Well, I wasn't sure this day would ever come. Chinese Democracy, one of the most talked about, most anticipated albums of all time hit the shelves today. And I think the most expensive album in history as well... As the biggest GNR fan I know, I've been very, very, very keen to hear this album. Not that I thought it would recapture the magic of "the original GNR". Especially given my main attraction to GNR has always been Izzy's rhythm and Slash's lead guitar work.

My overall take on the album is that it is great. I'd give it an 8 out of 10. Individual songs on it deserve a 9.5 or 10 out of 10. Some songs on it deserve a 3 or 4 though. The first 7 tracks work really well, but then there is a patch of mediocrity (4 songs), before another killer track, a dud and a solid finish. So, I thought it would be best to do a track-by-track breakdown of the album...

Chinese Democracy
This is a very fine opener to the album. It's a strong rock song, it's atmospheric, noisy, and employs all the tricks, characteristics and strengths of the new GNR. The guitar work is solid (predominantly Robin Finck and Buckethead from the sounds of it), it's got some very slick production on it. It's great to hear Axl's voice again - this is a good start, and a smart choice for first single from the album.

Shackler's Revenge
If there was any song to representative the fabled "Electro-Industrial" GNR, this is it. This is possibly how the album was going to work out, if you listened to anyone during the mid to late 90's this is how the album was going to sound I think. The pre-chorus is quite "dance-y" actually. The chorus is fucking awesome ("I don't believe there's a reason"). The solo is interesting - the credits list it only as "Bumblefoot", but it sounds like 2 distinct styles from 2 different guitarists. I don't think either of them is Buckethead (the first could've been). I would've rathered hear Buckethead absolutely blow the cobwebs off it than the solo on here (as I know he could've shredded the fuck out of a solo here), but don't get me wrong - the solo that's there isn't at all bad. This, as a whole, is a really well constructed song. At the end of this song, I'm convinced this is going to be a very good, if not great album.

Better
Of all the new GNR songs I heard over the past 5 years, this was the one that I really fell in love with. Hearing the "proper" version of it cements it as a favourite on the album. Written by Axl and Robin Finck, it has simple great verses with probably the best lyrics on the album (and some of the simplest, most effective lyrics I've heard in years). Buckethead's solos on this song are great, but honestly the song shines when Robin Finck gets a hold of the leadwork around the 3:38 mark - it's a magical little melody he plays - I could listen to it for hours. I wouldn't be surprised if the song was written around that little noodling guitar part. If this is a single (and I hope it is) I wouldn't be surprised if it does extremely well.

Street of Dreams
This was the other new GNR song I heard over the years that got me quite excited. Originally called "The Blues", the version on the album is mixed much differently to the one I heard. The gold is at the 1:50 mark. One of the finest moments on the album. This song could've lived quite easily on the Illusion albums. It's got the guitar magic of Finck and Buckethead again (who I think make a lot of this album what it is). This song probably takes my favourite song on the album (or tied with "Better"). It's such a great "GNR" song from the Illusions period, it stands a testament to Axl for pulling it off convincingly.

If The World
This track has some really strong vocal work on it. It's a good, solid song - probably not what I would call a "standout". I think what holds this song back is the drumming - it's all a bit samey, and doesn't really take the song anywhere (which considering it lists 2 live drummers and plenty of electronic drums in the credits for it, is a bit disappointing). A fairly tame solo from Buckethead as well. Nice acoustic work from him though (particularly in the outro). A good 7 out of 10 type track...

There was a time
Talk about a song that builds and then takes a turn - this is it. The first minute has almost everything you could imagine employing in a song - but not in an over-the-top way. Then when it gets to the chorus, it turns left and I thought "that works, but was highly unexpected...". This is a very good song, but probably 2 minutes or so too long towards the end - I think they should've wrapped on a short outro solo from Buckethead (instead of the long "jam" feel)

Catcher In The Rye
The start of this song reminds me of something else, but that's soon forgotten. Clever lyrics, a good feel to this song, a nice rockin' beat - this song contributes a great "something different" middle song to the album (again, something GNR do well; e.g. Bad Obsession, Breakdown or Think About You). The solo on this song kicks ass - surprisingly Bumblefoot, not Buckethead (it's a great chord pattern to solo over, which helps). One of the best songs on the album I think.

