FREE WEEK #13


Queen + Paul Rodgers:The Cosmos Rocks


Hurray for free weeks!This album download is most awesome!This is one great recording!

Yes,I have to admit it:I am a HUGE Queen fan.I have all of their albums(if you don't count all of the many and repetitive greatest hits compilations..phewwy uck!).

Also,I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by last years Queen + Paul Rodgers Live cd,'Return Of The Champions'.

It also can be said that I am a fan of Paul Rodgers(formally of,'Free',Bad Company' & 'The Firm').I have fond memories of listening to Bad Company's ,'Shooting Star' in my basement.It is one of my favorite family/rock and roll memories.It was just cleaning the basement with my brothers while the song blasted on the radio...but it is a memory that has stuck with me for some whatever reason.

The Queen memories are too many to recount and/or explore.But people that know me know how big Queen has been in my life.

Not that I think this group should necessarily be refereed to as Queen.John Deacon(Another One Bites The Dust) is nowhere to be seen.But,on the other hand,besides guitarist Brian May and drummer,Roger Taylor,Queen silent partner Spike Edney toured with them on 'Return',so there is an argument for the 'Queen' name.


Besides,they will instantly get more ticket/cd sales under the 'Queen' name than they would ever under,'May-Rodgers-Taylor' or some super group name like 'The Altered Audio Revolver Tower'.


[Though,in the long run,'The Altered Audio Revolver Tower' thing maybe the better choice-if you want the system to work right now- you have to go with 'Queen + Paul Rodgers.]


And ' The Cosmos Rocks' does work right now.


I said it once,I'll say it again,This is one great recording.


According to what I've read(once again,I bought the on-line version-no liner notes)not only are all of the songs written by Brian May,Roger Taylor and Paul Rodgers,but all the instruments are played by them as well....Is that Roger Taylor on lead guitar on,'War Boys'!?!


'Cosmos' really starts hitting on all cylinders straight from the get go,but from,'Small' until 'Small Reprise' is the heart of this delicious album.


I think there was a deliberate attempt on this cd to get the listener involved into the music.I believe this was done for immediate concert participation.Arena rock at it's best.Great sing-alongs.


One of the ways I tend to judge a new recording is to not totally judge it until after I have listened to it at least for three times.Another measuring tool is if and when I find myself absent mindedly singing/humming the tunes from the album while I am at work.


For the latter,this was a humdinger.Though I didn't know even the song's titles,I found myself jamming inside my own noggin to many of the songs off this Queen/Paul Rodgers listening experience.


Some of these tunes included,'Still Burnin';'Small';'Warboys';and especially the almost Christian rock sounding,'We Believe'(a possible 'Obama' shout out?).

Two of my favorite songs on 'Cosmos Rocks' are the very Queen sounding,'Call Me'(what a fun song) and the very un-Queen sounding,'Voodoo'(This had an almost Santana sound to it).


I can not tell you how much I enjoyed hearing the enthral voice of Paul Rodgers followed by the distinctly Queen guitar work of Brian May.Roger Taylors contributions should not be over looked in this mix either.His great percussion work as well as his unique voice and writing skills truly make this a 'Queen +Paul Rodgers production.

They don't make albums like this anymore.Which makes,'The Cosmos Rocks' even that much better!



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