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Tattude
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 Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:00 am Post subject: Guns & Roses |
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Anyone listen to the new album yet?
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CxCx
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| Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:39 am Post subject: |
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All I've heard was the single (the title track) and I was thoroughly un-wowed. I thought it was pretty lackluster. Hopefully the rest of the album is better.
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super_sam
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Was just digging on "one in a million" yesterday. Awesome song, not new, but awesome. |
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truthb4trust
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:29 am Post subject: |
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that's a big 'no thanks'
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hairmetalfan1990
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: |
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one heard the main song on it and Wasnt Impressed it was missing somthing
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j250nyahweh
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Freddie
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| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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Welp, I've lucked out (maybe....) and my friend came through today with an advanced copy of the new Guns'n'Roses record "Chinese Democracy". Close to 15 years (and as many rotating band members) in the making, Axl and crew have finally gotten it together and finished what's easily one of the most anticipated new albums of the year. That said, there's A LOT of expectation here, a pile of devotees that are hoping and praying that they deliver on the promise of an amazing record, of 14 songs that will completely and totally blow the listener away. That said, does it live up to the hype? Let's take it track by track :
1. Chinese Democracy : From an ominous opening including a siren and a crowd of muffled voices, a single, razor-edged guitar that wouldn't sound out-of-place on a Nine Inch Nails album cuts in. Followed by Axl's high-pitched trademark scream, the first track (and first single kicks in). It's a mid-tempo rocker that sees Axl singing in the "It's So Easy" mode during the verses and hitting a new aggressive low-tone for the wall-of-sound choruses. The solo is a little meandering, and effects heavy, as opposed to the blues-y, talking guitar solos of old, but it's not bad, and seems to fit the tone and feel of the song alright. Not the best song the band has released, but a solid opener and a great song for modern rock radio.
3.5 outta 5
2. Shackler's Revenge : A very industrial sounding intro leads into some more new area for the band : An almost dance-y, electronica-tinged verse followed by a nice mid-tempo anthemic chorus. The weird guitar work on this one sits odd with me. once again, it's sounds like it would be more at home on a Nine Inch Nails or KMFDM record than a Guns'n'Roses record. The solo is especially odd, sounding more like an arcade game on acid than a typical guitar solo. Once again, like the first track, it's odd but it fits in with the feel of the song. It's not a bad tune, but feels more like a Linkin Park or Disturbed track than a Guns'n'Roses one.
2.5 outta 5
3. Better : The "ballad" that was leaked to radio a year and a half or so ago, this one is the strongest tune thus far. It has a much more organic feel than the previous 2 tracks (though still has some electronica elements and some effect-ridden guitar work). The verses are great, completely what one assumes a 2008 G-n-R song would sound like. The heavy verses, though at first seeming to be a bit over-the-top, are just too catchy and hooky to deny. The solo is nice in this one, a bit more structured and melodic than the others so far heard on the record. Axl kicks it up a notch during the bridge and, to be honest, it feels good to have him back. This one, while having a pile of modern rock elements, has enough of the old G-n-R flavor to make the older fans happy. This one shoulda been the proper first single.
4.5 outta 5
4. Street of Dreams : A clean piano leads off this one, taking us into a ballad that reminded me a bit of Ozzy's "Old LA Tonight" at first. Axl's vocals are a little odd here, shifting between a cleaner, deeper sound and the warbling screech that we've all known and loved since '87. The chorus to this one is huge, with big, fat guitars coming in to accent the soulful Rose and his piano. This power ballad will certainly take older listeners back to the days of the "Use Your Illusion" records. Not an amazing song, but definitely a strong, solid one. Another that will surely please the older fans while still potentially having a home at modern rock radio.
4 outta 5
5. If The World : An almost Arabian guitar-part and a beat straight from a Justin Timberlake record lead us into a slow, slithering dance tune. This one is pretty sparse, very drum-and-bass driven, with minimal guitar in the verses. A fuller sound comes in for the choruses, but will still leave most fans scratching their heads. Sure, it's got a nice groove, but is this really a Guns'n'Roses song? It reminds me a bit of "Get Down Moses" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros (from the amazing "Streetcore" record). There's some Santana-esque guitar work in the solo and middle section which isn't too bad, but, over-all, I'll be skipping this one in the future.
