Queen is one of those legendary bands that will never be forgotten. They've made an indestructible mark on the world, and even the most diluted pop listener will recognized the stomp clap beat of "We Will Rock You". Queen's fifteenth studio album, Made in Heaven, was released in 1995, after the death of legendary frontman Freddie Mercury. This album uses previously recorded vocal tracks by Mercury and music recorded by the other three members of the band.
The album opens with the amazing "It's a Beautiful Day", a song that opens with a rising crescendo mimicking the rising sun in the morning. It serves as an excellent opener, as the symbolic rising sun of the album. At just 2:33, with a few sparse (but terrific) vocal lines, it begins a brisk ride into an epic album.
The next track, "Made in Heaven", is not as atmospheric and symbolic as "It's a Beautiful Day", but it serves as an introspective epic. Queen did not make this into a hard rocker like "I Want it All" or "We Will Rock You", but made it into a different kind of epic. Freddie Mercury is at the top of his game in this track, which is extremely impressive considering he was dying of AIDS at the time of the recording. Brian May uses intricate guitar harmonies and extended melodic leads to build an aura of adventure and dreamy psychedelia. The eerie thing is that Freddie appears to be welcoming his own death in the lyrics, claiming it was "written in the stars".
"Let Me Live" may be the most bitter song on the album "All I do is give, and all you do is take," sings Freddie. I'm no mind reader, so I can't say "OH YEAH FREDDIE IS DEFINITELY REFERRING TO AIDS" but the theme of his death is lingering around the edges of the album. "So, let me live/why don't you let me make a brand new start?" he sings, as if lamenting his choices. The opening chorus harmonies and soul choir style harmonies placed throughout the song make it into a hymn of sorts, a hymn praying for the life he deserved. However, a criticism that can be made is that, at this point, there is still very little musical variety on the album. Similar slow guitar solos and warm piano chords are used so far, and the album is lacking of the diversity of previous releases such as A Night at the Opera or Innuendo.
"Mother Love" kicks in some variety. Freddie takes a dark tone, and the music is subtle and moody, with an underlying layer of tension and a pumping bass line. The slow crescendo echoes the feelings of love, as it rises into a vicious, overpowering climax in the chorus, where Freddie's vocals soar far above the music, like a free bird. The soulful blues solo by May is also a refreshing changed from the refined glam rock of the previous three songs. The song ends with a baby crying, leaving us to wonder if Freddie's life has come full circle, back into the fetal stage.
The fifth track, "My Life Has Been Saved" is somewhat unremarkable. Granted, it's a well constructed song, with superb vocals and a sweet guitar solo, but it once again falls into the typical soft glam rock sound of the album. However, the "I read it in the paper" line is undeniably catchy.
"I Was Born to Love You" kicks things up a bit with a faster pace and a chugging guitar riff. Though the guitar leads are still as glam and showy as the rest of the album, and the keyboards are employed in the typical pop rock fashion, Freddie's razor sharp powerful delivery cuts through the track, making it a winner.
I was a bit disappointed by "Heaven for Everyone". As usual, the track is extremely well constructed, but there is little energy that characterized the band's earlier releases. Instead it continues in the typical pop rock style, with mellow keyboard verses, and uplifting guitar laden choruses. Brian May makes a halfhearted attempt at an epic guitar solo, but goes along too slowly to make it anything impressive.
Well... I literally zoned out during "Too Much Love Will Kill You". It was a generic pop rock song, and I found it pretty boring. Haha, I really have nothing else to say about it.
"You Don't Fool Me" is a welcome change from the rest of the album, and is probably my favorite song on the album. Using a quick disco influenced pop beat and quick harmonies, it builds an air of energy that is largely absent from the album, boosted by a simple and incredibly catchy chorus.
"A Winter Tale" is a bit boring at the start, but it warms up by the end. The intense vocal harmonies and Freddie's chesty singing give the track the powerful punch it needs to warm up the otherwise dull second half of Made in Heaven. The operatic overtones hearken to their older releases, a touch I enjoy.
The reprise of "A Beautiful Day" is amazing. The song goes along the same route as the original, but adds a hard rock section with a guitar solo in the Phrygian scale (which gives a decidedly Arabic feel to the music). Brian May is finally unleashing his considerable guitar skills, and soloing his heart out in the best rocker of the album. What's even greater is the feeling of a full circle in the album, as if the sun has set like it rose in the beginning, making a perfect ending to the album.
Made in Heaven is really an album for a Queen fan. It's not groundbreaking, and it gets quite repetitive and boring at times, but it is extremely solid. There's not a slip in the production and all the songs are expertly crafted. The only things I wished for would be some more diversity, more interesting guitar work from Brian May, and some more of the classic energy the band had on previous records.
All in all, a wholesome listen.
8/10
The fifth track, "My Life Has Been Saved" is somewhat unremarkable. Granted, it's a well constructed song, with superb vocals and a sweet guitar solo, but it once again falls into the typical soft glam rock sound of the album. However, the "I read it in the paper" line is undeniably catchy.
"I Was Born to Love You" kicks things up a bit with a faster pace and a chugging guitar riff. Though the guitar leads are still as glam and showy as the rest of the album, and the keyboards are employed in the typical pop rock fashion, Freddie's razor sharp powerful delivery cuts through the track, making it a winner.
I was a bit disappointed by "Heaven for Everyone". As usual, the track is extremely well constructed, but there is little energy that characterized the band's earlier releases. Instead it continues in the typical pop rock style, with mellow keyboard verses, and uplifting guitar laden choruses. Brian May makes a halfhearted attempt at an epic guitar solo, but goes along too slowly to make it anything impressive.
Well... I literally zoned out during "Too Much Love Will Kill You". It was a generic pop rock song, and I found it pretty boring. Haha, I really have nothing else to say about it.
"You Don't Fool Me" is a welcome change from the rest of the album, and is probably my favorite song on the album. Using a quick disco influenced pop beat and quick harmonies, it builds an air of energy that is largely absent from the album, boosted by a simple and incredibly catchy chorus.
"A Winter Tale" is a bit boring at the start, but it warms up by the end. The intense vocal harmonies and Freddie's chesty singing give the track the powerful punch it needs to warm up the otherwise dull second half of Made in Heaven. The operatic overtones hearken to their older releases, a touch I enjoy.
The reprise of "A Beautiful Day" is amazing. The song goes along the same route as the original, but adds a hard rock section with a guitar solo in the Phrygian scale (which gives a decidedly Arabic feel to the music). Brian May is finally unleashing his considerable guitar skills, and soloing his heart out in the best rocker of the album. What's even greater is the feeling of a full circle in the album, as if the sun has set like it rose in the beginning, making a perfect ending to the album.
Made in Heaven is really an album for a Queen fan. It's not groundbreaking, and it gets quite repetitive and boring at times, but it is extremely solid. There's not a slip in the production and all the songs are expertly crafted. The only things I wished for would be some more diversity, more interesting guitar work from Brian May, and some more of the classic energy the band had on previous records.
All in all, a wholesome listen.
8/10
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