Freddie Mercury
Mercury, lead singer for the rock group Queen, is not someone to take along on a sea cruise, since he can't seem to resist going overboard. For this record, his first solo, he piles on the flourishes. A simple dance riff in Let's Turn It On is cluttered with overdubbing, echoes and other studio tricks. Maybe he uses ornamentation because his songwriting is so vapid. The singles Fool in' Around and Living On My Own have some melodic merit, but much of this album sounds like an uninspired cabaret revue. Mercury's lyrics are surprisingly corny: "Want you to help me thru deep waters when my ship is in a storm/Want you to give me all the power like a king on his throne." His voice is perfect for an exhibitionist: unbridled, obtrusive and marked by a hysterical tremolo. (CBS)
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