JAZZ

There is still some Queen (Mercury ?) extravaganza available on "Jazz" like the opener "Mustapha" but this one can't really compete with the likes of "Keep Yourself Alive", the killer "Brighton Rock", "Death On Two Legs" and "Tie Your Mother Down". All being "Queen" anthems and "Mustapha" just being shy of these great songs.

I have NEVER been able to bear "Fat Bottomed Girls" and the most interesting mention about this track would be the cover of the single. Nice bottoms indeed.But in terms of "music".just press next.

I wouldn't say that this album is poor. No. But most of the magic of the first five albums is gone. Two rocking songs indeed : "Dead On Time" (a great one) and "If You Can't Beat Them" (just average).

Some true "Queen" songs with all the great deal of fuss like the excellent "Bicycle Race", as well as "Don't Stop Me Now". I will always have a special kindness for the latter since my company once produced a screen show for one of our major clients a long time ago (January 1995). The music chosen by our customer was this song. And each time we had to figure out how the project was developing, we had to listen to it. I guess that we spun it like a hundred times or so in a two week's period. It was a good period of my business life.Nostalgia, nostalgia...

But unlike during "News Of The World", there are lots of weak numbers here. Too many to rate this effort as a good one. The bluesy "Dreamer's Ball", "Let Me Entertain You" (it rocks alright but sounds very flat), the disgusting disco-ish "Fun It" (not fun at all, believe me). And I can't get thrilled by the ballads Jealousy or Leaving Home Ain't Easy.

The closing number is also a nice piece of rock music. More of that Jazz is rather bizarre. Hypnotic riff, almost decadent atmosphere, slower pace but very effective. One of my fave (I just don't like this short "medley" pieces at the end). Several songs from the album being remembered in a very short format.

I really wonder how this album can be considered as their last classic one. IMHHO this belongs to "A Day At The Races".

Two stars for "Jazz" (maybe five out of ten). But don't expect any prog in here. Maybe for their next album?

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