Press Release: QUEEN: FIRST FIVE ALBUMS RE-ISSUED ON ISLAND RECORDS

The Fairy King wrote: Look on the bright side! At least we have standalone versions of Ogre Battle and MOTBQ now! :P

http://open.spotify.com/track/60rVJfpkkaAYZvJVbdwIRs Queen – Ogre Battle - 2011 Remaster
http://open.spotify.com/track/3EjmOndmysmwooYyictOm3 Queen – The March Of The Black Queen - 2011 Remaster Ouch, they got me. Now I have to buy that stupid Deep Cuts album just for the stand-alone version of MOTBQ. Loved the ending.

"The Fairy King wrote: Look on the bright side! At least we have standalone versions of Ogre Battle and MOTBQ now! :P

http://open.spotify.com/track/60rVJfpkkaAYZvJVbdwIRs Queen – Ogre Battle - 2011 Remaster
http://open.spotify.com/track/3EjmOndmysmwooYyictOm3 Queen – The March Of The Black Queen - 2011 Remaster "

Ouch, they got me. Now I have to buy that stupid Deep Cuts album just for the stand-alone version of MOTBQ. Loved the ending.

Happy owners of new reissues, can you provide any reviews of these sets/bonus tracks?

Also it will be great to see real packshots of 1CD editions, finally to clarify their package type. Because it's very strange that 1CD edition is more expensive than 2CD.

Only a  couple of quick remarks about the bonus tracks:

For those who moaned about them being well-known and that everybody already had them: eat my shorts!

Well you could argue wheter instrumental or a capella mixes are neede, but at least for Bring Back that Lery Brown and Bohemian Rhapsody it is nice to hear what the vocals are actually doing. Also the new HD mix of Teo Torriate truly brings up certain elements which were drowned in the mix.

But for two single bonus tracks I'm especially fond of:

39´ Live at Earls Court 1977
and You Take My Breath Away Live at Hyde Park 1976.

Oh my oh my! These two sound brilliant!

When i heard the acoustic guitar on 39 I nearly went bonkers. They DO have really good multitrack of that show and thus could truly make something great out of it. Maybe a DVD? The same goes with Hyde Park show. We are used to listen to it drom a lousy VHS copy (even if it would be remastered at home by some bloke) and couldn't possibly guess how it would be sounding, when properly mixed. Well...NOW WE CAN!!

Btw. Is this 39 from a different night than than the whole bootleg we all have? Brians banter and doodling are different and Roger hits the middle part much better...

'39 is from the second night at Earls Court. The common bootleg video is from the first. So it's new in every aspect. Can't wait till my copies arrive.

I would be very grateful, if anybody would tell how well are the new Bob Ludwig's remasters comparing to the old ones (UK 1994). Especially Queen I, II and SHA. This would be the main reason to buy for me (to be honest, I'm not too much interesting in bonuses, IMHO they aren't interesting enough). Thanks in advance.

You can listen to the albums on Spotify. For free. You will need an account though, plus software. But that shouldn't be too difficult.

Heard SHA through spotify... and sound quality isn't that great on my high end system... Hope it's only bad audio compression from the online service :-/

That's why I would hear some opinion comparing two different CD remasters on better audio system... For what it's good to try to listen to Spotify I don't know, I won't listen to CDs on comp. I should expect such 'helping' commentary as the Spotify one... Never mind, I'll buy one or two new remasters and compare it by myself, it'll be safer and probably quicker.

Some thoughts about Bonus EPs content of '73-'74 albums:

I don't have booklets to clarify the technical info, but it seems to me that Bob Ludwig worked only on CD1 (album) content of each reissue. Thank God albums remastered with no compressed to death dynamic range. CD2 tracks includes more compressed range, so it seems to me that bonus content was mastered by QP employees (JSS/JM/KF).

Queen 1973:
1) De Lane Lea session tracks have been transfered from acetate. But it seems to me, the restoration could be done with much more effort. A lot of noise/distortion presence.
2) Made The Swine sounds great, but it's a pity that it's 1991 version with no original "I've" in the beginning. 

