Queen: Greatest Hits III
Though at first glance a third Queen hits collection might seem to stretch the bounds of credibility, upon reflection this collection may well be the most revealing and compelling of the lot. Gathered from disparate late-career band and solo projects as well as Freddie Mercury tributes with guest vocalists filling the shoes of the band's late singer (Elton Johndramatically on "The Show Must Go On,"George Michaelplayfully over-the-top on "Somebody to Love"), it's a collection that coalesces into a thematically and musically satisfying whole. Though oft criticized for their unapologetic excesses, Queen's brash infusion of rock and blues with operatic drama and scale (deliciously exemplified here by "Barcelona," Mercury's duet with divaMontserrat Caballe) was unique.IIIisn't so much a collection of hits as a well-paced, lovingly compiled homage to Freddie Mercury and his distinctly arch artistic vision.--Jerry McCulley