Brian May & Co are presenting ”QUEEN – The Miracle (Collectors Edition 2022)”, a new Box Set made up of a remastering of their 1989 album plus ’The Miracle Sessions’, containing over an hour of unreleased studio recordings including six previously unheard songs – plus intimate fly-on-the-wall audio of the band at work (and play) in the studio.
”The Miracle Collector’s Edition” brims with rarities, outtakes, instrumentals, etc.
One of the gems is the previously unheard archival Queen track “Face It Alone,” which features the late Freddie Mercury on vocals and was recorded during the 1989 sessions. The recording was rediscovered during the process of putting the collection together.
Released in 1989, ‘The Miracle’ has a poignant back story. As May would recall: “We were dealing with Freddie’s deteriorating health and pulling together to support him.” In these circumstances, Mercury delivered extraordinary performances, most powerfully in ‘I Want It All’ and ‘Was It All Worth It’, the latter, for all its dry wit, now reading like a bittersweet farewell.
The album is not one of Queen’s best, but May puts the title track among their greatest songs. And while there is much more across these discs on this Collectors Edition, it’s those previously unheard tracks that really sell this package.
‘Dog With A Bone’ is a heavy number with Freddie and Roger singing together, ‘I Guess We’re Really Falling Out’ a piano ballad that turns into a rock jam, and on both tracks the band members are heard talking through their ideas.
But the most significant track, by far, is Face It Alone, Mercury’s voice full of emotion, the title, in retrospect, so profoundly sad.
Tracklist:
CD1
01. Party (02:23)
02. Khashoggi's Ship (02:48)
03. The Miracle (05:02)
04. I Want It All (04:41)
05. The Invisible Man (04:02)
06. Breakthru (04:08)
07. Rain Must Fall (04:23)
08. Scandal (04:42)
09. My Baby Does Me (03:22)
10. Was It All Worth It (05:45)
CD2
01. Party (02:53)
02. Khashoggi's Ship (03:07)
03. The Miracle (04:45)
04. I Want It All (06:15)
05. The Invisible Man (05:03)
06. When Love Breaks Up (01:43)
07. Breakthru (04:58)
08. Rain Must Fall (02:41)
09. Scandal (04:39)
10. My Baby Loves Me (04:08)
11. Was It All Worth It (05:02)
12. You Know You Belong To Me (01:53)
13. I Guess We’re All Falling Out (03:42)
14. Dog With A Bone (03:48)
15. Water (01:51)
16. Face It Alone (04:07)
CD3
01. I Want It All (04:01)
02. Hang On In There (03:46)
03. Breakthru (05:44)
04. Stealin' (03:59)
05. The Invisible Man (05:29)
06. Hijack My Heart (04:12)
07. Scandal (06:35)
08. My Life Has Been Saved (03:16)
09. Stone Cold Crazy (02:10)
10. My Melancholy Blues (03:50)
11. Chinese Torture (01:44)
CD4
01. Party (02:23)
02. Khashoggi's Ship (02:48)
03. The Miracle (05:02)
04. I Want It All (04:41)
05. The Invisible Man (03:57)
06. Breakthru (04:08)
07. Rain Must Fall (04:23)
08. Scandal (04:42)
09. My Baby Does Me (03:23)
10. Was It All Worth It (05:44)
Quееn – The Miracle (Collectors Edition) (2022) Box-Set 4 CD+FLAC