Chinese Democracy: First Review: FOUR STARS!!!

Javery

Javery

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It finally has a release date of November 23 (yes, this year). I'll believe it when I see it though. DO you think this will be it for the band or now that it is out do you think they will be releasing new music on a more regular basis like every other year or something?
 
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[quote name='tiredfornow']Hopefully. I still don't understand why they're putting this album out. :([/quote]

G n' R name = instant million+ sold.
 
I hope so, GNR should have died years ago, let the good memories form the past live, let this crap die a fast death.
 
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE49M07D20081023

Guns N' Roses (AKA Axl Rose plus some other guys) will FINALLY release the infinitely delayed album 11/23. The catch is that Best Buy is the exclusive retailer for it.


Guns N' Roses release long-delayed album Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:46pm EDT

Guns N' Roses, the rock band whose appetite for self-destruction has left it with only one original member, will release its first album of new material in more than 17 years on November 23, its label said on Wednesday. With the group's early-'90s heyday now only a distant memory, volatile singer Axl Rose has gone through a revolving cast of musicians as work proceeded at a snail's pace on the album Chinese Democracy. Over the years, Rose has promised multiple release plans and then delays but this time, it really seems to be on its way. The group's Geffen Records label will release the album exclusively in the United States through consumer electronics chain Best Buy Co Inc, and it will be available through traditional music retailers elsewhere internationally. In the United States, tie-ups with individual chains are becoming more common. Australian hard rock band AC/DC released its new album through Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Tuesday. Paradoxically, most of the 14 tracks on Chinese Democracy have already been released in one form or another, thanks largely to Internet piracy. Earlier this week, a Los Angeles man pleaded innocent in federal court to violating copyright law by allegedly posting nine of the tracks on a Web site. The title track was officially released to U.S. radio outlets earlier on Wednesday. Additionally, the track Shackler's Revenge debuted in the Rock Band 2 videogame last month, and a portion of If The World; can be heard over the closing credits of the new film Body Of Lies. The last collection of new Guns N' Roses material came out in September 1991, when the group released a pair of albums, Use Your Illusion 1 and Use Your Illusion 2, the follow-ups to their smash 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction.The Illusion albums debuted in the top two spots on the U.S. album chart, and the band toured the world relentlessly. A year after the 1993 release of the covers album The Spaghetti Incident? -- which was notable for the controversial inclusion of a song written by mass murderer Charles Manson -- the band began tentative work on new material. However, long simmering band tensions eventually led to the departure of guitarist Slash, bass player Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum. They went on to form the Grammy-winning band Velvet Revolver, which released two albums. Rose, holed up at his Malibu home, continued working on Chinese Democracy with various musicians, spending millions of dollars in the process, and launched a few tours. Over the years, the term Chinese Democracy became a byword for costly artistic indulgence, and wags joked that democracy would come to China before the album ever came out. For their part, Rose's former bandmates say the new Guns N' Roses is a mere knock-off of the real thing, the hard-living band that sold more than 90 million records worldwide. But Geffen said in a statement that it was incredibly excited about the new album, while co-manager Irving Azoff said the album's release marks a historic moment in rock 'n' roll.
 
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Looks bad here. Regardless, I'll believe it when I hear/see it. Also, seen any news post for Duke Nukem Forever or Zero or whatever it's being called now?
 
OP is fucked.

[quote name='hiccupleftovers']Also, seen any news post for Duke Nukem Forever or Zero or whatever it's being called now?[/QUOTE]
Some guy got to play it recently. A few seconds of him playing it can be seen. It's coming...

[quote name='TheRock88']Does that mean everyone's gonna get a free can of Dr. Pepper?[/QUOTE]
Nah-ah-ah. This is just the song "Chinese Democracy." We don't get the Doc until the album itself drops (which is supposed to happen on Nov 23rd).
 
How can anyone say they don't believe it, or they'll believe it when they see it? The tracks are already spread out all over the place! That much was stated in the OP, but I don't blame anyone for not reading through that "wall of text." :lol:
 
[quote name='bardockkun']GNR after Slash was booted out is still relevent?[/QUOTE]QFT.

Unfortunately, there is no way this will be the last album. The tie-in deals with rhythm games and movies has already made this foray profitable even before the actual CD has hit store shelves.
 
