 QUEEN
Hot Space
Hollywood Records 1982
www.queenonline.com
What’s the 4-1-1?
This is where Queen's fanbase really took a hit. And for no good reason,
either. The band shifted their musical style from classic hard rock toward
pop, dance and disco stylings. This sounds like the kiss of death,and as
such many fans of the group didn't even give these new recordings a chance.
This is a shame, because Queen was able to perform these kinds of tunes
very well! "Body Language" and "Under Pressure" (a collaboration with David
Bowie) are among the band's finest works. And as with any Queen album,
there are a ton of underrated songs.
The 'rock to pop' transition
many of the classic rock bands tried making in the eighties was a flawed
process, but not Queen. Although their pop stuff wasn't as cool as their
rock stuff, it was still nothing short of excellent.
The album being unfairly bashed is its biggest flaw. Not enough people
are willing to give the eighties stuff a chance. Truth be told, I didn't
care much for this album on the first listen. It's now one of my favorite
albums. It just goes to show that an open mind is required to like most
of Queen's eighties stuff.
The Verdict
What it comes down to it - this is a damn good album, but it's
a far cry from the band that most people know and love.This is one
of my favorite Queen albums, but it's not for those who prefer the
band's older sound.
Did You Know?
In addition to recording "Under Pressure" with Queen, David Bowie also recording
backing vocals for "Cool Cat." At Bowie's request, though, his backing vocals
for that song were deleted. Bootlegs are still circulating of the version
of the song featuring the Bowie backing vocals.
Rating:  out
of 5
Related Reviews:
Queen - Flashback Reviews
Queen + Paul Rogers - Return
of the Champions
Classic Album Series DVD: Queen - A Night
at the Opera
Queen - Stone Cold Classics
--Darth Kommissar
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