and "A Night at the Opera" continued down the road of the theatrical sound. It was that third album, "Sheer Heart Attack" that would not just become a commercial breakthrough album for Queen, but also become an album that would showcase Mercury's abilities as a Hall of Fame vocalist. "A Night at the Opera" would begin to expand the band's musical horizons (most notably, the legendary track "Bohemian Rhapsody" as well as some ragtime tunes. The fifth album "A Day at the Races", while not as strong as the third and fourth albums will continue to show the band expanding its musical horizon.

Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting.

Like its predecessor, Queen takes a title from a Marx Brothers movie. Here is a track by track synopsis of the original ten tracks:

"Tie Your Mother Down": This is a legendary Queen track. The highlight of this is some incredible guitar work by Brian May. While this song sounds better live, the studio recording is still outstanding. Roger Taylor's crashing drums blend in perfectly. I like the theatrical-like beginning as it sets the tone for the album.

"You Take My Breath Away": The song opens with a cappella-like vocals all done by Mercury. This is a slower song done on the piano. Not my favorite song, but it does show some thinking out of the box by the band.

"Long Away": May never disappoints when he is on vocals and once again this track highlights he could have easily been a full-time lead vocalist. This song doesn't have a theatrical feel, but more of a classic Rock feel to it.

"The Millionaire Waltz": This song opens with a "Vaudeville/Ragtime" feel similar to some of the tracks heard on "A Night at the Opera". Nice job by Queen combining the theatrical-like harmonies with the Ragtime feel. The song has a segue into a Hard Rock part and then back to the ragtime part. Eventually both parts (ragtime and Rock) will nearly blend by the end. Overall this is an innovative track.

"You and I": This was John Deacon's contribution. The piano playing almost has an Elton John feel to it. Theatrical-like harmonies are also prevalent throughout this track. Terrific guitar bridge by May takes place midway through the track.

"Somebody to Love": This is the other well-known track on this album. This is classical Rock-Opera sounding Queen. The song is highlighted by outstanding Mercury vocals, terrific background harmonies by May and Taylor, and a hall of fame guitar bridge by May 2+ minutes into the track.

"White Man": Sometimes I don't give Queen enough credit for their lyrics - and this track shows Queen at their best. On this track Queen talks about the suffering of the Native Americans at the hands of the Europeans. Queen integrates their theatrical sound on this track that adds more realism to the track.

"Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy": This is another "Vaudeville/Ragtime" track. Deacon's bass work is underrated on this track as it helps contribute to the tempo.

"Drowse": Like May, Roger Taylor could also be a full-time lead vocalist. Taylor has a knack for hitting the higher octaves than Mercury. He also brings a heavy metal-like voice to his vocals. This song is another winner by Taylor.

"Teo Torriate (Let's Us Cling Together)": Possibly one of the most underrated Queen tracks out there. This starts out with as a slow, somber piano ballad. It then has a segue into a sound that easily could be a theatrical finale. Perhaps the most innovative part of the song are two verses sung in Japanese. This is a perfect way to end the album.
This album did require a few listens by me in order to get into it. While I did put this a notch below "A Night at the Opera", I still thought this was a very good and innovative album. This is an album that core Queen fans will easily like, but after a few listens, the casual fan will appreciate this. Highly recommended.

Although it stands in the shadow of "A night at the opera" this offering by Queen is every bit as good and better in some ways. There is not a weak song on this entire CD. Everything is meticulously recorded, thought out & performed. You almost get the feeling that this could have been a concept album. The eight tracks by Freddie & Brian are flawless and dripping with inspiration. They were certainly firing on all cylinders here.
1. "Tie you mother down" rocks with sheer brilliance
2. "You take my breath away" is absolutely beautiful and haunting
3. "Long away" easily could have been a single
4. "Millionaire waltz" is campy and powerful
5. "You and I" proved John Deacon was no fluke as a songwriter
6. "Somebody to love" is the true jewel here. The best song about longing ever written
7. "White man" rocks with dark overtones and profound lyrics
8. "Good old fashion lover boy" is catchy, bouncy & delightful
9. "Drowse" is hypnotic and subtle
10. "Teo toriate" is alluring and mysterious

The bonus tracks are pretty much worthless remixes.
Queen reached its creative and artistic peak with this album. The album shines like a crown jewel.

It was once reported that the late, great Freddie Mercury wanted "A Day At The Races" and A Night at the Opera to have been a double album. It's too bad that they weren't, because leaving "Races" to follow the first five star classic Queen album makes it seem like a lesser vehicle. From the reverse color scheme to copping a Marx Brothers movie title, "A Day at The Races" came off sounding like a desperate attempt to copy the madly successful "A Night At The Opera."

That is selling "Races" short. While there was no stunner ala "Bohemian Rhapsody" to be found here, there was the Top 20 single "Somebody To Love," which utilized the now trademark multi-tracked vocal style to a near Gospel effect. The album opener, "Tie Your Mother Down," played it kinky while still mimicking "Death on Two Legs" as a big concert rocker. As always, there are nods to camp and vaudeville ("Millionaire Waltz" and the Ooh La La of "Good Old Fashioned Lover boy"). However, there's an unusually high number of filler songs (the dreadful "White Man" and the maudlin "Teo Torriatte" being the most flagrant violations). I've also always wondered how much "A Day At The Races" might have improved had the band opted not to self-produce but brought Roy Thomas Baker back to the studio.

"A Day At The Races" is more easily viewed as the bridge between "A Night At The Opera" and the second five-star Queen album, News of the World. "Opera" pushed the band into superstar stratosphere, "News" (with "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions" as its marching order) saw Queen proclaiming themselves rulers of the domain. Being lodged in that position leaves "A Day At The Races" looking like a mid-level Queen album, when in fact it's every bit as good as Queen II, Jazz or The Works.