@@THSReviews Hey mr spaceman, do you you think The Human League's Don't You Want Me possibly inspire Back Chat? That song came from 1981 and Hot Space came out in 1982 and they sound a bit similar
...and actually did also on their Flash Gordon Soundtrack from 1980. You can find many music themes & sounds that became popular in the 80s already on the Flash Gordon soundtrack.
I love Hot Space so much, it's one of my favorite Queen albums. I always felt like it only got hate because it wasn't a typical rock record but it's honestly a very good album imo. It also inspired MJ to write Thiller.
Except for "Body Language" and "Action This Day", I like this album a lot. Highlights for me are "Back Chat", "Under Pressure", "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)", "Cool Cat" and "Dancer". I love that fact that Queen experimented with different styles and sound. This and each of their last 5 studio albums prior were very different from each other. Queen was very adventurous and rarely predictable!
Hot Space really wasn't bad, I like almost all the songs Staying power on the album was alright, but the live version is SO good, probably the best live version song on this album I don't really listen to Dancer, so I can't say much Back Chat was pretty good, good guitar/drum solo on that one I don't listen to Body Language, for reasons you probably know.. (I can't believe it charted #11 on the US Billboard.. almost as high as Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975 which charted at #9...) I also don't really listen to Action This Day either, although the live version is pretty good The second half of the album is probably the best Put Out The Fire is really good, catchy and has a good message Life Is Real I feel is underrated, I listen to it a lot Calling All Girls I really like for some reason, I listen to it pretty often Las Palabras De Amor is really good, many people like this one Cool Cat I really like when i first heard it, but i don't listen to it much anymore And of course Under Pressure Is of course one of the best (#1 In the UK)
Wow, your review is remarkable and thorough. And I love that you found so much to praise here instead of just blindly dismissing it--as well as the '80s and synths in general--as so many critics do. You've got a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!
SirHatchporch Thanks for subscribing to me! As a person who has had to suffer through all the bad pop music of the past few years, I feel that I have a little perspective on the songs from this album. Personally, I think that all the heavy backlash against disco was a huge overreaction, and that critics should've waited thirty years to start complaining about the direction of music. XD That's the great thing about Queen's music, though: at their worst, they're still pretty good. And I definitely plan on reviewing other albums on "Was It Really That Bad?" Some of which will be good, others won't, but that's critiquing music for you! :)
I agree. I think pop music has hit a nadir right now. I sometimes think it's just my age speaking, but I'm glad to know that it isn't. Do you take requests for album reviews?
SirHatchporch Yeah. We still get some good ones once in a while, but for the most part, pop songs have greatly decreased in quality. I do, in fact! Though I mainly review movie musicals or movies related to music, but I will also be reviewing certain critically panned albums as part of "Was It Really That Bad?" Any requests? (In case you're curious, up next on my agenda for WIRTB is _St. Anger_ by Metallica, _The Second Law_ by Muse, and _Cut the Crap_ by the Clash.)
SirHatchporch Alright, cool. I might not make these as often because I'm getting back to music videos, but on the other hand, I'm out of school, so I'll have more time! :D
Thank You. Fed Ex just delivered my recently ordered "Hot Space" cd - bought after reading Freddie did the cover art. Do hate seeing any negativity re QUEEN and/or Freddie Mercury thus agonised about watching this review. Thrilled with the wrap-up comments. Now to bask in uninterrupted listening of the entire CD. I love their obvious hard work, amazing talent and togetherness . . .love 'em.
Yeah, in general I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed the album. Not my favorite Queen album by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely nowhere near as bad as fans were making it out to be. Thanks for watching!
People may disagree with me, but I need to say this. John Deacon is one of the best rock bassists out there, almost as great if not greater than Paul McCartney in my opinion. He was very melodic in his bass playing and really liked to play on the higher frets to let his instrument be heard. In Queen's deep cuts especially, Deacon's playing is very tasteful. John Deacon's basslines got me to try to play bass myself.
While I understand the lack of commercial appeal, its one of those records I think is really good for taking a new direction. Queen was always known for giving a complete album experience rather than producing a couple of radio hits and leaving the rest of the album buried in fillers. This record feels more like the latter with a few songs having that classic Queen sound while the rest are more synthesize driven. Personally I liked the fact they broaden their canvas and gave us a peek into new sounds. Not for everyone, but certainly shows how strong their skill level was to leave the parameters of what people were accustom to hearing. A vastly underrated album in my book.
Hot Space is one of my favourite Queen albums. Staying Power always gete pumped up. Great flow in that song. I even dig Body Language. I see that song more like a Freddie solotrack now. It engulfs itself in it's own sillyness.
It was ahead of its time.Great Queen songs include:Staying Power,Dancer,Las Palabra De Amour,Under Pressure,Cool Cat!Body Language.Also, if you listen to the live version of Put out the fire it sounds like a really good track.
It’s a great album and I’m into Queen over 40 years. I saw them live in 1986. The funk elements were a limp continuation from Another One Bites The Dust. Freddie was also into the gay scene at the time going to discotheques and that dance music was a big influence on him. His vocals on the album are outstanding. Body Language is based on Searching by a band called Change featuring Luther Vandross. I think what makes Hot Space a little uneven is the dance tracks clashing with the rock tracks, for example Staying Power vs Put Out The Fire, the latter being the weaker song. It’s still far more varied and entertaining than most albums by most bands today. Queen were at it for a decade and got a little confused. Plus they were all pulling in different directions. Overall it’s good fun and it has Las Palabras, Life Is Real and the brilliant Under Pressure. It’s a better album than The Game for sheer variety but The Game is a concise more even album. It’s 40 years old on 21 May this year! Amazing!
Hot Space is not that bad it is an interesting album .. maybe a few songs could be a bit louder .. but other than that there are some cool songs .. still have the classic Under Pressure, las palabras de amor , Back chat is a cool tune , cool cat is funky.. is an interesting album ..not as good as The Game or The Works but better than any famous popular crap from nowadays.
All in all, great review, really enjoyable and informative. Now, time to nitpick: The whole 'MJ said HS was influence' thing is just an urban myth spread by apologists. There's no evidence to suggest that. If Michael had any Queen influences on 'Thriller', they came from 'The Game' and earlier material, not from 'Hot Space'. As for 'Body Language', I agree it's an awful song, but there is indeed one redeeming quality about it: the vocal is amazing. It's a shame such a magnificent singer wasted time writing and performing on that tripe. The ending of 'Under Pressure' features Roger and David singing in harmony, not Freddie and David. It would've been lovely if Roger'd sung backing vocals for Bowie (when he did it live for 'Heroes' the combination of timbres was fantastic). Sadly, the chance is now gone forever.
+Sebas Tian Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm thinking of making more album reviews similar to this one. Anyway, I didn't realize that the MJ part was a myth. O_o I read it on Wikipedia and saw it was mentioned in two sources, but looking it up now makes me realize that it's incorrect. Whoops! That's true about Body Language's vocals. He does manage to convey the song's message, even if I'm not a fan of the song itself. In my opinion, a much better use of Freddie's vocals on a similarly themed song is on "Get Down, Make Love" from _News of the World_. Also, I didn't realize that Roger sang on Under Pressure at all. I thought it was Freddie and David alone, but now that you mention it, it does kind of sound more like Roger in singing style and range. Oh well, I guess Freddie and David can now sing that together in the afterlife. :( Again, thanks for watching it! If you have any thoughts about other albums to review in this similar "Was It Really That Bad?" style, feel free to tell me. (My next one is going to be the infamous _Van Halen III_.)