2 outta 5
6. There was a Time : Opening up with choir voices and large, ominous chords, the chorus breaks in features Axl, a hip-hop beat, and a twinkling piano line. Another head-scratcher during the verses. The chorus kicks in with HUGE guitars that almost seem out of place. After the first chorus, this song seems to find it's voice and slips into a great groove with some of Axl's best lyrics he's ever written. The piano really drives this song, and when Axl and Dizzy (I think he's on this track, but who's to know for sure) fall into the pocket, it sounds great. The middle section is great, with what sounds like a complete choir of Axl's over an anthemic wall of sound that wouldn't sound out of place being played during the climax of a big-budget Hollywood flik. Despite having an iffy start, this one ends up being one of the strongest tunes on the record.
4.5 outta 5
7. Catcher in the Rye : Another mid-tempo "ballad-y" tune, this one sees Axl and the boys falling into the stripped down, blues-y rock that made songs like "Don't Cry" and "Patience" hits. It's a solid tune, with a great, though short solo section and some more nice piano work driving the tune. Axl sounds pretty strong on this one, finding a nice comfortable mid tone for the brunt of the song. At points on this record, it's obvious that he's pushing his voice both too high and too low, and it just comes across as forced and over-processed. Here, he just sounds "right". Love the piano outro as well.
4.5 outta 5
8. Scrapped : Odd voices open this one and really put the listener in an uncomfortable way. The songs kicks in and it's a down and dirty rocker. Around the 40 second mark when the first verse kicks in, the fans wanting something a bit more aggressive will be happy. Sadly, the strange voices from the beginning wind up accent pre-choruses and take away from the song a bit. The chorus is a bit catchier, and, while that's generally a good thing with me, seems to lose something. The solo section is a little unfocused, but it's short. This is as aggressive as the album's going to get, folks. While it's a far cry from what came before it, it's nice to see some of that fire still left in Axl.
3.5 outta 5
9. Riad n' the Bedouins : A minute of strange noise gives way to a reasonably heavy riff and an odd time signature for the verses of this one. The Chorus is much more "solid", but just seems hollow for some reason. The bridge section of this works well, using the verse riff and a much more straight forward beat as the backdrop of the solo. The second solo is an odd one. Very short, but still an odd one. Over-all, this one just comes off as forgettable filler to me.
1.5 outta 5
10. Sorry : A slow tune with some reverb-drenched reggae flavored guitars and a Spanish-guitar line in the verses, this one starts of a bit odd. It has an almost 311-like vibe to it. When it kicks in at the 2:00 mark, though, it's solid. Great vocals, big fat simple guitars, and a simple beat really work well together here. Sadly, after the big chorus, it's goes back into the aforementioned mellow section for the second verse and, of course, back to the "sweet stuff" for the last chorus and outro sections. Nice tune over-all, but the verses just leave a bit to be desired
3.5 outta 5
11. IRS : More Spanish guitar and hip-hop beats in the intro of this one. The verses, though, are a bit more straight forward and once again see Axl sounding great. This is a great tune, shifting effortlessly between heavy distorted guitars and simple, twinkly acoustic guitar work and back again throughout the song, held together by Axl's great vocals and solid lyrics. The solos leave a bit to be desired, but, overall, it's a keeper.
3.5 outta 5
12. Madagascar : The other "leaked ballad", this one has Axl sounding AWFUL. He's trying to push his voice too deep during the verses, and trying to hold the warbly-notes of old too hard in the choruses. I'm not a fan of this one, simply because it's so synth-driven, and just sounds cheesy for the most part. In the heavier sections, it works better, but still comes across as a bit hollow for me. The bridge section, with it's historic quotes and fat back-beat just sounds out-of-place to me (though it's does feature the same quote from "Cool Hand Luke" used in "Civil War", which is a nice call-back).When it ends, for me, I'm happy it's over. Filler to me.
2.5 outta 5
13. This I Love : A more "traditional" ballad, with Axl wearing his heart on his sleeve and accompanied by a clean, grand piano and an orchestra for the majority of the song. Axl's hurting here, singing of lost love and heartache, and it's really moving. No, it's not the blues-y rock swagger of old, but it IS the introspective lyrics and amazing melodies that helped make us all fans back in '87. Easily one of the strongest tracks on the record.
4.5 outta 5
14. Prostitute : A mid-tempo, mellow tune that sounds to me like it would fit in well with today's mellow rock acts, this one is a nice tune with some great vocal melodies and harmonies. The Chorus in this one is HUGE, just big guitars and a great melody, all pushed by a nice backbeat. Once again, does it sound like classic G-n-R? No, but it's still a solid tune. The solo is, once again, is a little strange here, but the piano/synth bit in the outro that follows it is beautiful.
