Guns N' Roses Album "A Shipwreck" And "A Loud Last Gasp"

New York Times:

"Chinese Democracy" (Geffen) is the Titanic of rock albums: the ship, not the movie, although like the film it's a monumental studio production. It's outsize, lavish, obsessive, technologically advanced and, all too clearly, the end of an era. It's also a shipwreck, capsized by pretensions and top-heavy production. In its 14 songs there are glimpses of heartfelt ferocity and despair, along with bursts of remarkable musicianship. But they are overwhelmed by countless layers of studio diddling and a tone of curdled self-pity. The album concludes with five bombastic power ballads in a row.

"Chinese Democracy" sounds like a loud last gasp from the reign of the indulged pop star: the kind of musician whose blockbuster early success could once assure loyal audiences, bountiful royalties, escalating ambitions and dangerously open-ended deadlines. The leaner, leakier 21st-century recording business is far less likely to nurture such erratic perfectionists. (Mr. Rose did manage to outpace Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine, which re-emerged on tour this year but hasn't yet released a successor to its 1991 masterpiece, "Loveless.") The new rock paradigm, a throwback to the 1950s and early 1960s, is to record faster, more cheaply and more often, then head out on tour before the next YouTube sensation distracts potential fans.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[kburlz]

Axl, just call this what it is, a solo album. Slash always carried GnR. Without him, it's just a cat screeching.

[Andrew]

It's definitely an Axl Rose album rather than a Guns 'n Roses album, but I think people who dismiss this as "irrelevant" (why? because it doesn't sound like "All American Rejects"? good!) or some complete failure are just people who would like to see Axl fail. There's definitely a lot going on on this record and it's one that warrants multiple listens.

[curiousasheck]

God forbid a band would pursue all across the board excellence to the best of it's ability just for the principle.

They should have just slapped together some quick "tunes" (noise) that play in ultra low fidelity over ear pods or computer speakers.

[ChristiB]

I couldn't listen to the whole thing. It was a mess, I agree.

[Robespierre]

These guys are still Alive? They haven't died from overdoses or anything? Wow! I'm amazed.

[kburlz]

You mean HE is still alive? Axl chased all the musicians away.

[fedupnVa]

Is anyone really surpised this album will be a Thanksgiving turkey? If you have heard Shackler's Revenge on Rockband you shouldn't be. Most GnR fans know this is not true Guns and it shouldn't be promoted as such. They were a great band in their time but it has long since passed and like many before it egos, alcohol and drugs were their downfall.

[newdreams]

In this case, the critics are right. No substance and no relevancy. This album is bargain bin material from day one.

[SterileEyes]

Uh, no.

It rocks. Beginning to end. Period.

NYT are mad Axl wouldn't talk for their 2005 article featuring "information" exclusively from bitter ex-employees.

[60thStreet]

The funny thing about some music critics, like this one, is that they fail to move beyond their own overinflated egos and see what is happening around them. All this guy thought he did was make a safe bet that the public will turn away at what he perceives as an irrelevant dinosaur and his ego.

I ask you, has egotism and overproduction left the music industry?? This guy cites Oasis? How tired is that cliche?! My Bloody Valentine?? Jeez, irrelevant!

This GnR album will sell, and sell a LOT, and be considered a good album not because it is timeless rock, but because it has the wieght and formula of previous GnR records behind it and david Geffen knows it. Like AC/DC there is nothing here in this record that you can't find in others. It is bankable formula with enough orignalism to more than carry it past the production.

Let's face it, GnR haven't made a really good album since "Lies", but, f this album is anything like UYI 1 and 2, it will keep these guys going well into Axl's 50s . You wanna talk "produced" look at November Rain and Live and Let Die. ugh, but they worked and people liked them...A LOT!

I have three words for this reviewer: Appetite for Destruction...and two more: Guitar Hero.

[DocManhattan]

Pardon me, 60th street, but I'm confused. Do YOU personally like the new album? Because all you seem to talk about are how many units you think it will sell and whether it will "be considered a good album" by some anonymous masses. Nowhere in your post do you say anything about your own opinion of the music ...

