Hey,
With a tour dates announced in asia and Canada, with possible dates in the US and europe to follow, I thought i would re-post my review of their latest record, chinese democracy, to get hype up and also get people talking about the album because it really does deserve to be talked about, its a great record in my opinion. So........
It's finally here, the CD that has cost over 13 million dollars and 16 years to make. Firstly, was it worth the long wait? Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great CD. No record could live up to the hype, but "Chinese Democracy" tries it's hardest to and pretty much succeeds.
The first thing to think when listening to the record is that it's a new era of GN'R. Yes, The band is new apart from Axl Rose and Dizzy Reed and if you just think that it's bad because it doesn't sound like "appetite" remixed, then your really missing out because the new sound is great. Much more modern, with more electronic and funk influences on songs such as "If the world" (which was featured in the Russel Crowe & Leonardo DiCaprio film "body of lies, A great film by the way). But don't worry, Guns N' Roses haven't become a hip-hop group or anything - there are still plenty of hard rocking tunes on here such as the title track, "Better", "riad and the Bedouins","Scraped" and "I.R.S". On all of these songs, Axl Rose's classic piercing vocals are definitely present. The onslaught of age has barely affected him, you can only hear a slight deterioration here and there. You can still hear "Use your Illusion" influences with the piano ballad near the end of the CD ("This i love") which just features Rose on the piano till an awesome guitar solo kicks in.
My the best song on the record? The three best songs on the CD, in my opinion, are the songs "Better", "Madagascar" "Sorry". "Better" is a modern rocker which sees rose go from softer vocals to his classic metal yell. The second song is a slower, more experimental song but with classic "If you don't like me, you can kiss my ass" lyrics which I really like. A great song to get yourself psyched up to. It really makes you feel like "Come and get me, bitch" Plus, it probably has one of the best guitar solos of the record near the end of the song, which helps. The third best track is called "Madagascar". It's a GN'R epic, something like "Estranged" was. It starts off with this organ intro, then goes into classic Uber obtuse and abstract Axl lyrics. The greatest, and also the most strange thing, is that instead of your traditional guitar solo, theres a solo but with MLK's "i have a dream" and movie clip soundbites interspersed in it. It's quite cool if you get into it. To finish off, Is it worth your money? absolutely. Even if you were never a Guns N' Roses fan to begin with, I'm sure you will be when you finish Listening to this CD. There are tracks for all moods and occasions, so even the most casual fan will enjoy the record I think. This CD really shows that Axl has never lost it, as some people in the media like to claim. He has the talent to deserve to be in the pantheon of great rock n roll singers.
Go buy "Chinese Democracy"!
Max
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