Queen - A Kind Of Magic (1986) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2012] PS3 ISO + DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

A Kind of Magic is the twelfth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 3 June 1986 by EMI Records in the UK and by Capitol Records in the US. It was their first studio album to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy. A Kind of Magic was Queen's first album to be released since they had been acclaimed for their performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert. Although Queen would release another two albums with Freddie Mercury, A Kind of Magic would turn out to be the band's last album promoted with a concert tour, because of Mercury's diagnosis with AIDS the following year, which subsequently caused his death in 1991.

By the release of 1986's A Kind of Magic, Queen's stature as a prominent rock band in the U.S. had slipped considerably, while in all other parts of the world (especially Europe), they remained superstar hitmakers. A Kind of Magic was their biggest album yet in England, where it reached number one, remained on the charts for 63 weeks, and spawned several hit singles – the epic title track, the tuneful pop/rocker "Friends Will Be Friends," and one of their most haunting ballads, "Who Wants to Live Forever" (also included was the Live Aid-inspired hit anthem "One Vision," which was originally released as a single in 1985). Most of the songs were written for the movie Highlander – "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)," "Princes of the Universe," the aforementioned "Who Wants to Live Forever," etc. – but instead of issuing just a movie soundtrack, the band added a few non-movie tracks and made an official Queen release out of it. It may not have been as cohesive as some of their other albums, but A Kind of Magic was their best work in some time. Queen would embark on a sold-out tour of outdoor stadiums in Europe upon the album's release, which would sadly turn out to be their final tour.

Tracklist:

01. One Vision
02. A Kind Of Magic
03. One Year Of Love
04. Pain Is So Close To Pleasure
05. Friends Will Be Friends
06. Who Wants To Live Forever
07. Gimme The Prize
08. Don't Lose Your Head
09. Princes Of The Universe

This 2011 version has been meticulously re-created using the finest modern analogue and digital technology from the original first-generation master mixes.
Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, ME. SA-CD Authoring: Gus Skinas.
Universal Japan # UIGY-9526


Thanks to PS³SACD!
Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 1,65 GB
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