KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE / SON AND DAUGHTER

This is the first review for this single, but first I need to point out that I've never been much of a Queen fan, and there are several albums I have never listened to, including the eponymous debut (1973) from which these two song were taken from. I think I only knew 'Liar' and 'Seven Seas of Rhye' from the album, until now, of course.

'Keep Yourself Alive' is an energetic hard rock song. Brian May's work on electric guitar is very meaty, and Freddie Mercury... well, he's being Freddie Mercury right from the beginning. A powerful rock vocalist with a distinctive voice. Do I personally like the song is another question. Let's say I appreciate its energy and I think it's very well done, but I wouldn't wish to have it on my own music collections.

'Son and Daughter' was written by Brian May. It is notably heavier. What I enjoy on it are the David Byron reminding, multiplied "Aaaaahhh" screams (and later on, phrases such as "I... want... you"), but otherwise the song sounds very muddy. It shows a lot of potential but isn't fully succesful as a finished product.