THE WORKS

After the ruinous "Hot Space" and with the constant rumors of the band's split flying through the air, Queen had to face the challenge of reversing the moment. A difficult task for those who had tasted worldwide success with the immortal "Bohemian Rapsody", "Somebody to Love", and at least a dozen other songs.

"The Works" is the answer and it brought several positive things: a pair of band anthems for posterity, "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free," both of which conveyed a vitality and energy in the band's live performances that the album versions did not; "Its a Hard Life," a beautiful Freddie Mercury melody crowned with a splendid solo by Brian May, who also showed off his Red Special on the super rocking and powerful "Hammer to Fall"; and the unplugged and reflective "Is This the World We Created...?"

The return to the sources was partial, it is true, not all the songs were at the same height, but "The Works" at least served to clean the face of Queen, and that they begin to recover the confidence of the followers that in good part the "Hot Space" had kidnapped.

3 stars