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews Yeah, those were only nitpicks but your research was mostly sound and I really like the way you put your ideas across. There's an a cappella mix of UP somewhere on the i-net, you can clearly hear the 'caring about ourselves...' bit sung by David and Roger; as for Wikipedia - the problem with anyone being able to edit is that it gives HS-apologists a chance to spread that absurd theory (which, to be fair, was even claimed by Dr May himself, and he's usually spot on, but not for this particular case). I'm glad you're continuing the series. One I'd recommend is 'Division Bell'. So many people hate it but, to be honest, I quite like it. Sure, it's not 'Dark Side' or 'The Wall' but it's not lacklustre either - or maybe it is? Is this how Queen fans feel about HS? The plot thickens :D
***** I'll have to check that mix out. And the part about Michael Jackson is cited by two sources on Wikipedia, but well, if Brian says it's true, then it makes sense that a lot of people would believe that myth. :P I've heard a lot about _The Division Bell_. I've never listened to it all the way through, though I did listen to its disappointing spiritual successor, _The Endless River_. I might do a review of it, though, as I know it's pretty controversial among Pink Floyd fans who thought the group got worse after Roger Waters left. (To be fair, I also think that Roger Waters' solo material after he left PF wasn't anything spectacular--see my review of _The Wall - Live in Berlin_.) Keep in mind, though, that in some of these reviews, I will conclude that the album in question _was_ really that bad. ;)
Yeah, I mean some albums really *are* that bad, and it's alright to mention that as well. Regarding the two alleged sources on Wikipedia: one's a book (I've got a copy) that had zero MJ participation and which took the rumour and just ran with it assuming it was true, therefore not a reliable source (but some people believe anything that is published and printed). The other one is an article in Spanish which quotes MJ for Tchaikovsky's influence on it and then, without the inverted commas, adds a mention to HS, but that came from the journalist, not from Michael. My theory: again, he just believed the myth and ran with it.
It sounds very much of its time, for better or for worse. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan so Hot Space is obviously my favorite Queen album of the 80's. Those juicy Deacon basslines remind me a lot of Tina Weymouth, I'm surprised that Back Chat hook hasn't been sampled to death. Rock audiences were too dumb to tell disco apart from new wave, but critics shouldn't be.
"Under Pressure" seems to be the last Queen song chronologically to be played on a lot of classic rock stations. I rarely ever hear anything from 1982 onward on the radio, which is a shame due to the truly great songs on a lot of later albums, like "Innuendo," "I Want It All," "Hammer to Fall," and "The Miracle."
+Opris Ovidiu I know this is months old, but thanks for the comment! I've gotten a few people here saying they liked Body Language, and while I can't say I see the appeal, music is subjective, like all art. And this is definitely one of Queen's most underrated albums, mostly because of the 1980s disco backlash.
I like Body Language too , I guess most Queen fans don’t like it because it was different from the kind of stuff they did in the 70s The reason why Body Language hit # 11 is because record buyers liked it that much. It didn’t stay in the top 40 that long though...
I enjoyed this! And, for my sins, I enjoy Hot Space too (always have). I found it considerably more enjoyable than Queen's MOR leanings through the rest of the 1980's before the return to form with Innuendo. Any more of these videos on the horizon?
Perry Hewitt Hm, I don't know about any more installments of "Was It Really That Bad?" I tried getting through _St. Anger_, but I really couldn't. XD Maybe someday. As for other videos, though, I'm actually working on a review of Roger Waters' _The Wall: Live in Berlin_, which should be fun.
@@THSReviews update, just listened to the whole album on my shift, and I still stand by my opinion. It is Grade A. I’m not including the + because of “body language”
Under Pressure was released a year before on their Greatest Hits album from 1981. Unusual for a new song to appear on a Greatest Hits album then re-appear on the next studio album.
Great video. Love your rocking out to the awesome Backchat guitar solo! I think you give a fair assessment of the album. I always quite liked it, but I understand why some people don't. A criticism I could maybe level at it is that it lacks obvious high points, truly classic tracks - apart from Under Pressure, but I think it holds up well, the production is good, and I think it's a far better album than Jazz, which I think ranks as Queen's worst album. So maybe it is a flawed, uneven album, an experiment that didn't quite work, but I think this album deserves better than the awful reputation it has. I even like Body Language! (although I think it was a disastrous choice as a lead single.)
Whitestripe71 :) Thanks! I plan on making more videos like this in the future, albeit with some albums, I will say, "yeah, it was really that bad." But with this album, I don't know. Personally, I think if Queen had removed "Body Language" from the album or at least hadn't released it as the leading single, the album wouldn't have been hated as much. XD The album's high points for me are Put Out the Fire, Back Chat, and Under Pressure. I haven't heard _Jazz_ (apart from Fat Bottomed Girls, Bicycle Race, and Don't Stop Me Now), so I wouldn't know about it being bad. The most I know about _Jazz_ was the scathing review _Rolling Stone_ gave it, where the reviewer calls Freddie's voice "throat-scratching," says that the band regards people in general as nothing but objects, and calls them a "fascist rock band," saying "The whole thing makes me wonder why anyone would indulge these creeps and their polluting ideas." But what really struck me as hilarious was that he mentioned We Will Rock You as the album's anthem--except for the fact that We Will Rock You was on _News of the World_, not _Jazz_. Yeah, I agree. And hey, it served as the inspiration for _Thriller_, so at least one good thing came from it. :)
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I always thought that Dave Marsh Rolling Stone review said far more about him than it did about the band or the album he was reviewing. It's a horrible, hateful, poisonous review, utterly undeserved and not grounded in any sort of truth or reality. I worry about the mind that sees fascism in Queen's music; maybe he was just having a bad day when he wrote it! The whole review is really just a projection of his own preconceived ideas and prejudices about the band, rather than an objective assessment of the album. However, Jazz is a poor album in my opinion. The production is poor and sounds dated, and there's a peculiarly flat, lifeless drum sound. There are some decent tracks, but there are too many half-assed, mediocre ones, too. But - some people love the album, and rank it as one of their favourites. The beauty of Queen is the breadth and diversity of their music - stuff that some people love, others hate, and vice versa. For me, though, Jazz is by far their poorest album, and I would much rather listen to the much-maligned Hot Space any day. Fave Hot Space tracks: Staying Power, Cool Cat, Under Pressure, Las Palabras De Amor, Backchat, and, yes, BODY LANGUAGE. (I really like it.)
Whitestripe71 I agree. When I read it, I was immediately reminded of Lester Bangs' review of Black Sabbath's debut album, where he trashed the album and pegged the band as less talented Cream wannabes. So I looked it up, and wouldn't you know it, both of them were on the staff of the magazine _Creem_. In addition, Marsh is just as critical in most of his other reviews, calling Freddie Mercury's voice "barely passable" in his review of _A Day at the Races_, and has even referred to the Grateful Dead--one of the earliest influences for my own music--as "the worst band in creation." So obviously, he's one of those snobby music critics like Bangs and Robert Christgau who not only has very strong opinions about music, but also has terrible foresight. XD Again, I haven't heard _Jazz_, but I agree with you. Another good part of what makes Queen awesome is that, even at they're worst, they're still pretty damn good, and better than a lot of bands at their worst--or best, even! Hell, I know some people who hated _A Day at the Races_, but insisted that the soundtrack to _Flash Gordon_ was amazing. I love both albums, but it certainly shows you how accessible this band is for people and how great their albums are. :) Speaking of bad albums, any suggestions for what albums I can review next on "Was It Really That Bad?"
TheHappySpaceman Reviews great review and nice to see someone not following the sheep by saying this album was pure shit. People dissed this and my suggestion would be Twisted Sister's follow up to Stay Hungry, Come Out and Play.
Am I the only one that doesn't mind Adam Lambert fronting Queen? I mean, who else has the chops and charisma to sing in that band other than him? He may not have the "Rock" edge that Freddie had, but his range is stupid huge. I can understand why fans may not agree with it, and that's fair, but I think he does an admirable job.
