Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2021 10:51:08 GMT
What's everyone's opinion regarding Freddie's best and worst albums vocally? Feel free to just say the best and worst, or, if you fancy, do a full ranked list of all the ablums. For me:
The Best 3:
1. ADATR
2. ANATO
3. Jazz
He's pretty much perfect on ADATR for me, and very close on ANATO. Jazz I think is underrated vocally, probably because it's not the best album and the production isn't great. But Freddie is brilliant on DSMN, Dreamer's Ball, Jealousy, IOSD, Dead On Time etc.
The Worst 3:
1. The Miracle
2. Mr Bad Guy
3. The Works
I know a lot of people really rate Freddie's vocals on The Miracle, but for me they're easily his worst. Any vaguely high notes are shouted, barked or squarked, and there is a really coarseness and lack of control to his voice. This coarseness is also present (to a lesser extent) on Barcelona, which is why it doesn't make my top 3 despite having some brilliant vocals on it.
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Lord Fickle
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Post by Lord Fickle on Dec 7, 2021 11:26:05 GMT
Very hard to rate the 'worst', because Freddie's 'worst' is still a thousand times better than many other singers' 'best', and he was ill during the later albums, so I'll just do my top 5 best:
ADATR - he had a lovely warm tone to his vocals, and YTMBA is a masterpiece
NOTW - has to come second because It's Late is possibly my favourite of all his studio vocal performances
ANATO - for the diversity, and of course, for masterminding the opera section of BR.
Jazz - Agreed, some great vocal performances, despite the ropey production
The Game - his voice had slightly matured by then, and I liked the occasional raspiness. Save Me has to be another of his top studio performances
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Dimitris
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Post by Dimitris on Dec 7, 2021 15:07:46 GMT
1 ADATR
2 Queen II (The March of the black Queen perfect voice especially the intro)
3 ANATO
4 Hot Space and Innuendo
5 NOTW / The Game
Worst
. AKOM
P.S. Radio Gaga his voice has beautiful tone why on the other songs lack this tone is really disappointing.
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georg
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Post by georg on Dec 7, 2021 16:02:27 GMT
I’m not sure I can rank his voice per album, because there aren’t really any albums where he’s consistently bad, but The Miracle always struck me as vocally strange. Freddie seems to be screeching a lot more, or maybe I’m just projecting my dislike of Party onto the entire album.
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Post by aronystad on Dec 7, 2021 16:59:04 GMT
I would say Innuendo deserves to be pretty high up on the list. Although it's a very different singing style compared to their early albums, so I can see why some people don't like it as much.
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Post by akirafish on Dec 8, 2021 7:47:55 GMT
In my opinion Freddie can do nothing wrong from ANATO to The Works vocal-wise. Adequate amount of strength and control for the 70s albums. And the right amount of raspiness for the 80s.
AKOM stared off too shouty, but the edgy or 'oversung' timbre grows on me.
And I totally agree that Radio Gaga has an outstandingly special beautiful tone to it and I wonder why it's not the case for the other songs.
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fcb101
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Post by fcb101 on Dec 8, 2021 8:44:28 GMT
Top 3 for me:
- News of the world
- Innuendo
- The Game
The 3 I like least (but still adore):
- the Miracle
- the Works
- A kind of magic
All too shouty with unnecessary belting at times. His timbre was so beautiful.
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mike71
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Post by mike71 on Dec 10, 2021 16:21:06 GMT
He went from being a great writer and good singer on the first 3 records to a great singer on A Night Of The Opera. Vocally, I liked his Voice on Opera, Races, News Of The World the most. I think he had a peak with Hot Space, but it was ruined by the poor/average album. Barcelona, Innuendo, and Made In Heaven has many of my favorite vocals.
My least favorites The Works, A Kind Of Magic, and The Miracle.
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Post by ThomasQuinn on Dec 11, 2021 12:48:04 GMT
I don't get the hate for Jazz. The vocals are, as mentioned, top notch, the songwriting is still ace and while there are definitely things about the production that could've been better, the same is true for nearly EVERY Queen album, with even Queen II certainly having its fair share of faults* despite being a fan-favorite (and I happen to agree).
Sure, Jazz has a couple of songs that aren't going to be in a list of all-time greatest Queen-tracks. So? ANATO has Sweet Lady. SHA has She Makes Me. The Game gets a lot of love, but I think the songwriting is poorer than on Jazz, and the production is no better. I'd go so far as to say that, after Jazz, you'd have to wait until 1989 for an album that measures up.
* Like the clipping on some guitar parts.
