Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé ‎– Barcelona - Special Ed - 1988 1/2 Speed Master - Opera - Classical Synth - Sealed LP

 Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé ‎– Barcelona 

Label:
Hollywood Records ‎– D003241801
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Special Edition, 1/2 speed

1/2 Speed lacquers cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, London
NEW SEALED COPY
Country:
US
Released:
25 Oct 2019
Genre:
Rock, Pop, Classical
Style:
Opera, Vocal

Tracklist

Released:
1988
Genre:
Electronic, Rock
Style:
Modern Classical, Symphonic Rock

Tracklist

A1 Barcelona 5:38
A2 La Japonaise 4:49
A3 The Fallen Priest 5:45
A4 Ensueño 4:20

B1 The Golden Boy 6:04
B2 Guide Me Home 2:41
B3 How Can I Go On 3:59
B4 Overture Piccante 6:40

Credits

Arranged By, Composed By – Freddie Mercury, Mike Moran
Engineer [Assistant] – Andy Mason, John Brough, Richard Dodd
Keyboards – Mike Moran
Mastered By – Kevin Metcalf
Producer – David Richards, Freddie Mercury, Mike Moran

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: 8600278220616
Matrix / Runout (A): 220612 A 81288
Matrix / Runout (B): 220612 B 81288

" Anyway, as a huge Queen fan, when I first heard the track "Barcelona" on a compilation album, I wasn't sure what to think. It was just so...different. And to hear a voice other than that of Brian or Roger singing with Freddie was a bit strange. It wasn't an instant favorite with me, and I (foolishly) forgot about Freddie's stint with Opera for a while. For whatever reason, I decided to purchase this album on a whim. WOW. The sheer beauty of the music on this album is absolutely incredible. It's emotional, soothing, heartfelt--just gorgeous in every way. Every day, I feel like I discover a new reason why Freddie Mercury would be my candidate for the greatest singer of all time. How many of his fellow rock stars can say that they have ventured into the realm of Opera, and actually put out a fantastic album? Sure, not all of the songs on "Barcelona" are opera in its purest form, but they are all fresh and unique--and heartbreaking. Had Freddie been blessed with more time on this Earth, I know that he would have loved to record more music in this style, and that he would have succeeded at it. After listening to and enjoying all of Queen's work, along with Freddie's solo material, it seems as if there was no limit to what this man could do with his voice, what passion he could convey through his words, or how much he could grow musically.

There really isn't a bad track on this album. Listening to it from start to finish is magical! You can tell that both Freddie and Montserrat put everything they had into these songs. Standout tracks include "Barcelona," "La Japonaise," and "How Can I Go On." The transition between "Guide Me Home" and "How Can I Go On" is seamless. My personal favorite song here is "Ensueño," a beautiful Spanish number with Freddie singing in his natural baritone voice at the insistence of Montserrat. This song began as Freddie's "Exercises in Free Love," and then Montserrat added lyrics. Had he wanted (or had time) to do more work in Opera, this track alone proves that Freddie could have. His lower register is stunning, and it's too bad that he didn't use it more often!

While recording this album (and all Queen albums following this one), Freddie knew that he didn't have much time left; yet, he continued to put all of his heart and strength into his recordings, just as he had done before. Most people know Freddie Mercury as a great rock n' roll singer; unfortunately, not everyone realizes extent of the suffering he must have went through, and his incredible work ethic despite facing a terminal illness. Even in his final months, the PASSION that Freddie managed to squeeze into his lyrics was still second-to-none. Words are not enough to describe this man's passion for music, character, and love of life. All I can say is that he truly was a beautiful man who made brilliant music." ( amazon customer)