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Guns N' Axl: Chinese Democracy |
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| Sometimes its hard to understand things without first putting them into perspective. Such is the case with the latest, and much anticipated studio album from Guns N' Roses. It was to be the most recent attempt at a revival since the ill-fated Spaghetti Incident which didn't go over all that well with either critics or fans when it came out back in Nineteen Ninety-Three. All the same, the band had previously built up an enormous amount of fame and credibility with their smash release "Appetite For Destruction" along with the hit multi-part follow ups "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II." It's been fifteen years since "The Spaghetti Incident" was first on the shelves, and it's been even longer since the band has released something they could actually be proud of. "Use Your Illusion II" was released seventeen years back, so to many Guns N' Roses fans, its felt like almost twenty years with nothing new to offer from the band's name. Instead they were treated to twenty years of titillating promises from Axle Rose claiming that a new Guns N' Roses album was indeed in the works. It seemed though, that the more he told us about it, the more and more it was delayed or forgotten.
"But wait," you say. "Why are you going on and out about delays and time lengths when this album came out in November of last years and you're only reviewing it now. All I can say is, I was psyched to do an album review the first chance I got, but it is really hard to put your finger on this CD. After listening to it for the first time, I knew one thing. It's a massive collection. A massive collection of what? That could be the hardest question of all to answer.
It's safe to start out by saying that the album should've been titled: Chinese Democracy: Axl's Odyssey. The album was recorded in Hollywood Hills where he had seemingly cut himself off from the world, as is the only member that actually remains of the once mighty Guns N' Roses group. It really feels like a sort of twisted, sketchy concept album that only seems to make sense in the mind of Axl himself, and maybe a few close friends. We're talking about a man who had years of time, and tons of money to do whatever he felt like with this record. Was ever loose end tied up? Was every little detail put into place? Was a true masterpiece we were all expecting finally created? Unfortunately its no to all those. Fortunately, the album doesn't crash and burn either.
For those who remember the original Guns N' Roses as that kind of hard edge pop metal group from the Nineteen Eighties, you might as well forget that. Since Axl is the only remaining member, we're looking at something he himself has meticulously obsessed over without any of the original member's inputs. The original feel of Guns N' Roses work has be altered as a result. Sometimes is shows through more than others, but a much more modern sound has been added to the mix of their music. The tone of the album stays the same throughout: a sad, melancholy and sometimes reflective feel that actually seemed almost expected. The album's one semi-lighthearted moment is captured in the song titled after JD Salinger's seminal novel: "The Catcher In The Rye," beautiful in its own right. The production on most of the album is very present and sometimes really overbearing to the point where the first listen might just leave you scratching your head and wondering what it was you heard. Everything just seems to unfold as the album progresses. Sometimes you'll be hearing heavy distortion crunching in your ears, sometimes a hip-hop based track will pop up, or even voice clips used in past Guns N' Roses songs.
The album incorporates guest players as well, such as guitarist Buckethead. Most people won't know that they're listening to him exactly, but he is there apparently much to the delight of his fans. Doesn't add much to the overall production of the album them.
With all the drama and over-blown intensity in each track, it is hard to pick a stand out song. I.R.S, Better, Street Of Dreams, The Catcher In The Rye and Madagascar are all worth a good listen, but they won't linger in your mind for days on end. They are great tunes and have some great melodies to them, but they won't be the type of song that'll be stuck in your head for a week. Unfortunately, this may lead them to being under-appreciated pieces of work in the near future, but they don't live up to all the hype that surrounded them for so long. The lyrics are interesting pieces of insights into Axl's own mind and views, and most songwriters or artists these days don't usual produce anything even this close to level of interesting or personal feel. While it might feel more like a collection than the masterpiece it was supposed to be, anyone who is looking for some solid works of art or interested in seeing what has happened to Guns N' Roses over the years, should pick this up. I'll guarantee you'll find your own favorite song, and listen more than once!
*= Kick Ass Rockin'!
1. Chinese Democracy
2. Shackler's Revenge
3. Better*
4. Street Of Dreams*
5. If The World
6. There Was A Time
7. Catcher In The Rye*
8. Scraped
9. Raid N' The Bedouins
10. Sorry
11. I.R.S*
12. Madagascar
13. This I Love
14. Prostitute*
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The question of originality is an interesting one. We all know that Shakespeare never invented a plot; he worked on pre-existing material that allowed him to expand into his own mind.-- Jeanette Winterson |
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