I've just listened to the new "Queen" album. Well... I like Queen (not a die-hard fan), certainly can't stand their pop-hits. Hammer to Fall, Bohemian Rhapsody, Don't Stop Me Now. Those are the best songs. I like Paul Rodgers. Wishing Well, All Right Now, Bad Company are awesome songs. Don't expect Freddie Mercury revival from Cosmos Rocks and you wont be disappointed. Few not-good-not-bad rock ballads, a few hard rock pieces (Cosmos Rockin, Still Burning and C-lebrity are the highpoints) with the same Paul Rodgers energy as it was in the 70s, fused with the wonderful Brian May guitar. It's not the Queen of the 80s, but it's good nonetheless. Interesting to mention, that the only "slow" number I like is Say it's not True from Roger Taylor (and it's the most Queen sounding of them all), so Paul Rodgers is not very good in that department. 7/10, will listen to it for a while, then keep one or two songs for a playlist and leave the rest to dust... What do you think?
I haven't been in any real anticipation for this album. I caught the lineup at last year's VH1 Rock Honors, and found that Paul Rodgers was really a bad fit for Queen. I think it was Rodgers' overuse of his "whoa-oh-oh-oh" ad-libs, or the fact that he couldn't hit the notes like Freddie could. I really loved it when the Foo Fighters joined with Queen and did a great version of "Tie Your Mother Down", thankfully that tune was Rodgers-less. But after that show, I doubt I will go out of my way to listen to this new album because of Paul Rodgers. And this is coming from a fan of Free, Bad Company and the Firm.
I saw them at the NEC in Birmingham and they were fantastic. I do of course have my reservations about this whole project, but overall I am supportive of it and hoping for a good album tomorrow. As a die hard fan I have decided not to DL it for a sneak peak, not for any moral objections, but just cause i'm excited to go and buy it. I heard a few tracks on the radio and I really liked some of them, I expect there to be a lot of old man filler rock though, its hard for guys like that to keep making fresh stuff, but it's still bound to better than half the dross out there today.
I like the 2 singles I've heard (Say It's Not True and C-lebrity), and caught vid of them at Mandela's birthday when they seemed like the ultimate Classic Rock band, hard, fast and damned spot on. I think it'll be good. I haven't listened to Return of the Champions, priobably should.
Right, got it and listened to it 3 times last night. I like it, but I don't love it. About half the tracks are strong, but I think there is too much blues rock and balladery. Also, the lyrics are pretty fluffy and empty headed, but Rodgers voice is dead on (except when he sings oooh noises, he sounds like he is being strangled), and there's some really good work from May and Taylor outside of the aforementioned over-present pentatonic widdling. It sounds to me more like a selection of tracks from their various solo albums than a Queen album.
I used to be a huge Queen fan, and I still love their music. I'll say I was never very excited about Queen + Paul Rodgers but "C-Lebrity" got me curious about this album. The song isn't brilliant but it got my hopes up this would be a good rock album with strong Queen influence. Well, unfortunately, it ain't. I listened in on all of the tracks and, really, all I could think was: "What were they thinking?" I feel the album is just totally lifeless and uninspired. There is none (and I mean NONE) of those elements that made Queen so special and interesting. It made me wonder if Brian and Rodger have become frightened to write songs the way they used to. Songs that were lively, lush and powerful. Sadly, this is not an album for me. I'm happy if/that others enjoy it but it's not my cup of tea at all. Well, at least it got me listening to some Queen again :-). P.S.: I still keep wondering what would have happened had Queen continued with George Michael. What he did at the Freddie Mercury tribute was amazing, think. Looking at his career since then, I think he could have done far better with Queen. And looking at where Queen is now, I feel they might have done better as well.
^ I agree about George Michael, I think he would have been a better fit, and I think the music would have been more innovative with his input. Rodgers is a straight up blues rock singer, always has been. I'm a fan of him in his own right, but I don't want Queen to sound like Free with Brian May playing guitar. It was too close at the time though, they were never going to undertake something like this at that time of the tribute concert, it's taken 15 years to get to the point of recording together in any meaningful way. I agree largely with what you have said actually, except that I think I enjoyed the album in it's own right more than you, but it ain't a Queen album. Although that jaunty little solo in Call Me was the one point that made me think classic Brian May, it sounded like something from Dreamer's Ball or Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon. Oh, and I think We Believe is a really good song.