A Night at the Opera

In many ways this is Queen's magnus opus - this isn't to say that they would never reach these dizzying heights again, or that it was the culmination of their career; rather it's when all the disparate elements that they had so carefully woven though the previous albums finally came together to form a joyous and phenomenal whole. The music here-within is pure gold.

Take the first three songs: Death On Two Legs is a nasty piece of work, dedicated to... their previous management where Freddie shows just how vitriolic he can be. It's still a cracking rocker, but very barbed; and a complete contrast to Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon -A gentle music hall inspired frolic hearkening back to warmer, halcyon days gone by. I'm In Love With My Car blasts as the third track, which is one of Rogers finest hours. It's a rollicking rock ‘n' roller with orgasmic blasts of pure sonic mayhem from Brian at the start before settling into a very pleasing rhythm. Rogers vocal is passionate and well suited to the material (it's one of the many songs that is just as good live, if not better (if that's possible!)).

Brian's two solo efforts on this album are also worth a mention as they show just how talented and versatile he is. '39 is a beautiful ballad with sumptuous guitars and vocals. The subject matter is a little different -it's about deep space voyagers as they traverse the stars. Good Company is one of my favourite songs of Brian; it's a joy to listen to and features some remarkable guitar harmonies (where at times the guitar even sounds like reed instruments!) and kicking ukulele.

Whilst in the jovial mood Seaside Rendezvous has to be mentioned as, again, it's a period piece more related to more wistful Wodehousian days (as in P G...) with a sublime "vocal" brass band ensemble where Brian; Freddie and Roger all play "mouth trumpets". (Think back to Lady Madonna by the Beatles for another example of this)

The Prophet Song is remarkable for it's use of echo chambers in the middle of the song where Freddie indulges in harmony after harmony, echoing back to each other in a wonderful example of call and response. The guitar solo that features afterwards is moody and inspired, reaching to find the answers to the questions posed by the songs lyrics.

And then there's Bohemian Rhapsody. It's almost impossible not to approach this song with a clear head as it is synonymous with Queen (no other band would have had the audacity to even dream of writing this, let alone the guts or know-how to record it!). "And this is where the OPERA section comes in..."... indeed! It's a perfect example of the craft of song writing, moving from barely whispered yearning to thunderous operatic vocals and heavy metal riffing! The layering of the vocals in the middle is nothing short of genius (watch the documentary on Queens Greatest Flix to find out just how they made the song.. it's inspired!) and a testament to Freddie's passion and vision.

Queen, of course, moved on to bigger and better things but they never lost the lessons that they learnt on Night At The Opera. Their next album, Day At The Races would continue with the vast, almost orchestral rock before streamlining their sound to suit their constant touring. But that was the beauty of Queen, they were that versatile - they never stopped searching for the next big thing and Night At The Opera (like Bohemian Rhapsody) became but another stepping stone in their blossoming career.