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| | Label: EMI / Parlophone
Salesrank: 161475
Released: December 5, 1994 |
| Our Price: $5.70 |
| Used Price: $8.87 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Sheer Heart Attack Track Listing:
1. Brighton Rock
2. Killer Queen
3. Tenement Funster
4. Flick Of The Wrist
5. Lily Of The Valley
6. Now I'm Here
7. In The Lap Of The Gods
8. Stone Cold Crazy
9. Dear Friends
10. Misfire
11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
12. She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettoes)
13. In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited
Editorial Review:
Japanese exclusive 2001 remastered reissue of 1974 album.
Description of Sheer Heart Attack:
Sheer Heart Attack is a Queen album that has something for nearly everyone. There's glam, progrock, guitar pyrotechnics to spare (check out Brian May's shape-shifting performances on "Brighton Rock" and "Flick of the Wrist"), proto-speed-metal ("Stone Cold Crazy"), and Queen's unique brand of campy humor ("America's new bride to be / Don't worry, baby, I'm safe and sound," Freddie Mercury declares on "Now I'm Here," a Queen concert staple). The group takes a rocked-up turn at ragtime on "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" and downshifts memorably on the spare piano-and-voice interludes "Lily of the Valley" and "Dear Friends." Best of all is the wicked rock-and-harmony showcase "Killer Queen," the group's first international smash. If you need a reminder of everything that was right about rock's old guard before punks stormed the gates, look no further. --Daniel Durchholz
Sheer Heart Attack Reviews:
One of Queen's Best 
2008-10-21 - This was one of the three albums that seriously put Queen on the map. You will be well rewarded if you add this gem to your collection rather than settling for some slipshod 'best of Queen' assemblage. It's albums like this that put Queen in the arenas to begin with.
I originally bought this on the strength of the single "Killer Queen". I loved top 40. But the album had a life of its own and followed me as I grew up into FM rock / album rock. That's not to say it's perfect; it's not. It's just more perfect than most of the albums released that year. Initially I didn't play the album much based on the fact that side one had a few weak songs sequenced in key positions. The keepers are "Killer Queen", "Now I'm Here", and most days "Brighton Rock" is in there too.
Side two is where this gem kicked into gear. Highlights are "Stone Cold Crazy", John Deacon's first songwriting star "Misfire", and the album-closer "Lap of the Gods (revisited). But everything else on the original side two is worth downloading as well, at least a 4 on a scale of 5. You will quickly recognize the quality and variety delivered during the prime years of Queen's power.
You may find better versions of "Brighton Rock" on live bootlegs (I recall a favorite being from the King Bisquit Hour circa 1977), and you may be able to a few of this album's better songs on various best ofs, but to understand Queen's impact on the decade you'll want this album, Queen II, and A Night At The Opera, all five star albums. Count all three of these Queen albums among the best 100 rock albums of the 1970s.
Let them eat cake, she says 
2008-10-20 - Queen rushed into the studio after Queen II when it became clear that Brian May (who had fallen ill) would be unable to tour for a spell. His sickness was our game, as "Sheer Heart Attack" was the album that gave Queen their first taste of major American success. That was due to the breakthrough of "Killer Queen," a flawless slice of trashy glam that featured Freddie Mercury's soaring falsetto and Brian May's wild guitar tones. The iconic four finger snaps that open the song were instantaneously lodged into your brain once Mercury hit the first lines:
She keeps Moet et Chandon in her pretty cabinet
Let them eat cake she says, just like Marie Antoinette.
A built-in remedy for Khrushchev and Kennedy
At anytime an invitation you cant decline.
Caviar and cigarettes, well versed in etiquette
Extraordinarily nice.
"Sheer Heart Attack" contained a few other eye openers, one of which was Roger Taylor's first great Queen song, "Tenement Funster." "Stone Cold Crazy" is one of Queen's hardest rockers, so much so that Metallica covered it on Garage, Inc.. Only the song "Sheer Heart Attack" - oddly enough on the News of the World album - came close to SCC's ferocity. Yet, right near that is the ragtime take on "Bring Back Leroy Brown."
"Sheer Heart Attack" previewed the crazy diversity that Queen would perfect on their next album, A Night at the Opera. If it weren't for a few bits of filler ("She Makes Me," "Misfire"), this would have been a five-star disc. But as such, 1974's "Sheer Heart Attack" continued Queen's rise to the top of the 70's rock scene.
