Queen - The Works

Queens' first MTV album

Queen had put themselves into a tight spot after the dismal reception given to Hot Space. Not only had that album sputtered commercially in the USA, they'd switched record labels in America to Capitol. By this time (1983), MTV had become the main source of making hits, and that audience was suddenly more attuned to Boy George Culture Club than they were Queen.

Queen addresses these issues head-on with "The Works." First was the lament, "Radio Ga-Ga," which decried the deterioration of radio while pulling off a great video. The clip utilized scenes from Metropolis (reportedly to secure a promise from Freddie Mercury's participation in a Metropolis 1984 soundtrack) and a crowd of hand-clappers to great effect. The second was the riotous clip for "I Want to Break Free," which had Freddie and the band parading about an apartment as housewives in drag. For the album rock crowd, there was "Hammer To Fall," so that's 3 songs from "The Works" that routinely show up on Best Of Queen lists.

On the other hand, this was about the moment that Queen really started to cannibalize themselves. "Man On The Prowl" was another attempt to recapture the feel of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" from The Game and "Tear it Up" was a generic rocker from Jazz or needing some of the outrage that spiced "Tie Your Mother Down". Obviously the spanking given "Hot Space" wasn't enough to deter another mechanical dance-rock number with the result being "Machines/Back to Humans."

Those less than exceptional songs are what takes "The Works" down to an average rating (I'd grade it a C+). However, had Queen opted to tour the US after this album came out, they might have recaptured the audience. As such, they remained huge around the world but that they decided to never come back to the states made their presence here drop off. The next album, A Kind of Magic, was a better collection. November 8, 2008

Queen's got a thing going on here...

One of the best representations of their craft and one of the most popular albums. Get it and get with it. November 5, 2008

Best of Queen's '80s Albums

After the commercial flop of "Hot Space," this 1984 effort certainly was a return to form. Which is not to say there weren't some new sounds thrown in, or that they had rid themselves of synths and drum machines. Still, from the opening single "Radio Ga Ga" (the only Queen album to open with a Roger Taylor song), leading into the Brian May rocker "Tear It Up," you know these guys are back on firm footing and feeling confident. Of course they also manage to rip themselves off ("Tear It Up" and "Hammer To Fall" bear more than a passing resemblence to "We Will Rock You" and Freddie's rockabilly rave-up "Man on the Prowl" continues the "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" formula). But hey, at least they're stealing from good source material. "Keep Passing the Open Windows" is interesting. "Is This the World We Created...?" is a lovely acousic album closer in the "Love of My Life" mode. Overall, this holds up pretty well for an '80s album by nearly any "classic" rock band you could name. May 26, 2008

Uninspired

After reading some of the glowing reviews given to this CD, I had to add my two cents. I couldn't disagree more on what has been written here.
First of all I am ardent Queen fan. I feel they are in the top 5 acts of all time. They crafted a unique & distinctive sound that set them apart from all the other `glam" acts of the 70's.
This offering however is just a plain embarrassment. First the entire sound of this CD sounds sterile and flat. Second, they simply repeat them self's with most the ideas presented here. There is nothing new or innovative on this. Just four uninspired individuals simply going through the motions. There is nothing worse than when an artist rips them self's off. How pathetic.
"Radio Ga, Ga" is a complete joke and probably their most overrated song.
"Tear it up" is a remake of "We will rock you"
"It's a hard life," sounds incredibly similar to "Play the game"
"Man on the prowl" a remake of "Crazy little thing called love"
"Machines or back to humans" is nauseous! And utterly repetitive
"I want to break free" is weak and plods along at a snails pace. It contains a synth solo that sounds like someone having a bowl movement.
"Keep passing the open windows" is a rip off of "Don't stop me now"
"Hammer to fall" is the only good song on this entire scrap heap.
" Is this the world we created?" Come on, did they not think their fans could tell what is going on here?
One of the best songs was left off the original release "I go crazy" What does that tell you?
At least with "Hot Space" they tried something a little different. The same cannot be said here. It's small wonder why their popularity waned in the USA
February 14, 2008

Queen go back to basics on this classic album!

Queen's twelfth album The Works was released in March of 1984.
The band were frustrated after the poor response to Hot Space and was the album that was the start of the unnecessary downfall Queen had.
With The Works, Queen made some changes. First, they switched record labels from Elektra to Capitol/EMI to all countries outside Europe where they were already with EMI. Second, the band decided to go back to their classic sound whilst moving forward. Third, Queen and co-producer Mack decided to record the album mainly in the US. Would these changes improve or hurt Queen, read on!
The Works kicks off with drummer Roger Taylor's ode to MTV called "Radio Ga Ga". The song is about how much the singer misses listening to the radio, and how MTV has replaced the radio and interesting fact, Roger's son Oscar came up with the title after he heard some New Wave act and replied "Radio Ga Ga". That track did well hitting #16 in the US but was also the band's downfall in the US as their hard rock fans were irate that Ga Ga was the first single. We then rock out next with Brian's "Tear It Up". This song rock, had it been released as the Us' first single, I believe The Works would have done well Stateside. Next is classic Freddie on the ballad "It's A Hard Life". This song is a masterpiece and its video was classic. We end The Works' first side with Freddie's "Man On The Prowl". It is somewhat seen as a Crazy Little Thing Called Love re-make with different lyrics but I think both songs rock.
The album's second half starts with the Brian/Roger collaborated techno-rocker "Machines (or Back to Humans)". The track combined techno with hard rock and the synth drums fight with the acoustic drums whilst electric guitar and bass guitar fight the synthesizers. There are even Roger's vocals sung through a vocoder, to simulate the voice of a robot akin to Mr Roboto from Styx. Next is the song, which its video damaged Queen's credibility in the US for years which is the John Deacon composition "I Want To Break Free". This track is a great song which had a comedic video of the band dressing in drag which got banned in the US and destroyed Queen but is a great song. MTV could show Madonna lip-locking with Britney and Christina (both of whom are young enough to be her kids) yet Queen got banned for jokingly dressing in drag, grow up losers! The song itself was an anthem about overcoming oppression. The album version is shorter but the full version appears at the end of the album as a bonus track. Next is "Keep Passing The Open Windows", a Freddie track that is another winner. We follow with the classic hard rocker "Hammer To Fall", this Brian penned track will rock you but unfortunately went nowhere in the US when released which is a shame(Capitol under-promoted Queeen IMHO). We close the album with the classic Brian and Freddie collaboration "Is This The World We Created?". This beautiful anthem of injustice closes the album in a sweet way.
The Works initially when relased hit #24 in 1984 in the US and went Gold but the US abandoned the band for New Wave trash like Culture Club and Duran Duran!
In 1991, Hollywood Records re-released The Works with THREE bonus tracks which were Brian's hard rocker "I Go Crazy" which rocks and 12" mixes of Radio Ga Ga and the previously aforementioned I Want to Break Free!
Recommended! November 9, 2007

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