(Boxed Set Review) “Never Boring” by FREDDIE MERCURY

On November 24th of 1991, the world got a little bit more dim.  I’m sure it rained on that day, however the memory and music of Freddie Mercury and Queen will live on forever with his incredibly powerful voice, the emotions behind the lyrics, and his vocal range that is undeniable.  On October 11th, Hollywood Records released this timeless boxed set of Freddie Mercury entitled “Never Boring”.

Given the music and how he was as a person, the title of the box set is appropo.  Rami Malek, who played the role of Freddie Mercury in the incredible biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody”, said, “Freddie was extreme; he was absolute; he was all or nothing; he was always or never.  Freddie Mercury was never boring”.  Truer words couldn’t have been spoken about the greatest frontman in the history of music.

The boxed set includes three CD’s, including a newly mixed and remastered version of “Mr. Bad Guy”, 2012 special edition of “Barcelona”, which features Freddie Mercury and a full orchestra, along with his greatest solo performances in “Never Boring”.  If you thought that was sufficient, this box set also includes a Blu-Ray/DVD of “Never Boring”, which includes Freddie’s music videos and La Nit live performances of “The Golden Boy”, “How Can I Go On”, and “Barcelona”, which bonus footage of a sit-down interview with Dick Clark, an extended version of “The Great Pretender” and a Ku Klub live performance of “Barcelona”.

The Blu-Ray/DVD package showcases the larger than life personality that Freddie Mercury possesses.  It includes music videos that span his career, which brings the story to life in his music.  Case in point, “The Great Pretender” is an ode to the oldies of yesteryear while “Made In Heaven” showcases his innate passion for dance and performance in a Broadway production.  This includes 35 mm film that has Freddie and Montserrat sounding elegant and lovely, which mixes his love for pop, opera, classical, and rock in what appears to be held in an opera theater.  The interview with Dick Clark showcases Freddie’s larger than life personality as he looks incredibly cool talking about his music as Picasso would talk about his paintings.

“Mr. Bad Guy” showcases that Freddie was truly an artist in every sense of the word.  In this record, Freddie sounded liberated as an artist should never be boring or be bored with art.  There wasn’t enough colors in the world to cover Freddie’s palette.  In “Mr. Bad Guy”, Freddie explores reggae and even a touch of Spanish, Cuban, and Middle Eastern rhythms to be experimented with his brand of rock that Queen was known the world over for.  In “Let’s Turn It On”, there’s tasty guitar licks in the solo that allows us to picture Freddie commanding and shimmying on a stage that he was inevitably taking over.  As if Freddie Mercury and Queen couldn’t get even more famous the song “Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow” was immortalized in an animated video by Beth David and Esteban Bravo.

“Barcelona” showcases Freddie and Montserrat’s elegant and romantic side to their music.  This collection of a mix of pop, opera, and classical songs will open up listeners to the amazing world of opera and classical music.  Freddie and Montserrat’s voice fits like a glove in the solemn track “Eusueno”, the romantic track “Barcelona”, and the track that screams of liberation in “Exercises of Free Love”.  The arrangements are done tastefully that allow Freddie and Montserrat to shine like diamonds in the sky in their incredible vocal ranges.

This collection also features a 120-page book chocked full of photos, thoughts and quotes from Freddie himself that will allow you to connect and reminisce on where you were when you first discovered the legend that is Freddie Mercury.  You also get a double-sided poster to display Freddie proudly and work from artist Jack Coulter on “Mr. Bad Guy”.

This collection allows you to explore the many sides of Freddie Mercury.  “Never Boring” showcases Freddie as an artist that not only lived life to the extreme, but portrayed himself as an artist to the extreme.  Imagine taking an artist’s palette and giving that artist total creative freedom with a totally liberated thought process.  That is Freddie Mercury in a nutshell.  Go pick up “Never Boring” boxed set on vinyl, CD, and all digital streaming services.

Never Boring CD:

1.  The Great Pretender
2.  I Was Born To Love You
3.  Barcelona
4.  In My Defence
5.  Love Kills
6.  How Can I Go On (single version)
7.  Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow
8.  Living On My Own (radio mix)
9.  The Golden Boy (single edit)
10.  Time Waits For No One
11.  She Blows Hot and Cold
12.  Made In Heaven

Mr. Bad Guy- Special Edition

1.  Let’s Turn It On
2.  Made In Heaven
3.  I Was Born To Love You
4.  Foolin’ Around
5.  Your Kind of Lover
6.  Mr. Bad Guy
7.  Man Made Paradise
8.  There Must Be More To Life Than This
9.  Living On My Own
10.  My Love Is Dangerous
11.  Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow

Barcelona

1.  Barcelona
2.  La Japonaise
3.  The Fallen Priest
4.  Ensueno
5.  The Golden Boy
6.  Guide Me Home
7.  How Can I Go On
8.  Exercises In Free Love
9.  Overture Piccante

Never Boring- Blu-Ray/DVD

1.  Made In Heaven
2.  The Great Pretender
3.  Living On My Own
4.  Barcelona
5.  I Was Born To Love You
6.  Time Waits For No One
7.  In My Defence
8.  Living On My Own(radio mix)
9.  The Golden Boy (La Nit performance, Barcelona)
10.  How Can I Go On (La Nit performance, Barcelona)
11.  Barcelona (La Nit performance, Barcelona)
12.  Freddie Mercury & Dick Clark “Time” Interview
13.  The Great Pretender (extended version)
14.  Barcelona (Ku Klub performance, Ibiza)

To pick up a copy of the boxed set, click here.