Here's my ranking of all the songs (the video is also right here) th-cam.com/video/gMpbtJsGs_4/w-d-xo.html 11. Body Language 10. Cool Cat 9. Dancer 8. Calling All Girls 7. Put Out The Fire 6. Staying Power 5. Back Chat 4. Action This Day 3. Life Is Real (Song For Lennon) 2. Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love) 1. Under Pressure
Fantastic review - funnily enough it was my first Queen album & cos of that I rate it quite highly. Of course other Queen albums are better but I have a soft spot for it. On a slightly different note I like Body Language & dislike Cool Cat ... Horse for courses I guess Adios
Hey, to quote the Rock Critic, "The only opinion that really matters is your own." So that's fine by me if you like a song I dislike or dislike a song I like from this album. Interesting that this was your first Queen album. I'll admit that I always have a soft spot for the first album I ever hear from a band I like. For example, even though most people find _Discovery_ to be Daft Punk's best album, I still prefer _Random Access Memories_, the first DP album I heard. Same with me loving _The Resistance_ by Muse even though most people considered it a selling-out moment for the band. Thanks for watching!
I see two reasons why this album was so slammed: the lead single (Body Language) and the opening track (Staying Power). They both sounded NOTHING like what Queen has done before and i think they put most fans and critics off the most. If they kicked off the album with "Put out the Fire" as an album opener and a lead single, and these songs were just like songs number 7 and 10 on the album and never released as singles, they would be remembered as just another 'fillers' like for example "Fun It" or "Get Down Make Love" and nobody will make a big fuss about how bad or "different" they sound. Or you can just skip these songs. 43 minutes minus 8, it will be 35 minutes long, so the same as the full "The Game" album.
Technically, "Under Pressure" was the first single released from the album even though it was released a year before and nobody knew if it would be on _Hot Space_. But "Body Language" definitely hurt people's perception of the album. They should have started by releasing either "Put Out the Fire" or I dare even say "Back Chat" as a lead single (still one of my favorite underrated Brian May solos). I don't mind "Staying Power," though I know a lot of people don't like it. Still, a very insightful comment. Thanks for watching!
It’s not a bad album, a lot of the songs are great for dance clubs. However, to me it lacks the variety that Queen is known for like in The Game. Still, it’s a good album and I like a lot of the songs on it.
Ok i don't mind hot space it's ok for what is not there best album of course but it's ok. My favorite is a night at the Opera followed by innuendo then probably queen 2.
I really liked this video and I 100% agree! But really, RollingStone gave a low rating on news of the world and a day at the races?! I even saw that they gave a low rating jazz one of my favorite albums
+Dom da Moose Keep in mind, this was when music snobs like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau were considered the best music critics in the business, and when every band from Black Sabbath to Led Zeppelin were given negative ratings for the crime of not being Cream. I think Dave Marsh even called Queen a fascist rock band. Clearly this was before Godwin's Law was created, because he just broke it big time. XP Anyway, thanks for the comment! My next review is coming out in a few days, so look out for that.
Music critics have always hated Queen. What is funny now is that the same people who were saying they sucked, are now saying "It's not the same without Freddie" when they tour with another singer. Funny that Spaceman mentions Dave Marsh - he talks about Queen being bombastic and overblown, and then bigs up Springsteen. Don't get me wrong, I love Springsteen, but you can't reasonably complain about Queen's bombast then happily listen to Jungleland or Born To Run.
Yeah, it's like, "Wow, _now_ you're praising them? Maybe you should have done that when Freddie was still alive!" Oy... Dave Marsh was by far the most annoying of all those old-school music critics. Guy hated on Queen for no reason and also bashed a lot of other bands that are now seen as staples of classic rock.
True, haha. Everyone in the music review business back then, most notably Marsh, Robert Christgau, and Lester Bangs, was very opinionated and _very_ off-base a lot of the time. (I still can't believe Lester Bangs called Black Sabbath a ripoff of Cream, whom he also hated.) Maybe that's why if you read _Rolling Stone_ nowadays, critics rarely give albums anything below a 3/5--they don't want to embarrass themselves by bashing an album that could potentially become a classic later on!
I thought it was good, albeit a little jarring in the album's placement. Then again, on _A Night at the Opera_, my favorite album from them, the tracks were all over the place, so I guess I should expect this from them. :D
TheHappySpaceman Reviews John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy. It was SLAMMED when it was first released, but when John died it was seen as good, but I don't think it would've been seen as good if John never died. I like the album, what about you?
Ooh, good one. John Lennon's post-Beatles career was... mixed, to say the least. I haven't heard that album in particular, but I will definitely check it out.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews Some people say it is one of the few times when Yoko sounded good. I honestly don't mind Yoko, but I do agree, she sounds her best on this album!
yep one of my favourite despite body language. back chat, under pressure are my top songs in Hot Space but many people stil don't like it that much. really like the review though XD
Hell, I feel like Back Chat contains Brian May's most underrated solo. That's the point of this series after all, to look at albums that weren't treated well upon release and see if they were really that bad. :) I'm glad you enjoy my review! Next up is _Van Halen III_!
TheHappySpaceman Reviews exactly! people bitching about it's not the same Queen again, well it's the human nature to complain :D. yep i'll be waiting for the next review
Birdman I mean, it was obvious that we were _never_ going to get another _A Night at the Opera_. After _Hot Space_, I guess people figured that hey, even if it wasn't _A Night at the Opera_, it was still enjoyable, which is why their more middle-of-the-road stuff in the '80s (_The Works_, _A Kind of Magic_, _The Miracle_) was more successful than _Hot Space_. Still, with a better production and the removal of Body Language, _Hot Space_ could have been seen as a great album. As of now, we just have to settle for it being an underrated classic.
it's 2016, and i have always thought cool cat should have been released as the single. back chat was good. body language and staying power were obscene. freddie was deeply into his sex addiction during this album and it shows.
I agree. I don't even think it was played live; I can't find any clips of them playing the song. I totally agree about Body Language. Not as much with Staying Power, though I haven't really gone back and listened to the lyrics in a while, so that may have some effect on my perception of the song. Thanks for watching! I'm working on another one of these videos about _Van Halen III_ by Van Halen, so look forward to that!
kim s I personally can't stand cool cat I believe body language,cool cat, dancer and call all girls were pretty bad and sank the album.I don't like staying power on the album I much prefer the live version. If back chat had been released as the first single and body language was dropped I think the album would have been more of a success. Also as a little bit of info for you guys is that deacon didn't even want the guitar on any of his hot space songs. Releasing body language and calling all girls as singles killed the album due to the fact the songs are really bad and the videos were somehow worse. Put out the fire,action this day, the song for Lennon were also just bang average and don't stick.
MrJoeythebabykangaro personally i think life is real, under pressure, las palabras de amor, cool cat, back chat, action this day, and put out the fire are all really good
Sorry, not really into rock music... but Freddie Mercury voice is perfectly suited for funk. I wish he would have recorded more funkay music... and I loved the Hot Space album.
I've been looking forward to maybe reviewing either that or one of the post-Waters Floyd albums. Hey, I've already reviewed the infamous _The Wall - Live in Berlin_ TV special. I'm actually about to upload a review of the poorly received _Van Halen III_, so look out for that.
It's not a bad album....but it still symbolises their low point as a band...if you listen to it from start to finish then also read up about what was going on behind the scenes while it was recorded you'll understand why it doesn't really hold up next to anything they did before or after...
John Deacon was on fire on Hot Space, but the rest of the band (though they all still had a couple of highlights) weren’t giving it the all they could’ve been. Back Chat is a perfect example of this statement.
I don't think Body Language was the worst Queen song, that has to be Coming Soon from the Game (Sorry Roger). Rain Must Fall from The Miracle is pretty dire by Queen's usual standards tho it does have a guitar solo that saves it. Body Language is maybe my guilty pleasure. I think with Hot Space if you;re expecting another Queen II then you're going to be dissapointed. I was 13 when I became a Queen convert in 1984, I'm nuts on them. I love the horns on Staying Power, that's a song that just makes me want to move. Standout tracks for me are Back Chat, Action This Day, Las Palabras De Amor, Cool Cat, I just love the chilled out vibe, and Under Pressure. If as I;ve read it influenced Michael Jackson to make Thriller then Hot Space has created one of the biggest selling albums of all time if not the biggest!!
