Tater Thoughts

I always name the man who stole my attention the most on the most recent album I've finished diving through. With Queen's 12th album, I struggled. I actually considered naming giving two men the equal honor of stealing my ears away. But while on a recent road trip I had plenty of time to ponder, and given the pop inclinations of this album, it's soulfulness and bouncy vibes, I realized...

The closing number of Queen's 12th album and Freddie's only contribution as sole composer, " Princes of the Universe " captures earlier rockin' Queen and features many fast-paced moments and thrills. Freddie sings aggressively throughout, Brian's solo is epic, Roger plays live drums with bombast and John pounds his bass like no other. The Townhouse early master showcases...

One of the danciest rock things Queen ever did (and really, it sometimes feels nothing like Queen), Roger's " Don't Lose Your Head " is driven by bombastic percussion that never gets a break, Brian's echoing gritty guitars and Freddie's crystal clear vocals (lead and all backing). But I don't know if I believe Freddie as he implores us to chill out. The instrumental v...

Brian brings the heat, the roar and a guitar bagpipe solo in " Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme ", an aggressive and demanding metal-tinged anthem inspired by Highlander's villain. Distorted guitar layers and Freddie's sharply delivered full chest vocals make this one of Queen's heaviest songs. It was never performed live but several " eYe Versions " exist (Queen...

Life has a way of reminding us we're seldom in control. Life comes at us, things happen, and we're pushed to the ground. When we go through turmoil and tragedy, it changes us; forever, and sometimes deeply. But as we decide to fight and we rise, something remarkable happens, and we suddenly realize... this is what I've been missing.

Brian's grandiose " Who Wants to Live Forever " was ignored when Queen's twelfth album was released. Nevertheless, the song has become a fan favorite. Inspired by Highlander's love story, Brian wrote it quickly in the car, laid down the entire track and its impressive chords in the " Skips Demo " versions, and worked with a full orchestra to create one of Queen'...

Another gorgeous Freddie/John co-write and one of Queen's last piano-driven songs, " Friends Will Be Friends " is an impactful power rock ballad that emphasizes the importance of relationships. Freddie performs his lyrics with impressive dynamics, tackling massive intervals effortlessly. Brian's guitar is soulful as ever, complimenting Freddie's brilliance. John provides rhyt...

There comes a time when we realize...we're doing way too many things in this attempt to do everything. Sometimes, life demands compromise, and we have to set aside our aspirations simply to function. But when we're given the opportunity to love life, and not just live it, we should be absolutely intentional only with what matters most. Don't spread yourself too thin.

Freddie and John's collab, " Pain Is So Close to Pleasure ", is such a well-executed motown pop rock number. Brian embellishes with soulful guitar and Roger may or may not appear on accented percussion. It's a lively contrast of lighthearted vocals and dreamy chords against heavier concepts, and key changes aplenty. The remixed single version (and its extended mix ) provides a bi...

Nearly a John and Freddie collaboration, the ballad " One Year of Love " is unapologetically romantic. Brian (and perhaps Roger) is absent, and a saxophone fills the solo space, along with sweeping strings. John's hands on nearly all instruments create a lush and relaxed atmosphere, with Freddie crooning in controlled expressions of sensitivity and confession. It's a heartfelt pe...

I wanted to talk about something fun and music related, so we're going through my top songs by play count, on my old iPod Nano. We're covering a lot of genres here! From industrial experimentation to funk rock to hard rock to hip hop pop...you might discover something new and fall in love. Bonus: A link to the live version of one of my favorites; and you can see my left hand go up at 3:08.

One of Queen's best pop singles, " A Kind of Magic " started life as a mashup in " A Kind of Vision " and was elevated to grand energy in Roger's original version (featured in the Highlander film credits); before Freddie injected a commercialized streak, creating the final take that would be released as a single. This lively song features everyone at their best, whether...

Arguably one of Queen's best album (and concert) openers, " One Vision " kicks off album twelve with heavy rock and brighter pop elements. It's credited to the entire band and perfectly blends Roger's (original) lyrics, Freddie's powerful playfulness, Brian's rock hooks and John's bopping bass. There's even a documentary of their energetic collaboration. This...

