Although this double-length live set includes only two of three surviving
Queen members (guitarist
Brian May and drummer
Roger Taylor, with
Free/
Bad Company singer
Paul Rodgers providing lead vocals),
Return of the Champions offers some sharply executed renditions of
Queen hits, as well as a few gems from
Rodgers' former bands.
Rodgers, wisely, doesn't attempt to replicate the flamboyant charm of
Freddie Mercury. Instead, he applies his gritty, hard rock-honed vocals to the group's heavier tunes, most notably the riff-happy "Tie Your Mother Down" and the automotive power ballad "I'm in Love with My Car."
May is in top form here, particularly on his seven-minute solo, proving that he's still capable of the six-string pyrotechnics that made him a guitar hero.
–
Eric Schneider, Rovi