As a Queen album, is bad... or terrible. As what they pretended to do at that time, is very good. A very underrated album. I really like it. Accomplished what they had in mind in that moment and the songs are way too catchy. I've always thought Queen was a very bad managed band. I think they could have reached higher positions in the US or other countries of what they did. Very good video!!
No joke, I've been debating whether to give that album a review, because I'm not a fan of Kiss at all but I've heard plenty of things about that album's notoriety.
Queen fan from day one and I've gotta say that I like Hot Space. Body Language aside the rest of the album is strong. Back Chat is one of my favourite songs but then I'm a massinve fan of Deaky. As for Body Language being Queen's worst song I would suggest you listen to Thank God It's Christmas. Then again I don't rate many Xmas songs.
According to Wikipedia, the solo itself was by Brian May, but the rest of the guitar work on the song was done by John. And I agree, though even Queen's worst albums are better than some bands' best albums.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I think in the audio commentary of Back chat in Greatest video hits 2 Brian itself said that he didn't played the guitar solo, if i remember correctly. Anyway this is a great and funny review. Good work 👍
+Matthew Corcoran I don't entirely know. I'm almost done with my review of _The Wall: Live in Berlin_, but I'm still missing some key footage. It doesn't help that I'm also in the process of filming a new music video, writing the script for my next review, and simultaneously uploading my entire backlog to my Vimeo account after two of my reviews were taken down here for copyright. But I hope to have at least one of those done by October.
Hot Space was really Freddie's first solo album. There was nothing for Brian and Roger to do on most of the tracks, so who can blame them for hating it? When I saw "Body Language" on MTV back in the day, I was sad that Queen was over. It wasn't until recently that I found out their subsequent albums were worth it. Dr. May's solo on "Put Out the Fire" was recorded while he was drunk as hell and required many attempts. Hot Space? More like Hot Mess. Of course if it wasn't a Queen album, it wouldn't have been panned as mercilessly as it was. It should've just been a Freddie album.
Also, I think that since you stated that _Body Language_ was the best selling single from Hot Space, and the fact that it was the first single released from this album, it's probably because so many people who bought the single were unaware at the time that _Body Language_ was terrible, at least by Queen's normal standards.
Indeed, and depressingly so. A lot of people don't know that what they're buying is going to be absolute crap, like all those poor people who bought Metallica's _St. Anger_ and drove it up to #1 solely based on the statement that it would be a return to the band's thrash metal sound.
Also, even though the other songs on this album are at least okay, I have a feeling that Freddie was trying a bit too hard in making _Staying Power_ sound like _Another One Bites The Dust_, at least in the synthesized basslines. It may sound different, but there are points in it that kinda sound familiar. Other than that, _Staying Power_ is a decent start to _Hot Space_.
+Paula Zemeckis To clarify, I was not a fan of Body Language at all and thought that it temporarily brought down the album's momentum. But I did love _Hot Space_ overall.
+Flamestar320 power to the people Interesting thought. I never got that sense, though the success of Another One Bites the Dust certainly had a bit effect on the direction of this album. But Another One Bites the Dust didn't have a brass section, if I recall.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I understand, I said the song as a whole wasn't the exact same as _Another One Bites The Dust_, I said at least the synthesized Bass does feel kinda familiar.
Don't know if you have the prase "it never rains but it pours" in the US but in the UK it basically means you dont have bad days you only have really bad days.
+Daniel James Yeah, I know the phrase, though I've always heard it as "when it rains, it pours." I'm not entirely sure what this has to do with my review, though. Still, thanks a ton for watching!
I'm working on the script for one about _Van Halen III_. I figure I'll definitely continue this series, seeing how popular this video is in comparison to my usual reviews.
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews I have some suggestions for hated albums for you to review: Pop by U2 St Anger by Metallica Diabolis in Musica by Slayer All the Right Reasons by Nickelback Weathered by Creed
Demon Rantz I'll probably do at least _St. Anger_ and _Pop_. With bands like Nickelback and Creed, it might be rough because pretty much all of their discography is hated, so if I review one of their albums, I'll be asked to review all of them. I also have plans to look at _Chinese Democracy_ by Guns N' Roses and _Cut the Crap_ by The Clash.
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews Creed's first two albums were pretty well recieved and The Long Road by Nickelback was too despite it being post Silver Side Up.
Demon Rantz Eh, fair enough, but you get my point. I don't plan on reviewing more than one album by the same band here because it would take up too much time and I might spend a lot of time making the same criticisms over and over. ^^;
I actually really like Hot Space.. listen to it quite a lot :)
Same here! "Back Chat" has one of my favorite underrated Brian May solos.
@@THSReviews Hey mr spaceman, do you you think The Human League's Don't You Want Me possibly inspire Back Chat? That song came from 1981 and Hot Space came out in 1982 and they sound a bit similar
@@THSReviews Back Chat is a John Deacon song About Brian May. You stand so tall, you don't frighten me at all.
🎶Listen to it a lot.
Listens to it a hell of a lot🎶
@@THSReviews same
I actually love Hot Space it’s a great album and it shows Queen experimenting with the sounds of the early 80’s like they did with The Game
...and actually did also on their Flash Gordon Soundtrack from 1980. You can find many music themes & sounds that became popular in the 80s already on the Flash Gordon soundtrack.
If Hot Space was relesed today It would of fared a lot better than it did back in late spring 82
For real. I think disco hate still took a toll on a lot of this album.
I love that Isaac Hayes reference for the third song. XD
Also, "Cool Cat" sounds more reggae than disco to me.
Good review man.
70's sly porn ballad.
I love Hot Space so much, it's one of my favorite Queen albums. I always felt like it only got hate because it wasn't a typical rock record but it's honestly a very good album imo. It also inspired MJ to write Thiller.
Except for "Body Language" and "Action This Day", I like this album a lot. Highlights for me are "Back Chat", "Under Pressure", "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)", "Cool Cat" and "Dancer". I love that fact that Queen experimented with different styles and sound. This and each of their last 5 studio albums prior were very different from each other. Queen was very adventurous and rarely predictable!
Hot Space really wasn't bad, I like almost all the songs
Staying power on the album was alright, but the live version is SO good, probably the best live version song on this album
I don't really listen to Dancer, so I can't say much
Back Chat was pretty good, good guitar/drum solo on that one
I don't listen to Body Language, for reasons you probably know.. (I can't believe it charted #11 on the US Billboard.. almost as high as Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975 which charted at #9...)
I also don't really listen to Action This Day either, although the live version is pretty good
The second half of the album is probably the best
Put Out The Fire is really good, catchy and has a good message
Life Is Real I feel is underrated, I listen to it a lot
Calling All Girls I really like for some reason, I listen to it pretty often
Las Palabras De Amor is really good, many people like this one
Cool Cat I really like when i first heard it, but i don't listen to it much anymore
And of course Under Pressure Is of course one of the best (#1 In the UK)
Wow, your review is remarkable and thorough. And I love that you found so much to praise here instead of just blindly dismissing it--as well as the '80s and synths in general--as so many critics do. You've got a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!
SirHatchporch Thanks for subscribing to me! As a person who has had to suffer through all the bad pop music of the past few years, I feel that I have a little perspective on the songs from this album. Personally, I think that all the heavy backlash against disco was a huge overreaction, and that critics should've waited thirty years to start complaining about the direction of music. XD
That's the great thing about Queen's music, though: at their worst, they're still pretty good. And I definitely plan on reviewing other albums on "Was It Really That Bad?" Some of which will be good, others won't, but that's critiquing music for you! :)
I agree. I think pop music has hit a nadir right now. I sometimes think it's just my age speaking, but I'm glad to know that it isn't.
Do you take requests for album reviews?
SirHatchporch Yeah. We still get some good ones once in a while, but for the most part, pop songs have greatly decreased in quality.
I do, in fact! Though I mainly review movie musicals or movies related to music, but I will also be reviewing certain critically panned albums as part of "Was It Really That Bad?" Any requests?
