A KIND OF MAGIC

The second soundtrack from the band. Slightly better than the awful "Flash Gordon" (but some people might tell you that it sucked so much that it was not difficult to do better). Surprisingly, the opening number "One Vision" will not appear on the "Highlander" movie but well on "Iron Eagle" released a year later. This is a typical "Queen" song : bombastic vocals, great chorus and a catchy melody. Fully pop- oriented as the following and title track. These songs don't belong to their most praised ones by their early fan database (but who from them are still fans in 1986? I wasn't any longer to be honest).

Mercury is just doing too much of a circus during "One year Of Love". Almost a pastiche of himself! Press next to avoid this syrupy and useless ballad (even if some good sax is featured). This album seriously lacks in great song writing, but of course there has been a long time since the band released a very good album, and this one is not even close to reach this level.

Mostly pop-oriented it holds some very weak songs : "Pain Is So Close" sounding as a poor Hall & Oates number. Press next. Pop is the word on this album, but I admit that "Friends Will Be Friends" holds many of the ingredients that made "Queen" famous. Some fine guitar notes are sustaining this good number after all. The last two songs were not featured in the movie.

This album is also more on the soft side than usual (at least these awful disco beats are mostly omitted). "Who Wants To Live Forever" is a very poignant song and even if heavy orchestrations are featured I succumb to its fantastic construction. Brilliant vocal section, atmospheric (but short) instrumental middle part and a bombastic final part ending rather smoothly. Did you say "Queen"?

I guess that by this time, one has the right to say : "Can Queen still rock"? Yes, they can. The heavy rock "Gimme The Prize" is there to prove this but this song is a weak example of their rocking angle. Totally uninspired.

The band reverts to their poor sound from the eighties with "Don't Lose Your Head". Electro beats full of synthetic sounds. Press next. Please. Some Rhapsody like vocals to start the closing Princes Of The Universe which is a good rock song where melody also plays an important role. This song brings us several years back in their repertoire. One of my fave from this average work. Needless to tell you that you shouldn't expect any prog in here. Maybe for their next album?

Two stars.

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