Scraped
This is where the kookiness on the album starts I think. This song is different to everything else so far; it starts with some kind odd vocal harmonies then heads into kinda heavy metal cheerleading. And the vocals are all cut up and sampled pretty weirdly. It's a grower though, in an uncomfortably kind of way. It gets this funky kind of hold on you and then it just stops. It's a song that the jury is out on for me at least...

Riad N' The Bedouins
Lot of promise in the lead up to this. The atmospheric intro works well, but the verse is fairly average, and then the pre-chorus changes key, and I don't think it works well at all. I feel this song was a really great idea, that didn't really work - the only other song I can liken it to is Locomotive (which is one of my favourite songs of the Illusions). The timing changes of that worked a treat, whereas here the key/chord changes *almost* work, but not in my book. I'm sure some people will love it. The best thing I can say about it is that it does give Bumblefoot and Buckethead a wacky background to solo over.

Sorry
"But I don't want to do it". The first time you hear Axl sing this (first verse), try and keep a straight face. It's bizarre... This song is a bit of a dud I think - it's just boring - it's slow, it drags, and it's predictable, not in a good way. The lyrics are pretty ordinary as well. Every time I've listened to this song it's just been a case of waiting for it to be over...

I.R.S.
I'm always worried by the start of this song, especially because of the two songs preceding it. However, this song has a lot of similarities to the Use Your Illusion-era GNR. It has a simple, building rock chorus and kinda clean "swing" choruses. And a ripping Buckethead solo towards the end. So, it's not a "standout" track, but it's getting back into the right ballpark. I reckon I'll skip it every second time I hear it.

Madagascar
This was one of the first "New GNR" songs I heard, many years ago. At the time, I thought it was a bit throwaway. Now, maybe it's the mix or the time is right for it, but I think it's a cracker of a song. I think it really represents the album, the new band and the progression of GNR (ironically however it contains samples - one of which was used on "Civil War"). Axl's voice on this song however is more mature than anything else prior and this is a great mid-paced track. The guitar melodies are great as well.

This I Love
This songs starts a little bit like musical theatre - treading the line of tackiness. It sounds like it should be a theme for a "Days of our Lives" spinoff. This, more than any other song, sounds like an Axl vehicle. Nice solo from Robin Finck though - great guitar tone. The song gets MUCH better when the drums and orchestra come in, but I'm not a fan of the lyrics or the vocal melody. And it heads back into dangerous territory by ditching the drums / guitars (the best part) for the last section of the song. I think this is certainly the weakest song on the album.

Prostitute
I have paused the CD before writing this part. I have LARGE expectations for this song, the last song on the album. GNR have a history of having great closing songs; "Rocket Queen", "One In A Million", "Coma" and "My World" (an interesting one, but a significant impact on the UYI albums). This is a good song, but it doesn't even stand to be mentioned in the same paragraph as those songs. Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with this song, it just doesn't leave you crying/exhausted/elated/amazed (which is what I've been used to with GNR closers). The ending is particularly interesting however. When it obviously started to finish the song, I thought it was pretty pissy, just running out of steam. But the last minute is actually quite beautiful. It leaves you with a distinctly different feeling to the overall album though I think, which again, isn't representative of the "classic" GNR closer. I mean, think of "Rocket Queen"; it starts off the sleaziest, dirtiest song off Appetite, then ends with the most melancholic beauty on the album - it's a wonderful climax to the album. Coma, similarly takes you on a journey which closes with Axl and Slash doing what they do best. This song is good, not great. Having said that though, every time I've listened to it, it seems to have gotten better and better, so it is almost great :)

So, in summary, here's the song roundup:

Outstanding (worth buying the album for);
- Better
- Street of Dreams
- Catcher in the Rye
- Madagascar

Great
- Shackler's Revenge
- Chinese Democracy
- There was a time

Good
- Prostitute
- If The World
- Scraped
- I.R.S.

Filler
- Riad N' The Bedouins

Dud
- Sorry
- This I Love

Should you buy this album? Hell yes! Without your purchase, no one will ever give Axl another dollar to make more music, and that in itself would be a terrible thing. Having said that, I suspect no one in their right mind would ever allow Axl to "go dark" for another 15 years in between albums (that is just ridiculous).

So, where to from here for GNR? I sincerely hope there is another album of material from them soon. Sebastian Bach said in one interview that they had *actually* recorded 3 albums worth of material. Of course, I wouldn't be adverse to a reunion of the original line up... but I'm not betting the farm on that happening anytime soon.

Labels: Music