reviewed by Heath Holland
The day that many thought would never come finally has. The new Guns N Roses cd, Chinese Democracy, has finally been released to stores. Before we even get into the content, let's take a second to appreciate what a big deal this is. It's the first new album since 1993's "The Spaghetti Incident?" and has been in the works for almost a decade and a half. None of the original band members, save Axl Rose, are still part of the band. Axl has reportedly spent 13 Million dollars on the production of this album.
So how is it?
Well, before I tell you my take on it, I think it's best to give the reader a bit of advice. Do not look at this as the new Guns N Roses album.
I know, that's crazy talk! It says it right there on the cover of the CD!
Perhaps you are confused. There's even a chance you've just thrown the CD away. Hold on, let me explain.
You see, in the eyes of this reviewer, there is no Guns N Roses without Slash, Izzy, Duff, and Steve as well as Axl. So you have to ask yourself what you consider G n R to be. Is it the band that made Appetite for Destruction, or is it Axl Rose, the man with the coolest name in rock n' roll?
It also helps the album go down a little bit better (at least to me) if you consider it to be an Axl Rose side project or solo CD, because let's face it, that's pretty much what it is. He's hired musicians to come in and play, and some of them lasted longer than others, but one man is running this show.
So having said that, let's get back to the original question. How is it?
For me, it's pretty freaking good. It is not Welcome to the Jungle. It is not Sweet Child O Mine. Nor is it Mr. Brownstone, Live and Let Die, or Paradise City, either. It's not the Guns N Roses you've ever heard before (because to me it's not Guns N Roses), but what it is...well, it's an album of material culled from hours and hours of songs that Axl has been putting together for a very long time that run the gamut of styles, tempos, and musical genres.
The CD opens with "Chinese Democracy". It starts with an epic feel. Some Eastern ambiance, some moody muted guitar arpeggios, then this new, crunchy guitar kicks in. The second I heard that new guitar sound, I knew I was in for something different. Truth be told, I wasn't sure what I thought about the song Chinese Democracy until I'd heard it a few times. It's definitely a modern sound, full of layers and a pissed off chorus. Now I love it. It's a new sound, but it is a real rocker.
The next song is "Shackler's Revenge." It opens with something that sounds like Prodigy. For those who don't know who Prodigy are, they are a sort of techno/rock/industrial outfit from Europe that wrote "Smack my Bitch Up." I didn't like this looped drum, techno-ish sound, but it doesn't stick around very long before we get to Axl almost growling the verse. I've never heard him sing so low. By the time we get to the catchy chorus, I'm hooked, and this, like the first track, is a rocker, for sure.
"Better," the next song, seems like it's going to be very radio friendly. It's got this melodic high sound from Axl at the beginning, then it launches into an insanely melodic verse...then kicks it home with a pissed off, angry screaming chorus. He almost spits the words "Now I know you better, you know I know better." I love this song. It's the first time on the album that I hear the Axl I loved as a younger guy.
The next song is "Street of Dreams." It starts with a soft piano, and has Axl alternating between this deep moaning tone and his trademark screeching. This is your top 40 radio single right here. The fact that it's better than 90% of the songs on said radio should help it out if he releases it as a single.
"If the World" is really a departure. It opens with spanish guitar and a funky R & B wah wah guitar, a cross between a blaxploitation soundtrack and some modern Luther Vandross song. It stays pretty mellow the whole song, too. It does have some good guitar work toward the end, though. I'm not really too much of a fan of this song at this point, but I can see it growing on me.
"There Was a Time" opens with a chorus of angelic voices, then the strings come in. Ah, strings: violins, cellos, which get lots of play on this album. Fear not, this song gets pretty hard rocking at various parts of the song. It reminds me of the Beatles at several points, too. I love this one, and it's got some AMAZING guitar work at the end of the song. I got my copy of this CD in advance from a listener of the Rock Dungeon who has asked to be called "Bucky" so I do not have the album information in front of me, and I don't know who played guitar on this song.
"Catcher in the Rye" is next, and if the previous song sounded like the Beatles at a few points, this one sounds like it for most of the song. Axl employs the old C to C minor melodic note trick to great effect. The song seems so cheerful, but the lyrics really aren't. "When all is said and done, we're not the only ones who look at life this way, that's what the old folks say. But every time I'd see their face, I'd wish I had a gun." Hmm...
"Scrapped" begins with some Acappella screeching then launches into a moderate rocker. I like it because he does this thing where he sounds like he's chattering his teeth, and the guitar reflects it. You'll have to listen out for it.
"Riad n' The Bedouins." What an interesting track. Starts off kind of moody and atmospheric, then the guitar kicks in and Axl starts singing, and he sounds like he is PISSED OFF. "I don't give a f*ck 'bout them, cuz I am crazy!" The chorus is really moody and pissy, too. Great song for driving.
