The New Mix of Queen I - A Roaring Success or An Absolute Stinker?

[@benwilliams5492]

I didn’t pay much mind to “Queen” until the new set was announced and listened to the original mix again and fell in love with it and so went out and bought a decent Fame label reissue which sounds perfect. No remix needed for me.

[@Stonecutter334]

Remixes in general suck. I despise the Giles Martin crap. Who the hell does he think he is anyway? John and George are gone and the disrespect for his dad is off the charts.

[@rodacampos]

People exaggerate and talk about it as if they would never have the chance to listen to the original again. As if the new mix replaced the original for good. I am thrilled to be able to listen to a "new version". Somethings are nice, others not so much, but overall I am glad they are providing new takes for the fans.

[@RoverWaters]

true

[@mbignell1]

Guitar and drums elevated? Freddie pitch corrected? Deacy buried? Colour me surprised. They aren't getting my hard earned. Good review Darren.

[@kevcatnip7589]

BRIAN MAY amused me in his review of this Praising everyones photos except DEACY BEING DEACY,,, Prety childish

[@digmacdiggydoo]

But is Deacon John still the bass player?

[@benjamindeavenport5980]

I don't think it's enough of a difference that it needs this much consideration. I have the original version on vinyl, CD, and this one on vinyl. If you don't want the new offering then by all means don't buy it. It's that simple really.

[@ushumans5751]

Wow…the character and nuance of Freddie’s voice has actually been stripped away here; in places some of the vocals just don’t sound like him at all; almost like a singer in a covers band and weirdly, more like Brian Mays voice in some passages?! This is especially evident on the quieter passages of Doing Alright, Night Comes Down and My Fairy King… The whole thing is seriously sanitised and as this very measured review already suggests, some of the drum sound choices are very questionable, the bass drive is lost, the guitars and drums are overly prominent with unnecessary veneer and ultimately the heart of the recording has most definitely been lost?!! Disappointing? Whether it’s an ego thing on the part of Brian and Roger or just that their hearing isn’t quite as accurate and honed as it once was I really don’t know, all I know is that all in all, it’s really quite sad… 🤷😞✨

[@markwade2530]

The debut Queen album, to me, reeks of patchouli oil, incense & flared pants. I'm guessing this new version is more essential oils, fabreze & Gucci suits.

[@raymondmitchell7582]

Brilliant, I would agree with that 🤣

[@MichaelWebb-py6jd]

I’ve listened to the new mix and I completely agree. They literally sucked all the power out of the songs. I couldn’t believe what they did to Great King Rat. This is a horrible mix. The original had more power and its flaws were part of its charm and why I loved it. Now it’s too slick and too polished. No aggression to the playing. I just hope this won’t wind up being the only one you will be able to buy like what Genesis did to their albums with their awful remixes.

[@michaelleen2940]

Excellent review Darren! My decision is clear now: i stick to the original. Raw and uncompromised! Greetings frrom Holland

[@deanmichaels4262]

Your right it's not Queen I it's called Queen. It's probably an indication of how they was going to mess around with this album and mess it up. Not for me i will stick with my 2011 remastered version.

[@zylbher1]

What is your opinión about the beatles remixes done by Giles Martin ? Do You prefer them over this Queen remix ?

[@kevcatnip7589]

Seems to have returned to the gappy hollow remixes back in the 90s

[@Runicen]

Still stunned by the apparently lack of care applied to this. Remixes can at least be an interesting alternative. This sounds like amateur hour and I don't know how the Queen camp gave it the green light. The debut was sonically weak, but still a great experience as a listen when the mood struck. Now that mood has been torpedoed. Damn shame.

[@user-wd1wc2kv7d]

I'd be interested in a 50:50 layered blend of old and new, maybe the best of both worlds?

[@DarrellGregory]

The new drums are overpowering on the 2024 mix, it's like sitting next to a jackhammer for 42 minutes.

[@MRFThorne]

That would be my biggest criticism as well.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I was looking forward to this review all week! It’s a strange mix but I did enjoy certain elements of it. The original is the best as it’s the sound of soul of the band. The bass is definitely lacking too.

[@JamesNetwood]

I like the new Liar version. It's supposed to be in your face. My Fairy King is very flat. I think they just added volume to the louder songs and didn't know what to do with the twee songs.

