First side of Sheer Heart Attack

Hi all,
Bought a new turntable and the first thing I played was my original release Sheer Heart Attack LP.
Just sitting and listening to it, through good quality headphones and turntable was amazing, and I reckon it is the best first side to any Queen album. Does anyone else agree?

The opener is brilliant, followed by Killer Queen, Roger's best early track, one of Freddie's best heavy tracks, the beautiful ballad that is Lily of the Valley and closes with Now I'm Here. No filler, no crap.

Only issue is the production is a bit of a mixed bag. The two Brian rockers are quite muddy, with set back bass and drums. Probably on purpose to get a 'wall of sound' effect. However, Killer Queen is one of their best sounding songs, and the others are produced well. Any comments on the production?

I know the second side of SHA is weaker, so it isn't my favourite album, but the first side is bloody amazing and represents everything Queen were until that point and would be for the next few albums.

"No filler, no crap"

Yep.

Strange how this applies to the first few albums....

Depends on your POV, but Leroy Brown could be considered filler.

Not a chance - side 2 of SHA flows beautifully, and Leroy Brown particularly is where their penchant for genres of times past really takes flight. I wouldn't change a note.

The first five or six Queen albums are perfect. After that the filler starts showing up.

I've always preferred side 2 tbh. Took me a few years to 'get' Brighton Rock. Thought it was a terrible opening track for a long time. It's over 40 years since I first heard it. It's reasonable that my tastes have changed since.

[QUOTE] [b]IanR wrote:[/b]

Depends on your POV, but Leroy Brown could be considered filler.[/QUOTE]

Not with the amount of work that went into it

Dear Friends is filler. Its a blight on the album IMO

I've never liked She Makes Me, either

She Makes Me serves as a great bit of tension and build up before the big release on In the Lap of the Gods Revisited. Definitely the ultimate closer to a Queen album. Sheer Heart Attack is a masterpiece from front to back.

[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]

Not a chance - side 2 of SHA flows beautifully, and Leroy Brown particularly is where their penchant for genres of times past really takes flight. I wouldn't change a note.

The first five or six Queen albums are perfect. After that the filler starts showing up.
[/QUOTE]

I couldn't agree more, while the first side is perfect side 2 is almost as good. Leroy Brown Is one of my all time favorites. My least favorite is She Makes Me and I don't even dislike that one.

SHA sure has a great A side.

Sheer Heart Attack is an album I've never really warmed to like ANATO or ADATR. I think that it could be how short the tracks are. By the time you get into them they're nearly over - I still really like the songs but I just wish some of them were a little bit longer as the whole album to me sounds like two medleys instead of two sides.

I feel the same about ADATR, there's a feeling of complacency about it...

Ok, what Queen albums do you like?...Just curious.

Me? Queen II is the best. ANATO is up there but has almost become a victim of it's own success. The Game is fantastic to smash out at high volume on my commute home. The Works has very very highs and very very lows, Sheer Heart Attack is fucking brilliant (Dear Friends though.. WTF?) And I have a soft spot for The Miracle because it is the first Queen album I bought on release day..