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Title: the "black sheep" of the catalog...
Review: if you asked Queen fans in the States the reason for the band's decline in popularity here, alot of 'em will cite Hot Space as the reason...the band did lose more than a few long-time fans with this one, and in fact the tour for the album would ultimately be Queen's last in the USA. Many of the tracks aren't bad per se, but often they're experimental to a fault...and in many instances, the "human" element is upstaged by synths & beats. With the exception of a handful of tunes, Hot Space is a far cry from the days when Queen proudly boasted "No Synthesizers!" on their albums. I might recommend this for completists, but first-timers should probably avoid this for now. However, if you want to hear proper versions of these songs, check out Queen's Live At The Bowl CD or DVD..."Staying Power", "Action This Day" and "Back Chat" are actually powerful in raw form, unlike the techno vibe in the studio.
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