Next is "Sorry."Starts off kind of like a Pink Floyd song, but I like it. Very subdued at first, then, as is a trend on this album, the chorus takes it to a grittier place.
"I. R. S. " is a kind of perky love song, but as only Axl can do it. It seems this chick has run off with his heart, and he's gonna call the president, a private eye, the IRS and the FBI. Has some blistering guitar toward the end.
"Madagascar" is the next song, and this one both amazes me and confounds me. I can't figure out what it's about yet. It starts with this very haunting horn sound, then when Axl starts singing, he sounds like a 75 year old blues singer. It's pretty awesome. He takes his voice to places I've never heard it go before, and I have to give him a lot of credit for trying to get outside the box. This whole album seems to be about being outside the box. But the song itself seems to relay feelings of being lost, not being able to find oneself. Then at the climax of the song, we start hearing clips and samples of Martin Luther King and other voices, and right in the middle we hear "what we have here is a failure to communicate" that we heard on Civil War so many years ago. I would be lying if I said I didn't get goosebumps. It's a nice nod, and it's a great song.
"This I Love." HOLY CRAP. This song is awesome. I can completely hear this song as part of a broadway musical, or a rock opera. It's really theatrical, but it's also haunting, with this melancholy piano and what sounds like a decent sized orchestra behind him. Axl starts singing very subdued, but he soon gives us the scream/screech that is his trademark. This song is pretty powerful, and most definitely moving. It's not hard to understand where it came from either, because this is the guy who gave us "November Rain" and "Don't Cry" almost 20 years ago. He's always had this theatrical flair to him, but he seems to have perfected it in the last decade. If he wrote a rock opera, I would definitely have to see it. I wouldn't have thought that before, wouldn't have thought he was capable, but now I definitely think he's got the chops.
The CD closes out with the song "Prostitute" as Axl sings a song that almost can be directed at his listening audience. Is it intentional? Is he talking to us about the album? Here's the opening lines: "seems like forever and day. If my intentions are misunderstood, please be kind, I've done all I should." Then later, he seems to be singing about how he has been wronged by those who have encouraged him then laughed in his face. And the song is called Prostitute. I think there's a message here, but it might not be so clear to any but him. Despite the subject matter, this song is the most optimistic on the album and seems to really want to leave the audience on a positive note. Again, the string section is put to full use. As the album closes, the violins quietly fade, and then it's over.
Upon my first listen, I was more surprised than anything else. Surprised that the album didn't stink (as these things that are so delayed sometimes do) and also that it sounded so different from G n R. But the more I've listened to it and the more I've come to terms with the fact that this is Axl and not the rest of the band I loved, the more it grows on me. I really love over half of these songs, and the ones that I am not completely sold on yet are growing on me.
Sebastian Bach was recently quoted as saying that Axl told him this is the first part of a trilogy, and if it is, I welcome it. We've gone way too long without his voice on the airwaves, and I'm really glad he's back. My only regret is that Slash, Izzy, Duff, and Steve aren't back with him, and that this isn't the band I loved when I first heard Welcome to the Jungle.
Still, it's a solid CD, and time seems to have mellowed Axl. He still seems to have a temper, but he's also full of hurt, hope, and forgiveness. I can't help but wonder if the man has changed this dramatically over the ten years or so that he's been out of the mainstream limelight. And who knows? Maybe if this CD is successful, and it seems to be, fences can be mended with Slash and the rest of the band, and we can one day get back to that Appetite for Destruction that set it all off 21 years ago.
In the meantime, I've got Chinese Democracy, and for now, that's enough.
For episode 9, we're going to be focusing on a band that you might not be very familiar with. We're talking about Y & T, who has existed for nearly four decades, released a plethora of albums, toured the world with some of the biggest names in rock, and continues to tour and make music to this day. If you aren't familiar with them, this is your chance to take a crash course and learn what makes so many current rock bands hail Y & T as the best. Get ready for the Hurricane!
Episode 8 is cocked and loaded as we go in depth into the musical career of L.A. Guns! Learn the tumultuous and incestuous history of the band, what it means to be a Hollywood Vampire, hear stories of opium dens in China, and fear the pain of gonorrhea! What does opium and gonorrhea have to do with L.A. Guns? Listen to find out...
reviewed by Heath Holland
For episode 5, we travel to Massachusetts...BOSTON, to be exact, as we discuss the great classic rock band Boston.
Episode one of the Rock Dungeon Podcast is here! Our first featured artist is Alice Cooper, and we're focusing on four albums that started in the mid eighties, returning him to his rock roots. We also give our in depth review of the newest Metallica album, Death Magnetic. Enjoy!