New QUEEN tribute album...with a punk edge? (1 Viewer)

[Michael Allred]

Well, we've seen many Queen tribute albums over the years. Electronica, dance, orchestral and even ones sung entirely in spanish and german and now.....a "punk" oriented album.
The album cover, tracklisting, etc, can be seen here;
http://www.interpunk.com/itemdetail2...20laser%20beam
Naturally I've never heard of any of the artists on the CD but for a somewhat cheap price, I ordered it anyway.

 

[Zack Scott]

I've just gotta say ..."oh shit!"

 

[Mike Broadman]

Punk covers really bother me. You hear them in movies all the time. All they do is take a song that may have been intricately arranged and carefully recorded and convert it to the punk-standard three power chord shouting nonsense. I don't get it, but then again, I'm an old fogy that isn't down with the kids these days.

 

[Michael Allred]

Dynamite with a Laser Beam - NO STARS

Year of release: 2002
Highest chart position: N/A
Weeks on chart: N/A
Award status: none

Track listing;
1- "Under Pressure" Performed by: The Blood Brothers

2- "Another One Bites the Dust" Performed by: Get Hustle

3- "Ogre Battle" Performed by: Asterisk*

4- "We Are the Champions" Performed by: The Oath

5- "Death On Two Legs" Performed by: GoGoAirHeart

6- "Bicycle Race" Performed by: Upsilon Acrux

7- "Who Needs You" Performed by: Sinking Body

8- "The Fairy Feller's Master-stroke" Performed by: Glass Candy

9- "Flash's Theme" Performed by: The Locust

10- "Bohemian Rhapsody" Performed by: Weasel Walter

11- "Vultan's Theme" Performed by: The Spacewurm

12- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Performed by: Fast Forward

13- "Get Down Make Love" Performed by: The Convocation Of

14- "Lily of the Valley" Performed by: Bastard Noise

15- "Killer Queen" Performed by: Tourettes Lautrec

16- "We Will Rock You" Performed by: Melt Banana

The first album I have ever reviewed that I refuse to give ANY stars.

This was pure punishment. To call this "tribute" awful would be insulting to awful music.
"Dynamite with a Laser Beam" is virtually unlistenable.

The bands covering Queen tunes are from the punk/hardcore genre so I wasn't expecting good singing, decent production, etc. I *was* hoping for something interesting. Instead what I got was something a judge would sentence someone to listen to if they were convicted of murder (which is something these bands should be charged with, murdering Queen music.)

A couple of the tracks like "Ogre Battle" are closer to death metal with the assult of noise and nonsensical mumbling of the singer (the vocals remind me of a guy trying to clear his throat.)

If the 3rd circle of hell had a boys choir, they'd sound like Weasel Walter on "Bohemian Rhapsody".

"We Will Rock You" was turned into Japanese karaoke by what sounds like very timid asian teenage girls.

Most of the tracks sound like they were recorded in a garage and I must say, if there wasn't a tracklisting, I would've had no idea "Who Needs You" was on the CD as the brief cover bore no resemblance to the original.

The only remotely listenable track is "Get Down Make Love" by The Convocation Of. The combination of male/female vocals on the chorus add a sexual identity not found on the original version.

"Lily of the Valley", a quiet, peaceful song is now nothing but grating feedback with barely noticable vocals that come across as someone trying to appease Satan during a human sacrifice.
As soon as the track starts you wanna check to see if your stereo has a short in it.

Of all the Queen tribute albums ever released, this has got to be the WORST and this is from a guy who is very open to new and different interpretations of Queen songs. Awful, dreadful, painful. The lows reached on this "tribute" surprises even me.

If you wish to commit suicide, pop this CD into your player and you will be reaching for a razor blade in record time.