[quote name='TheRock88']Does that mean everyone's gonna get a free can of Dr. Pepper?[/quote]

Yup, on Nov 23. you can sign up and Dr. Pepper will send you a coupon for a free 20 oz. bottle of it.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']I thought Appetite For Destruction was their last album.[/quote]

If you get rid of the filler across Use Your Illusion and pare it down to one disc it could be just as good as Appetite... wait, what am I saying? OK, it would be good but not as good as Appetite...

Saw this somewhere and I might have to try it:

1. Civil War
2. Dust N’ Bones
3. Bad Obsession
4. Don’t Cry (Original)
5. Right Next Door to Hell
6. Bad Apples
7. November Rain
8. You Could Be Mine
9. Yesterdays
10. Pretty Tied Up
11. Garden of Eden
12. Estranged
(total running time: 65:37)
 
Some of the new songs are on Youtube. Here's 'Shackler's Revenge', which is on Rock Band 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dos9ws2Q8j0

Honestly... it sounds about 10 years too late, and a little too industrial. The CD may not be awful (though I don't really like this song) but so far I don't think he has any right to call it Guns N' Roses. Velvet Revolver was more of a 'new' GNR record than this is, at leased based on this one song.

It would be nice if Axl could just move on and do a solo project, or another band, or anything but this. I think it's more just to have an excuse to play the old songs (which he could do anyway, I doubt anyone would care) and for marketability.
 
Just found the title track (Chinese Democracy) is up, too, it's an official single which launched 10/22. A little better than Shackler's Revenge, but I still don't know how to feel about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQ5-8ctG4c

I tried to edit my other post, but it wouldn't let me keep the embedded video for some reason, so sorry for the multi-posts!
 
I'm amazed that people are still saying "I won't believe it until the disc is in my hand"

11 of the 14 songs have leaked out in demo versions and they have signed a contract with Best Buy for a hard release date. The album is most likely 100% done.
 
[quote name='javeryh']If you get rid of the filler across Use Your Illusion and pare it down to one disc it could be just as good as Appetite... wait, what am I saying? OK, it would be good but not as good as Appetite...

Saw this somewhere and I might have to try it:

1. Civil War
2. Dust N’ Bones
3. Bad Obsession
4. Don’t Cry (Original)
5. Right Next Door to Hell
6. Bad Apples
7. November Rain
8. You Could Be Mine
9. Yesterdays
10. Pretty Tied Up
11. Garden of Eden
12. Estranged
(total running time: 65:37)[/QUOTE]

Leaving out 14 Years, Perfect Crime, Get in the Ring, and especially Dead Horse is criminal. Both those albums are really good.



New album seems like it's going to be ok, but nothing I'd pick up. That's actually giving it a lot more credit I though I would be.
 
I heard the Chinese Democracy single on the radio yesterday. Didn't care for it much, and I thought Axl sounded more like Ozzy than his old self.

MjC
 
[quote name='KaneRobot']Leaving out 14 Years, Perfect Crime, Get in the Ring, and especially Dead Horse is criminal. Both those albums are really good.[/quote]

I really don't like Get In The Ring but I agree with the others. Also, Coma should be on there somewhere too.
 
[quote name='javeryh']If you get rid of the filler across Use Your Illusion and pare it down to one disc it could be just as good as Appetite... wait, what am I saying? OK, it would be good but not as good as Appetite...

Saw this somewhere and I might have to try it:

1. Civil War
2. Dust N’ Bones
3. Bad Obsession
4. Don’t Cry (Original)
5. Right Next Door to Hell
6. Bad Apples
7. November Rain
8. You Could Be Mine
9. Yesterdays
10. Pretty Tied Up
11. Garden of Eden
12. Estranged
(total running time: 65:37)[/quote]


what? no "get in the ring?" :lol:
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']Chinese Democracy is a trilogy according to Sebastian Bach. I wouldn't be shocked if he finished it.[/quote]
Didn't Sebastian Bach also tell us we're getting a new Road Rash game and that never came true?

Even if it was true, is part two going to be Chinese Anarchy or something then?
 
