THE MIRACLE

This is a pop album with some heavy guitar and certainly no prog here to be found - but it's a good and very lively album nevertheless. In fact, it's the first one since The Game I was able to listen to, the others in between I couldn't stand. Queen were back on track with this recording from 1989.

I fell in love at once with the wacky tracks Party and Kashoggi's Ship, brilliantly segued so one can consider them as one song - very lively, very funny, very crazy.

The Miracle is a contrasting, lovely mid-tempo number and very controlled except for the end where we can hear a rather wild guitar solo.

I Want It All is a pop stars go heavy metal kind of anthem - nice to listen to and for singing along - but for metal heads it's rather a kind of mockery.

The Invisible Man seems to me ultimately derived from the Ghostbusters song - that says it all, but it's likeable if you're able to have fun below your niveau.

Breakthru is my favourite track on the album. It's a blend: the gospel-like vocals at the beginning remind me of Someone To Love and the following pop part has the liveliness of Don't stop me now. A cool , great track.

Rain must fall - harmless. Skipable, but not necessarily. May be a remnant of the foregoing phase.

Scandal has one of those rhythms or melodies you feel you've heard before though you probably hadn't. OK song.

My baby does me - same as Rain must fall.

Was it all worth it - the killer at the end. The whole song is worth it. Unusually heavy for Queen standards. The show must go on from the following album is a very good song - but too sad and too dark. I prefer to consider Was it all worth it as a fitting swan song for Freddie Mercury and Queen.

Although it's not prog (the madness of Party/Kashoggi's Ship may be an exception) it's a cool record from the masters back on form. 3 well-deserved stars.

Favourites: Party/Kashoggi's Ship, Breakthrough, Was it all worth it