NEWS OF THE WORLD

Not a bad 70's rock album. For a website named "Rock Archives", we could entertain serious discussion as to whether this collection of songs is worthy of 3, 4 or 5 stars. But without a legitimate prog song from cover to cover, on "Prog Archives" how could this album be anything other than for "collectors/fans" only?

Now, on to the album. News of the World opens powerfully with Brian May's foot-stomping hand-clapping declaration "We Will Rock You" which transitions seamlessly into Mercury's anthemic ballad "We are the Champions". These songs were ubiquitous on rock radio. Their sports arena staying power bear witness to how deeply they have been embedded into our collective consciousness. Think it is easy to write and perform a song that is simultaneously uncomplicated enough to instantly connect with a wide audience, unique enough to capture the attention and appreciation of such an audience, and universal enough to retain its appeal to future generations? If so, I encourage you to give it a try and let me know how successful you are.

Roger Taylor gets to include two edgy hard rockers "Sheer Heart Attack" and the slightly funky, yet ever-so powerful "Fight from the Inside". Brian May adds the (only slightly operatic) solid rock song "It's Late", a breezy blues number "Sleeping on the Sidewalk" and the sentimental "All Dead, All Dead". John Deacon contributes the lazy pop tunes "Spread Your Wings" and "Who Needs You".

Mercury contributes the embarrassingly exhibitionist "Get Down, Make Love" as well as the extremely moody "My Melancholy Blues".