(In case you're curious, up next on my agenda for WIRTB is _St. Anger_ by Metallica, _The Second Law_ by Muse, and _Cut the Crap_ by the Clash.)
TheHappySpaceman Reviews Oh, that "St. Anger" one should be fun. I'll have to think about requests and get back to you.
SirHatchporch
Alright, cool. I might not make these as often because I'm getting back to music videos, but on the other hand, I'm out of school, so I'll have more time! :D
Thank You. Fed Ex just delivered my recently ordered "Hot Space" cd - bought after reading Freddie did the cover art. Do hate seeing any negativity re QUEEN and/or Freddie Mercury thus agonised about watching this review. Thrilled with the wrap-up comments. Now to bask in uninterrupted listening of the entire CD. I love their obvious hard work, amazing talent and togetherness . . .love 'em.
Yeah, in general I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed the album. Not my favorite Queen album by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely nowhere near as bad as fans were making it out to be. Thanks for watching!
Las Palabras de Amor is what I imagine in my head as I frolic about in a field on a drug trip.
People may disagree with me, but I need to say this. John Deacon is one of the best rock bassists out there, almost as great if not greater than Paul McCartney in my opinion. He was very melodic in his bass playing and really liked to play on the higher frets to let his instrument be heard. In Queen's deep cuts especially, Deacon's playing is very tasteful. John Deacon's basslines got me to try to play bass myself.
No, you're right, he's fucking great
You're totally right
While I understand the lack of commercial appeal, its one of those records I think is really good for taking a new direction. Queen was always known for giving a complete album experience rather than producing a couple of radio hits and leaving the rest of the album buried in fillers. This record feels more like the latter with a few songs having that classic Queen sound while the rest are more synthesize driven. Personally I liked the fact they broaden their canvas and gave us a peek into new sounds. Not for everyone, but certainly shows how strong their skill level was to leave the parameters of what people were accustom to hearing. A vastly underrated album in my book.
Hot Space is one of my favourite Queen albums. Staying Power always gete pumped up. Great flow in that song. I even dig Body Language. I see that song more like a Freddie solotrack now. It engulfs itself in it's own sillyness.
I agree 100%. Staying Power is my favorite off the album, and I also quite like Body Language. It's awful, but I can't get enough of the vocals.
As a real queen fan I hated this lp when it came but 40 years later I actually really love it and the game is the one the best queen lps there is
*Video:* there's no any appealing thing in body language
*The bassline:* hold my beer
Hot Space is very underrated, I personally think Queen's least effective album is "A Kind of Magic." Great video!
Body Language is funny as hell.
It was ahead of its time.Great Queen songs include:Staying Power,Dancer,Las Palabra De Amour,Under Pressure,Cool Cat!Body Language.Also, if you listen to the live version of Put out the fire it sounds like a really good track.
Yes, it has Body Language in it, but it's a great album, I like it a lot. It's QUEEN!
Perhaps the funniest things on film is the beginning of the Back Chat video when Freddy comes dancing out! Hilarious!
It’s a great album and I’m into Queen over 40 years. I saw them live in 1986. The funk elements were a limp continuation from Another One Bites The Dust. Freddie was also into the gay scene at the time going to discotheques and that dance music was a big influence on him. His vocals on the album are outstanding. Body Language is based on Searching by a band called Change featuring Luther Vandross.
I think what makes Hot Space a little uneven is the dance tracks clashing with the rock tracks, for example Staying Power vs Put Out The Fire, the latter being the weaker song.
It’s still far more varied and entertaining than most albums by most bands today. Queen were at it for a decade and got a little confused. Plus they were all pulling in different directions. Overall it’s good fun and it has Las Palabras, Life Is Real and the brilliant Under Pressure. It’s a better album than The Game for sheer variety but The Game is a concise more even album. It’s 40 years old on 21 May this year! Amazing!
Thank you for a competent review. I've seen them in concert and they rock!
I love Hot Space i listen to it quite often and love that my favourite band gives me the options to listen to them in different genres.
2:08 What? News of the World and A Day at the Races are great albums.
I agree. I don't know why they weren't rated positively.
I don't know, Rolling Stone magazine all hated Queen but for no reason what so ever.
Rolling Stone Magazine, if I remember correctly had a review of the Jazz album in which they called it “fascist.”
hot space is a great album, under rated, and body language is tounge and cheek
I’ve grown to really like this album. I even like Body Language a lot!
Hot Space is not that bad it is an interesting album .. maybe a few songs could be a bit louder .. but other than that there are some cool songs .. still have the classic Under Pressure, las palabras de amor , Back chat is a cool tune , cool cat is funky.. is an interesting album ..not as good as The Game or The Works but better than any famous popular crap from nowadays.
All in all, great review, really enjoyable and informative. Now, time to nitpick:
The whole 'MJ said HS was influence' thing is just an urban myth spread by apologists. There's no evidence to suggest that. If Michael had any Queen influences on 'Thriller', they came from 'The Game' and earlier material, not from 'Hot Space'. As for 'Body Language', I agree it's an awful song, but there is indeed one redeeming quality about it: the vocal is amazing. It's a shame such a magnificent singer wasted time writing and performing on that tripe. The ending of 'Under Pressure' features Roger and David singing in harmony, not Freddie and David. It would've been lovely if Roger'd sung backing vocals for Bowie (when he did it live for 'Heroes' the combination of timbres was fantastic). Sadly, the chance is now gone forever.
+Sebas Tian Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm thinking of making more album reviews similar to this one.
Anyway, I didn't realize that the MJ part was a myth. O_o I read it on Wikipedia and saw it was mentioned in two sources, but looking it up now makes me realize that it's incorrect. Whoops!
That's true about Body Language's vocals. He does manage to convey the song's message, even if I'm not a fan of the song itself. In my opinion, a much better use of Freddie's vocals on a similarly themed song is on "Get Down, Make Love" from _News of the World_.
Also, I didn't realize that Roger sang on Under Pressure at all. I thought it was Freddie and David alone, but now that you mention it, it does kind of sound more like Roger in singing style and range. Oh well, I guess Freddie and David can now sing that together in the afterlife. :(
Again, thanks for watching it! If you have any thoughts about other albums to review in this similar "Was It Really That Bad?" style, feel free to tell me. (My next one is going to be the infamous _Van Halen III_.)
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews Yeah, those were only nitpicks but your research was mostly sound and I really like the way you put your ideas across. There's an a cappella mix of UP somewhere on the i-net, you can clearly hear the 'caring about ourselves...' bit sung by David and Roger; as for Wikipedia - the problem with anyone being able to edit is that it gives HS-apologists a chance to spread that absurd theory (which, to be fair, was even claimed by Dr May himself, and he's usually spot on, but not for this particular case).
I'm glad you're continuing the series. One I'd recommend is 'Division Bell'. So many people hate it but, to be honest, I quite like it. Sure, it's not 'Dark Side' or 'The Wall' but it's not lacklustre either - or maybe it is? Is this how Queen fans feel about HS? The plot thickens :D
*****
I'll have to check that mix out. And the part about Michael Jackson is cited by two sources on Wikipedia, but well, if Brian says it's true, then it makes sense that a lot of people would believe that myth. :P
I've heard a lot about _The Division Bell_. I've never listened to it all the way through, though I did listen to its disappointing spiritual successor, _The Endless River_. I might do a review of it, though, as I know it's pretty controversial among Pink Floyd fans who thought the group got worse after Roger Waters left. (To be fair, I also think that Roger Waters' solo material after he left PF wasn't anything spectacular--see my review of _The Wall - Live in Berlin_.) Keep in mind, though, that in some of these reviews, I will conclude that the album in question _was_ really that bad. ;)
Yeah, I mean some albums really *are* that bad, and it's alright to mention that as well. Regarding the two alleged sources on Wikipedia: one's a book (I've got a copy) that had zero MJ participation and which took the rumour and just ran with it assuming it was true, therefore not a reliable source (but some people believe anything that is published and printed). The other one is an article in Spanish which quotes MJ for Tchaikovsky's influence on it and then, without the inverted commas, adds a mention to HS, but that came from the journalist, not from Michael. My theory: again, he just believed the myth and ran with it.
