INNUENDO

"Innuendo" is the fourteenth studio album of Queen and that was released in 1991. Unfortunately, this was the final studio album to be released in Freddie Mercury's lifetime and is also the last to be composed entirely with new material. Freddie Mercury died in the same year, ten months after its release. There are some emotional and nostalgic tracks on this album as well as some creative and imaginative works. It has some of Freddie Mercury's most stunning vocal work.

Musically, "Innuendo" represents a return to the original Queen roots, with its hard rock sound. It has complex and progressive musical compositions, psychedelic effects and very strong vocals. Deserve special mention the presence of the Yes guitarist Steve Howe, who was involved in this album, contributing with a performance on acoustic guitar, on the title track "Innuendo". "Innuendo" is the best album released by Queen since the old 70's. It's varied in ability and contains 3 of Queen's greatest songs, "Innuendo", "The Show Must Go On" and "These Are The Days Of Our Lives".

"Innuendo" has twelve tracks. All songs were written by Queen, except "All God's People" written by Queen and Mike Moran. The first track "Innuendo" is one of the lengthiest Queen's songs. It was the first single from the album and is the lengthiest song ever released by them as a single. It's truly a progressive song with constant change of styles and moods. It features a flamenco guitar section performed by Steve Howe and Brian May. This is an extraordinary song and one of the highlights on the album. The second track "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was the second single taken from the album. It represents a very funny musical moment which can be perfectly seen seeing its video-clip. The third track "Headlong" was the third song released as a single. It's a fast rock song with some great guitar solos and a nice vocal performance. This is one of the heaviest songs on the album that perfectly proves they were in great shape and still were capable to write some amazing new material. The fourth track "I Can't Live Without You" was released as a promo single. It's a happy rock song with a very simple music structure, very different from the previous songs. This is one of the less attractive songs on the album, but still is a good song. The fifth track "Don't Try So Hard" is a beautiful song, a true amazing song. It's probably the darkest song on the album where Freddie Mercury sings most of the song in falsetto. This is a wonderful ballad, one of their most beautiful ballads. The sixth track "Ride The Wilde Wind" is a good rock song with great rhythm and a delicious choral work. It's really a great song, which is, in my humble opinion, one of the best compositions of Roger Taylor to the band. The seventh track "All God's People" is a song with some influence of African music and gospel music. It's a song with an amazing vocal performance, but despite that, it's one of my less favourite moments on the album. The eighth track "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" is one of my favourite songs on the album and was the fifth single taken from the album. This is, for me, a very emotional song. It represents the last farewell of Freddie Mercury. That is particularly noticed on the music of the video, when he whispers "I still love you" at the end of the song. The ninth track "Delilah" is the weakest song on the album. This is a song made and dedicated to Freddie Mercury's favourite house cat Delilah. It's a song with silly lyrics, but musically it isn't a bad song. The tenth track "The Hitman" is the second hard rock song on the album. It's a heavy song, very fast and aggressive. This is the heaviest song on the album and is interesting and enjoyable to hear. The eleventh track "Bijou" is essentially a guitar solo piece. It's a good and enjoyable song where Freddie Mercury sings beautifully, as usual, and Brian May proves that is a great guitarist. The twelfth track "The Show Must Go On" was the fourth single taken from the album. It represents the other highlight with "Innuendo". It's another extraordinary song full of drama and emotion. This is one of the most beautiful, dramatic, touching and emotional songs made by Queen. It seems that this was the last song composed by Freddie Mercury approaching the theme of the feelings of him near his dead. It shows that Freddie Mercury knew perfectly well that his end was very close and, for the second time on the album, his last farewell is again present on it.

Conclusion: "Innuendo" is a great joy and a great sadness at the same time. It's a great joy because it represents the return of the masters of art rock to their great rock and progressive roots. "Innuendo" is, without any doubt, one of the best studio musical works from Queen, the best since the 70's. Of course it hasn't the same quality, progressivity and creativity of "Queen II" and "A Night At The Opera". However, it's perfectly at the same level of "Queen", "Sheer Heart Attack" and "A Day At The Races". It's also a great sadness because it represents the end of a great band and the end of one of the best and most loved composers and singers ever existed. Freddie Mercury and Queen deserve to have a very special place in the history of music. So, thank you Queen. Your contribution to rock music has been immense. However, the show must go on and we still love you too, Freddie. R.I.P., we will never forget you. And that is for sure.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Share this QUEEN review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to VianaProghead
• Report this review (#3108930)
• Buy QUEEN music online with PA partners
• Show all QUEEN MP3/Stream
• Go to QUEEN page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Innuendo page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for QUEEN related discussions