After Queen's The Works in 1984, the band wanted a break. But the success of Live Aid led to fresh developments, and an opportunity to contribute songs for the film Highlander . Those invigorating and energized songs shaped the boys' 12th album, the pop rock celebration A Kind of Magic . The first digitally produced Queen album, its plethora of synthesizers didn't impress some critics....

Voted the greatest live performance in the history of rock. The Note Heard Round the World. Queen at Live Aid was an incredible moment that unified and encouraged and roused us. To this day, it's heralded as one of the best, if not the absolute best, rock moments ever. And we have four fabulously talented men to thank.

Whether or not we realize, we are resilient beings. Our spirits retain a resilience even our miraculous bodies cannot touch. Despite the fear and doubt we sometimes feel, we have the ability to rise. It's almost supernatural, and otherworldly. But when we're challenged and we're facing the toughest struggles, something compels and encourages us to hope harder, and rise above it.

When it came time to name the man who stole my ears the most on this dynamic and accessible album, I hesitated. I couldn't decide. And then a recent interview drove me to reassess and revisit the songs. The expression. The emotion. Throughout every genre tackled in these compositions, one thing suddenly pulled it all together more than anything else. And there was only one man who could take t...

Pensive isn't often a word used to describe Queen's music. But Brian and Freddie's co-written " Is This the World We Created...? " is a perfect example of urgent restraint and seriousness, created with a sparse arrangement of 12-string guitar and tugging vocals. Moved by visions of disturbing living conditions in Africa, our co-writers took a unique approach to write this son...

A sturdy rock number from Brian, " Hammer to Fall " is about death; which seems to be one of Brian's favorite subjects. Nevertheless, the energy of this song is rousing, impressive and electric, an almost empowering take. Freddie is in fine vocal form, busting out some impressive high notes. And Roger's bombastic drums are back (as are his aggressive harmonies). No shortage of Br...

Have you always detested current artists and musical trends? Hey, I see you. I was, and to an extent, still am that person. For various reasons, I wouldn't listen to music everyone else loved; partially because I thought it to be boring and surface and lifeless. What I failed to notice at the time was just how genius many of those songs were, and the talent and intentions of the artists who ma...

Freddie's brilliantly stirring " Keep Passing the Open Windows " is a remnant of a film production project. His piano is melodic and sustained, sweeping and epic; along with his lead vocal performance. Roger, Brian and John provide impressive instrumental performances full of bombastic enthusiasm, ostinato, grit and soaring melodies. There's even a moment of throwback Queen chora...

A beloved declaration, John's sole contribution to The Works " I Want to Break Free " is breezy pop rock at its best. Freddie's expressive vocal (and video) performance often lead listeners to assume this is his number, but John's work on acoustic guitar and synthesizer (as well as bass) in the sparse arrangement leave no doubt. Brian and Roger appear briefly to round out thi...

A rare Roger-Brian collab, " Machines (or Back to Humans) " features blipping Fairlight synths, programmed drums and a vocoded Roger bounced against Brian's rocking guitars, John's jiving bass and Roger's energized live percussion. Freddie's lead vocal is magnificently aggressive and commanding. Fans forget about this, but it's a ridiculously relevant topic of the mom...

A lively rockabilly tune, Freddie's " Man on the Prowl " bops and jives like another tune before it. Though its familiar vibe feels less original and is certainly less complex, Freddie provides dynamic and impressive stylized vocals and piano, Roger and John hold it down with snappy live drums and a boogie woogie bass, and Brian rocks out on a Fender Telecaster. Bonus: The ending fea...

I intended to talk about this weeks ago, and since then, so much has happened in the world of artificial intelligence. Copyright concerns. Regulations. Experiments. In many ways, AI isn't new. In the music world, it's been around in various forms for decades. But thanks to recent technology advancements, we're all hyper-focused on AI, and whether you're inspired or terrified, it&#3...