Music Review: Roger Taylor, Strange Frontier (Reissue)

By Tyler Hodg

Omnivore Recordings has reissued two previously unreleased CD versions of Roger Taylor’s early solo work—with Fun in Space being the first and Strange Frontier the second—and now it’s easier than ever to revisit or become acquainted with them. The latter, which was Taylor’s sophomore solo album, saw its initial release in 1984.

When listening to Strange Frontier, it’s apparent that Taylor feels a greater sense of comfort and confidence with his new role of being in charge of it all. He is no stranger to writing songs, having contributed a number of fantastic tracks to Queen’s legacy, but in those instances he had other incredible songwriters to bounce ideas off of; here, Taylor has the ultimate say in how things are presented. Unfortunately, that situation doesn’t always pay off, with a number of songs featured on Strange Frontier not pulling their weight as much as others.

One of those songs is the title track “Strange Frontier, which kicks off like one of the cheesiest David Bowie songs you’ve ever heard (and Bowie can do cheese). The opening lines “Into the shadows, from out of the light/Into the darkness, and into the night” are fairly unimaginative and generic, but thankfully, the lyrics improve slightly as it rolls on. The song quickly transforms from Bowie to Bruce Springsteen, with increased energy and the addition of an inspirational, yet lyrically angsty, chorus. “Strange Frontier” is a confusing track that doesn’t know what it wants to be and regrettably sets the tone for the mediocre album.

Bruce Springsteen must have been a major influence for Taylor at the time, because “Racing in the Street” sounds like another cover of a song that should have been written by the Boss. The track tells the story of a man who finds solace and peace in hitting the road in his ’69 Chevy. The blue-collar theme fits perfect with the music, but it’s so obviously ripped from Springsteen that it becomes virtually unlistenable.

With the exception of those songs (and a few others) there are intelligent pieces of work on Strange Frontier and “Masters of War” is one of them. Taylor once spoke about his feelings toward a certain emerging issue, stating “The nuclear threat seemed real and looming at that time, and as the father of young children, I felt it as a terrible threat to the future.” In “Masters of War”, he sings about that very subject. The song itself is quite bare but its repetitive sounds and melodies allow the powerful and insightful lyrics to break through and remain the focal point. The way the closing line is performed (“I’ll stand over your grave, ‘till I’m sure you’re dead”) is by far the most impactful moment on the entire record.

Strange Frontier does not do justice to Roger Taylor’s ability to write and record incredible songs. The music is flavorless and for the most part, a constant flat line. Even a few extraordinary songs and a guest appearance by friend and bandmate Freddie Mercury couldn’t save this album from becoming forgettable. Roger Taylor’s inspiring legacy is fully intact, but can remain that way only if Strange Frontier continues to get swept under the rug.

Strange Frontier was reissued by Omnivore Recordings on March 24.