651. Queensrÿche / Take Cover. 2007. 3/5

It seems that every band at some stage of their career decides in this day and age that they need to release a covers album, usually containing songs that have defined their music or defined what brought them together as a band. With the somewhat radical change in musical direction that the band had made over its recent releases, this album was always going to be an interesting perspective into the hearts of the band. Eleven songs populate the disc, with each band member apparently choosing two songs each, and a live song tacked on at the end.

It is an eclectic mix, perhaps more so than any other covers album that I know of. It is a tough ask to review and rate such a mix, as half of the songs I either hate the song or the original band - or both. That's always a little scary too, coming from a band that you have a lot of respect for.
The song choice, and the band's involved in those songs, are perhaps indicative of how the whole Queensrÿche saga has been progressing for a number of years. There is a lot of varied musical genres mixed into this one album, and most of it is a long way from the kind of music that most of us wished Queensrÿche would play! And perhaps this has been part of the morphing of the band's musical sound. Perhaps they really are just a progressive grunge band in reality.
Having said that, they have been brave in taking on some of their song choices. Attempting to cover Queen's multi-layered epic "Innuendo" is a tough ask, and one that they do well enough that they haven't stuffed it up. The same can be said of The Police's "Synchronicity II", another tough song to do well, and they have done a reasonable job of it.
It is other songs that make it hard for me to really enjoy the album. I am no lover of Pink Floyd ("Welcome to the Machine") or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ("Almost Cut My Hair") or Buffalo Springfield ("For What It's Worth") or Peter Gabriel ("Red Rain"), and though I'm sure these songs are performed well, they just don't do anything for me.

Which leads to the final statement. Would you prefer an album by Queensrÿche that you just don't enjoy (for instance, Promised Land) or a Queensrÿche album full of cover songs that you don't enjoy? Oh it's a tough ask, being an admirer of a band that just can't seem to do much right in your eyes anymore. For what it's worth (not the song and no pun intended), this album is worth a listen or two - but that is probably all you will take of it.