QUEEN on progarchives

Cert:

I've been listening to Queen II also.

It certainly has its moments,quite a few actually,but a "Masterpiece of Prog"?

One of the TOP TEN BEST PROG ALBUMS EVER?

I cant believe you are being objective about this.

Tony R wrote: Cert: I've been listening to Queen II also. It certainly has its moments,quite a few actually,but a "Masterpiece of Prog"? One of the TOP TEN BEST PROG ALBUMS EVER? I cant believe you are being objective about this.

Aren't all our reviews subjective ... isn't that the point? 

When I was writing my Queen II review, I thought about the effect the album had on me ... and I was reminded of Sean Trane's Crime Of The Century review and Dick Heath's Soft Machine, Vol II reviews (both of which are much more evocative than mine ... I'll admit) ... but the fact remains that in both cases the reviewer talks about the album being important at a certain point in his life ... which may have contributed to the 5 star status ...

MikeEnRegalia, I simply think it's a strange thing seeing on a Prog music archive "a flood of queen reviews". Anyway, be moderated while using your language and read the rules on PA about offending people. You don't need to offend someone to tell us what you think.

___BYE___

Tony R wrote: Cert: I've been listening to Queen II also. It certainly has its moments,quite a few actually,but a "Masterpiece of Prog"? One of the TOP TEN BEST PROG ALBUMS EVER? I cant believe you are being objective about this.

The moments are so many and so dense, it's easy to miss them. I can't believe I've missed them all these years. I've always thought of Queen as having prog leanings, but the conclusion I came to today has actually surprised me, despite my casual support for their inclusion.

I don't usually bother analysing Queen's music which is probably why I got such a surprise - although I suppose I shouldn't have. The sheer quantity of prog elements in Queen II is quite breathtaking - especially given the speed at which they pass by. You really need to listen with "musicians" ears - which isn't that hard;

Just follow one particular "voice" (guitar, vocals, piano, etc.) each time you listen, and listen to what each voice does - and how it does it (colouration with dynamics, technical decoration, interesting rhythms, etc), then follow the interplay between "voices" on subsequent listens, and see how the music not only grows out of itself, but progresses into a far-out and unique world as a conglomeration.

When you're at the point that you can hear the glitches in the recording process, you're probably listening hard enough. Many bands fall apart at this level of listening - most are just simple rock bands with fancy frills, on the whole. If you are seeing the dots on the page as the band play, then you're probably listening too hard... real music is the stuff outside of the dots.

Queen II is, to my ears at least, easily as unique and progressive as any of the other prog greats of the early 1970s - and more slick and inventive in terms of composition than some. Yes - I've already named some bands...

I've owned and enjoyed this album since 1977, when I first started listening to Queen - but normally I just lie back and enjoy it - or try to play along with Messers May, Mercury or Deacon, depending on what instrument I'm holding... (don't even go there ).

Today seemed like a moment of revelation - maybe I was being a bit enthusiastic at suggesting top 10 prog - despite appearances, my comments are never 100% serious - if they were I'd probably turn into some kind of psychotouriste - but it's been frickin' ages since an album had such an effect on me. I feel like a teenager all over again.

But without the acne...

manticor wrote: Come up and see me,make me smile!Where is ABBA,Bay City Rollers,Sweet etc.Don't make me smile.This is serious site,not circus.

Those bands have not much in common with Queen.

BTW: Welcome to the forum!

Blacksword wrote: Cant agree more about Queen II. It is a superb album. Just wrote review myself. Generally Queen were one of those bands whose genius I ackowledged, but somehow they managed to rub me up the wrong way on every album, except Queen II & Night at the Opera. Queen II is among the best rock albums of the 70's IMO. On vinyl, it was always 'Side 2' that got played to death. As Certif1ed says, it's all down to the separate 'voices' (Piano, vocals, guitar etc) and their interplay. This is especially prominant in 'Nevermore' and 'March of the Black Queen' The former acting as a sensitive prelude to the melodramatic latter. The interplay between the piano, guitar and all three vocalists in brilliant. Queen crafted their music very carefully to achieve these great results. You can hear/feel how much work has gone into it. After some consideration, and accepting that I would probably never get bored of punching Brian May, I'm quite happy for Queen to be in the archives... As long as they sit at the back and be quiet!

Another remarkable thing about Queen II is the way that May uses the guitar to simulate other instruments. If you listen to "As It Began", you'll hear some multi-voice licks that sound like wind instruments (english horns or oboes), but are actually played on the guitar.

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Blacksword wrote: Cant agree more about Queen II. It is a superb album. Just wrote review myself. Generally Queen were one of those bands whose genius I ackowledged, but somehow they managed to rub me up the wrong way on every album, except Queen II & Night at the Opera. Queen II is among the best rock albums of the 70's IMO. On vinyl, it was always 'Side 2' that got played to death. As Certif1ed says, it's all down to the separate 'voices' (Piano, vocals, guitar etc) and their interplay. This is especially prominant in 'Nevermore' and 'March of the Black Queen' The former acting as a sensitive prelude to the melodramatic latter. The interplay between the piano, guitar and all three vocalists in brilliant. Queen crafted their music very carefully to achieve these great results. You can hear/feel how much work has gone into it. After some consideration, and accepting that I would probably never get bored of punching Brian May, I'm quite happy for Queen to be in the archives... As long as they sit at the back and be quiet! Another remarkable thing about Queen II is the way that May uses the guitar to simulate other instruments. If you listen to "As It Began", you'll hear some multi-voice licks that sound like wind instruments (english horns or oboes), but are actually played on the guitar.

Agreed, there is a lot of things going on on 'White Queen' which in the absence of a sythesiser, is quite remarkable. Also, the words and vocal melody of that song really send a shiver down the spine. I always thought they should have bridged it into 'Black Queen' to make one huge prog masterpiece.

Blacksword wrote: MikeEnRegalia wrote: Blacksword wrote: Cant agree more about Queen II. It is a superb album. Just wrote review myself. Generally Queen were one of those bands whose genius I ackowledged, but somehow they managed to rub me up the wrong way on every album, except Queen II & Night at the Opera. Queen II is among the best rock albums of the 70's IMO. On vinyl, it was always 'Side 2' that got played to death. As Certif1ed says, it's all down to the separate 'voices' (Piano, vocals, guitar etc) and their interplay. This is especially prominant in 'Nevermore' and 'March of the Black Queen' The former acting as a sensitive prelude to the melodramatic latter. The interplay between the piano, guitar and all three vocalists in brilliant. Queen crafted their music very carefully to achieve these great results. You can hear/feel how much work has gone into it. After some consideration, and accepting that I would probably never get bored of punching Brian May, I'm quite happy for Queen to be in the archives... As long as they sit at the back and be quiet! Another remarkable thing about Queen II is the way that May uses the guitar to simulate other instruments. If you listen to "As It Began", you'll hear some multi-voice licks that sound like wind instruments (english horns or oboes), but are actually played on the guitar.   Agreed, there is a lot of things going on on 'White Queen' which in the absence of a sythesiser, is quite remarkable. Also, the words and vocal melody of that song really send a shiver down the spine. I always thought they should have bridged it into 'Black Queen' to make one huge prog masterpiece.

No they couldn't do that! One was on the Side White and one on the Side Black of the album!