I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Queen is the best. They are the top of the top of the top of the food chain, and you can't get any better than Freddie's sexy vocals, Brian's driving guitar, Roger's impressive drums, and John's kicking bass lines. A Night at the Opera, the band's forth record, comes after the group had already released two of the greatest rock records on the planet (Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack). Despite what proceeds it, this particular record is known as the best Queen release. But, why? Is it the importance of hit single Bohemian Rhapsody? The operatic inspiration? The experimentation? The blood, sweat, and tears that went into it? The answer here is "all of the above." The band was on fire in 1975, recording track after track that could only be defined true blue works of art. The album was Brian and Freddy's baby, with the both of them contributing to 5/6ths of the album's songwriting. Contributing only two tracks individually to the album, John and Roger seemed to concentrate on the music they played, and boy did it pay off...

A Night at the Opera does a brilliantly clever job of representing many different stages of Queen. Bohemian Rhapsody and The Prophet's Song showcase the band at their most experimental, drawing inspiration from the progressive second album. The former needs no introduction; it was revived with the film Wayne's World, and will forever be the best car song you can possibly find-- just get a few friends together and start banging it out. Ranging from operatic expression to hard rock to piano, it's one of the most interesting pieces of contemporary music to date. Every musician should eat their heart own. The latter track is a personal favorite of mine. The Prophet's Song is almost like a precursor to the material found on 1991's Innuendo, though a lot more scratchy and medieval-sounding. Freddie hits the break performing an interesting a capella section that puts Imogen Heap's Hide & Seek to shame. About one thousand Freddie Mercury's drift in and out of her ears, as the one man show just...keeps...going: And now I know that you can hear me... This track easily outshines 99% of all other music, and should be treated with more respect than it actually gets.

On the same album as two epics (both 5:54 and 8:20 respectively), we also have some more accessible rock songs like Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...), which is a brass-knuckled punch in the nuts to their former manager (who then unsuccessfully tried to sue for defamation of character despite not actually being mentioned in the song's lyrics at all.) Who else but Queen would start off an album with such a blunt kiss-off? : Do you feel like suicide? I THINK YOU SHOULD. Penned by Freddie Mercury, the band was initially skeptical of the honest lyrics, but after production began it was clear that they had to be included. This is also a great example of each band member contributing something special. It's noted that the guitar playing started out as a piano demo and was later translated; this makes the music all the more interesting and complex. And as complex as the music gets, the lyrics get even more so. '39 may hold the number one spot for being the best Queen song ever written, sung by Brian May; however, this song also angers me. If Brian May can sing so well, why in the world did they hire Paul Rogers? It's just...ugh. Nevermind. That's not something I should get into. Regardless, '39 is flat out amazing acoustic song with more operatic samples and rather interesting lyrics about space travel. Brian, who is for all intended purposes a gigantic science nerd, penned this track about a man who goes into space where they age normally; however when the space craft returns to Earth, one hundred years have passed: Can you hear my call, though you're many years away? Can you hear me calling you? Write your letters in the sand for the day I take your hand in the land that our grandchildren knew. No, it doesn't get any better than that. That's perfect. Like, duh.

Like, DUH.

JUDGING
If you're out and about looking for a Queen album, I recommend skipping over their Greatest Hits collections and going straight for the meat. A Night at the Opera stands against time and kicks its everloving ass; and if experimental rock music isn't your thing...well, you've still got the radio-friendly You're My Best Friend to fall back on! You can't lose with this record.

Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...) (5 Stars)
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (4.5 Stars)
I'm In Love With My Car (4 Stars)
You're My Best Friend (5 Stars)
'39 (5 Stars)
Sweet Lady (4 Stars)
Seaside Rendezvous (5 Stars)
The Prophet's Song (5 Stars)
Love of My Life (3 Stars)
Good Company (5 Stars)
Bohemian Rhapsody (5 Stars)
God Save the Queen (5 Stars)

OVERALL SCORE: 5 STARS (4.6+)

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening