Horse Feathers & Animal Crackers: A Tribute to Queen
Main Man Records
www.mainmanrecords.com

Rating: C-

This is a double-disc of 36 Queen remakes.  Most of the remakes feature underground New York punk bands doing their best renditions of one of the most tasteful and talented bands to every grace a recording studio.  Queen is not a band one thinks of when one thinks of punk rock.  This collection barely climbs above a “D” rating.  The only reason this thing does not get a pure “F” is that it is such a trip that a true Queen fan will have to listen to this.   

The worst remake of all time may just be “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Derwood Andrews.  This is plain terrible.  Just this side of bad is also Stink, Stand, Stunk’s version of “Get Down Make Love.”  A few songs are done well including “Sail Away Sweet Sister” by Rob Tanico, Riotgod’s “Death On Two Legs” and “Cheetah Chrome’s “Tie Your Mother Down.”  For the most part, however, this album will be filled with laughter and crazy looks by anyone who hears it for the first time.   

It ain’t all bad though, as two bands actually kick ass on the tribute album.  Dennis Dunaway and Dimma do an original and creative version of “We Will Rock You” and “Frankenstein 3000” rock the shit out of “Tenement Funster” and “Sheer Heart Attack.”  These bands save this collection and show that there are some talented people lurking just below the surface. 

 n       Jeb Wright