HOT SPACE

When they released this album here obviously their heyday (which was with their first four albums) was already vanished in the haze of pop music and one has just to look at the year of release and then it should be clear where we are: right in disco era and that's it like it sounds at least on the first side which does not contain any song that can fascinate me. First we have "Staying Power", a rock song with a brass section typically used in disco pop music. Actually it could easily be a more rocking song by MICHAEL JACKSON, if there wouldn't be Mercury's unmistakable voice. It goes on with funky dance music in the next track "Dancer", as well in the very poppy "Back Chat". Still the guitar work by Brian May is rather good for the type of music and there are even a couple of fine moments, but very rarely. With "Body Language" we have a very typical 80's pop song, quite sexy, one can almost see Freddy dancing to it. Next one is an up-tempo pop rock song with some scarce admittedly quite good keyboard tunes towards the end. "Put Out The Fire" then is a bit more rocking one, but certainly not one of their best songs. "Life Is Real", an homage to JOHN LENNON is the first one that can really please me, moreover since he used to be all the time my favorite Beatle. A very nice ballad-esque song and completely different from the preceding ones. "Calling All Girls" is a quite tolerable pop song with some nice guitar but really nothing to jump to the rooftop about. Next one is a bit too cheesy love song and only May's good guitar work can make it worth to listen to at all. Then there are just the easily forgettable pop songs "Cool Cat" and "Under Pressure" with a guest appearance by DAVID BOWIE.

As an summary I just can say that this album is the weakest one I know by them without any highlights to mention, one song that I like and therefore 1 star for "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)".