Queen II 1974:
1) See What A Fool I've Been (BBC 2011 remix) - stunning quality mix, great addition. 
It seems BBC Session 2 multitracks still exist. Possibly we'll receive complete session remix in the future.
2) White Queen (Hammersmith 1975) - great performance and fantastic mix. Hope we'll finally receive CD+DVD package of this concert in the nearest 1-2 years.
3) Nevermore (BBC) - great version, great sound
4) Seven Seas Of Rhye (Instrumental mix 2011) - great mix with no fade out drum outro. Useful track.
5) See What A Fool I've Been (1974 b-side) - Slightly better in comparison with Peter Mew remaster from 2008.

Sheer Heart Attack 1974:
1) Now I'me Here - same as White Queen above.
2) Flick Of The Wrist (1974 BBC) - great version, great quality.
3) Tenement Funster (1974 BBC) - same as above
4) Bring Back That Leroy Brown (a capella mix 2011) - pure fun, but the rhythm track is needed here.
5) In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited (Wembley 12th July 1986) - absolute filler, out of place here. Weak choice. Old 1992 mix with fadeout during the intro of SSOR brings even more weaker reaction.

From my point of view, QP doesn't have any effort to make the bonus content enjoyable in every aspect for the listener/fan. The main reason here I think is the teasing of possible future Live/BBC/Anthology projects, no more no less.

Haven't heard ANATO and ADATR Bonus EPs yet, so there's no review for them.

I've had a thought.

The fact that these releases are actually being described as having a 'bonus ep' leaves the way open to release 'Universal Deluxe' style packages later.

Cheers!

It's possible they had to release these editions in a hurry for Island and they're still researching for a more complete release in the future. Or we'll have to wait till RT en BM are six feet under for the rare stuff to be released. Either way, we'll have to wait. And wait. And wait some more.

CMI wrote: Some thoughts about Bonus EPs content of '73-'74 albums:

I don't have booklets to clarify the technical info, but it seems to me that Bob Ludwig worked only on CD1 (album) content of each reissue. Thank God albums remastered with no compressed to death dynamic range. CD2 tracks includes more compressed range, so it seems to me that bonus content was mastered by QP employees (JSS/JM/KF).

Queen 1973:
1) De Lane Lea session tracks have been transfered from acetate. But it seems to me, the restoration could be done with much more effort. A lot of noise/distortion presence.
2) Made The Swine sounds great, but it's a pity that it's 1991 version with no original "I've" in the beginning. 

Queen II 1974:
1) See What A Fool I've Been (BBC 2011 remix) - stunning quality mix, great addition. 
It seems BBC Session 2 multitracks still exist. Possibly we'll receive complete session remix in the future.
2) White Queen (Hammersmith 1975) - great performance and fantastic mix. Hope we'll finally receive CD+DVD package of this concert in the nearest 1-2 years.
3) Nevermore (BBC) - great version, great sound
4) Seven Seas Of Rhye (Instrumental mix 2011) - great mix with no fade out drum outro. Useful track.
5) See What A Fool I've Been (1974 b-side) - great quality, no more words to say. I'll compare it to the remaster from SC1 box in the evening. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same Peter Mew remaster.

Sheer Heart Attack 1974:
1) Now I'me Here - same as White Queen above.
2) Flick Of The Wrist (1974 BBC) - great version, great quality.
3) Tenement Funster (1974 BBC) - same as above
4) Bring Back That Leroy Brown (a capella mix 2011) - pure fun, but the rhythm track is needed here.
5) In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited (Wembley 12th July 1986) - absolute filler, out of place here. Weak choice. Old 1992 mix with fadeout during the intro of SSOR brings even more weaker reaction.

From my point of view, QP doesn't have any effort to make the bonus content enjoyable in every aspect for the listener/fan. The main reason here I think is the teasing of possible future Live/BBC/Anthology projects, no more no less.

Haven't heard ANATO and ADATR Bonus EPs yet, so there's no review for them.

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CMI, thanks for your thoughts about the bonus content.
I don't understand why QP didn't choose Mannheim, Budapest or Knebworth version of ITLOTG , instead of giving us the same old sh*t again!

They should have added ITLOTG from an early concert, like the Rainbow. The same goes for Somebody To Love. Earls Court or Houston would have been nice.

Just a quick question for you please:

On A Night at the Opera they describe the bonus ep version of Love of my Life as a South American single release.

Is this the same as the Live Killers version?

If it is, then why didn't they call it that or, indeed, UK single release?

Thanks,

The Voice.