Queen
Queen

THE REVIEW

The Queen band was formed at the end of the '60s from the union of guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, singer Freddie Mercury, and finally, in 1971, bassist John Deacon. They gained a certain fame in the London clubs and the surrounding areas where they presented a music style oriented towards hard rock, on one hand, and glam rock, on the other.

The egocentric character of the singer, Freddie Mercury, greatly helped build the group's fame. The shows were well-curated, and the band members dressed in eccentric outfits: Freddie Mercury was famous for his tight-fitting suits, black or white, and his long hair, while Brian May for his long Indian-style costume and his eternal curly hair.

In 1972, Queen had the opportunity to record audio tracks in the new recording studios, the De Lane Studios. They seized this chance immediately, and in 1973 their debut album, Queen I, was released, with a cover depicting the band's leader, Freddie Mercury, in pose, struck by a beam of light; the background was purple. The album is a blend of different musical styles, from hard rock to glam rock and progressive rock. The album opens with Keep Yourself Alive, a track introduced by a superb solo from the Red Special, Brian May's guitar, capturing the rock spirit of the band in a sharp riff. The chorus is very catchy. The lyrics, penned by Brian May, encourage people to always be themselves despite the pressures from others. This rock piece is followed by a sweeter song, written by Brian May during his time with Smile, the guitarist's first group, in collaboration with Tim Staffell, Smile's singer. The third song on the album, Great King Rat, is a very hard rock piece, in which Freddie Mercury showcases his full vocal quality. It lasts 6 minutes and is a tribute to rock; the eccentric singer's lyrics contain clear religious references that might unsettle some. Great King Rat is followed by My Fairy King, a piece written by Brian May, with highly imaginative lyrics telling of a wonderful world destroyed by evil.

The standout track, however, is Liar, a true hard rock gem, written by Freddie Mercury, characterized by a long instrumental opening that leads into the band's leader's falsetto singing. The Night Comes Down is a more introspective song, written by Brian May, which mentions Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds described by the Beatles in 1967. The only piece written by drummer Roger Taylor, Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll, has a very fast pace and the lyrics are a direct critique of the worn-out rock world of those times. This is followed by Son and Daughter, dominated by the entire band's choruses. The penultimate song on the album is titled Jesus, and the lyrics, written by Freddie Mercury, revisit the themes of Great King Rat. In the lyrics, the singer ironically comments on the figure of Jesus and his followers. The album closes with a short instrumental that will reappear in the following album, Queen II, in a more evolved and better-known form.

A good album as a start, an anthem to rock and what it represented at the time. The critics were not very enthusiastic about the work and the band itself at first. Already the sound is very evolved and it is clear that the group is not joking, but truly wants to conquer the masses with magnificent shows and entertaining music. Queen I is a good album that introduces the four to the world.