*****
I see. Well, maybe I should have looked more closely into that! XD
Dancer is actually in my top 10 of my favorite queen songs
It sounds very much of its time, for better or for worse. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan so Hot Space is obviously my favorite Queen album of the 80's. Those juicy Deacon basslines remind me a lot of Tina Weymouth, I'm surprised that Back Chat hook hasn't been sampled to death. Rock audiences were too dumb to tell disco apart from new wave, but critics shouldn't be.
love this album.. and still hear under pressure on the radio all the time....
"Under Pressure" seems to be the last Queen song chronologically to be played on a lot of classic rock stations. I rarely ever hear anything from 1982 onward on the radio, which is a shame due to the truly great songs on a lot of later albums, like "Innuendo," "I Want It All," "Hammer to Fall," and "The Miracle."
genius of another kind.
Hot Space is not a bad album. It was out of character for Queen at the time. It threw people off.
Haha, Body Language is a guilty pleasure of mine. Great album, though...
+Opris Ovidiu I know this is months old, but thanks for the comment! I've gotten a few people here saying they liked Body Language, and while I can't say I see the appeal, music is subjective, like all art. And this is definitely one of Queen's most underrated albums, mostly because of the 1980s disco backlash.
Opris Ovidiu I like Body Language
I like Body Language too , I guess most Queen fans don’t like it because it was different from the kind of stuff they did in the 70s The reason why Body Language hit # 11 is because record buyers liked it that much. It didn’t stay in the top 40 that long though...
Hot space is my number one queen album! I love it. It's staying in power for me as number one
So you could say this album's got... staying power? ;)
I'm entirely with you on that. Staying Power might honestly be my favorite Queen song.
Just found this video and love it!!! You are so bang on about this album!!!!
I've been hooked on Queen for over 20 yrs if your a Queen fan you love it
I certainly did enjoy this album more than a lot of Queen fans did. :)
I enjoyed this! And, for my sins, I enjoy Hot Space too (always have). I found it considerably more enjoyable than Queen's MOR leanings through the rest of the 1980's before the return to form with Innuendo.
Any more of these videos on the horizon?
Perry Hewitt Hm, I don't know about any more installments of "Was It Really That Bad?" I tried getting through _St. Anger_, but I really couldn't. XD Maybe someday. As for other videos, though, I'm actually working on a review of Roger Waters' _The Wall: Live in Berlin_, which should be fun.
+Perry Hewitt In case you're interested: th-cam.com/video/fyd8bvYViK8/w-d-xo.html
Is it Hot up there in Space?
_i'm sorry_
F that i love body language. Another cool bass track.
This is my first time hearing some of the songs here and I gotta say this album sounds grade A
It really is, honestly. IMO, the album is only "bad" by Queen standards, which is still great by most bands' standards.
@@THSReviews update, just listened to the whole album on my shift, and I still stand by my opinion. It is Grade A. I’m not including the + because of “body language”
Under Pressure was released a year before on their Greatest Hits album from 1981. Unusual for a new song to appear on a Greatest Hits album then re-appear on the next studio album.
I want to be your friend.
I actually love Hot Space -
it does a lot more for me than let's say "Miracle" or "Kind of Magic"!
It's definitely one of their weaker albums, but it's actually still very good. At least Body Language is so awful its fun
Great video. Love your rocking out to the awesome Backchat guitar solo!
I think you give a fair assessment of the album. I always quite liked it, but I understand why some people don't. A criticism I could maybe level at it is that it lacks obvious high points, truly classic tracks - apart from Under Pressure, but I think it holds up well, the production is good, and I think it's a far better album than Jazz, which I think ranks as Queen's worst album.
So maybe it is a flawed, uneven album, an experiment that didn't quite work, but I think this album deserves better than the awful reputation it has.
I even like Body Language! (although I think it was a disastrous choice as a lead single.)
Whitestripe71 :) Thanks! I plan on making more videos like this in the future, albeit with some albums, I will say, "yeah, it was really that bad." But with this album, I don't know. Personally, I think if Queen had removed "Body Language" from the album or at least hadn't released it as the leading single, the album wouldn't have been hated as much. XD
The album's high points for me are Put Out the Fire, Back Chat, and Under Pressure. I haven't heard _Jazz_ (apart from Fat Bottomed Girls, Bicycle Race, and Don't Stop Me Now), so I wouldn't know about it being bad. The most I know about _Jazz_ was the scathing review _Rolling Stone_ gave it, where the reviewer calls Freddie's voice "throat-scratching," says that the band regards people in general as nothing but objects, and calls them a "fascist rock band," saying "The whole thing makes me wonder why anyone would indulge these creeps and their polluting ideas." But what really struck me as hilarious was that he mentioned We Will Rock You as the album's anthem--except for the fact that We Will Rock You was on _News of the World_, not _Jazz_.
Yeah, I agree. And hey, it served as the inspiration for _Thriller_, so at least one good thing came from it. :)
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I always thought that Dave Marsh Rolling Stone review said far more about him than it did about the band or the album he was reviewing. It's a horrible, hateful, poisonous review, utterly undeserved and not grounded in any sort of truth or reality. I worry about the mind that sees fascism in Queen's music; maybe he was just having a bad day when he wrote it! The whole review is really just a projection of his own preconceived ideas and prejudices about the band, rather than an objective assessment of the album.
However, Jazz is a poor album in my opinion. The production is poor and sounds dated, and there's a peculiarly flat, lifeless drum sound. There are some decent tracks, but there are too many half-assed, mediocre ones, too. But - some people love the album, and rank it as one of their favourites. The beauty of Queen is the breadth and diversity of their music - stuff that some people love, others hate, and vice versa. For me, though, Jazz is by far their poorest album, and I would much rather listen to the much-maligned Hot Space any day.
Fave Hot Space tracks: Staying Power, Cool Cat, Under Pressure, Las Palabras De Amor, Backchat, and, yes, BODY LANGUAGE. (I really like it.)
Whitestripe71 I agree. When I read it, I was immediately reminded of Lester Bangs' review of Black Sabbath's debut album, where he trashed the album and pegged the band as less talented Cream wannabes. So I looked it up, and wouldn't you know it, both of them were on the staff of the magazine _Creem_. In addition, Marsh is just as critical in most of his other reviews, calling Freddie Mercury's voice "barely passable" in his review of _A Day at the Races_, and has even referred to the Grateful Dead--one of the earliest influences for my own music--as "the worst band in creation." So obviously, he's one of those snobby music critics like Bangs and Robert Christgau who not only has very strong opinions about music, but also has terrible foresight. XD
Again, I haven't heard _Jazz_, but I agree with you. Another good part of what makes Queen awesome is that, even at they're worst, they're still pretty damn good, and better than a lot of bands at their worst--or best, even! Hell, I know some people who hated _A Day at the Races_, but insisted that the soundtrack to _Flash Gordon_ was amazing. I love both albums, but it certainly shows you how accessible this band is for people and how great their albums are. :)
Speaking of bad albums, any suggestions for what albums I can review next on "Was It Really That Bad?"
TheHappySpaceman Reviews great review and nice to see someone not following the sheep by saying this album was pure shit. People dissed this and my suggestion would be Twisted Sister's follow up to Stay Hungry, Come Out and Play.
charlton mcmillen
Huh, haven't heard that one. I'll check it out!
13:57 Lol that was my same reaction to THX when I first heard it!
Watching this makes me want to listen to this album.
I like how this album is starting to get a reevaluation. It deserves it, IMO.
Am I the only one that doesn't mind Adam Lambert fronting Queen? I mean, who else has the chops and charisma to sing in that band other than him? He may not have the "Rock" edge that Freddie had, but his range is stupid huge. I can understand why fans may not agree with it, and that's fair, but I think he does an admirable job.