[@ianbuxton525]

Interesting review. Thank you. I havent listened to it as it will hopefully arrive for Christmas. Queen and Queen II are my all time favourite albums, the only two in my car. I love the sound of the drums and the albums as they are. I am interested to hear the whole album as Brian and Roger want it to sound but it will be a different product. Queen I is not Queen, it is an alternative universe of what it could have been and this is interesting even if I end up not liking it. As for the instrumental, if an aspiring singer wants to sing along that is for them. I would also enjoy listening in more detail to the other parts that sometimes get hidden by the vocals. My wish would be for the whole of the master to be digitised and available so the individual takes and tracks could be pored over. I look forward to the box set and the book to celebrate my favourite songs.

[@lexpeters735]

I'm still waiting for my copy in Australia. Did you listen to this on a dedicated stereo system or streaming?

[@MichaelLees-libertus]

I personally thought the mixes are ok, just listened to it, got to say the outtake of great King rat is superb, plus of course a decent version of hangman

[@MRFThorne]

I have heard Queen (the debut album) hundreds of times, and listening to this, I no longer recognise the music. That's how bad it is/"serious" the situation is.

[@AndresGrimace]

It's the same old great songs we all love, just a little different. Son And Daughter and Jesus are better than in the original. Disc 3 is great and the live versions of not so known songs are awesome!

[@robk236]

Hi. You know, the other day after having seen Dr May's preview of the album package, I took a walk with some music. My original mix of "Queen* played thru my Bose ear buds and I thought as I always have. The mix as it is is not bad at all. I've heard KZbin mixes of a much improved Queen II (for the most part). That album, Night, and Jazz could use a redo just to push the sound forward some. As far as the renaming, I wonder if doing so prevents whomever at the old Trident from getting a share of the proceeds from sales of the new package. On a side note, the way you react to the remixes is similar to my reaction to the Ray Wilson remixes of the Genesis albums.

[@TheDarrenLock]

Ray Wilson didn’t remix the Genesis albums. They were remixed by Nick Davis, supervised by Tony Banks and all mixes approved by all members of the band on the album at the time.

[@DRRwine]

Original Queen LP mix sucked. As bad as most LPs of that time. Horrible drums, muddled midrange, no clarity, just annoyingly low-fi. It’s about time! Loving this mix.

[@yorkie984]

Before I heard it, I was hoping they might do this to all the albums, or at least the first five, but now I hope they don't. Queen II maybe, I'm interested what they can do with that as it has a very similar sound and was recorded under similar conditions, which held it back sonically somewhat at the time but after that, I think leave well alone, Sheer Heart Attack doesn't need improving, and absolutely do not even think about touching ANATO! Like, just DO NOT!! Imagine the carnage if they try to remix Bho Rhap.. For me, the biggest spoiler in this album is the drums, seriously over processed, and that snare?! What.. The.. Hell..?! I'm not even sure it's authentic, it's too consistent and homogenised, it's a totally different note and timbre from the original, I think it's been overdubbed from another source. I'm not entirely disappointed, there is a bit more space and room in this mix and much of the vocals are clearer and detail previously unheard is revealed, lifted from the fog of what used to be a very saturated, shrill, guitar heavy mix which is nice to hear but I just think they lost a lot of the rawness of the original and I just HATE the drums throughout. I give it a 6/10 overall. Not an entirely wasted £150 (think goodness it was the wife's money spent on it as a birthday present) and I think I will go again if they give the same treatment to Queen II, (we'll have to see about SHA) but hopefully after taking feedback from critics of this release and adjusting accordingly. Having heard your remixes, and knowing there is only so much new detail you can gain with a stem puller over having the original multi-tracks to go back to, I think you have done an excellent job, far closer to what I was expecting this release to sound like. This remix, is far more respectful of the original whilst offering a far tighter and more detailed and airy mix than the original, definitely gaining detail and space over the original, all done without those godawful fatiguing drums in the official remix. I'd love to hear what you could do if you were trusted with the original stems..

[@darrenpeacock2611]

Hello Darren, I know you have the Queen box set and I wondered if there’s a place to buy the Queen II two lp version on its own. That’s my favorite Queen record. Great review.

[@TheDarrenLock]

EBay or Disogs would probably be your only bet!

[@AndresGrimace]

Queen II is my fav too. Such an underrated masterpiece. I would love if they could improve (remaster) the album and get promoted as Queen 1. The album needs more people to listen to it, but i'm not so sure about a new remix...

[@leefordham725]

You say 2 LP version but the only 2 disc one is the 2 single-sided one (1 white, 1 Black) that came in The Studio Collection Box Set of 2015. It's not a 4-sided, tracks spread out for higher fidelity configuration, so the sound is exactly the same as the 1 LP version 2015 Remaster, but they look great. eBay or other auction sites are your best bet , but because it was part of The Studio Collection box Discogs prohibit anyone from listing it, or any of the other coloured LP's, on their site separately.

