QUEEN  A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

Queen: Freddie Mercury (vocals, piano); Brian May (guitar, harp, ukulele, background vocals); John Deacon (electric piano, acoustic & electric basses); Roger Taylor (percussion, background vocals). Recorded at Sarm Studios, Roundhouse Studios, Olympic Studios, Scorpio Studios, Landsdowne Studios, London, England and Rockfield Studios, Wales. Though they began their career practicing an artier, more theatrical variant on the Led Zeppelin heavy rock sound, Queen was always capable of much more. Ultimately, Freddie and the boys were popsters at heart, and capable ones to boot. A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is where they begin to show their eclecticism and compositional facility. The album title is probably a reference to the FM rock anthem "Bohemian Rhapsody," which begins as an existential ballad before moving into a mock-operatic section featuring scores of overdubbed Freddie Mercurys. "Rhapsody" is just the tip of the iceberg here. "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" is a music hall ditty that owes a debt to the Kinks. "'39" is a surprisingly poignant folk-rocker written and sung by Brian May. "You're My Best Friend" is pure '70s AM melodic pop. Queen even ventures into vaudeville territory (given Mercury's show biz leanings, not as much of a stretch as one might think) on the fatalistic, old-timey "Good Company." There are several souped-up rockers here as well, but it's A NIGHT AT THE OPERA's winning stylistic experimentation that makes it a milestone in Queen history.

'A Night At The Opera' was, I believe, the most expensive album ever made when released in 1975. However, this shows immensely on the finished product. It's possibly got one of the greatest production jobs you will ever hear on an album, and few modern albums have the sense of experiment and risk that the production here does; it seems effects are all too easy to achieve and they often sound that way on newer, more clinical production jobs. 'A Night At The Opera' is one of the best examples of using the studio as an instrument.

But what of the music? Many will harrumph at my rating, claiming the music within it is not prog. However, the fact that it doesn't sound akin to prog heroes like Genesis or Yes actually makes it even more progressive. Queen are obviously superb musicians and their amazing musicianship AND enviable songwriting prowess were never better exemplified than here. The 'no synths' legend is especially impressive here, as the band utilise complex production instead. Every song is wonderfully detailed and played, and it is by far the most structured and consistent album Queen ever made up to that point, but not one of their later albums even approached this one, sadly, meaning it is an obvious career peak.

'Death On Two Legs' is a great heavy rock track with a noticeable prog undercurrent, thanks to the florid and complex classical piano runs from Mercury that introduce the track and the dramatic guitar orchestrations and production effects. The main track has a stonkingly heavy riff from Brian May and crunching drums from Roger Taylor, alongside some histrionic vocals by Freddie Mercury, plus the stunning harmonies add even more to an already classic track. The amount of detail in the production elevates this far above heavy rock.

'Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon' is a charming frippery, with a faux 40s style melody and croon from Freddie Mercury, whilst the wonderfully treated guitars sound like a conglameration of trumpets rather than overdubbed guitars; a great example of Queen's huge creativity, soon to vanish in a haze of self parody...

'I'm In Love With My Car' is a dirge like heavy rocker with monolithic drums and bombastic guitar riffs from May, plus some neat harmonies and a very powerful vocal performance from Roger Taylor, shows why he is revered as one of the best drummer/ singers.

'You're My Best Friend' remains a popular standard even now, and is driven by a hazy electric piano motif that alongside an overdub enhanced guitar solo and a touching melody and vocal from Mercury (plus the harmonies) ensure this is a much loved song.

'39' is a great piece of pastoral, folksy prog, thanks to strummed acoustic guitars, layer upon layer of very complicated vocal harmonies (with an especially memorable falsetto section from Roger Taylor) and a pathos laden vocal performance from Brian May make for a hugely enjoyable song, with beautiful guitar/ harmony intermingling with a complex melody. Classic stuff.

'Sweet Lady' is a really crunching hard, bluesy rocker with a lurching, bombastic guitar riff, and a great bravura vocal by Freddie Mercury who makes his diversity known. This track would also be perfect for the Paul Rodgers led incarnation of the band currently playing Queen standards.

'Seaside Rendevous' is another great pastiche of 40s danceband era music, with a lovely melody and vocal by Mercury; the production effects which somehow manage to make layered harmonies sound like a trumpet section is remarkably well done.

'The Prophet's Song' is quintessential heavy prog, beginning with a gentle soundscape with Koto to the fore before May's guitar waves and Mercury's Gabriel-esque lyric and vocal take center stage, before the band kick in with much heaviosity, layered guitar solos and massive wall of sound type drums. The track's finest moment however is a stunningly well conceived and staggeringly complicated vocal overdub section which sounds like it took an age to complete due to the immense production trickery on show here. A Queen classic, which dissolves into the altogether gentler 'Love Of My Life', which is a vehicle for understated guitar and lovely vocals.

'Good Company' is another fun 40s musichall parody, with neat ukelele work from May and a spot on vocal performance from him as well, plus the guitar/trumpet production effects are utilised to stunning effect again.

However, the album will always be remembered for the most famous Queen song of all, 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. It has been over-analysed and over-played for years, but it's still a tremendous listen. It begins with a wash of harmonies and then heads into a piano accompanied section with a chilling vocal from Mercury before the band toughen it up somewhat with wailing guitar solos and first class rhythm section work. The mid section is a pseudo operatic part, with deliberately, massively overwrought vocal performances and lyrics prior to the ultra heavy, guitar and bombastic vocal led part that also has some thundering percussion. However, a truly shivers-up-the-spine prog moment with compilcated classical piano, vocal harmonies to die for and beautiful guitar solos bring the song to a glorious close. 'God Save The Queen', a neat and self deprecating, on the note take on the British national anthem is somehow appropriate in the context of this hugely varied album, that remains a career pinnacle. Every album they did after this was destined to disappoint as a result of the stunning quality here.