Freddie Mercury's breakthrough - but the whole band shines
2008-06-22 - Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music (which was something seen by other bands such as the Kinks) as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. I expected the follow-up album, "Queen II" to continue much of what "Queen" had started. While "Queen II" continues down the road of theatrical music, overall this album just didn't capture my interest as much as the first album. However with Queen's third album, "Sheer Heart Attack", Queen would successfully build on the fundamentals of the first two albums and expand their sound. They would still revolve around the theatrical sound, but move away from the medieval themes of the first two albums. It would also prove to be their first breakthrough album in terms of commercial success.
Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting. As with the first two albums, the band's instrumentation continues to operate a high level. However on this album, I think its Mercury that takes it up a notch and establishes a foundation as a hall of fame vocalist.
Here is a track by track synopsis of this collection:
"Brighton Rock": This is a great track. Queen improvises by using carnival sounds (indicative of the seaside resort of Brighton). While May's guitars shine, this song is a real breakthrough for Mercury who performs both parts of a duet - simply outstanding.
"Killer Queen": Legendary track as Mercury once again takes it up a notch again with his vocals. The song has a theatrical feel to it. Terrific piano work is also done by Mercury. However the real underrated hero of this track is Deacon - his bass completely sets the tone for this track.
"Tenement Fuster": This song features Taylor on vocals who once again proves he can also be a lead vocalist. Taylor's high octaves give this song a prototype for some early Heavy Metal.
"Flick of the Wrist": This song has a great segue from "Tenement Fuster". Mercury takes over lead vocals for this track. Once again, Mercury demonstrates great harmonies. This song takes on more of a progressive rock feel.
"Lily of the Valley": This song has a segue from "Flick of the Wrist". This song takes a softer tone, yet still with a theatrical feel.
"Now I'm Here": Mercury shines again and shows he too can hit the high vocals. May's guitars are right on form. Terrific harmonies are prevalent throughout this track.
"In the Lap of the Gods": This track again showcases a theatrical feel to it - and Queen is awesome in doing so. This features some great piano work.
"Stone Cold Crazy": "In the Lap of the Gods" has a segue to this track. This song almost sounds like a cross between classic Rock of the fifties and early Heavy Metal.
"Dear Friends": Soft piano ballad. Not a bad song, but didn't have me doing handstands.
"Misfire": Much of this song was composed by Deacon and the fruits of his efforts shine. This song almost gives me a feel for what sound that the band Boston would feature in the late 70s.
"Bring Back that Leroy Brown": Queen has always they could pull off a Rockabilly sound - and this song proves it. Nice work of banjo and jangle piano are featured in this song. Great bass work by Deacon.
"She Makes Me": This song has more of a classic rock feel. Underrated track. May has some great acoustic guitar work. I like the way the use of sirens are used in this song.
"In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited": Queen wraps this one up with a theatrical finale feel to it. The perfect way to end the album.
I think Queen moving away from the Medieval themes of the first two albums has a lot to do with why they grew as a band on this album. While Mercury has his breakthrough on this album, the whole band shines. Overall, this is a terrific effort that will keep core Queen fans and casual fans happy. Highly recommended.
Queen's masterpiece
2008-05-25 - I know I may be going out on a limb here, but for my money this is the single best studio album this band ever did. And yes, that includes "A Night at the Opera." The production, the overall sound and cohesion, and of course the songs, all come together on this one. There are so many styles here it's truly mind-boggling, but somehow it works. The glam-rock opener "Brighton Rock" leads into the campy majesty of "Killer Queen." "Now I'm Here" is another rocker and a concert favorite. "Stone Cold Crazy" is fast and furious, so much so that it was a natural for Metallica to cover years later. "Flick of the Wrist" is an absolutely acidic kiss-off to a crooked former manager. "Bring Back That Leroy Brown" may make you feel you're sitting in a speakeasy on a Saturday night, while "Dear Friends" is a short and sweet tearjerker. Even Roger Taylor -- notorious for penning the weakest songs on Queen albums -- hits the mark with "Tenement Funster." If you're looking for everything this band was capable of on a single disc, look no further. Highly recommended.
Solid Queen!
2008-02-03 - There's no denying that Queen were one of a kind, and this album demonstrates that again and again. From straight up hard rockers, to their more operatic tendencies, to acoustic and atmospheric pieces, this album has it all.
