In Nuce [Import]

Track Listings

1. Going Back

2. Polar Bear

3. Mad The Swine

4. April Lady

5. I Can Hear Music

6. Earth

7. Step On Me

8. Blag

9. Going Back (Remix)

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
A Repressing of the CD Containing a Selection of the Early Tracks by Queen, When They Started Working with Pseudonyms Including "Smile," "Wreckage," and "Larry Lurex." This New Version is Remastered and it Includes a Special Remix of "Going Back."

Tracks:

Going Back
Polar Bear
Mad the Swine
April Lady
I Can Hear Music
Earth
Step on Me
Blag
Going Back [Remix]

Album Details

A Repressing of the CD Containing a Selection of the Early Tracks by Queen, When They Started Working with Pseudonyms Including "Smile," "Wreckage," and "Larry Lurex." This New Version is Remastered and it Includes a Special Remix of "Going Back."

Customer Reviews:

Queen in Nuce, or better yet, noose. .......2006-09-23

I am probably one of the biggest Queen fans, so naturally, I had to see where it all started out, with the pre-Queen band Smile. Wow, I wish I hadn't. It has a few good points, such as a cover of Dusty Springfeild's "Going Back", "Mad the Swine, which was the first song they recorded together as Queen, and the very popish and catchy "Step on Me." But the rest is blah. It sounds like it was tape recorded straight from an already scratchy LP. And I don't even have to mention the overall mix of the recording flat out stinks. So if you're a person trying to get into Queen, avoid this like the plague. If you're already a Queen fan, but not very big, I wouldn't suggest it to you either, just because it lacks that Queen essence. If you're a Queen maniac, and a completionist, get it. It may not be a great album, but it is interesting to see what they evolved from.

Average customer rating:

There is something better.
Just classic
an amazing experience!!!
Queen In Nuce
almost sounds like someone trying

In Nuce
Queen
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009FF0
Release Date: 1996-11-21

Tracks:

Going Back
I Can Hear Music
Mad The Swine
Earth
April Lady
Polar Bear
Step On Me
Blag

Album Description

Remastered 1995 release on Milestone Records, a collection of eight early recordings from 1969-1973. Features their very first studio recording under the Smile moniker, 'Earth', and the original version of 'Mad The Swine'.

Customer Reviews:

There is something better........2006-05-13

Look for a album called Queen Pre-Ordained. It has all these song plus about 5 more.

Just classic.......2004-10-17

I've been collecting Queen for about six years, and I finally completed my CD collection with Queen in Nuce (for $9 at a collectors' store in New Orleans).
Although I'm shocked this CD costs $50 online, I will say that it's definitely worth it (I would have spent the extra money, had I not found it somewhere else).
I wouldn't say that this album is "for Queen fans only", as some of the previous reviewers did. It's an interesting listen, that could be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys obscure or even "glam" rock.

Personal favorites include: "I Can Hear Music" and "Step on Me".

As the second track states... it is "sweet, sweet music".

an amazing experience!!!.......2003-07-31

I absolutely loved each and every one of the tracks!
If you love QUEEN or simply enjoy listening to their music, you would love that one!

An early time, the very begining of Queen (Smile)and still wonderfull. A Hard Rock CD (a bit like 'Queen'- the band's 1st. album).

I strongly recommend it for hard-rock and quality-music lovers!!!

An AMAZING experience!!

Queen In Nuce.......2002-09-08

I would recomend this CD for collectors. Most of the songs are from the Smile (for those who don't know, the band that was before Queen). Members: Tim Staffel, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Freddie Mercury. First two tracks are from Freddie Mercury, although he used another name (Larry Lurex) on the single "I Can Hear Music" with "Going Back" on the b-side. So if you like early Queen or you are a Queen fan, i woild recoment this CD...

almost sounds like someone trying.......2001-08-10

to fake the style of Queen badly. those familiar with the "classic sound" will be expecting much that is absent in these early recordings: the famous layered harmonies of both vocals and guitar, the strong rhythem section, and so forth. the production is barren and tinny, sounding like a 'generic' an imediately forgettable early 70's pop act for the most part. there are only two originals, the rest are cover tunes. and there are some of the worst vocals, for Queen especially, on "Polar Bear". for completelists only!

Average customer rating:

Queen In Nuce

In Nuce
Queen
Manufacturer: Milestone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006RILA
Release Date: 2002-08-26

Customer Reviews:

Queen In Nuce.......2003-07-30

I really liked the album, I bought it over the internet. About the songs, they have good quality, and it has good songs like I can hear music, Going back, Mad the swine, etc. I would really recommend this album to you.