He's a great singer, just not a good fit for Queen.
Here's my ranking of all the songs (the video is also right here) th-cam.com/video/gMpbtJsGs_4/w-d-xo.html
11. Body Language
10. Cool Cat
9. Dancer
8. Calling All Girls
7. Put Out The Fire
6. Staying Power
5. Back Chat
4. Action This Day
3. Life Is Real (Song For Lennon)
2. Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love)
1. Under Pressure
Fantastic review - funnily enough it was my first Queen album & cos of that I rate it quite highly. Of course other Queen albums are better but I have a soft spot for it.
On a slightly different note I like Body Language & dislike Cool Cat ...
Horse for courses I guess
Adios
Hey, to quote the Rock Critic, "The only opinion that really matters is your own." So that's fine by me if you like a song I dislike or dislike a song I like from this album.
Interesting that this was your first Queen album. I'll admit that I always have a soft spot for the first album I ever hear from a band I like. For example, even though most people find _Discovery_ to be Daft Punk's best album, I still prefer _Random Access Memories_, the first DP album I heard. Same with me loving _The Resistance_ by Muse even though most people considered it a selling-out moment for the band.
Thanks for watching!
I see two reasons why this album was so slammed: the lead single (Body Language) and the opening track (Staying Power). They both sounded NOTHING like what Queen has done before and i think they put most fans and critics off the most. If they kicked off the album with "Put out the Fire" as an album opener and a lead single, and these songs were just like songs number 7 and 10 on the album and never released as singles, they would be remembered as just another 'fillers' like for example "Fun It" or "Get Down Make Love" and nobody will make a big fuss about how bad or "different" they sound. Or you can just skip these songs. 43 minutes minus 8, it will be 35 minutes long, so the same as the full "The Game" album.
Technically, "Under Pressure" was the first single released from the album even though it was released a year before and nobody knew if it would be on _Hot Space_. But "Body Language" definitely hurt people's perception of the album. They should have started by releasing either "Put Out the Fire" or I dare even say "Back Chat" as a lead single (still one of my favorite underrated Brian May solos). I don't mind "Staying Power," though I know a lot of people don't like it.
Still, a very insightful comment. Thanks for watching!
Did Queen ever do "Body Language" live? I couldn't find any performances of it. Not saying they _didn't_, I'm just curious.
Great 80s album all the tracks are good and tight and show queens dexterous diversity of styles. Great review cheers.
i have always liked this album
It’s not a bad album, a lot of the songs are great for dance clubs. However, to me it lacks the variety that Queen is known for like in The Game. Still, it’s a good album and I like a lot of the songs on it.
The guitar work on Dancer is phenomenal.
Ok i don't mind hot space it's ok for what is not there best album of course but it's ok. My favorite is a night at the Opera followed by innuendo then probably queen 2.
I really liked this video and I 100% agree! But really, RollingStone gave a low rating on news of the world and a day at the races?! I even saw that they gave a low rating jazz one of my favorite albums
+Dom da Moose Keep in mind, this was when music snobs like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau were considered the best music critics in the business, and when every band from Black Sabbath to Led Zeppelin were given negative ratings for the crime of not being Cream. I think Dave Marsh even called Queen a fascist rock band. Clearly this was before Godwin's Law was created, because he just broke it big time. XP
Anyway, thanks for the comment! My next review is coming out in a few days, so look out for that.
Music critics have always hated Queen. What is funny now is that the same people who were saying they sucked, are now saying "It's not the same without Freddie" when they tour with another singer.
Funny that Spaceman mentions Dave Marsh - he talks about Queen being bombastic and overblown, and then bigs up Springsteen. Don't get me wrong, I love Springsteen, but you can't reasonably complain about Queen's bombast then happily listen to Jungleland or Born To Run.
Yeah, it's like, "Wow, _now_ you're praising them? Maybe you should have done that when Freddie was still alive!" Oy...
Dave Marsh was by far the most annoying of all those old-school music critics. Guy hated on Queen for no reason and also bashed a lot of other bands that are now seen as staples of classic rock.
There are old skool critics who aren't annoying?! Haha!
True, haha. Everyone in the music review business back then, most notably Marsh, Robert Christgau, and Lester Bangs, was very opinionated and _very_ off-base a lot of the time. (I still can't believe Lester Bangs called Black Sabbath a ripoff of Cream, whom he also hated.) Maybe that's why if you read _Rolling Stone_ nowadays, critics rarely give albums anything below a 3/5--they don't want to embarrass themselves by bashing an album that could potentially become a classic later on!
Las palabras de amor is amazing
the words of love is fucking awesome I mean awesome
I thought it was good, albeit a little jarring in the album's placement. Then again, on _A Night at the Opera_, my favorite album from them, the tracks were all over the place, so I guess I should expect this from them. :D
Greaaaat and honest review!!Accurate!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Any other albums you think I should spotlight for Was It Really That Bad?
TheHappySpaceman Reviews
John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy. It was SLAMMED when it was first released, but when John died it was seen as good, but I don't think it would've been seen as good if John never died. I like the album, what about you?
Ooh, good one. John Lennon's post-Beatles career was... mixed, to say the least. I haven't heard that album in particular, but I will definitely check it out.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews Some people say it is one of the few times when Yoko sounded good. I honestly don't mind Yoko, but I do agree, she sounds her best on this album!
yep one of my favourite despite body language. back chat, under pressure are my top songs in Hot Space but many people stil don't like it that much. really like the review though XD
Hell, I feel like Back Chat contains Brian May's most underrated solo. That's the point of this series after all, to look at albums that weren't treated well upon release and see if they were really that bad. :)
I'm glad you enjoy my review! Next up is _Van Halen III_!
TheHappySpaceman Reviews exactly! people bitching about it's not the same Queen again, well it's the human nature to complain :D. yep i'll be waiting for the next review
Birdman
I mean, it was obvious that we were _never_ going to get another _A Night at the Opera_. After _Hot Space_, I guess people figured that hey, even if it wasn't _A Night at the Opera_, it was still enjoyable, which is why their more middle-of-the-road stuff in the '80s (_The Works_, _A Kind of Magic_, _The Miracle_) was more successful than _Hot Space_. Still, with a better production and the removal of Body Language, _Hot Space_ could have been seen as a great album. As of now, we just have to settle for it being an underrated classic.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews exactly! thank you for the respond
Birdman
No problem. I usually try to respond to my viewers' comments.
Speaking of which, look forward to a review of _Labyrinth_ tonight.
The song & video for Calling All Girls is a very subtle reveal about the deep otherworldly agendas of our hidden controller overlords.
I love Hot Space. Thanks for this video!
Thanks for watching! This album is sorely underrated as far as Queen albums go.
I don't count Under Pressure as on this album because it was the second time Queen put Under Pressure on an album.
it's 2016, and i have always thought cool cat should have been released as the single.
back chat was good. body language and staying power were obscene. freddie was deeply into his sex addiction during this album and it shows.
I agree. I don't even think it was played live; I can't find any clips of them playing the song.
I totally agree about Body Language. Not as much with Staying Power, though I haven't really gone back and listened to the lyrics in a while, so that may have some effect on my perception of the song.
Thanks for watching! I'm working on another one of these videos about _Van Halen III_ by Van Halen, so look forward to that!
kim s I personally can't stand cool cat I believe body language,cool cat, dancer and call all girls were pretty bad and sank the album.I don't like staying power on the album I much prefer the live version. If back chat had been released as the first single and body language was dropped I think the album would have been more of a success. Also as a little bit of info for you guys is that deacon didn't even want the guitar on any of his hot space songs. Releasing body language and calling all girls as singles killed the album due to the fact the songs are really bad and the videos were somehow worse. Put out the fire,action this day, the song for Lennon were also just bang average and don't stick.
this album is amazing.
The live versions of these songs kick ass - rockier arrangements suit them better.
That, we can both agree on.
