Innuendo: mediocre album?

I like it

I heard the full Innuendo album for the first time in 1996 and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience.  I was so excited , refreshed and exhilarated by the album, the music and especially Freddie's voice that I had goosebumps!  The hairs on the back on my neck completely stood on end, I was so charged it took me ages to actually get to sleep afterwards.  It really was an emotionally charging bit of listening for me, I literally couldn't get it out of my head.  Still get the same sensations from it today.  Admittedly, not so keen on The Hitman or All God's People anymore, but the LP takes me through a full range of emotions, from being pumped up by the title track, actually feeling the imagery of I'm Going Slightly Mad, the pain of The Show Must Go On and I still cry at Days Of Our Lives.  I've never actually made it through that song without the tears streaming from my eyes.  Don't Try So Hard is a roller-coaster in itself and a real stand out vocally - and Delilah is a real belly-laugh, IMHO.  Agreed about the Rocks version of ICLWY from '97, but overall, Innuendo is one of my favourite albums.  Can you tell?

"MmP 
I like HotSpace FunIt &Delilah"

I think that the reviews are very typical and irrelevant in many ways really.  Queen were a big band (a la genesis for example) that no one was, press wise anyway, interested in.  But i think thats the same with most artists with longevity.  Initial great press turning into utter ambivalence. Oh what was the question again??  Ahh yes, Innuendo is just brilliant.  The overall tone of the album is wonderful.

Have the critics EVER been objective when it came to Queen? Nope, I don't think so.

To me this album is the real "sequel" to ANATO (and not ADATR). This album was a return to the 70s form, but at the same time it sounded very much "of its time" - fresh and new and exciting. Amazing piece of work. Easily one of their top 3 albums in my list.

V.

Alex Solan. 

 "MmP 
I like HotSpace FunIt &Delilah" 

I don't get what you're trying to say quoting my signature. Anyway Im not stating that Innuendo is a bad/mediocre album, at all. I think is a great album but my inquire was leaning towards the placement the fans and the people gave the album afterFreddie's death, and if it somehow upgraded it and made it had more success or public attention overall. 
Would any of you  think the same of this album if Freddie was still alive? Or would be it critized just as The Works or AKOM?
That's why I asked what you all first thought when you listened after it's realease in 1991.

This thread actually goes more towards this question:

kosimodo 

Cant blame the critics.Didnt we all understand the album better after His death?

I think it was good way to finish a career but personally I think the album is very mixed. There are some fantastic tracks like Innuendo, The Show Must Go On, These are the Days of Our Lives, Headlong and even I Can't Live With You (if it were not for the fake drums). Queen had a very difficult task in creating this album. They had to create a piogant album (and close a legendary career), incorporate a wide array of musical style and theatrical themes like A Night at the Opera era and still have the poppy, synth sound of the 80s and like every Queen album experiment and change their style to suit the music at the time. Innuendo could have been a real classic if it were not for some poor tracks and Roger's Laziness with not playing the drums. However the album had more than 10 tracks (as albums like the Works and Magic had 9 tracks) and Queen sounded more lack a band again.

What disapointed me about albums after The Game ane before The Miracle is how quiet and restricted the band were (particulary Brian and Roger) compared to Live concert when they ran riot. Overall, the 80s was a mediocre decade and unbalanced. Innuendo, was a mixed album musically but it's role was to close the career of the band and Freddie's final goodbye.

The Miracle sounded like parts of it had been hard work - a little forced even. Innuendo sounded natural and like it was coming from a band that was comfortable with itself.

It varies of course, but Innuendo is always on my top 3 Queen albums. I agree that "Delilah" and "Hitman" are fillers, and should not be on it. From the outtakes and demos I´ve heard, there are stuff much more fitting than these two tracks.

Something I can´t wrap my head around, is how strong and powerful Freddie sound. It might just be me, but I tend to like latter albums by bands that has been around awhile. I.E. I like "A matter of life and death" and "Brave new world" by Iron Maiden better than "Fear of the dark" and "Voodoo Lounge" by RS better than "Sticky fingers".

MmP...even IF Freddie were still alive I don't think people would equate Innuendo with albums like The Works Or A Kind Of Magic.

There is NO denying the artistry and POWER that permeates Innuendo as opposed to The Works OR AKOM...I love those albums...but c'mon...they stand in the shadow of Innuendo.

It's a towering album...and I thought that when it was released and didn't know about Freddie's illness back in early '91.

From the very moment the drum fills give start to the title song, you already know something huge is going to happen.

Sebastian wrote: From the very moment the drum fills give start to the title song, you already know something huge is going to happen.

It's only January 2nd and already we have a "post of the year" nominee! :)

V.

I love Innuendo from start to finish. For my money, it's a perfect album.

Loved Innuendo the first time I heard it, and bought it the first day it was released.  it was pretty shocking hearing the title track because  I personally thought they were washed up after The Miracle.   Definitely their best since the late 70's,  but wouldn't say it's on par with the first 6 albums.    I don't think any of those albums had ordinary rock songs like Headlong and the hitman or a average ballad like Delilah  (though I don't hate these songs).   Overall,  the album is great.  In my top 7.

My personal feeling on Innuendo:

I think it's a great little album of which when I was younger I never fully appreciated it, to me now it is an album with 11 great tracks & Delilah (sorry just don't like that one, like the others but think don't really like Delilah).  Innuendo is an immense track, as are the other tracks that were released as singles (especially The Show Must Go On & These Are The Days Of Our Lives)

I also rather like I Can't Live With You, Ride The Wild Wind & The Hitman, OK they're not ground breaking Queen tracks but are enjoyable enough.  Don't Try So Hard & Bijou I never liked when I was younger but now at 27 I think they are both great tracks, especially DTSH, which leaves us with All Gods People, hmm, I do Freddie's voice on this one but it's an OK-ish song.

Would I put this up there with A Night At The Opera, of course I would, I personally think it's one of their best albums.