Queen 1973 Vinyl

[Samantha Figueredo]

TodayNovember 24, 2021) marks the 30th anniversary of legendary singer Freddie Mercury's death. The Queen frontman died from Aids-related complications in 1991, having declined to speak publicly about his diagnosis until the day before his death.

Many things have happened this year to commemorate the milestone event, including the release of a Freddie Mercury graphic novel and an upcoming BBC documentary about the singer's life that will premiere this Saturday. We're very big Queen fans over here at Live365, so we feel it necessary to contribute to the special day as well.

To remember the life and legacy of Freddie Mercury and all victims who have suffered from AIDS, we are centering our weekly Top 10 around the genius of Queen. We've already made a Best Queen Songs list, so this time we're tackling our favorite Queen albums in a Top 10 ranking!

From 1973 until 1995, Queen released 15 studio albums. Their records covered a lot of ground: from stadium rock anthems to heavy metal hits, stirring piano ballads and even some disco tunes. While some of their records may not be hailed as critical or commercial successes (we're looking at you, Hot Space), others are innovative projects that left a lasting mark on the world of music. Without further ado, here are our picks!

Innuendo was the final album released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime, while he was battling AIDS. It was heralded as a return to form from the iconic band, even though the more popular grunge rock scene - and new bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden - were taking over.

In terms of sound, the album was a mix of progressive rock, heavy metal, and/or hard rock. Notable tracks on this record include the upbeat "Keep Yourself Alive," as well as "Liar," "My Fairy King" and "Doing All Right." While Queen does not have the same attention as later albums from the band, it's still a favorite among diehard fans.

Queen's sequel to their debut was arguably the heaviest of their discography. Many fans love this underrated record for the track "Ogre Battle," but other songs like "March of the Black Queen" and "Seven Seas of Rhye" also pack a punch.

After the debacle that was Hot Space, Queen got the hint and released The Works in 1984. Thankfully, it was a solid rebound and even produced some classics like "It's a Hard Life," "Hammer to Fall," the stadium smash "Radio Ga Ga" and the now-beloved "I Want to Break Free."

Other than the two huge singles that fueled this album's recognition, most of the tracks on The Game have fallen into undeserved obscurity. There's the dramatic "Save Me," which we think is one of Brian May's best-written tunes, as well as the tracks "Need Your Loving Tonight," and "Sail Away Sweet Sister." Most of Queen's legacy came from their work throughout the 70s, but The Game made sure the band didn't lose its starpower in a new decade.

This appropriately-titled sequel, which followed the band's hit album A Night at the Opera, showed that Queen was on a roll. While A Day At The Races may not be Queen's biggest album of all time, it's an outstanding piece of work. It managed to ship gold in America (selling 500K units) having crossed-the-hit-single line with another chart-chomping worldwide single of vocal extravagance: the gospel-esque-vintage number "Somebody To Love."

Other standouts on this album include the opener "Tie Your Mother Down," the gorgeous ballad "Take My Breath Away," and "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy," which was something of a tribute to Nol Coward. Since Queen had proved themselves with their previous album, A Day at the Races gave them room to experiment a bit, and we're grateful for that.

When we think of News of the World, we think of the opening mega-hit stadium crowd pleasers "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You." Those back-to-back twin songs hit #1 on the charts and remain cult classics - especially at sporting events.

Queen also spiced their sound up a bit with the tracks "Spread Your Wings," "Get Down, Make Love" and "My Melancholy Blues." As an album, News of the World was a sonic departure from their previous work, with its generally louder, but more sparse and down-to-earth musical arrangements, more firmly rooted in the rock genre. Regardless, this album became Queen's most commercially successful project.

This album was recorded outside of England for a change, with producer Roy Thomas Baker, last featured in the studio-mix three albums prior on A Night at the Opera. The band was set on making music bearing a loosely defined European" flavor. And so Jazz was recorded in Mountain Studios, Montreux, and Super Bear Studios, Nice, France.

Sure, maybe nothing on Jazz has reached the soaring heights of other Queen classics, but it's all very consistent. And very, very fun. So fun, in fact, that the band threw a big, expensive Halloween night launch party for this album in New Orleans. There may not be any actual jazz music on this record, but it certainly is a jazzy listen meant for a warm summer's day.

