Guns n' Freaking Roses review
Guns n' Roses: "Chinese Democracy"Grade: C-
CD: Guns n' Roses' first album of original material since 1991, "Chinese Democracy," is not worth the wait, though the first half of the album shows flashes of crackling energy with Buckethead, Robin Finck and others making up for Slash's absence.
Lead singer Axl Rose, the only original member, has improved what was already the most evocative voice in popular music (he has added an appealing falsetto to his expansive range) but he needed the other members of the original band to veto his excesses, like over-production, too many bland "Don't Cry"-type ballads, an avoidance of melody and concept, and an inexplicable lack of a rhythm section.
Worst of all is that Axl writes lyrics and stories that are simply vague and uninteresting: devoid of the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll that gave "Appetite to Destruction"-listeners vicarious thrills of the sins of an unrepentant life.
Note: I would give "Appetite for Destruction" an A, "Lies" B, "Use Your Illusion I" a B+ and "Use Your Illusion II" a A-. As for "the Spaghetti Incident," that's a B.
Memories of better times:
12:20 PM
| 
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home