What’s there to say about a man who said it all and left us speechless
Freddie Mercury is revered as one of the world’s greatest singers of all time. His eccentric and alluring attitude on stage caught the eye of every man and woman in the world during his time singing lead in the mega-rock band Queen. His superhuman like confidence left many to believe that the man behind the costumes was truly unimaginable. That’s why his tragic death at the young age of 45 broke the hearts of millions. Distraught with the idea of not being able to hear the sound of the angelic British singer again, fans were left with the legacy that Queen carried and continues to carry to this day. During the ’80s, though, Mercury had a stint in which he created work of his own. His two solo albums, Mr. Bad Guy in 1985 and Barcelona in 1988, both released to some commercial success but always felt a bit unfinished when it came to his solo career.
Nearly 30 years after his passing, Never Boring has been released. Produced and arranged together by Queen’s longtime sound team Justin Shirley-Smith, Kris Fredriksson and Joshua J. Macrae, Never Boring reminds his long-time fans that Mercury was just that; never boring. Aside from the box set including movies, interviews and photos, the music found in Never Boring includes a newly mastered version of Mr. Bad Guy and Barcelona with full orchestral accompaniment and a 12-track compilation of some of the singer’s best solo performances.
Tracks like “Time Waits For No One” and “Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow” remind the truest of fans that there are still diamonds to be discovered throughout the singer’s extensive career. His exuberance towards life and love are a continued reminder when listening to any of the tracks on Barcelona with operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé and his playfully dangerous side can be heard once again while listening to the tracks on Mr. Bad Guy.
Mercury stands his ground while speaking for almost every person who has ever had heartbreak in “Love Kills,” singing lyrics like, “Love kills, drills you through your heart/ love kills, scars you from the start/ it’s just a living pastime/ ruining your heartline.” Sounding more ’80s than ever, Mercury speaks so clearly about his troublesome life in “The Great Pretender.” A slower, somewhat more somber rock ballad filled with electric guitar, a very steady drumbeat and the occasional “oh oh” from the harmonizing backup singers. Nothing feels more Mercury then when he crescendos, hits the highest note imaginable and does it with such ease which he so gracefully demonstrates in “She Blows Hot and Cold” and “I Was Born to Love You.” Something that shouldn’t be forgotten is Mercury’s intensity on the piano which can be heard on “In My Defense.” The tune that is mesmerizing for its lyrical meaning and its true rock ‘n’ roll sound.
The reassuring thing about the music that Mercury was apart of was that the listener never knew exactly what they were in store for but deep down knew that they were going to soak it up anyways one lyrical drop at a time. His vocal range was wide enough to engulf the entirety of the music world and continues to defy how music sounds to date. Though Never Boring is mainly a fanfare of moments from the singer’s career, the box set only touches the surface of the world inside of the singer’s mind. Freddie Mercury was and will never be boring.
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