Queen II

This is, perhaps, my favourite album of all time - when I first listened to it I entered a state of excited bliss. Father To Son is one of my fave tracks of all time and boasts an exceptional guitar solo (yet again with multiple guitar parts) and what stands out on this track is the fact that the main guitar plays in a lower register than what is expected. Most guitar solos tend to play high notes to stand out from the rhythm section, but here Mays guitar floats and grinds through both speakers whipping up to an orgasm of sound.

Both Brian and Roger take turns to sing (Roger sang Modern Times Rock ‘N' Roll in the previous album) -and with Some Day One Day we get to hear Brian's wistful, plaintive voice over a beautiful acoustic guitar "orchestra" which builds and builds. Roger's song is The Loser In The End and boasts some powerful vocals and cracking riffs.

The March Of The Black Queen deserves special mention here - this laid the blueprint for future Queen dynamics and its possible to hear the genesis of "Bohemian Rhapsody". Freddie was a genius, able to craft a song of such complexity and richness and carry it off with style and aplomb it just leaves the listening breathless for what will come next. The dynamics of this song; the way it can go from an almost cacophony of sound to barely a whisper is staggering.

Listen also to Seven Seas of Rhye - it's hard not to love this song. The moment you first hear the piano you know it's going to be a stonker; and once the guitar starts to wail it's assured. Brian's guitar harmonies on this are truly inspired. He managed to push the guitar in directions no one had even thought of, and with each album he broaden it's language and depth of expression further.

This album sums up what is possible in rock music and, to me, very few bands are capable of reaching these heights. All those people who want to know where Queen came from need to listen to this - it is an exceptional album from an exceptional band!