[rayword45]

Day 68: A Night At The Opera by Queen (Album Choice: Remi C.)

Well, I have homework... Just kidding. Actually no I'm not kidding about that, but I'm really, REALLY gonna try my best to not be terse here. I mean, if OneRepublic and Iggy Azalea warrant several paragraphs than so does Freddie! Anyways, this is the third and last Queen album on my requests list. I expect this one to be the best one yet, seeing how I've heard one song from this album and you can obviously guess what that is.

Of note: This review and listening session is coming right after a relisten of Pink Moon, probably my 40th or 50th, so this one will be a nice contrast. Worth pointing out my perspective going into this.

It took me an hour after writing the previous paragraph to start listening to the album. Why? I don't know, I must've anticipated whiplash or something. Compared to the previous two Queen albums, this is still Queen. It's still bombastic, it's still cheesy, it's still laughable at times and contrived at others, yet who cares about all those pretentious adjectives when you kick this much ass? There's a VERY SLIGHTLY warmer feel than the previous albums due in part to the many acoustic pieces and heavier usage of piano, as well as less of an emphasis on mythological song themes and a greater focus on pop melodies, but either way it's still incredibly overblown so that warmth is pretty much meaningless.

Truthfully, some of these tracks are totally unnecessary (Seaside Rendezvous anyone?) and others actually caused me to laugh out loud. As someone who was born in the late 90s, the very idea that there was a time when songs like Sweet Lady and I'm In Love With My Car were massively popular radio hits is a pretty funny one. It just seems so ridiculous. Yeah yeah, popular music now is pretty stupid, but this just seems... I dunno, it'd be like if all popular music sounded like Om, or maybe Fantomas, the atmosphere just seems bizarre for a leisurely car ride.

And now we have reached the penultimate track. You know the one. The only Queen song that you need to know, and I'm not talking about We Are The Champions. That song is just grating. This one needs no adjectives. But let's give it some. Rejuvenating, life-affirming, cathartic, theatrical, loaded with pomp and cheese and opera-worship, but still amazing. Yeah I'm a total sucker for this admittedly overplayed song but whatever, when it comes to glammy bombastic cock rock I'll take this ANY DAY over some disgustingly bland KISS crap or even worse, Bon Jovi. I'm still not saying the song title. I really don't need to. If you don't know what song I'm talking about, you're obviously a complete idiot.

Oh yeah, then we end the album with a short instrumental version of the British National Anthem. Like it matters.

Well anyways, of the Queen albums I've listened to that was definitely the best and most captivating of the three, but it wasn't without its flaws. Some songs like the aforementioned seashanty or whatever did feel remarkably self-indulgent, while others really played up the macho image (I'm In Love With My Car? Seriously?). Still, this was a damn good album, and I can't criticize any album with that one song too much. Maybe in a few years when I'm finally sick of it.

Something potentially offensive but I'm gonna say it anyways, of all the very few that I've knowingly listened to, Freddie Mercury may be my third-least favorite LGBT male musician next to RuPaul and Billie Joe Armstrong. In the company of artists like Grant Hart, Bob Mould, Stephin Merritt, Darby Crash and especially Chris Bell, third isn't a bad spot considering the very scant amount of artists I've listened to.

No wait, make that fourth. I forgot about Michael Stipe.

Best Track: Seriously, guess. If you can't, you're a moron. No way around it, you're stupid.
Rating: 8.5/10