Average customer rating:

4 star ignoring recording quality.
As It Began
Queen-In Nuce
Don't Expect Much, But Worth a Listen
A piece of a jigsaw puzzle

In Nuce
Queen
Manufacturer: Cosmi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004SRL9
Release Date: 1996-05-23

Tracks:

Going Back
Polar Bear
Mad the Swine
April Lady
I Can Hear Music
Earth
Step on Me
Blag
Going Back [Remix]

Customer Reviews:

4 star ignoring recording quality........2001-03-28

Queen certainly can't be held responsible for the poor quality of the recording, therefore I give ( 3 1/2 but since theres no 3 1/2 selection) I'll be generous and go with 4 based on the songs themselves as if they were done proffessionally. I would suggest to queen fans who don't have this album, to look for instead 'Pre-ordained' which includes the 'In nuce' album plus 6 other songs, which were sung by Peter Straker. They have the queen style harmonies and I realy like 4 of the 6 songs, which happen to be the ones Freddie produced. Unfortunatly the quality is even worse on those 6 then the 'In nuce' but still tolerable.

the 2 worst quality recordings are on the 2 songs i like the least so that bodes well for me. The bonus songs are: Heart be still (sort of gospel simular to 'let me live' 'all gods people' and 'the golden boy') Very good, The day the talkies came (other then a different voice then Freddies, very Queen sounding. Simular to 'Milionair waltz')Excelent, Ive been to hell and back (good but not great), tear down the walls (Ive listen to twice, don't care for it, but it could grow on me), Vamp (deffinately good) and Black Swan (I don't like that one. Singer sounds like hes gagging through it.)

unfortunatly the cover sleeve doesn't mention who the singer is, only that they are produced by freddie (or Larry) as for the in nuce songs, the quality is actually better on some of the songs in 'Pre-ordained' then from 'In Nuce' and some are a little worse. They don't sound as crackely (as if a large bon fire was roaring in the back ground) like 'in nuce' but they do sound muffled like they are being eaten by a tape machine.

As It Began.......2000-12-18

Songs included: Going Back/I Can Hear Music/Mad the Swine/Earth/April Lady/Polar Bear/Step on Me/Blag/Going Back (remix) An Italian import bootleg from Milestone/Hitland. Sounds like it was taped from vinyl. I guess I would too if I were a bootlegger and the juicy material I had to offer was only on vinyl before. "I Can Hear Music" sounds slower than on "The Freddie Mercury Solo Collection". Even though this and "Going Back" are often listed as his first solo single under the name Larry Lurex, it's really all of Queen incognito, in nuce. "Mad the Swine"'s already on the CD of their debut, but if you only have the old LP like me, this will save the disappointment of not having this gem. Another song on that debut was done by Queen precursor Smile, but couldn't be here. Check one of the other reviews for why. Tim Staffell sounds a tad like Freddie, and eventually stepped aside so Freddie could reign supreme. The remix track is just a throwback to the posthumous hit remixes of Freddie's solo singles, never considered by Queen.

Queen-In Nuce.......2000-10-09

In most listings, In Nuce is referred to as a bootleg, meaning it isn't an official Queen release. Proof of that is the fact that amoung the "Smile" songs compiled here from their first EP, the song "Doin' Alright" is missing, mostly because it IS an official Queen song as well, and a huge lawsuit would result. So on with the review, there are two songs here that were released under the name "Larry Lurex" originally, as a take-off on Garry Glitter;tracks 1 & 2 in this package, "Goin' Back" and "I can Hear Music", and both feature Freddy Mercury and friends. The songs themselves are a good example of the vocal range of Freddie at this point in time, and offer an interesting glimpse into his pre-Queen tastes in music and performance, however, in this package, the songs sound like they have been transferred to the CD directly from a vinyl source, most likely a copy of the original vinyl 45 single; further proof that this entire package is somewhat jaded in its origin. Also in this package is the Queen song "Mad the Swine, which is available as a bonus track in much better form on the Hollywood records re-release of their debut self-titled album "Queen", so it seems a bit unneccessary here. The rest of this package is the pre-Queen songs from the group "Smile" which was Brian May. Roger Tatlor, and Tim Staffel. The songs featured here are from their self titled EP. All of them are here except the afore-mentioned "Doin' Alright" which was left out for legal reasons, I'm sure. Well, the songs themselves are a delightful look at the musical direction and development of the band at this point, and the songs, "Earth, April Lady, Polar Bear, Step on me, and Blag" all sound very much like the material they later recorded for their DeLane Lea sessions, or even moreso like the material recorded for the BBC sessions. If you listen closely to "Blag" you may recognize the guitar solo, its almost the same as the one Brian plays on the BBC version of "Son and Daughter" which later found a home in "Sheer Heart Attack"'s "Brighton Rock". However there is a collection available that contains all these songs in much better form, called "Ghost of a Smile", and I reccomend it if you are only seeking out those songs. Overall, I can only half-heartedly reccomend this recording, as the sound quality for the most part is simply terrible. However it does offer some insight into the development of the band just before they became Queen.

