For the past seven years, Marc Martel has gradually immersed himself in the music of Queen and has developed a sort of stepchild-esque kinship with it as a result. Tomorrow, on Friday, October 26, Marc releases a new EP of Queen covers titled Thunderbolt & Lightning that reinterprets what many consider flawless songs.
"Reimagining well-loved songs always comes with an appropriate sense of risk, danger, and terrifying moments of self-doubt," explains Martel. "When it comes to artists like Queen, though, who are veritable giants of recording history, that feeling is magnified. Throughout their career, they apparently set out to avoid all shortcuts; were never happy to merely repeat sections of songs (as is quite customary in all genres of popular music), and everything was through-composed. They habitually pushed the boundaries of available technology beyond what even its inventors envisioned."
One of Martel's covers is the track, "Under Pressure," originally written and recorded with David Bowie. Marc brought alongside fellow industry crooner Kevin Max, who has had his share of practice covering classic rock songs throughout his career. NewReleaseToday is premiering that song today before it streets on the EP tomorrow!
"I seem to have a growing desire to place a more pronounced emphasis on the latter half of the term 'tribute artist,'" continues Martel. "This is a role I never imagined myself playing earlier in my musical career. Clearly, I could never dream of improving on what, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon created together. That was never the spirit of this project. Rather, I hope listeners will approach this EP with an inquisitive, openminded attitude that is something like, 'What if Queen had recorded these songs in an alternate universe?' And if that's a little too sci-fi for your blood then, 'Hey... why not?' will do just fine."
Thunderbolt & Lightning will be available at all digital outlets and streaming providers on Friday, October 26, 2018.
