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Review Summary: A great and ambitious masterpiece A night at the opera is absolutely the most ambitious and original work made by Queen. The hard aim of this album is to propose an absolutely new genre, no longer inspired to the first two albums' fantasy imaginary, but to an alternation, apparently irreconcilable, of rock and classic music: as a matter of fact, this album looks like a real one theatrical pièce. The most representative tracks of this new stylistic approach are, of course, The prophet's song and Bohemian rhapsody: two of the best masterpieces ever written by Queen. As in the previous one The march of the black queen, this two tracks are nothing more than some progressive mini-suites, but the decisive and absolutely original element is the choral one. In The prophets' song, this element reaches its climax in the central part, where the acapella voice of Mercury has been subject to a shocking number of overdubs.
Over the choral structure complexity, The prophet's song shows also a complex instrumental system, which it moves between acustic segments, hard rock marches and, therefore, snap beat changes which culminates into a nth power final. But this musical dream is not finished yet, after the final hard surge, the acoustic guitar is free to arpeggiate softly, leading to the next track: Love of my life. The opera dimension is more than ever present in this touching piano ballad. Both thanks to Mercury's falsetto, whose refinement seems to come back to opera, and thanks to the harp played by May, which gives an even more accentuated clearness to the track's structure, and still thanks to the choral dimension, now become a genuine trademark. In fact, it is exactly with an acapella chorus that Bohemian rhapsody starts, absolutely the most representative work of the style created by Mercury and members. Compared to the previous one The prophet' s song, the sequential changes are here sharper and evident: a choral acapella intro, a piano ballad that flows in another opera segment characterised by an infinity of choirs, an hard rock veer and at last another ballad. Despite the complexity of such structure, Bohemian rhapsody has such a fascination to constitute a true and own turning point not only in the Queen career, but in all the english musical view of the second half of the 70s. The band, which has by now found an own distinctive mark, nevertheless still does not renounce the hard rock influence (with tracks like Death on two legs and Sweet lady). However, their style has become so refined that more than hard rock is possible now to speak of art rock: that is a more complex musical shape.
With A night at the opera, The Deep purple and Led Zeppelin's influences are by now melted, in favour of a musicality more and more glamour. Not by chance, returns in this album also the parodistic and theatrical Sheer heart attack climate, with three amused ones vaudeville which Lazing on a sunday afternoon, Seaside rendezvous and Good company, whose sonority are a nostalgic return to the old England of the 20s.
This progressive research of more elegant and refined solutions, at last, can only bring to a more and more massive pop dimension, eloquent in the track written by John Deacon, You're my best friend, but above all in the following album: A day at the races.
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Not really into this band that much, but it's either this or their debut as the best
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
"HarryManback"
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Nice first review Harry. And you begin with a great classic from the 70's. As happened with bloc, I also think that this one and their eponymous debut are the two best albums from them. In terms of prog rock, their debut is best representativ, but in terms of art rock or in terms of what will they became, "A Night At The Opera" is their magnum opus. This is an incredible and unforgetable piece of music. Pos.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Another review of this album? Nice. It's always a pleasure to see it again.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Kind of an over-the-top band, but this was definitely a strong and very creative album.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Queen is underrated on this site lol.
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They are quite theatrical and seem like one of those "gotta be in the mood" bands. At least that's how I feel about them. They do have several straight forward songs though of course.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
I agree, Queen doesn't get as much credit as it should, at least on Sputnik.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Guys, but isn't there a way to answer individually ? nothing, I have to answer to everybodyin this comment.
However, this my first music review, and I'm very happy to see all these positive comments.
bloc: I am always in the mood for A night at the opera ahahah but because I grew up with Queen music. However, 'Queen' for me is a great album, but I prefer the concept taste of 'Queen II'. Thanks for your comment 
SoccerRiot: ahahah my nickname is taken from the tool's song "Message to Harry Manback", I'm italian and when I listened to this song the first time it was very disquieting but in the same time amusing. Thanks for your commment
e210013:As I answered to bloc, I honestly prefer 'Queen II' to 'Queen', if we talk in terms of prog rock, because for me 'Queen' is indeed a great hard/glam rock album. However, 'My fairy king' is certainly one of the songs I love you more by Queen. Thanks for your comment
TheIntruder: For me it has been a pleasure to write it, thanks for your comment
Divaman: Creative is the key word for this masterpiece. Thanks for your comment
MisterOpturus: As I said before, I'm italian, and I can assure you that the italian music sites underestimate them even more. Check the site Ondarock and the Queen page. Thanks for your comment
Azertherion: For me the average ratings of all the albums are balanced, but I just think A night at the opera should be a 4,5 instead of a 4,4. Thanks for your comment
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"I honestly prefer 'Queen II' to 'Queen'".
Yeah, Harry. My mistake. Of course I was talking about "Queen II" and not "Queen". "Queen" is good, but in terms of quality and especially in terms of prog, it has nothing to do with their second. We agree.
Cheers, buddy.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Queen is not exactly my favorite band, but I intend to visit some of their albums I don't know yet.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
e210013: Now we understand ahahah
Jethro42: I have seen in your profile and you haven't listened Sheer heart attack yet, check this album trust in me. Killer queen, Brighton rock, Stone cold crazy, great songs !
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Lol, I was just joking about the username. Nice first review, by the way. Always nice to see more Queen love around here
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Nice review. Queen deserve so much more love around here, their 1974-77 run is up there with the best of them.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
@Harry; Will do. Needless to say I know bits and pieces of probably each albums I haven't rated, and i'm talking about all their hits that got radio play.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
SoccerRiot: With me the Queen love is more than great ahahah. Anyway,I hope to write a 'Queen II' review as soon as I can
manosg: I agree with you, but in your timeline I'd like to add the 1973 'Queen', and the 1978 'Jazz'. Then, there is 'Innuendo', another masterpiece for me. Thanks for your comment
Jethro42: Good, their radio records maybe are not their greatest works, but for me also are a nice listening
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
For me, Queen has some great albums. The best are "Queen II" and "A Night At The Opera". Two masterpieces or very close of being it. Than, we have also four excellent albums, "Sheer Heart Attack", "A Day At The Races", "Queen" and "Innuendo". "Made In Heaven", "News Of The World" and "Jazz" are also very good.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
e210013: I agree with you, it is also very easy to find at least one masterpiece song into each of these albums. For me: The march of the black queen (Queen II), The prophet's song (A night at the opera), Killer queen (Sheer heart attack), The millionaire waltz (A day at the races), My fairy king (Queen), Innuendo (Innuendo), It's late (News of the world), Dreamer's ball (Jazz). I honestly don't like so much 'Made in heaven', but 'Mother love' is a great great song !!
I love this topic ahahah
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
good shit
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"I honestly don't like so much 'Made in heaven', but 'Mother love' is a great great song !!"
Blasphemy
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