Don't Expect Much, But Worth a Listen.......2000-08-01

The sound quality on the Freddie songs ("Going Back" and "I Can Hear Music") is so awful and speeded up that the Smile tracks that follow sound like state-of-the-art digital in comparison.

Pity, since "Going Back," a Dusty Springfield cover tune, has the kind of longing and melancholic timbre in the lyrics that Freddie would use to greater effect a few years later on tracks like "Nevermore" and "You Take My Breath Away," but the vocal, and perhaps the whole backing track, is ridiculously speeded up, so unless you have a karaoke pitch control on your CD player, you won't be able to appreciate the original product. Whether Freddie had anything to do with the "chipmunk" gimmick is unknown, but his voice was in fine form, so why was the track tampered with at all? The same fate holds true for the Beach Boys' cover tune, "I Can Hear Music," which sounds cavernously muddy in an overabundance of reverb and helium-like vocals caused by varispeeding.

The Smile tracks aren't too bad, and neither is "Mad the Swine," but these tracks are available on other CDs, so there was really no point including them on "In Nuce."

When will we Queen fans hear alternate versions and unreleased songs, a la the Beatles "Anthology" CDs? If it's from the late 60s or 70s, people will buy it. Wake up, record company bigwigs!

A piece of a jigsaw puzzle.......2000-06-23

I can recommend to have this CD to add to your collection but don't expect too much. You can just enjoy this CD as one of the Queen's origin, but the recording condition is not good and sound is old fashioned. Once Brian told in the interview that "Smile" was an amateur band after all.

However, I like this CD because I can enjoy Freddie's young and fresh voice. This CD is rare and "Going back" is beautiful melody. For Queen's fans like me, this CD is like one of the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

In Nuce
Average customer rating:
In Nuce

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00008NV6N
Release Date: 1995-09-18

Album Description

Remastered 1995 release on Milestone Records, a collectionof eight early recordings from 1969-1973. Features theirvery first studio recording under the Smile moniker,'Earth', and the original version of 'Mad The Swine'.

Average customer rating:

the review by Ed wright is excellent, but somewhat unsympathetic
An uneven collection, but still worth hearing

Trios 1969-1994

Manufacturer: Kairos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004T2DK
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Chiffre IV
Am Horizont
Verzeichnung - Studie
Deploration
2. Streichtrio
Paraphrase
In Nuce

Customer Reviews:

the review by Ed wright is excellent, but somewhat unsympathetic.......2005-09-09

I have little to add to the wonderful review by Edward Wright... until the point where "unimpressive" and later " juvenile" are used. Rihm is perhaps our greatest living composer. To have a glimpse of his always impressive early " hunts" is a treasure. Nothing here disappoints. Rihm finds new forms in his hunts which is the basis of all his music ( maybe his Violin Cto is an exception so accesible is it ). With each new piece my goosebumps become mountains. Unlike Wright , I have listened to the music many times before reading the self-deprecating liner notes. None are lacking; all are facinating. Simply this is a must for those who will eventually make their way to " Jagden und Formen " . And if you don't own and cherish the latter, one of the greatest pieces of contemporary music, then there is no sense in revelling in his earlier constructs. Rihm is not for everyone, though he should be. Rihm is a genius.

An uneven collection, but still worth hearing.......2003-11-18

This volume in Kairos' exploration of the music of Wolfgang Rihm is devoted to music for various combinations of three instruments. With seven works on one disc, this recording largely focuses on more minor works by this interesting and exceedingly prolific composer, meaning that the collection certainly has its longeurs.

The best work on the disc is Am Horizont, a seven-minute 'silent scene' for violin, cello and accordion, which holds a weightless, motionless stillness for its entire duration. This is a deeply haunting piece, and certainly represents Rihm at his best. Also strong works are the two trios for lower strings (viola, cello and double bass). Verzeichnung-Studie begins in a formidably dynamic manner--very much akin to the energetic fifth string quartet--before the rhythmic dynamism begins to fracture and the work collapses into grumbles and moans, while In nuce uses extended techniques to conjure eruptions out of quiet hissing and burbling sounds.

The rest of the disc is less impressive. Chiffre IV, for bass clarinet, cello and piano does impress with its Feldmanesque harmonies and sudden scurryings, but the three early works are unlikely to provoke repeated listening. Deploration, for flute, cello and percussion, mourns the playwright Ingeborg Bachmann effectively enough, but the mature Rihm would have probably written a much more striking work. It's better than the second string trio, which is little more than juvenilia. Written when the composer was still at high school, it is a routine, anonymous piece of mainstream post-serialism. Paraphrase, for cello, percussion and piano, certainly has dynamism and the beginnings of a distinctly Rihmian language--which is impressive for a composer at the end of his teens--but inevitably suffers from structural sprawl and the occasional loss of tension and focus.

Music Review: