QUEEN'S CROWNING GLORY
Melody Maker 22nd November 1975
Queen "A Night At The Opera" (EMI EMTC 103). Freddie Mercury (vocals, piano), Brian May (guitars), John Deacon (bass) and Roger Taylor (drums and percussion). Produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker. Recorded at Sarm, Roundhouse, Olympic, Rockfield, Scorpio and Lansdowne Studios from July-November, 1975.
I could condemn Queen for their self-congratulatory attitude on this album, but they are so adroit I just have to admit that "A Night At The Opera" is easily their best work to date. It contains the most intricate musicianship Queen have ever undertaken. There was a danger that good rocking music might be overlooked in a bid for perfection, but Queen have averted it. They have indeed used studio gadgetry to the fullest effect, but they've also used it to the best advantage.
The album seems to pick the best of the concepts on "Queen II" and combine it with the studio expertise evident on the impersonal "Sheer Heart Attack." That combination, plus the growing maturity of the band, has given Queen a complete identity. Indeed, I don't think I'd be too far out if I said that Queen could well set a future direction in British rock and roll. They're hard rock, but just commercial enough to capture a massive, wide-ranging audience.
"A Night At The Opera" displays the variety of their talents. the bulk of the material comes from Freddie Mercury and Brian May, but Roger Taylor and John Deacon provide two startlingly fresh numbers. Deacon's "You're My Best Friend" is an excellent sing-along number, beautifully put together, while Taylor's "I'm In Love With My Car" has a witty topical appeal, plus a (ahem) driving rock beat.
Freddie Mercury's writing continues to improve. His eccentricity is disclosed on "Bohemian Rhapsody," with its various operatic movements, but there is also an edge to his songs. On the album opener, "Death On Two Legs," the opening lines are: "You suck my blood like a leech/You break the law and you breach/Screw my brain till it hurts/You've taken all my money - you still want more." It's dedicated to people whom he reckons have given him a very bad deal. He is also the composer of clever little ditties like the vaudevillian "Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon" and the jolly "Seaside Rendezvous." The songs of Brian May, however, will surprise everybody. "A Night At The Opera" will be remembered as an album of May classics, such as the incredibly atmospheric "The Prophet's Song," with its fierce marching beat. The only thing I dislike about the number is the middle vocal passage. It just tries the patience too much; cut by a minute it would have been perfect but the way it blends back into the track is unbelievable.
May also contributes '39 an almost folk ballad with a lovely chorus: "Don't you hear my call though you're many years away/Don't you hear me calling you/All your letters in the sand cannot heal me like your hand" There's also "Sweet Lady," which would make an outstanding three-minute single. The lighter "Good Company" reveals his versatility.
And that, my friends, is "A Night At The Opera" - with Roxy Music's "Siren" the best rock album I've heard this year. It is Queen's gesture of defiance to those who have refused to recognise their brilliance.