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3.7
Average of 59 reviews
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I picked up this specific album at a record fair during RSD in 2018. I'd never come across a blue or splattered blue variant of this album before. Since my original first press copy, which I'd purchased shortly after its 1973 release, was stolen about 30 years back (along with most of my record collection, including some items now worth hundreds of pounds), I assumed this might be an earlier RSD release or perhaps a 40th-anniversary edition. I thought it'd be a great conversation starter among my Queen fan friends. So, you can imagine my disappointment upon discovering this is an "unofficial" (possibly bootleg?) version. Everything seems correct, from the label to the sleeve notes and catalogue number. Well, I only paid £15 for it, and it still looks unique, so at least there's that.
The pressing is top-notch, with crisp clarity and a powerful bass. It's cut loud & holographic too.
Almost a year has passed since this release, so I figured I'd share some thoughts. First off, I'm not a fan of the vinyl album included with the CDs. If I wanted vinyl, I would've bought it separately. This likely jacked up the price of the set by around $30 USD, and it's not even the original track listing with "Mad the Swine" tacked on. I'm a vinyl lover, but I went for this set because of the CDs and bonus material. If I was that into it, I would've bought the vinyl later. Not everyone owns a turntable! In my opinion, they should've left "Mad the Swine" off the main album and placed it after the De Lane Lea Demos or with the studio outtakes. But since it's here, I'll say that I still prefer my first UK vinyl copy over this one. It just fits the album's vibe better. Dark, muddy, and raw. This remix changes the sound in both good and bad ways. I don't grab the remix as often as I thought I would. In some parts, the mix is quite uneven. The drums are a bit too loud/hard in certain spots, the bass is buried in many places, and yes, the pitch correction can be quite annoying where it's very noticeable. I do like the harder songs, as the remix really benefits them the most (KYA, Liar, Great King Rat, Modern Times R&R, Son and Daughter, and Jesus), but the softer songs make them sound off (Doing Alright, My Fairy King, and The Night Comes Down). However, the De Lane Lea demos alone make the box set worth it! Hearing these recordings without Brian's vinyl crackle is amazing! This disc is by far the highlight for me in the entire set. When I first heard the acoustic intro to KYA with absolute silence other than the guitar, it was unreal. The extra tracks are a mixed bag. The studio outtakes are incredibly valuable to the band's history and really make you feel like a fly on the wall. Highlights for me include Doing Alright and Jesus due to the changes on these tracks and the funny banter. But honestly, the rest is really unnecessary. Out of the extra songs included, 20/24 of them are already available either on Live at the Rainbow or BBC sessions with absolutely no changes at all. The Rainbow tracks at the very least should have been remastered to sound less brickwalled and toned down the insane pitch correction, which is a far worse offense than the remix's use of pitch correction in my opinion. The 4 unreleased live tracks are amazing, but it makes you wonder "why didn't they just release the entire recordings of the San Diego and Imperial College shows?". We would pay good money for them, but Queen Productions doesn't care about the hardcore fans who would throw money at those things, just the casual rock fan who wants the greatest hits 300 times over since Bohemian Rhapsody came out almost 8 years ago because its easier and much cheaper. For the hardcore fan, maybe this should be on your radar? I honestly can't tell if I really like this set or not. There's a lot of good and a lot of bad. Check it out on streaming first if you're inclined to do that. The book is nice but really doesn't change my opinion all that much.
Tengo una copia igualita que esta, pero de 1985, un añito antes
Drums, let there be! I hesitated on grabbing this 2024 remix after seeing all the not-so-great reviews and the controversial tweaks to Freddie's voice—until August 25th, when it went on sale for just £4 for the single CD. So, how does it fare? First off, the drums are now front and center, with a bit more bass as well. But honestly, you do get used to it after a while, and it actually brings out more details from the original. There are lots of little guitar parts that stand out more, and I’ve got to admit, the small vocal adjustments and effects actually improve the album in my opinion. So, all in all, a well-spent £4—definitely not the disaster I was expecting! And it’s great to finally have Mad the Swine included as part of the album. Now I’m off to see if I can snag a cheap vinyl version. Only gripe—why did they add that 1 to the title?
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| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2025 | £22.99 | €30.43 |
| 30 Apr 2025 | £22.99 | €25.72 |
| 29 May 2025 | £22.99 | €26.11 |
| 28 Jun 2025 | £27.99 | €27.99 |
| 24 Jul 2025 | £27.60 | €30.30 |
| 18 Jan 2026 | €31.89 |