3.5 outta 5
Final Thoughts :
Well, all in all, it's not a bad record. That said, I could see where a lot of die-hards would be disappointed with it. Seriously, though, for some people I've spoken to, anything short of the 2nd coming of Christ would be a let-down with this one.
I'll give props to Axl for treading some new ground and trying some new things here. It'd definitely be easier, safer, and more profitable to simply rehash the formula that made "Appetite for Destruction" the landmark album that it is. One thing about Axl that's been known since "Lies" is his love of experimentation and he drive to always try new things. Like I said, that's commendable.
That said, when you experiment, you're going to have hits and misses, and this album has a handful of both. I'll definitely listen to this one a few more times, and I'm sure that the songs will grow on me a bit, but, admittedly, I'm a bit disappointed.
The problem (and one of their best points as well) with Guns'n'Roses is that they were a very multi-faceted band and, as such, different people enjoyed different aspects. For me, I enjoyed when they were just doing full-throttle, up-tempo hard rock with punk attitude ("Right Next Door to Hell", "Night Train", "Perfect Crime", "Garden of Eden", "Don't damn Me", etc.). That said, there's next to nothing in the way of that sound on this record. Others, however, may prefer the big hooks and power ballads that they were also famous for, and there's plenty of that here. I'm curious as to how the crowd that went out and picked up "Appetite" in '87 will feel about some of the more techno-y, dancey bits on the record. I'm sure it will be a bit polarizing.
Over-all, I dug the record, but, of the big "classic" hard rock and metal bands that recently released albums, I'd rank this closer to the back of the line. That said, still a decent record.
3.5 outta 5
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super_sam
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| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm sorry freddie, but you had nothing but praises for the new metallica, and man.... It blows. I just dont know if I cant trust your reviews. |
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Freddie
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| Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 6:45 am Post subject: |
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I stand by that the new Metallica record is a solid record. It's basically what I wanted and expected from them : a return to longer, more dynamic songs packed full of time-changes and machine gun riffs.
The new G-n-R? Sounds a lot like an Adema or Linkin Park record. Not saying it's BAD (as I didn't in the review), just saying it's different/
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EvilJay
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| Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:56 am Post subject: |
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| super_sam wrote: | | I'm sorry freddie, but you had nothing but praises for the new metallica, and man.... It blows. I just dont know if I cant trust your reviews. |
Sam, given the fact that Freddie breaks down and analiyzes every song in detail, and gives pretty direct comparision for each song to the bands pervious material, and other bands material, I find it hard not to "trust" his reviews. You don't have to be in agreement with his ratings, but any ratings are more personal taste. I think his reviews, be them music or movie, are well done.. |
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sidelvar
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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listening to it now on the radio, in the middle of the second track. No amazing but not aweful. Agree with Freddie so far.
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alexgruve87
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| Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:17 am Post subject: |
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I heard one of their new songs on the radio (suprised at myself I even gave it a chance, Axl is nothing without Slash.) and I thought it sounded like Sinister gates from A7X playing guitar.
which was weird because Axl's vocal trainer is also A7x's vocal trainer.
So they do have that connection.
So to answer your question I heard one song and I honestly didn't like it. |
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MattCrunk
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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Lets get one thing straight: Guns N' Roses no longer exists.
Axl may own the name, but a name does not make a band. For all practical purposes the real GNR ceased to exist circa 1996-97 with the departure of Slash and Duff.
The group you are reviewing here should be called The Axl Rose band. It's Axl and a revolving door of musicians he's able to talk into putting up with his egocentric bullshit long enough to make a record.
I've yet to hear a single cut, but I'm sure the record is probably decent. Axl is a talented fellow after all, and at his level it's hard to make a horrible album. But, that said, I just also gotta say I really couldn't give a shit less. Axl without Slash is like Mick without Keef, Steven Tyler without Joe Perry, or Kiss without Ace . . . like peanut butter without jelly. As a fan of the real GNR, it'll never be the same.
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super_sam
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:44 am Post subject: |
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I really think it may be slash whos the egocentric bastard, and not axl. Axl is a recluse after all, who knows..?. This record does have some decent stuff on it. The last good album Guns n Roses did was Lies. Both of the use your illusion albums were shit, WITH slash and duff.
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EvilJay
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:18 am Post subject: |
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| Everything I've ever read/heard/etc is that Axl is the biggest asshole egomaniac on the planet. Everyone that has ever worked with him has said it's all but impossible. Te say its a combination of ultra over perfectionist and egomania, setting impossible to achieve standards and making any tyoe of commitments unachievable. |
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