Forums > Queen - Serious Discussion > My thoughts on "Killer Queen" tribute album

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(Originally posted at www.amazon.com)

Looking at the title of my review you might be inclined to think this CD is the best thing since sliced bread but once you take into consideration the absolute dreck that has passed for Queen "tributes" in the past, it's not the highest of compliments.<p>

To be sure, this album features mostly young, up-and-coming artists who are just establishing themselves to the world so some of these covers feel more fresh and lively. Regardless of the (obvious) Constantine fans posting reviews here, his is not the best track on the album (nor the worst.) Let's have a look:<p>

"We Are the Champions" by Gavin Degraw is a laid back and loose rendition of the stadium chestnut. Though perhaps it's more appropriate for a coffee house performance, it's not without merit. The arrangement is strong and Gavin's vocals, while being typical of white guys trying to copy black singers, suits his alternate take of Freddie Mercury's lyrics.<p>

"Tie Your Mother Down" by Shinedown is a boring, by-the-book copycat of Queen's track. It lacks the fun of Mercury's delivery and the bite of Brian May's ripping guitar to say nothing of the solid backbeat of Roger Taylor and the rhythm John Deacon gave it. This clearly sounds like a bar band. Drivel.<p>

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Constantine (of "American Idol" loserdom) isn't quite as bad as you'd expect it to be. Once again he stays VERY close to the original production, some would say why bother trying to improve perfection and I'd be inclined to agree. When I first heard his awful performance of this on "American Idol", I cringed upon hearing he'd be doing it AGAIN for this CD. Now that I've heard it, I didn't cringe, cry or vomit. In fact, it caused no reaction from me whatsoever. Basically it's so bland and vanilla it's impossible to get any reaction from you at all. Brought in to beef up the backing vocals are the cast from the "We Will Rock You" musical (like that show needs another plug.) Constantine needs as much backing as he can get. "American Idol" isn't known for producing the kind of talent that will be remembered years from now for earth shattering vocals.<p>

"Stone Cold Crazy" by Eleven w/ Joshua Homme quickly became my favorite from the album because it dared to remove itself from the well known heavy metal original (remember the Grammy winning cover by Metallica?) by actually slowing the number down. This new arrangement gives the fast paced track a new vibe while retaining the crunchy spirit of the original (much like the Nine Inch Nails version of Queen's "Get Down Make Love.") I think May would greatly approve of the guitar solos as well. This is a winner.<p>

"Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" by Jason Mraz is absolutely delightful. Mraz's voice, as Mercury might have put it, is just "fab." Restrained, elegant and lovely to listen to.<p>

"Under Pressure" by Joss Stone is likely the most dissappointing track here. The fault does not lie with Stone's voice (as it is quite stunning) but rather with the music. I have never heard a band fail a singer quite as badly as this. The drumming in particular is horrendous and often misses the beat completely, it sounds like a mistake they failed to edit out. Producer Beau Dozier should be ashamed of himself for putting together such an amateur track. They also failed to include the song's highlight near the end of the track with the "Why why whyyyyyyyyyy" crescendo so instead of ending on a high note, it peters out. What a let down.<p>

"Who Wants to Live Forever" by Breaking Benjamin is pretty decent and does nothing to make you want to run away from your stereo screaming for their heads on a plate. It does not come anywhere close to matching to sadness captured by the original but as MTV/TRL rock goes, i

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Good job. Although I've only listened to the samples, I pretty much agree with your reviews. I still haven't decided whether I'll buy or not. The only tribute album I've ever found to have staying power was the House of Blues Stones tribute. Everything else seems kind of disposable.

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Hmm Thanks Michael but after even hearing some the tracks on Brian May's website I hated almost all except for Jason Mraz's GOFLB.

He's the only artist in my opinion who does a good job with FM's song.

I'd rather not purchase something that to me is substandard music. (Which I think most of today's corporate-styled music is!)

Kriz :o(

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SCC - I guess it works. Sorta mellow, but still biting.
TYMD - This song is rockin', regardless of who does it. Good, but no thanks to Shinedown.
BoRhap (Const) - Is it just me, or does the back-up band just stink? It's that energy and passion that seems to be evidently lacking in everyone but Constantine.
WWTLF - Forgettable.
GOFLB - Wow. Sticks to the original for the most part, but good vocals by Mr. A-Z.
UP - What. The. Hell. This song's strongest and most energetic part is silenced.
WATC - This has sort of a sarcastic feel to it. Less of an anthem, more of a singing-drunken-are-the-losers.
BR - BS.
CLTCL - I like it. It's got sort of a late-80s/early-90s pop/rock feel to it.
'39 - Everyone sway along. And would someone please shoot the man with the tambourine? ;)
SOTS - Sorta funky-swing music, definitely music for cruising around the city.
KQ - Finally, some Canadian representation on this album! And the lead singer accomplished himself rather well. Pity I don't like this tune. NEXT!
DOTL - Where'd that opening scream go? Who stuck the synths in this? There's no pounding backbeat courtesy of Deacon/Taylor, so this song sounds flat.
PTG - Didn't like the original that much, don't like this one much better.
BR-FL - What. The. Fuck. Kinda freaky, but then again, the song is kinda like that.
FBG - Like I've said over and over, best song on the album. Antigone Rising is rising indeed.