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mike71
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Post by mike71 on Dec 11, 2021 15:07:18 GMT
I don't get the hate for Jazz. The vocals are, as mentioned, top notch, the songwriting is still ace and while there are definitely things about the production that could've been better, the same is true for nearly EVERY Queen album, with even Queen II certainly having its fair share of faults* despite being a fan-favorite (and I happen to agree). Sure, Jazz has a couple of songs that aren't going to be in a list of all-time greatest Queen-tracks. So? ANATO has Sweet Lady. SHA has She Makes Me. The Game gets a lot of love, but I think the songwriting is poorer than on Jazz, and the production is no better. I'd go so far as to say that, after Jazz, you'd have to wait until 1989 for an album that measures up. * Like the clipping on some guitar parts. I love Jazz, after the first 6 records my favorites in order are Innuendo, Jazz and The Game, Made In Heaven, The Miracle. I think Jazz had a lot going for it, great vocals, Some of the best guitar work from Brian, and drum work from Roger. With better production and If they excluded a few weaker songs, It could have been a top 5 album. |
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Frank
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Post by Frank on Dec 11, 2021 15:09:12 GMT
Great topic! Freddie's voice changed a lot over the years, so keeping that in mind I've come up with the following.
THE BEST OF FREDDIE
3rd Place: Hot Space
If you don't like the tracks and/or production it will more than likely hide the fact that this was the peak of his masculine vocal style. Staying Power is really just that. His voice never lets up. I can feel him pushing and pushing, but never really breaking. And yet, you hear a tenderness to his voice, particularly on Las Palabras De Amor, which is one of, if not my favorite, ballad performance. His voice is so warm and inviting, like a warm fireplace. I'd also like to give a shout out to Life Is Real. His voice sounds so full and powerful on that one. And of course, the album climaxes at the end with Under Pressure where Freddie goes that extra mile in direct competition with the incomparable David Bowie.
2nd Place: A Day at the Races
I think this was the peak of his more feminine vocal style, which will always be my favorite. Yet he still gives enough power in songs like Tie Your Mother Down and White Man, which are both fantastic. They're two of my go to "pick me up" tunes! And as mentioned, You Take My Breath Away is, well...breathtaking. There's no weak performance to be found on this record. And frankly, it easily outshines even A Night at the Opera. Somebody To Love is of course the icing on the cake.
1st Place: Innuendo
When it comes to the best of both worlds, Innuendo has it in spades. Like the gruff timbre of the 80s? Look no further than Innuendo and The Hitman. Like the silky smooth timbre of the 70s? You'll find it in Don't Try So Hard. It's also got Freddie giving what is in my opinion his finest studio vocal performance, The Show Must Go On. Sends shivers down my spine every time, and it's for this reason alone I'd put this at the top of the heap every time.
THE LESS THAN BEST OF FREDDIE
3rd Place: The Works
This is where Freddie's voice started to slip a little. But still, any of these albums on this side of my list are still better performances than most. In fact, I struggle to think of any standout moments on this album that make me go "Oh no, Freddie, what are you doing?!" But at the same time, I struggle to think of any stand out moments that make me feel as though Freddie's done something above average (for Freddie that is).
2nd Place: The Miracle
I can definitely relate to the folks that say The Miracle is less than stellar. Freddie has his raspiness at full throttle. What's remarkable is there's practically no trace of it on Innuendo. I've often been confused as to whether it was a stylistic choice or if his voice was suffering. I'm inclined to think it's the former since he wasn't on tour and you'd think his voice would be well rested. Regardless, it's still a fun album and there are still some lovely performances. Least of which would have to be I Want It All. His voice fits perfectly with the songs swagger.
1st Place: A Kind Of Magic
The years of partying have not been kind to our dear Freddie. Or perhaps, the arrangements weren't complimentary to Freddie. It's certainly true with his worst studio performance on One Year Of Love. If only the band had dropped the key and Freddie was able to deliver without borderline shout singing this could have been something more special. As noted earlier, my favorite era of Freddie was with his more feminine timbre. One Vision and Princes of the Universe are the polar opposite. Powerful performances nonetheless, don't get me wrong! I still love them.
