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Queen - The Works Audio CD

A fair review of the Queen "The Works" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Queen reviews here, or go back to the Queen tabs.

Queen Band: Queen
Title: The Works
Rating:
Release Date: 1991-11-26
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Radio Ga Ga 2: Tear It Up 3: It's a Hard Life 4: Man on the Prowl 5: Machines (Back to Humans) 6: I Want to Break Free 7: Keep Passing the Open Windows 8: Hammer to Fall 9: Is This the World We Created...? 10: I Go Crazy [*] 11: Radio Ga Ga [Extended Version][*] 12: I Want to Break Free [Extended Mix][*]

Nice return to form.
Brian May is clearly in charge here, as evidenced by the blistering 'Hammer to Fall' and the heavy guitar on 'Machines. After the abysmal 1982 release 'Hot Space' (see my review of that travesty), 'The Works' brought back the classic Queen sound, although with some new twists. ' But still, Freddie manages to stir up things with the very controversial synth-driven 'Radio Ga Ga' and the ode to housewives 'I Want to Break Free' (which may also be interpreted as a gay anthem). Overall a great mix of songs, and one of the classic Queen albums of all time. Too bad America ignored it.


QUEEN WORKS WELL!

As was the case during this period, every track is a gem. Listening to this album 25 years later, it has not dated at all, and is still as exciting to listen to as it was when it was first released. What set Queen apart from other bands,apart from the unique vocal pyrotechnics of Freddie Mercury, was the fact that they were all individually good songwriters, which meant that different styles abounded and there was no "sameness" that often occurs when all tracks are written by the same person.
Radio Ga Ga is a gem by Roger Taylor
I want to break free is a gem by John Deacon
Is this the world we created is a gem by Brian May and Freddie Mercury

An album full of powerful playing, wonderful harmonies and excitement from beginning to end.


Goes back to the heavier days
Although it was good in it's own way, Hot Space was not the classic heavy Queen sound. The works goes back to the heavier days of queen. The Works goes back to the aggressive, rock 'n' roll sound and even gives a nod to getting away from the video age, and back to simple MUSIC with "Radio Ga Ga". Good Stuff.


Gimme your mind baby gimme me your body...
It was however a typical 80's rock album in many respects. While many saw `The Works' as a comeback of sorts or a throwback to the hard rock of the `70's, it really wasn't. Depressingly Queen seemed to acknowledging their European pop fan base and leaving much of their hard rock legacy. New wave and Brit pop infest this record leaving really only two out-and out stompers in "Hammer to Fall", a moderately successful hit single and "Tear It Up", their heaviest song in years. I honestly believe that the band's hard rock soul wasn't exorcised by Freddie Mercury or John Deacon, whose funk influence dominated much of the prior two records but it was Roger Taylor! (Remind me never to buy any of this man's solo records. . . . yeesh!) "Radio Ga Ga" was a huge worldwide hit and brought Queen to the MTV generation but I really don't like it. . . . Queen new wave is not my cup of tea. "Machines" is the same as well and it's almost like when Roger puts down real drums that the band's soul is taken out of the songs. An exception to my dislike of the popness of `Works' is "I Want to Break Free" which is a great song (John Deacon) though it seems to contradict what I had said before. Queen were strengthening their fan base around the globe, at the expense of America - where bands like Def Leppard were successfully charting a pop metal sound - influenced by Queen! Why so much praise for `The Works'? Probably from fans of eighties pop, not the band's original `70's hard rock brilliance.


Very Happy
Pick any Queen CD and chances are great that you will return for another. Queen is truly the very best that the music industry has ever or will ever see. .


You can see a complete list of all Queen discography, or go back to the Queen tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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