Side 2 is amazing. Their best album side for sure. "Fairy Feller" and "March of the Black Queen" are maybe their two best songs ever. It is however, let down by the dumb track "Funny How Love Is" which doesn't fit at all imo.
I like how the 'March Of The Black Queen' builds up to the big crescendo and 'Funny How Love Is' comes crashing in, wonderful moment.
I only discovered this album recently. I listen to at work and it seems to get better with every listen. I am have always been a Queen fan but never ventured past their 1st greatest hits album, obviouslythat was a mistake. March of the Black Queen is a stand out.
Queen's best stuff is the album cuts - you need to start digging around! That greatest hits comp is pretty poor, imo.
For sure. I first heard Queen when Bohemian Rhapsody became a big hit and lucky for me my big Brother bought ANATO. I bought the following albums but didn't think that they reached the heights of Opera. But when I got a job and had more mo eg I went backwards through the discography. Wow! Yep the first 4 are all brilliant. Queen II is my favourite and in my all time top 10 but there'a very little between the lot of them. I've gone through several vinyl versions looking for a good copy. I now have an original UK press and it's time to admit - they just didn't record this too well. Roger sounds like he's playing drums in the toilet down the corridor and the whole thing sounds muffled but the brilliance of the songs and the performances cuts through. No favourite track this is truly an album to be listened to as a whole.
No rockers! Only rock song from first 4 albums is "Now I'm here." Only thing from this record is SEven seas of rhye.
Not everything has to rock! Though I agree that Queen are only truly heard as a fantastic rock band on the early albums and live DVDs. They sound huge on Sheer Heart Attack and the Live At The Rainbow concerts. But Greatest Hits shows them as an inventive and diverse singles band, with memorable hooks and melodies everywhere. Not many bands manage both of those.
Just read what I actually said. No, not everything has to rock - but if you went by the greatest hits record, you'd think they hardly ever rocked at all. That is why I said you gotta dig deeper - especially if you've already said how much you dig Queen 2 I swear some of you Queen fanatics take any criticism of any release like someone has insulted your dear old Grandma.
I read what you said. I'll quote it... "Queen's best stuff is the album cuts - you need to start digging around! That greatest hits comp is pretty poor, imo." My reply "Greatest hits comp, poor? It's an outstanding greatest hits album." That doesn't equate to fanatics not being able to take criticism. I disagreed with your comment that the greatest hits comp is "pretty poor". Stop being so melodramatic and accept that people will have different views to yours.
That's unfair, you can criticise The Cosmos Rocks and Greatest Hits 3 as much as you want with no complaints from me!
"I swear some of you Queen fanatics take any criticism of any release like someone has insulted your dear old Grandma", and "Be offended all you want" = obvious trolling.
I’d forgotten how good this record is - it is truly a masterpiece. A long time ago I sold my US Electra Lp do I was only listening to my CD copy. I just purchased and received a UK Fame copy and quite frankly I’m disappointed with the sound quality. Maybe it’s me but it really sounds muffled and murky. But the dongs are outstanding....
The latest remaster (2011 on CD or 2015 on vinyl) is the best sounding version so far. It also has the best looking cover.
The cover is massively improved. I have two UK copies on vinyl. A 1974 first pressing, which sounds very murky, and a later 70s pressing from around 1976-77 which sounds a bit clearer to me, but only as good as the Fame pressing that I grew up with. I'm tempted by this latest reissue. Would you say it's better than the 2011 CD? I do like that one. Queen II is magnificent musically but the recording isn't great in places.
Yeah Queen II was pretty much always my favorite. And side two my favorite side. All of it. Perfect. But I haven't listened to it in quite awhile. I'm going to rip it right now and take a look at it and a listen and see about this murkiness. As a side note. I remember stopping by a house with some friends to 'party' and the first Queen album was playing that's when I and my friends became aware of Queen. I think at that time Queen II was new and I bought both of them.