What did a day at the races and a news of the world do
Hot Space was interesting but that's it. Calling All Girls is good, Life Is Real, Under Pressure. That's really it for the decent stuff.
Eh, you have your opinion and I have mine. I personally think this album was hated way too much. :)
MrJoeythebabykangaro personally i think life is real, under pressure, las palabras de amor, cool cat, back chat, action this day, and put out the fire are all really good
Sorry, not really into rock music... but Freddie Mercury voice is perfectly suited for funk. I wish he would have recorded more funkay music... and I loved the Hot Space album.
Hey man great review! Can you do Pink Floyd's the Final Cut? It came out in 1983 after The Wall and its aged POORLY!
I've been looking forward to maybe reviewing either that or one of the post-Waters Floyd albums. Hey, I've already reviewed the infamous _The Wall - Live in Berlin_ TV special.
I'm actually about to upload a review of the poorly received _Van Halen III_, so look out for that.
It's not a bad album....but it still symbolises their low point as a band...if you listen to it from start to finish then also read up about what was going on behind the scenes while it was recorded you'll understand why it doesn't really hold up next to anything they did before or after...
John Deacon was on fire on Hot Space, but the rest of the band (though they all still had a couple of highlights) weren’t giving it the all they could’ve been. Back Chat is a perfect example of this statement.
Not my favorite but I enjoy it. That said I'm glad they went back to basics with their next album The Works.
Who says this albums was the downfall of their career? I here Radio Ga Ga on the radio all the time.
I don't think Body Language was the worst Queen song, that has to be Coming Soon from the Game (Sorry Roger). Rain Must Fall from The Miracle is pretty dire by Queen's usual standards tho it does have a guitar solo that saves it. Body Language is maybe my guilty pleasure. I think with Hot Space if you;re expecting another Queen II then you're going to be dissapointed. I was 13 when I became a Queen convert in 1984, I'm nuts on them. I love the horns on Staying Power, that's a song that just makes me want to move. Standout tracks for me are Back Chat, Action This Day, Las Palabras De Amor, Cool Cat, I just love the chilled out vibe, and Under Pressure. If as I;ve read it influenced Michael Jackson to make Thriller then Hot Space has created one of the biggest selling albums of all time if not the biggest!!
As a Queen album, is bad... or terrible. As what they pretended to do at that time, is very good. A very underrated album. I really like it. Accomplished what they had in mind in that moment and the songs are way too catchy. I've always thought Queen was a very bad managed band. I think they could have reached higher positions in the US or other countries of what they did. Very good video!!
These are great.. You`ll love Kiss` Music From The Elder
No joke, I've been debating whether to give that album a review, because I'm not a fan of Kiss at all but I've heard plenty of things about that album's notoriety.
Queen fan from day one and I've gotta say that I like Hot Space. Body Language aside the rest of the album is strong. Back Chat is one of my favourite songs but then I'm a massinve fan of Deaky. As for Body Language being Queen's worst song I would suggest you listen to Thank God It's Christmas. Then again I don't rate many Xmas songs.
Your hilarious!😂 love your channel!
FUCK YES
John Deacon is so underrated
John Deacon's basslines and songwriting are a big part of what made Queen's sound so distinct.
Excellent review.
It's Queen's worst album, but on it's own it's not that bad (Under Pressure to the rescue). And Back chat's guitar solo it's by John Deacon.
According to Wikipedia, the solo itself was by Brian May, but the rest of the guitar work on the song was done by John. And I agree, though even Queen's worst albums are better than some bands' best albums.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I think in the audio commentary of Back chat in Greatest video hits 2 Brian itself said that he didn't played the guitar solo, if i remember correctly. Anyway this is a great and funny review. Good work 👍
I think this is their best album
When's your next review?!?!
+Matthew Corcoran I don't entirely know. I'm almost done with my review of _The Wall: Live in Berlin_, but I'm still missing some key footage. It doesn't help that I'm also in the process of filming a new music video, writing the script for my next review, and simultaneously uploading my entire backlog to my Vimeo account after two of my reviews were taken down here for copyright. But I hope to have at least one of those done by October.
+Matthew Corcoran In case you're interested: th-cam.com/video/fyd8bvYViK8/w-d-xo.html
So if your on the moon..how do you know we listening.:?
Magic reviewer powers. :3
Can you do a review on Bowies Tonight and Never Let Me Down ?
Hot Space was really Freddie's first solo album. There was nothing for Brian and Roger to do on most of the tracks, so who can blame them for hating it? When I saw "Body Language" on MTV back in the day, I was sad that Queen was over. It wasn't until recently that I found out their subsequent albums were worth it. Dr. May's solo on "Put Out the Fire" was recorded while he was drunk as hell and required many attempts. Hot Space? More like Hot Mess. Of course if it wasn't a Queen album, it wouldn't have been panned as mercilessly as it was. It should've just been a Freddie album.
Also, I think that since you stated that _Body Language_ was the best selling single from Hot Space, and the fact that it was the first single released from this album, it's probably because so many people who bought the single were unaware at the time that _Body Language_ was terrible, at least by Queen's normal standards.
Indeed, and depressingly so. A lot of people don't know that what they're buying is going to be absolute crap, like all those poor people who bought Metallica's _St. Anger_ and drove it up to #1 solely based on the statement that it would be a return to the band's thrash metal sound.
Also, even though the other songs on this album are at least okay, I have a feeling that Freddie was trying a bit too hard in making _Staying Power_ sound like _Another One Bites The Dust_, at least in the synthesized basslines. It may sound different, but there are points in it that kinda sound familiar. Other than that, _Staying Power_ is a decent start to _Hot Space_.
+Paula Zemeckis To clarify, I was not a fan of Body Language at all and thought that it temporarily brought down the album's momentum. But I did love _Hot Space_ overall.
+Flamestar320 power to the people Interesting thought. I never got that sense, though the success of Another One Bites the Dust certainly had a bit effect on the direction of this album. But Another One Bites the Dust didn't have a brass section, if I recall.
TheHappySpaceman Reviews I understand, I said the song as a whole wasn't the exact same as _Another One Bites The Dust_, I said at least the synthesized Bass does feel kinda familiar.
Don't know if you have the prase "it never rains but it pours" in the US but in the UK it basically means you dont have bad days you only have really bad days.
note: love the review.
+Daniel James Yeah, I know the phrase, though I've always heard it as "when it rains, it pours." I'm not entirely sure what this has to do with my review, though.
Still, thanks a ton for watching!
Do more reviews in this series!
I'm working on the script for one about _Van Halen III_. I figure I'll definitely continue this series, seeing how popular this video is in comparison to my usual reviews.
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews I have some suggestions for hated albums for you to review:
Pop by U2
St Anger by Metallica
Diabolis in Musica by Slayer
All the Right Reasons by Nickelback
Weathered by Creed
Demon Rantz
I'll probably do at least _St. Anger_ and _Pop_. With bands like Nickelback and Creed, it might be rough because pretty much all of their discography is hated, so if I review one of their albums, I'll be asked to review all of them.
I also have plans to look at _Chinese Democracy_ by Guns N' Roses and _Cut the Crap_ by The Clash.
+TheHappySpaceman Reviews Creed's first two albums were pretty well recieved and The Long Road by Nickelback was too despite it being post Silver Side Up.
Demon Rantz
Eh, fair enough, but you get my point. I don't plan on reviewing more than one album by the same band here because it would take up too much time and I might spend a lot of time making the same criticisms over and over. ^^;
body language is the only song I like thought besides under pressure
Interesting. A lot of people here seem to like that album. Me, personally, I can't say I see the appeal, but eh, to each his own. :)
Hahaha i like that album. Cool bass.
I like to think if Hot Space weren’t made then we wouldn’t have gotten The Works :)
The guitar solo is played by John Deacon according people.
That's odd, I remember reading that the rhythm guitars on that song were all John, but he brought May in to perform the solo.
love it
2:43 to be fair, from the clips I’ve seen and heard he was pretty good
Hot pace sounds little similar to MJ