THE GAME

The beginning of the end. The release of 'The Game' signalled a marked departure in style from the preceeding albums that had established Queen as recording artists. Only the two tracks that bookend the album ('The Game' and 'Save Me') retain Queen's vintage trademark sound, the remainder being composed of a mixture of styles shoe-horned into a pop format and sprinkled with synth faerie-dust or click-track disco handclaps. What raises 'The Game' above Queen's subsequent releases is the overall quality of the sound and songwriting. 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' and 'Another One Bites The Dust', whilst being a world away from Queen's vintage sound of yore, are nevertheless well- crafted musical vignettes that have become classic songs in their own right.

So what of the rest of the album?

'Rock It', 'Sail Away Sweet Sister' and 'Coming Soon' retain just enough of the vintage Queen structures to elevate them above the status of filler. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the remaining two tracks. 'Dragon Attack' is a flimsy funk riff used as a playground for Queen's new synth- toy, but even this sounds like a classic when compared to 'Don't Try Suicide'. This wretched piece of music plumbs not only the song-writing nadir of the album, but possibly Queen's entire career.

The verdict? This album marks the end of an era, but retains enough of Queen's vintage quality to hoist it above the shoulders of the subsequent Queen pop albums it set the blueprint for. Just.