I do agree with you that the last G'n'R album that was any good was 'Lies'. That was the last time they sounded dangerous, reckless, volatile the way they did on the amazing 'Appetite for Destruction'. But that was over already by the time they released 'Use Your Illusion', which was overblown, pretentious garbage for the most part. I haven't listened to that album since maybe 1995. I remember I liked some of it, but the only tracks that come to my mind when I think about it now are the ones I hated -- the adolescent balladry of 'November Rain' and 'Don't Cry', Axl throwing a tantrum at the press in 'Get in the Ring'... And a cover of 'Live and Let Die'? From the same band that recorded 'Night Train'?! God help us.

Unfortunately, the tracks I've heard so far from Chinese Democracy sound much more like "Use Your Illusion" than "Appetite" ... Too little, too late ...

[RobinSeattle]

Look, nobody has referred to rock critics as art damaged tone deaf dorks as much as I have, but the reviewer here is very much on target, sad to say.

[bbridges1962]

Don't you just love it when he does the "Axl Shuffle" ??

[ramblingjohnny]

I been to an Axl show and while I refuse to call his band Guns and Roses it was not so bad he did made peoples wait a long time but in a smart way using more than a few opening acts. By the time he started I was too wasted to care that Slash was not there and he did most of the biggest Guns hits. Axl is now running a Guns and Roses cover band nothing more nothing less. And this album should not have any Guns and Roses label.

[BigMike75]

As far as I'm concerned this isn't even Guns N' Roses, this is just an excercise of expansion for Axl Rose's inflated ego, GnR stopped being a band over a decade ago.

[DevRock]

THIS IS NOT A GnR ALBUM!!!! Stop the sham, Axl. Just go away forever. you completely ruined a good thing 15 years ago and now you're smearing a good name. Without Slash and the rest of the guys, this is con job.

[trollsbwild]

Real bands have enough energy to endure through all the ego issues. GNR never ad a chance with Axl. Great voice, but a major pain.
Want to hear real bands? They are still out there, but are labled as non-relevant. Try The Allman Brothers, Bob Wier and Rat Dog, and Government Mule for starters.

[Paw1]

What is relevant about these bands, Trolls, is that they continue to make emotional connections with their fans. They tour regularly (some more than others), always deliver the goods live and make their fans feel like they're part of something, as opposed to the arms length approach of an Axl Rose. In an age where recorded music sales constitute an ever shrinking percentage of what artists can earn, maintaining and nurturing that connection will be the key to continued viability, through ticket sales, merch sales and other revenue streams.

[trollsbwild]

Well said. Thank you.

[trollsbwild]

BTW, I feel they are still relevant.

[DuckofDeath]

That's why Trent Reznor is a visionary. He gets it.

[McJeff]

exactly, and Patw1 makes good points as well. I have to admit I have it in for both GnR and Metallica for that snotty, "we are gods of rock" attitude when basically they are one shot wonders and not too good at that either. I never understood the obsessive attraction fans have for either band, when it's basically the same mediocrity over and over.
Wait. Maybe that's it.

Garcia once compared the Dead to licorice..."people really like licorice, or they really hate licorice. The Dead are like that". So most deadheads must really like licorice. Still. Dylan, Warren Haynes, the Allmans, Willie Nelson, even Ozzie, are willing to take lots of chances, which is what keeps them interesting, even when they screw it up.

The thing, aside from the emotional connection that the Allman's et al cultivate, is that they aren't afraid to reinterpret old songs in a new way, and invite muscians from completely different genres to join in and add their 2 cents.
When did Metallica ever sound "different" except for the awful symphonic experiment? When did they ever open themselves up to any outside influences. When did they make an album that did not pretty much sound like the last album.
I mean, the Dead crowd has performed with everyone from Etta James to Sammy Hagar to Hall & Oates.
When did Metallica or GnR ever do that?

[Merckx]

To make a good record you need good songs, a band that plays with synergy and a great producer.
It sounds like much of all three were missing.
More money does not make a better record.