________________________________________
I stuck to Queen albums. But I'd also want to give an honorable mention to Barcelona. It's the best of Freddie's 80s output. It's got a lot of range and scope to it. And nothing beats Ensueno. Hearing him sing so naturally was absolutely refreshing. I'm glad Montsy got him to take it down a notch and give that performance. It's one of my favorites.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2021 23:33:07 GMT
Great topic! Freddie's voice changed a lot over the years, so keeping that in mind I've come up with the following. THE BEST OF FREDDIE 3rd Place: Hot Space If you don't like the tracks and/or production it will more than likely hide the fact that this was the peak of his masculine vocal style. Staying Power is really just that. His voice never lets up. I can feel him pushing and pushing, but never really breaking. And yet, you hear a tenderness to his voice, particularly on Las Palabras De Amor, which is one of, if not my favorite, ballad performance. His voice is so warm and inviting, like a warm fireplace. I'd also like to give a shout out to Life Is Real. His voice sounds so full and powerful on that one. And of course, the album climaxes at the end with Under Pressure where Freddie goes that extra mile in direct competition with the incomparable David Bowie. 2nd Place: A Day at the Races I think this was the peak of his more feminine vocal style, which will always be my favorite. Yet he still gives enough power in songs like Tie Your Mother Down and White Man, which are both fantastic. They're two of my go to "pick me up" tunes! And as mentioned, You Take My Breath Away is, well...breathtaking. There's no weak performance to be found on this record. And frankly, it easily outshines even A Night at the Opera. Somebody To Love is of course the icing on the cake. 1st Place: Innuendo When it comes to the best of both worlds, Innuendo has it in spades. Like the gruff timbre of the 80s? Look no further than Innuendo and The Hitman. Like the silky smooth timbre of the 70s? You'll find it in Don't Try So Hard. It's also got Freddie giving what is in my opinion his finest studio vocal performance, The Show Must Go On. Sends shivers down my spine every time, and it's for this reason alone I'd put this at the top of the heap every time. THE LESS THAN BEST OF FREDDIE 3rd Place: The Works This is where Freddie's voice started to slip a little. But still, any of these albums on this side of my list are still better performances than most. In fact, I struggle to think of any standout moments on this album that make me go "Oh no, Freddie, what are you doing?!" But at the same time, I struggle to think of any stand out moments that make me feel as though Freddie's done something above average (for Freddie that is). 2nd Place: The Miracle I can definitely relate to the folks that say The Miracle is less than stellar. Freddie has his raspiness at full throttle. What's remarkable is there's practically no trace of it on Innuendo. I've often been confused as to whether it was a stylistic choice or if his voice was suffering. I'm inclined to think it's the former since he wasn't on tour and you'd think his voice would be well rested. Regardless, it's still a fun album and there are still some lovely performances. Least of which would have to be I Want It All. His voice fits perfectly with the songs swagger. 1st Place: A Kind Of Magic The years of partying have not been kind to our dear Freddie. Or perhaps, the arrangements weren't complimentary to Freddie. It's certainly true with his worst studio performance on One Year Of Love. If only the band had dropped the key and Freddie was able to deliver without borderline shout singing this could have been something more special. As noted earlier, my favorite era of Freddie was with his more feminine timbre. One Vision and Princes of the Universe are the polar opposite. Powerful performances nonetheless, don't get me wrong! I still love them. ________________________________________ I stuck to Queen albums. But I'd also want to give an honorable mention to Barcelona. It's the best of Freddie's 80s output. It's got a lot of range and scope to it. And nothing beats Ensueno. Hearing him sing so naturally was absolutely refreshing. I'm glad Montsy got him to take it down a notch and give that performance. It's one of my favorites. Great post, Frank. I'm now slightly regretting not putting Innuendo in my top three! The extent to which Fred's raspy vocals on The Miracle were a choice is an interesting question as well. My opinion is that they probably weren't. Going from Magic to Barcelona to The Miracle, you can hear him becoming raspier, probably due to a combination of ageing and the development of his illness. It's only once we get to Innuendo we have an almost complete turnaround, which I guess may have been due to giving up smoking and (largely) drinking, losing weight and taking strong medication. I could be wrong, but I honestly find it hard to imagine the Freddie of The Miracle hitting the high notes of The Show Must Go On with the smoothness he manages on Innuendo, or indeed singing the verses of Don't Try So Hard with the same softness. |
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Dean
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Post by Dean on Dec 12, 2021 2:09:52 GMT
Best 3:
Innuendo
The Game
The Works
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Frank
Politician
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Post by Frank on Dec 12, 2021 3:55:25 GMT
