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Locobot · 12-03-2008, 12:26 AM

As the only person actually standing as Guns n' Roses, I gotta say Axl's vocals are pretty amazing. There are really no other contemporary male vocalists capable of or attempting his level of vocal acrobatics. There are some really really good songs, "Street of Dreams" is better than anything on Illusion 1 or 2. Without a doubt this album is miles above what passes as "hard rock" radio programming. I'll take any song on Chinese Democracy over the combined careers of Nickelback, Staind, Linkin Park, Audioslave, Evanescence, and Creed (holy shit they're awful).

Even though he was fired years ago, there's a lot of Buckethead on guitar. A few of the guitar solos are too clean, sound like they could be done on a keyboard. The bass is solid, but doesn't have the presence it did on Appetite. What's really missing is the dangerousness of the early GnR. I can remember buying "Lies" on cassette, putting it in my walkman, and having it scare the shit out of me on the first listen. No one is going to have an experience like that with Chinese Democracy. The bar for "shocking" is so high now, GnR can't really compare. To his credit, Axl isn't trying to out do anyone with expletives or whatever.

I like that it's earnestly trying to be a great hard rock/metal album and nothing else. It's not trying to be rap-metal, grindy, or hiding behind a prophylactic shield of irony (the Darkness). Chinese Democracy is a treat for the ears that will reward repeat listenings. It's too bad that no one really listens to albums like that anymore. I'd love to be proven wrong but I don't see it getting much play on the radio. It doesn't have the simplistic packaged choruses or gimmicks that get stuck in your head. People just want one or two catchy hits for their mp3 player to grind into their brain until a song loses all its potency (I'm definitely guilty of this, not trying to be on a high horse here). Its great when a White Stripes chorus bubbles up from my subconscious, but fuck, half the time it's a commercial jingle or something worse:
all the single ladies
all the single ladies
all the single ladies
all the single ladies
if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
ad nausea

By being incapable of digesting a solid 14 song album it's the listeners that have let GnR down, not the other way around. In that sense I think it's a cool and quixotic thing that Mr. Rose has done with Chinese Democracy. Supposedly there are two more albums in production. I hope they get released before my or Axl's death.

12-03-2008, 12:26 AM	#14 (permalink)
Locobot is awesome!	As the only person actually standing as Guns n' Roses, I gotta say Axl's vocals are pretty amazing. There are really no other contemporary male vocalists capable of or attempting his level of vocal acrobatics. There are some really really good songs, "Street of Dreams" is better than anything on Illusion 1 or 2. Without a doubt this album is miles above what passes as "hard rock" radio programming. I'll take any song on Chinese Democracy over the combined careers of Nickelback, Staind, Linkin Park, Audioslave, Evanescence, and Creed (holy shit they're awful). Even though he was fired years ago, there's a lot of Buckethead on guitar. A few of the guitar solos are too clean, sound like they could be done on a keyboard. The bass is solid, but doesn't have the presence it did on Appetite. What's really missing is the dangerousness of the early GnR. I can remember buying "Lies" on cassette, putting it in my walkman, and having it scare the shit out of me on the first listen. No one is going to have an experience like that with Chinese Democracy. The bar for "shocking" is so high now, GnR can't really compare. To his credit, Axl isn't trying to out do anyone with expletives or whatever. I like that it's earnestly trying to be a great hard rock/metal album and nothing else. It's not trying to be rap-metal, grindy, or hiding behind a prophylactic shield of irony (the Darkness). Chinese Democracy is a treat for the ears that will reward repeat listenings. It's too bad that no one really listens to albums like that anymore. I'd love to be proven wrong but I don't see it getting much play on the radio. It doesn't have the simplistic packaged choruses or gimmicks that get stuck in your head. People just want one or two catchy hits for their mp3 player to grind into their brain until a song loses all its potency (I'm definitely guilty of this, not trying to be on a high horse here). Its great when a White Stripes chorus bubbles up from my subconscious, but fuck, half the time it's a commercial jingle or something worse: all the single ladies all the single ladies all the single ladies all the single ladies if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it ad nausea By being incapable of digesting a solid 14 song album it's the listeners that have let GnR down, not the other way around. In that sense I think it's a cool and quixotic thing that Mr. Rose has done with Chinese Democracy. Supposedly there are two more albums in production. I hope they get released before my or Axl's death.