Audio CD review:
Queen - Queen Rock Montreal (2CD)

Queen - Queen Rock Montreal (2CD)

Band: Queen Title: Queen Rock Montreal (2CD) Rating: Release Date: 30 October, 2007 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Intro 2: We Will Rock You (Fast) 3: Let Me Entertain You 4: Play The Game 5: Somebody To Love 6: Killer Queen 7: I'm In Love With My Car 8: Get Down Make Love 9: Save me 10: Now I'm Here 11: Dragon Attack 12: Now I'm Here (Reprise) 13: Love Of My Life 14: Under Pressure 15: Keep Yourself Alive 16: Drum and Tympani Solo 17: Guitar Solo 18: Flash 19: Hero 20: Crazy Little Thing Called Love 21: Jailhouse Rock 22: Bohemian Rhapsody 23: Tie Your Mother Down 24: Another One Bites The Dust 25: Sheer Heart Attack 26: We Will Rock You 27: We Are The Champions 28: God Save The Queen

Customer Reviews Queen live recording from 1981 get royal treatment This live recording and its off-shoot DVD was recorded and filmed at The Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on November 24 and 25, 1981 (approximately ten years before the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury). English rockers Queen have just released its fifth live album entitled Queen Rock Montreal. Not officially released on either vinyl or CD before, Queen Rock Montreal marks the first time the show is available on CD and/or vinyl. (It had been released previous as the concert film We Will Rock You). Audio producers Justin Shirley-Smith and Kris Fredriksson returned to the original 24 track analog tapes recorded and originally mixed by 80s Queen co-producer Mack with The Record Plant Mobile Truck and created brand new regular stereo (for this CD and one of the two DVD mixes) and DTS 5. 1 surround sound mixes (found on the DVD). We kick off as the band hits the stage with the entrance music of "Intro" which sets the tone for the show. We then start off with a killer version of "We Will Rock You (fast version)" which is is stunning. Next is "Let Me Entertain You" which trumps either the Jazz version or Live Killers versions. We then slow things down with the ballad "Play the Game" which is stunning. Next is possibly the best version of "Somebody to Love I ever heard, only the versions from Earls Court 1977 and Houston Summit 1977 give it a run for the money. Next is a short but simple version of "Killer Queen" which is superb before we segue into drummer Roger Taylor's classic "I'm In Love With My Car" which was just superb. Next, John Deacon's classic bass riff begins "Get Down Make Love" which is the best live version of the three now available. We then slow down again as guitarist Brian May sits at the piano for the ballad "Save Me" (which Freddie would take over for the middle of song as Brian switched to his regular Red Special guitar). Next is "Now I'm Here" which is excellent and features the famous Freddie Mercury/audience vocal duel before segueing into "Dragon Attack" which rocks and then stops cold and Freddie goes back to a reprise of Now I'm Here. The first disc ends with a nice version of Love of My Life with Freddie singing his heart out and the whole song because "Love of My Life" was not a hit in either the US or Canada so the song would be dropped from the band's 1982 US/Canadian tour. The second CD begins with "Under Pressure" and was the only time it was played by Queen as a four piece (the track was then a new song on the US/Canadian issues of Queen's Greatest Hits album released a few weeks before) and a great version (even without keyboards). Next is "Keep Yourself Alive" which has a nice impromptu jam before the track which is a spirited version. Next is Roger's Drum and Tympani Solo which shows why Roger Taylor is one of rock's best drummers. then we segue into Brian's Guitar Solo which is amazing and Brian finishes with some help from Roger's drumming. We then get two songs that were not on the We Will Rock You DVD but were fully recorded which was a superb version of "Flash" which was only played in 1980/81 and a superb version I must add then we go segue into "The Hero" which trumps the Queen On Fire version (both of these were performed after Under Pressure during the original shows). Next is a superb version of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Then we have Queen's almost speed metal take of Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" which is superb (this was actually performed before the final encore). Next is an excellent take on "Bohemian Rhapsody" which shows the band playing with a fire they hadn't had in awhile. We then rock out with the set closing "Tie Your Mother Down" which rocks. The first encore of "Another One Bites the Dust" is a killer version. Next is "Sheer Heart Attack' and is the best version of the track ever. We then have the final encore of the traditional "We Will Rock You" with audience participating and a stellar version of "We Are the Champions". We then have the band say farewell as God Save the Queen plays over the PA. An off-shoot 2-DVD is now also available and has a boatload of extras. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! . Sounds as if you were There !!! Great recording !! Order this CD now and you will NOT be disappointed. I had this when it came out and this new "cleaned up/enhanced" version sounds even better!! Having seen QUEEN the Day After John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham passed away at the Boston Garden (9/25/80---Bonham died 9/24/80), this was the Same Tour from a couple months later in Montreal, and I feel this truly captures a band at their peak, just hitting their musical stride if you will. If you are a fan of Queen then you should Already own it. If Not, then buy it just to see how a real LIVE band does it concert. Then, go but the DVD of this show to actually SEE what a great Live band QUEEN really was. My next time seeing them was 7/13/85---that's right, LIVE AID, when I was in the Navy in Philly, and they showed their set on 2 huge screen flanking the stage at old JFK Stadium---and as most people have said over the years, felt it was the BEST performance of the day between ALL the acts in London at Wembley and in Philly. And I was there!!!!. Great but can't we get something older? They are my all time favorite band. I love Queen. HOWEVER: Since the last live release was Milton Keynes 82, we really didn't need almost the EXACT CONCERT! The only differences are the songs that were in their final plays before being replaced by Hot Space material. The highlights: Flash/The Hero medley, Jailhouse rock and a nice medley of Keep Yourself alive and the traditional Brian May solo. The lowlights: Somebody To Love (MUCH better on Live at the bowl), Crazy Little Thing Called Love, (WAY Better on Live At Wembley), The rest is ok. Don't get me wrong, its a great sounding concert, I am grateful that they released anything at all. I just wish to god that they would move to older 70's concerts. A works or The Game tour concert would have been better choices. Jazz, News of the world or Day At The Races tours would have been EXTREMELY better choices! If you like Queen, it is essential, if you are searching for only one live album by them, get Live At The Bowl, it is by far the best live release yet by Queen!. . You can see a complete list of all Queen discography, or go back to the Queen tabs