Besides that, there's "Love of My Life," "Prophet Song," and "Good Company" to keep your ears happy. This album was a major experimental risk for the band, since the final deliverable left U.K. EMI execs very nervous. There was major financial gambling involved with it (it was the most expensive album ever recorded until Fleetwood Mac's Tusk came along), plus what DJ would want to play a six-minute song on the radio?

Fortunately, thanks to the band's unflinching insistence on certain musical aspects, good management, the right muse, and the advance vinyl production just in case the project received a green light, many DJs did play that six-minute song on-air. Now, A Night at the Opera is certified 3x platinum status by the RIAA. It is Queen's magnum opus, and it's nothing short of operatic.

The first ever global release of LIVE: THE FINAL TOUR on translucent blue vinyl, exclusive to Record Store Day.

This recording was captured live on tour in 1973, with guitarist Maury Muehleisen. Featuring two songs never released on Croces studio albums Ball of Kirriemuir and Shopping for Clothesalong with Croces incomparable monologues between songs.

For two years, vinyl collectors had a few "RSD Drops" to celebrate. They marked important release dates but didn't include the traditional gatherings at local record stores that was the original point of Record Store Day.

Vinyl pressing plants are still dealing with massive pandemic-driven backlogs, so a June 18 "Drop" date has been scheduled for albums that won't be able to meet the April deadline. Those will include the U.S. vinyl debut of the 1991 Paquito D'Rivera Reunion album with Arturo Sandoval, a reissue of the rare 1972 album Dream Queen from The Bobby Hamilton Quintet Unlimited, and the exclusive double-vinyl pressing of another in the Miles Davis bootleg series - What It Is: Montreal 7/7/83.

Pepper Adams - Live at Room At The Top

The latest from Cory Weeds' archival label Reel to Real features the baritone sax great Pepper Adams live in 1972 Alberta with Canadian pianist Tommy Banks' trio. The deluxe 2-LP set spreads four long performances across each record side, with a fifth brief song as a coda.

Roy Ayers - Virgo Vibes

A straight re-issue of Ayers' second album as a leader, and his first for Atlantic Records. The funky hard bop band includes saxophonist Joe Henderson, trumpeter Charles Tolliver, and Herbie Hancock on piano - credited as "Ronnie Clark."

Albert Ayler - Elemental 5xLP box set

This huge collection of previously-unreleased recordings of the avant-garde sax icon are some of the last before Ayler's passing in 1970. The five discs come in a double gatefold and tri-fold jacket, with a booklet of rare photos, essays and interviews with Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp and more

Chet Baker - Live in Paris 3xLP box set

Two early 80s concerts comprise these unheard-since-then Radio France stereo recordings. Deluxe packaging includes rare photographs as well as interviews with two members of Baker's Parisian band.

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - In My Prime 2xLP

Jazz fans know the legendary drummer Art Blakey spent decades in his musical "prime". This 1977 merging of two original "volumes" shows off his band with young saxophonists Bobby Watson and David Schnitter, trombone veteran Curtis Fuller, recent Russian addition Valery Ponomarev on trumpet, with James Williams and Dennis Irwin at the piano and bass. South Bronx percussion master Ray Mantilla adds his Latin groove to this swinging reissue.

Dave Brubeck Trio - Live from Vienna 1967

When Paul Desmond missed a flight, the audience in Vienna witnessed a rare concert of trio jazz from Brubeck, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello. Together nearly a decade by then, the trio had no problem playing one man down on lesser-known songs "One Moment Worth Years" and "La Paloma Azul", as well as standards like "St. Louis Blues" and their "Take the 'A' Train" finale.

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Original Lost Elektra Sessions 3xLP

Originally released on CD in the 90s, these early recordings of the Butterfield Blues Band find guitarists Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield in fiery early form. This vinyl debut is expanded to include early demos and alternate tracks that were just unearthed from the Warner vaults.

Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company 2xLP

The final album from Ray Charles won 8 Grammys and included duets with a wide variety of his friends young and old. Joyful collaborations with Norah Jones, B.B. King, Elton John, Willie Nelson and many more are available on vinyl for the first time since the 2004 release.

Larry Coryell - Fairyland

Pressed on vinyl for the first time in 40 years, Larry Coryell's Fairyland was recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971. This dynamic trio with Chuck Rainey and Bernard Purdie at the bass and drums was at the height of early jazz fusion. This new pressing arrives on dramatic marbled pink and white vinyl.

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