[@darrenpeacock2611]

@@leefordham725 Oh ok, is that how’s it’s pressed? I didn’t know that. Thanks.

[@jupitermadcat]

I have the queen 40 box sets with the 2011 remasters they all sound great to my ears. I don’t know what the purpose of this was.

[@TheDarrenLock]

I had those before I got the big vinyl box set and they are very good! 👍

[@zachjohnson637]

The De Lane Lea demos sound a lot better than previous releases. Whatever they did to those is all they should have done to the album itself. I’ll buy the set for the outtakes and demos, because I love Queen and this album, but I’ll never listen to the remix. I don’t really like the idea of remixes in the first place, but the pitch correction to Freddie’s vocals is blasphemous.

[@jacobh1867]

Next up Queen II : The Stripped Back Version, because..."We were never happy with how over-produced it was". They've thrown poor ole Roy Thomas Baker under the bus a bit with statements about this release, so why not hit him again🙄

[@sirgilmour]

But if you think about it, Pink Floyd made Animals (2018) sound modern and it's a good thing because I now have two different versions of my favorite album depending on which flavor I feel. Same could be said about this one, unless they really missed the boat on the Queen 2024 mix and made it unlistenable. I'll listen to it today to see if it bothers me.

[@professorwalter1284]

You’d think with all the tech and knowledge they could make it good and keep the essence, but nooooo!! Disappointed but not surprised.

[@jj-xt1yz]

I suspect the drums have been redone. The snare sound is very contemporary. Its no coincidence that they have sold the rights to Sony for £1b There will probably be remixes of the entire catalogue I fear we that will be it for us Queen fans. Live performances are looking less likely as time passes and Brian's health issues raise questions about tour insurance 😢

[@terryjohnson5275]

I think there are 150 reasons for this set existing- and surprise surprise the 2 cd version doesnt have the two or three tracks that a completist would want - and ok Mad the Swine wasnt on the original , but why spoil the running order. And yes Ive heard it due to the wonders of the internet - Id have bought a 1 cd version with three of the unreleased live tracks on it , just for completisms sake, but no not for me thanks.

[@sjord67]

A previous commenter mentioned the essence. Yes indeed the essence is gone. I love the original album but this is nothing. Tidy it up nicely by all means....but not like this

[@bjrnsjohnsen1278]

That’s a good point Darren, I don’t think they had the original tracks to do this. I bet they just split it like you did. The reason I think that, is because they haven’t been able to clean the muddiness of the bass mixing with the guitar, and separate to get better clarity. And that god awful reverb on Brian’s acoustic guitar should have been addressed had they still access to the tracks. As it stands, this official remix is horrid, and the biggest offender is Roger’s drums. What a mistake, too loud.

[@kieronkelly959]

Great review Darren👍

[@TheDarrenLock]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sundance8744]

Guess, it would have been caught by Steve Wilson.

[@russellwatkins3063]

I didn't like the removal of reverb from the hand claps on 'Liar'....and the vocals at the end of 'Jesus'...takes away the atmosphere

[@keesdewit4612]

its a succes!

[@MRFThorne]

The drums are now completely OTT, awfully prominent reverb (the drums don't "sit" well with the remainder of the instruments or the vocals to my ears). Autotuning Freddie has removed a lot of the individuality from his voice. 🤮 I struggled to get beyond Great King Rat.

[@jacobh1867]

Yup. All the best 'remix' albums are subtle, the bad ones all seem to run the drum track through a reverb and echo filter and call it a 'live' sound. It's distractedly bad here.

[@MRFThorne]

@@jacobh1867 I'm not going to buy it, as the 2011 remix served my purpose entirely, but the danger is, the more you listen to the newly remixed version, the more you become familiarised to how it sounds! The drums are the most significant problem, I agree.

[@qm9582]

For 50 years from the first press up to every reissue 2015 largest remaster lp, the sounding dull with veil with no breath and power. Get over it! It is called Queen I for a simple reason, to be different from the dull original. By chaging the mix, you are changing the frequencies thus in some parts pitch correction is needed. Nothing from the FX in original has changed. Just arr more bright and clear. Drums are the same just more processed. The oginal album had compressed to death even in 1973, especially US elektra 1st press. You are totally wrong.

[@TheDarrenLock]

No, I’m not. That’s the beauty of having an opinion. 🫤

[@43cleaner]

Got it yesterday played once so far I like it. And I do have first 1.