Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
Today marks what would have been Freddie Mercury's 65th Birthday.
We'll be running a week of tributes to Mercury and Queen, kicking off with this edition of Classic Cuts, our now-weekly look at an album from the vaults.
Most of Queen's 15 studio albums could have been chosen as a tribute to the band (besides possibly Hot Space or Flash Gordon), with A Night At The Opera and The Game containing some of the quartet's best work.
Whilst the former does feature hits like 'You're My Best Friend' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody', Sheer Heart Attack is perhaps their most consistent album whilst showing the incredible diversity in their talents and songwriting.
Opening track 'Brighton Rock' shows the ambitious side of the band, complete with different phases and one of the greatest guitar solos of all time.
It's the consumate Queen song, featuring great harmonies and proving why Brian May deserves to be recognised as one of the best guitarists ever.
For many other bands, and other albums, this would be hyperbole, but Queen's inovation and influence is undeniable and prominant on Sheer Heart Attack.
Rocker 'Now I'm Here' and hit 'Killer Queen' are the two tracks the casual fan will know, but digging deeper on this record is rewarding.
'Stone Cold Crazy' proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that Queen were a rock band at heart as they powered through this blistering hard rock/metal track (which was eventually covered by Metallica).
In a complete contrast, it was followed by a very brief but beautiful ballad 'Dear Friends', showing a tender side to Brian May's songwriting.
Sheer Heart Attacks ends with 'In The Lap of The Gods...Revisited', which preceeded 'We Are The Champions' as Queen's live show-closer.
It's a powerful, moving ballad that brilliantly concluded a stunning album, one that is rightly remembered as one of the best of all time.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge
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