As long as this took to release, it will have to be the last one. I am still buying it on release. I feel like I need to since I have been waiting for it since I was 17.
 
[quote name='bardockkun']Didn't Sebastian Bach also tell us we're getting a new Road Rash game and that never came true?

Even if it was true, is part two going to be Chinese Anarchy or something then?[/QUOTE]

I don't know about that, but I do know he is the one that said it was coming out this year and that was true.
 
[quote name='Javil']How can anyone say they don't believe it, or they'll believe it when they see it? The tracks are already spread out all over the place! That much was stated in the OP, but I don't blame anyone for not reading through that "wall of text." :lol:[/quote]

Probably because the last 15 times it was supposed be released, it got pushed back. Also, most people joke about it like Duke Nukem Forever coming out, but this one is more than likely coming out.
 
Something about "GnR" releasing a new album makes me think of how the Pumpkins can have a "reunion tour" with only half the band - and there's only four members to begin with.

Not that it already isn't, but I predict "Chinese Democracy" will become a widespread euphemism for something that fails to materialize, then finally materializes - and fails.
 
From the review...

...single disc of supershred guitars, orchestral fanfares, hip-hop electronics, metallic tabernacle choirs and Axl Rose's still-virile, rusted-siren singing.
Click to expand...
They had my interest until that. I'll still give it a listen but why in the hell does he insist on mixing electronics into the music? Remember 'My World' off of Use Your Illusion 2? A travesty of a song on an otherwise solid record. This project (I don't feel right calling it GNR) needs as much metal and soloing as it can get, and as few electonic beats as it can avoid. If I wanted that crap, I'd listen to Linkin Park (although I'd probably prefer to go deaf).

[quote name='jaso']Something about "GnR" releasing a new album makes me think of how the Pumpkins can have a "reunion tour" with only half the band - and there's only four members to begin with.

Not that it already isn't, but I predict "Chinese Democracy" will become a widespread euphemism for something that fails to materialize, then finally materializes - and fails.[/quote]

Yep, it's the new Daikatana.
 
[quote name='hankmecrankme']Rolling Stone also told me that Meg White sounded like John Bonham. :roll:

I haven't trusted their reviews in years.[/quote]

True - Rolling Stone is awful. Most music reviews are since it is so subjective. I mean most people can agree on a great movie, book or video game but music varies so much from person to person there's almost no point in reviewing it. I think "In Rainbows" is the best CD to come out in the past 5 years but I know tons of people who hate it - I'm right of course but that's not the point....
 
[quote name='javeryh']True - Rolling Stone is awful. Most music reviews are since it is so subjective. I mean most people can agree on a great movie, book or video game but music varies so much from person to person there's almost no point in reviewing it. I think "In Rainbows" is the best CD to come out in the past 5 years but I know tons of people who hate it - I'm right of course but that's not the point....[/QUOTE]
Yeah, reviews are always subjective. That's why I trust myself more than any reviewer. I know what I like.

I'm finding that the things I really like get shit on by reviewers, while the things I don't like get tons of praise. That's why I take all reviews as opinion. I look for more factual things in them anyway, like "this song has 5 guitars on it", not "this song has 5 guitars on it that sound like mush."

IGN tortures me with their 5+ page reviews though. I just want the gist, so I skim. They like to spoil shit too.
 
For anyone interested in listening to it free(and legally!) looks like the whole album is streaming right now on the band's MySpace page here: http://www.myspace.com/gunsnroses

It may not exactly be the old GNR sound, but it's still pretty damn good. A few songs don't really work for me, but it hits far more than it misses IMO.
 
I actually like the final version of Catcher in the Rye better than the old leak. I didn't really notice the change in Riad, but I've felt pretty indifferent to it in every version I've heard of it.
 
As a fan of Guns N' Roses, I never thought I'd see this day. I expected Axl to flip his wig, steal all copies, and bury them in a desert like the Atari 2600 E.T. game.

With Chinese Democracy's release, if Duke Nukem Forever actually sees the light of day, I'm convinced the world will end.
 
I can definitely hear the Ozzy comparison on the title track like someone else here said. Maybe not so much in Axl's voice, but that they are burying the vocals so far down in the mix. Out of the demos i liked Better and irs, curious to hear how the final versions came out.
 
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