With
Barcelona,
Queen singer
Freddie Mercury realized his long-lived dream of performing with an
opera singer; in this case,
Montserrat Caballe. While it's certainly a treat for any fan of
Mercury's to hear this album, it's a difficult record to recommend. Most fans of
opera will probably find it far too simplistic and
pop-based, while many
rock fans are sure to find the record too
classical. The first half of the album, however, is deserving of a spin for any open-minded listener. Consisting of semi-
operatic melodies with grand production, songs like
"Barcelona" and the Eastern-sounding
"La Japonaise" are startling in their beauty; the two singers from opposite ends of the music spectrum working surprisingly well off each other. The most
classically operatic pieces of the project,
"Ensueno" and
"The Fallen Priest," are alternately gorgeous and powerfully dramatic. Unfortunately, the second half of the album is less successful as it reverses the formula of the first half. While
Mercury can do well in semi-
operatic settings,
Caballe sounds awkward on the more
pop-oriented tracks
"Guide Me Home" and
"How Can I Go On." "The Golden Boy," largely a
gospel track with a full choir, is well-written and performed by
Mercury, but
Caballe's voice is simply not suited for the genre and the
operatic opening sounds jarring against the
gospel midsection. Nonetheless, despite its weaknesses, the record contains some beautiful and passionate music that is unlike anything most fans of
rock and
pop are likely to have heard before. For that alone it should be commended. ~ Geoff Orens
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