Great topic! Freddie's voice changed a lot over the years, so keeping that in mind I've come up with the following. THE BEST OF FREDDIE 3rd Place: Hot Space If you don't like the tracks and/or production it will more than likely hide the fact that this was the peak of his masculine vocal style. Staying Power is really just that. His voice never lets up. I can feel him pushing and pushing, but never really breaking. And yet, you hear a tenderness to his voice, particularly on Las Palabras De Amor, which is one of, if not my favorite, ballad performance. His voice is so warm and inviting, like a warm fireplace. I'd also like to give a shout out to Life Is Real. His voice sounds so full and powerful on that one. And of course, the album climaxes at the end with Under Pressure where Freddie goes that extra mile in direct competition with the incomparable David Bowie. 2nd Place: A Day at the Races I think this was the peak of his more feminine vocal style, which will always be my favorite. Yet he still gives enough power in songs like Tie Your Mother Down and White Man, which are both fantastic. They're two of my go to "pick me up" tunes! And as mentioned, You Take My Breath Away is, well...breathtaking. There's no weak performance to be found on this record. And frankly, it easily outshines even A Night at the Opera. Somebody To Love is of course the icing on the cake. 1st Place: Innuendo When it comes to the best of both worlds, Innuendo has it in spades. Like the gruff timbre of the 80s? Look no further than Innuendo and The Hitman. Like the silky smooth timbre of the 70s? You'll find it in Don't Try So Hard. It's also got Freddie giving what is in my opinion his finest studio vocal performance, The Show Must Go On. Sends shivers down my spine every time, and it's for this reason alone I'd put this at the top of the heap every time. THE LESS THAN BEST OF FREDDIE 3rd Place: The Works This is where Freddie's voice started to slip a little. But still, any of these albums on this side of my list are still better performances than most. In fact, I struggle to think of any standout moments on this album that make me go "Oh no, Freddie, what are you doing?!" But at the same time, I struggle to think of any stand out moments that make me feel as though Freddie's done something above average (for Freddie that is). 2nd Place: The Miracle I can definitely relate to the folks that say The Miracle is less than stellar. Freddie has his raspiness at full throttle. What's remarkable is there's practically no trace of it on Innuendo. I've often been confused as to whether it was a stylistic choice or if his voice was suffering. I'm inclined to think it's the former since he wasn't on tour and you'd think his voice would be well rested. Regardless, it's still a fun album and there are still some lovely performances. Least of which would have to be I Want It All. His voice fits perfectly with the songs swagger. 1st Place: A Kind Of Magic The years of partying have not been kind to our dear Freddie. Or perhaps, the arrangements weren't complimentary to Freddie. It's certainly true with his worst studio performance on One Year Of Love. If only the band had dropped the key and Freddie was able to deliver without borderline shout singing this could have been something more special. As noted earlier, my favorite era of Freddie was with his more feminine timbre. One Vision and Princes of the Universe are the polar opposite. Powerful performances nonetheless, don't get me wrong! I still love them. ________________________________________ I stuck to Queen albums. But I'd also want to give an honorable mention to Barcelona. It's the best of Freddie's 80s output. It's got a lot of range and scope to it. And nothing beats Ensueno. Hearing him sing so naturally was absolutely refreshing. I'm glad Montsy got him to take it down a notch and give that performance. It's one of my favorites. Great post, Frank. I'm now slightly regretting not putting Innuendo in my top three! The extent to which Fred's raspy vocals on The Miracle were a choice is an interesting question as well. My opinion is that they probably weren't. Going from Magic to Barcelona to The Miracle, you can hear him becoming raspier, probably due to a combination of ageing and the development of his illness. It's only once we get to Innuendo we have an almost complete turnaround, which I guess may have been due to giving up smoking and (largely) drinking, losing weight and taking strong medication. I could be wrong, but I honestly find it hard to imagine the Freddie of The Miracle hitting the high notes of The Show Must Go On with the smoothness he manages on Innuendo, or indeed singing the verses of Don't Try So Hard with the same softness. I think you make a strong case! |
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Post by Brian's Wig on Dec 12, 2021 14:21:09 GMT
Some of Freddies most beautiful vocals for me are "Goin Back".
Stripped of the instruments, they really shine!
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Sammy B. Willickers
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"Blow it out your asshole!" - Freddie Mercury, 1985
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Post by Sammy B. Willickers on Dec 12, 2021 18:13:31 GMT
1st Place: A Kind Of Magic The years of partying have not been kind to our dear Freddie. Or perhaps, the arrangements weren't complimentary to Freddie. It's certainly true with his worst studio performance on One Year Of Love. If only the band had dropped the key and Freddie was able to deliver without borderline shout singing this could have been something more special. As noted earlier, my favorite era of Freddie was with his more feminine timbre. One Vision and Princes of the Universe are the polar opposite. Powerful performances nonetheless, don't get me wrong! I still love them. Don't forget 'Gimme The Prize' which is literally just him screaming his lungs out |
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