As we celebrate Freddie’s birthday on 5th September, I thought it appropriate to review a Queen album, and picked ‘Sheer Heart Attack’. This is their third studio album released in late 1974 and in fact the first Queen album that I ever heard. One of the great things about this album is that all four members (Mercury, Deacon, May and Taylor) contributed as songwriters, penning some great songs.

In my opinion, ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ isn’t the best album that they put out (‘A Night at the Opera’ would feature in that category), but ranks pretty close. This album has fewer fantasy tinged songs (as in their earlier two album outings) and more of reality tinged hard rock /pop melodic tracks. It has a bunch of great songs but a few bad ones as well.

The opening track Brighton Rock with Mercury’s very high pitched vocals and great guitar licks by May is outstanding. This is followed by Killer Queen, a catchy song with Mercury singing at his upper crust best. The next track Tenement Funster is one of my favorites with Roger Taylor’s vocals and rebellious lyrics (My new purple shoes, been amazing the people next door, And my rock ‘n roll 45s, been enraging the folks on the lower floor…Oooo give me a good guitar – and you can say that my hairs a disgrace …) This song segues into Flick of the Wrist, which is a bit of a filler. The next one Lily of the Valley is a saccharine sweet but fortunately short song. It’s followed by Now I’m Here, where I quite like the vocals – this song was penned by them after their experience fronting for Mott the Hoople (Down in the city, just Hoople and me.”). In the Lap of the Gods is Queen’s first stab at an opera tinged prog rock ballad which could be called a precursor to Bohemian Rhapsody. May’s guitar and Mercury’s piano work beautifully in tandem on this song which then segues into Stone Cold Crazy a furiously paced rocker featuring some superb guitar work by May. Incidentally, this song could actually be considered the humble beginnings of thrash it was definitely an influence on Metallica who later covered it in 1993. Misfire, is another catchy pop melody with Deacon playing most of the guitars. She Makes Me (Storm trooper in Stilettos) opens with some great acoustic guitar and drum work, followed by very spaced out vocals by May, who wrote the song. I quite like this song for its melodies but could never figure out the lyrics. “In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited” is another a great song with the band’s chants sounding like an early take of We Are the Champions.

‘Sheer Heart Attack’ has a few songs that it could have done without (viz Bring back that Leroy Brown, Lily of the Valley, Dear Friend), but overall I’d classify it as a super album which is definitely worth multiple listens.  

Rating ****

Release Date: 8th November 1974
Label: Elektra Records
Genre: Rock, Progressive rock
Playing time: 39:09

Reviewed by Anil Sukhia

Anil Sukhia grew up in the 60s, listening from the tender age of 9 to the music of the Rolling Stones (Aftermath) and the Beatles (Abbey Road) with dollops of Chris Barber, Nat King Cole, Pat Boone and Eartha Kitt thrown in the mix on his father's (another major music buff) cassette player .He's been a diehard muzak addict ever since, with taste ranging from rock and blues to jazz. He currently has a collection of around 1000 CDs. He also restarted collecting vinyls in 2017 and has now become a serial collector with 300 odd vinyls already in the house. On holidays you might find him crate digging for rare vinyls in the alleys of Dubai, Delhi, Istanbul, Moscow or Berkeley.