The Miracle album: Criminally underrated?

The fact that the band knew they weren't going to be touring the album perhaps played a part in them making more adventurous songs like The Miracle. I doubt that would have translated particularly well to the stage.
I remember being underwhelmed when I first heard the album, but I actually prefer it more now as I get older. Fred sounds fantastic... Brian is letting loose... I really do enjoy it now.
Ssshhh... but I even like Stealin'.

Interesting comments...this is one of my favourite Queen albums, i`m shocked to read some of the comments, but then again not so for those that loved the early 70`s Queen sound. I love this album, I still play it now in my car, I just love it that much, except one track and that is The Invisible Man, which I really just cannot stand at all and wince when I hear it. Considering that this album was what 1988/89 and at that time I was aware that Freddie was quite unwell despite reassurances from someone I knew at the time that was friends with band members that told me he was just suffering from some minor illness, it sure is a `Miracle` that Queen produced this album, and then a second miracle when Innuendo appeared....

The Miracle is in my top 5 (of 15) of Queen studio albums primarily because I love 4 songs which I rated 5 out of 5 (top 20% of Queen songs IMHO)

Party - 3
Khashoggi's Ship - 5 - Love the "fighting spirit"
The Miracle - 3
I Want It All - 4
The Invisible Man - 5 - Love the bass
Breakthru - 5 - Always puts me in a better mood
Rain Must Fall - 5 - Love the bass and percussion
Scandal - 1 - Boring bass and lyrics - actually prefer more lively 12"
My Baby Does Me - 2
Was It All Worth It - 4

I believe this is Queen changing the formula. First time around - some good ideas thrown out there like the title track + I Want It All + Breakthru. Was It All Worth sounds like a band trying too hard... but coming out pretty good. The rest sound like ideas that were floating in the studio that no one really owned up to... and then sort of turned into something./.. like My Baby Does Me & the two first tracks.. they don't have that Queen workmanship. It's missing the usual perfectionism normally seen in their work.

Innuendo took care of that. Each song sounds like a work of art... yes, even Delilah. Unfortunately, they decided to try this way too late. In fact, in Innuendo, the only song that sounds like filler is I Can't Live With You - and that was a pretty good one.

Zebonka12: listening to a Queen album start to finish: Yes! That's the point though, accepting the one or 2 bad tunes too. Indeed, I've learnt to appreciate some of the lesser tracks when listening to them for the first time in years when I have one of those lovely 'listen all the way through sessions' :)

Of the 2011 reissues I'd say The Miracle is the best from an extra's viewpoint. I guess that's just down to all the extra bsides issued at the times (although they missed one off FFS). THe package pleases me very much.

Try swapping Hijack My Heart with MBDM and you have a classic ADATR style Roger song second to last. I loved HOIT at the time so much - and like the rest of the album because there are so many really weird, pronk (punk - prog) style flourishes. The guitar solo on Breakthru is nuts, and is that on Party etc. The awkward outro of The Miracle is divine. Really really creative!

Also, the cover is pretty bad, but does freak me out as much as the back cover. That's disgusting!

One of the things I like about Queen is how they walked the fine line between success and failure in their songs and videos... there were very few 'safe' offerings, either as singles or other album tracks. That does mean that when something didn't work though, it could sound really awful, and a lot of 'The Miracle' does sound really awful to me (The Invisible Man, Rain Must Fall, My Baby Does Me), as do quite a lot of songs on other albums. I mean 'fingernails down a blackboard' awful, not, 'do something else while the boring tracks are playing in the background' awful. There are tracks that I habitually skip on all the 1980s albums, but in terms of musical sound and instrumentation, it isn't my favourite decade anyway. I love 70s Queen, but the only 80s Queen song that I really love is, 'It's a Hard Life'... 'The Miracle' isn't a bad album, but underrated? Not for me. There are lovely parts to it (I agree about 'The Miracle' track having a beautiful melody, and 'I Want It All' is a great, over-the-top rock track), but it is very inconsistent.

Considering what was the meaning and the message of the album when it was released, is my truly favourite.
It has it highs and lows, and I'm pleased with almost all tracks of the album.

You're right Zamidoo. They have to be commended for going out on a limb each time.

Always great to see love for Scandal.  That is one fucking [b]fantastic[/b] song.  And the 12" version is ridiculous.

A shame that and the Breakthru 12" were not included in the 2011 releases.

Also:

"I think i'm the only one in the world who likes My Baby Does Me."

No, count me in there too.  I've always liked that song.

"The Miracle" always has been my favourite Queen album. I had immensely enjoyed thier previous hits, but this is the album that got me hooked. I was 14 in 1989 and starting to take a real interest in the charts at that time, most of which, I must admit, wasn't that great in the late 80's and early 90's. I vividly remember from May until September of that year being a real scorcher. A helluva summer, and when I see the Breakthru' video that sums up that whole summer for me.
I also remember watching "The Chart Show"(remember that??!!) on ITV one Saturday morning, hearing "scandal" for the first time and thinking it was the greatest piece of music ever by anyone !!! After that, I saved up my pocket money and bought the album on cassette...remember them???!! And yes, I have since bought it on cd!!

Beemack74, I agree. I was 19 and The Miracle was the frist Album I bought as a Queen fan which I became right after A KInd Of Magic. I remember all details, beeing surprised wenn I looked for records and suddenly held
"I Want It All" in my hands - totally unexpected. Breakthru video was for me the video of the summer to, I was at Spain,Calella that year with a group of friends and the video was played in the hotel lobby......great times, great album, although realistic it isn`t a masterpiece for critics, too much plastic.....

Very similar to my experience of the album beemack74! I got the IWIA single on cassette and then the album as soon as it was out (Woolies!) and took it to cub camp. That was my first big summer!