Queen + Paul Rodgers
The Cosmos Rocks

Sometimes they come back...

Queen, who doesn't know them? Much loved, much hated, but despite everything, they are in the history of world Pop-Rock.
The mustachioed Freddie Mercury dies in 1991, and his mates continue as solo artists, but they don't dare to create new material under the name Queen (except for Made in Heaven... which still contains Freddie's voice, and the single No One But You)... until 2008. That's when the album I'll review here is released.

The "wondrous trio" that creates this album consists of the long-haired Brian May, the blond Roger Taylor, and Paul Rodgers, the historic voice of Free and Bad Company. What does Rodgers have to do with Queen? Absolutely nothing, and it was evident (and heard) live. Granted, he has a massive voice, he's a true giant of blues rock, but he has nothing to do with Queen. And indeed, he was uncomfortable singing certain typically Mercury-like pop songs live.
But oh well... they tried, it was a great karaoke.
So what do these old foxes do in the studio?

They create this album with an embarrassingly ugly cover and fairly good ideas that, however, are executed too hastily. I won't talk about the absence of Freddie (and John Deacon), because it's a topic that bores me, but I will subjectively examine the tracks and the album as a whole.

The album opens with "Cosmos Rockin'", a self-referential, somewhat adolescent track (considering that Huey, Dewey, and Louie are each over 60), a fun little rock number but without any particular strokes of genius, at most a sunstroke. In short, it's not a false start, but it's certainly not enjoyable. Then comes the exotic rock of "Time to Shine", a cute track but one that starts to bore after the fifth listen, and "Still Burnin'", another Hard Rock cliché, full of platitudes, reminiscent of Aerosmith... but with bird flu. Utterly forgettable, like the needless self-quote of "We Will Rock You".
"Small", a slow acoustic track about how small man is in the universe and other such ramblings... A Zecchino d'oro text, catchy but useless song. And meanwhile, they have a singer with guts perform a "Bravo bravissimo" type track with late Mike Bongiorno. All harmless, not terrible, but what a drag!
And finally a "Gritty" piece, namely "Warboys", a work by Rodgers. A very angry Blues Rock that recalls the bluesy talent of the good Chuck Norris lookalike... among the best and most successful of the album.
"We Believe"... oh dear!!!!
Certainly the most queen-like track on the album, but it's a slow ramble of clichés that leads nowhere. A song suitable for Queen fans' wide-open mouths, but without a spark, or a typically Queen-like choral moment... it's like pesto without garlic. It lacks flavor, a completely insipid and interminably useless track. The awkwardness continues with "Call Me"... which I'd rather not comment on, I'll just say it's a "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" with hemorrhoids that seems to advertise a new phone company. Which will sell 3 subscriptions in total.
Instead, I appreciate the bluesy track of "Voodoo" that highlights Paul's vocal power. "Some Things That Glitter" is instead another needless ballad, see "Small". Then comes the album's "strong" single, namely "C-lebrity"... 15 copies sold: a mannered rock with unlistenable choruses. Hard Rock thrown to the wind, and it's a shame, as it could have been elaborated and produced much better. "Through the Night" is a bit boring, but very atmospheric. The album concludes with the beautiful ballad "Say It’s Not True" (addresses themes of Aids, and all 3 members of the supergroup sing in this piece), with the pseudo-psychedelic "Surf’s Up… School’s Out!" and the needless "Small reprise".

Have I spoken too harshly about this forgettable album?
Perhaps yes... in its defense, I say it is very well played by seasoned musicians and well sung by the experienced Rodgers. However, it lacks great ideas, sparks, pieces that shake the listener’s ears and soul.
I think Brian May was perpetually behind a telescope during the recordings, as there's very little of himself here.

In short, few ideas. An album that can be listened to, but thinking back to the past, one wonders: "Why?"