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Reviews > Queen + Paul Rodgers Music Reviews > 10-XX-2008 - The Cosmos Rocks - Mojo

(3 stars)

A most peculiar supergroup, but it works.

When Brian May and Roger Taylor toured with former Free/Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers in 2005, May pointedly stated that this was Rodgers "featured with Queen, not replacing the late Freddie Mercury". But in using the Queen name, May and Taylor had effectively created a new version of the band.

Queen without Freddie: unbelievable but true. Now, another surprise: the new trio's first studio album has this seemingly unlikely coalition clicking together as a fine-tuned, cohesive unit. Without Freddie's decorative flourishes, the onus is on straight shooting heavy rock, with bullish single C-Lebrity the mission statement Queen/Bad Co hybrid. Elsewhere, Small is a gentle throwback to Free. We Believe an 80's-spec stadium-rock anthem. Occasionally they stumble, as on the clunky Warboys. But with Rodgers imperious, Queen's second coming is vindicated.