When Queen started using synthesisers I liked the results. Hot Space [Spotify & Last FM] is one of my favourite albums. I loved it from the moment I heard it. Unlike many of my peers at the time who reacted as if the band was using pitchfotks to load babies into a furnace!
But a synthesiser is just another instrument. You either use it well or you don’t. Queen did in my opinion. Interestingly several of the most vocal critics in my peer group, in the 1980’s when this was happening, have since admitted to liking Hot Space and The Game [Spotify & Last FM] a lot. No shame in that. They are brilliant albums.
I think the fact that I grew up liking 3 groups, 2 of whom used synthesisers, had an influence on me not throwing the teddies out of the pram when that Oberheim OB-X appeared in the sleeve notes of The Game. The other 2 groups I liked a lot in the 1970’s where Hawkwind [Spotify & Last FM] and Kate Bush [Spotify & Last FM]. Both of them used electronics and synthesisers a lot. So it didn’t worry me that my other favourite band did as well.
Bringing this up to date, there are some good synthesiser using musicians about at present. For example Adriane Lake [Last FM]. Check out her album Morning Glow. Then buy it on iTunes. You can also follow Adriane on Twitter.