Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Source:? New York Daily News >> Thursday, December 30, 2004

The year in music
The high notes and lowlifes booming out of our speakers

Worst albums
1. R.E.M., "Around The Sun." A slow gurgly mess. When will they admit it's over?
2. Lil' Jon, "Crunk Juice." Southern rap low enough to make 2 Live Crew seem like Tupac Shakur.
3. Ray Charles, "Genius Loves Company." Squeezing the last drop out of a legend when he was too weak to do his best.
4. Toby Keith, "Shock'n Y'All." "Patriotic" exploitation at its most cynical.
5. Velvet Revolver, "Contraband." Corny '80s hair-metal makes a return, opportunistically mislabeling itself as punk.

I respect that everyone has an opinion, but it's a shame that these fools have any kind of readership.  Some of these people will not listen to the album because of this opinion.

Oh well.

Get in the ring motherfuckers!  ;D


'Corny 80s hair metal'? Sorry, but which bloody album have they been listening to? I'd like to see their 'Best albums of 2004' list, if you can find it GypsySoul, because I cannot think of a major rock release this year that's been better than VR (not counting Greatest Hits albums by old bands such as Gn'R, I mean new music). I wouldn't mind them putting Contraband there if they had a legitimate reason - not enough Slash, production could've been better, whatever, but corny '80s hair metal is just pathetic, idiotic nonsense. If you're going to insult something by calling it corny hair metal, at least know what hair metal actually is.

These are their 10 best :

1. Kanye West, "The College Dropout." Rap with wit, political savvy and hooks to burn.
2. Green Day, "American Idiot." The first punk-rock opera, with a daring, political theme and enough inspiring riffs to make this the "Quadrophenia" of its generation.
3. The Black Keys, "Rubber Factory." The sexiest blues record in eons.
4. Van Hunt, "Van Hunt." The first "new Prince" to live up to that hype in 20 years. Rock-soul at its most rousing.
5. Nancy Sinatra, "Nancy Sinatra." A host of alterna-stars, from Morrissey to Sonic Youth, wrote songs to suit Sinatra's swinging '60s persona. The result rivals the singer's snappiest hits from that groovy era.
6. Nick Cave, "Abattoir Blues." Rock's most esteemed ghoul combined glam and goth music to create the catchiest album of his 25-year career.
7. DJ Danger Mouse, "The Grey Album." A hugely improbable mash-up - of The Beatles "White Album" and Jay-Z's "Black Album" - that smartly combined genres as well as generations.
8. Sam Phillips, "A Boot and a Shoe." The most literate album of the year, filled with woozy art songs guaranteed to beguile.
9. Jay-Z, "The Black Album." Yes, it came out at the very end of '03. But, with repeated plays in '04, the full brilliance of Mr. Carter's swan song come through.
10. Magnetic Fields, "i." Self-hatred hasn't sounded this poetic and funny since the heyday of The Smiths.

I always thought Green Day was daring.  :nervous:

Anyone from the NY area knows The Daily News is like a more legitimate National Enquirer.

Considering the source, their list is pure bullshit. Sounds like they did not even listen to Contraband. How can you posibly get hair metal confuser with VR considering that the original GNR weren`t hair metal either.

The idea they say 80's hair metal and punk is just enough for me to not even bother.. We know scott is so hair metal, guess they see gnr members and think hair metal.. :hihi:

The band has more of a hard rock grunge sound then any hair metal..

 ???

Contraband sounds like hair metal?  And when did "it" label itself punk?

Thanks for posting the list Pandora : ok: Anyone who compares Green Day to The Who should have something terribly awful done to them :rant:. Quadrophenia is an amazing album, American Idiot sounds exactly the same as every single other Green Day song I've ever heard. These guys obviously wouldn't know great rock 'n' roll music if it stomped all over their faces shouting "Hey! I'm great rock 'n' roll music! Listen, see!"

Did you listen to the album?

I like Green Day, but American Idiot is overrated and it certainly doesn't come close to The Who's Quadrophenia.

easy.........watch the Welcome to the jungle video

I'll admit I haven't. I've heard American Idiot and Boulevard (spelling?), the two singles. Again and again. And again. And, just for a change, again.

Even so, you can't put Green Day on the same level as The Who, surely?

The only Green Day song I've liked was Time of Your Life, though I still can't stand that guy's voice even on that song. That said, having seen the 'Making the Video' (I was tired and the remote control was on the other side of the sofa :-\), they're three pretty funny fellas. But I bet none of their album sleeves have stories about jellied eels ;D

lol, and U2's latest is not in there? ;D I won't buy CDs based on this paper's critics/ reviews, that's for sure!

I still think it's funny that Contraband made their top 5 worst, and I think it's funny that a lot of folks will try to defend Velvet Revolver, but looking at the 10 best albums this year, it ain't so funny.

Well wouldn't you know the "best" list is full of fukin' rap, made by some peice of shit rapper trash. :rant: :rant: Fuk the shitty New York post and there stupid ass list! :rant: Whoever wrote that shit is a basketcase, typical, modern day, asswipe! :rant:

Disgard this please, I have a real temper problem. Feel better now...
AR, AC ?:peace:

Yeah..forgot about that. Axl did look glammed out in that one. But that was it. I wouldn`t characterize them as a hair metal band because of it.

Yeah, U2's new album kicks ass. I've heard of Green Day, but who the fuck are the rest? Nancy Sinatra? :P

a strong pollitical view.

Metallica- and justice for all.

See, now we have a respected publication bashing Contraband, and some of you still can't take it.   ::)

Sorry, but the best musical and guitar magazines a bit more adequate about this. But I don't give a shit if they think it was bad - it wasn't and that's enough for me. Not a classic album, but still strong.  : ok:

vr is good, but there are easily 10 or 20 albums far better than contraband that were released this year

the daily news is anything but respected. the person who compared it to the national enquirer isn't far off. they have a good sports section though  :peace:

punk? hair metal? lol...

Well, some people don't base their opinion on what they've read in the magazines. Some actually have an opinion based their own taste....... and now go kick in the open door.

A list that has an album that is based on covers and samples on the no. 1 spot is not to be taken seriously. Kanye West? Has he ever written a tune by himself? All he does is sample old songs......stupid (c)rap music.

Yeah.? The Daily News is the best for having the late scores in it.? :yes:
 
That caption of this pic should be:
WHEN PUNK & HAIR METAL COLLIDE? :hihi:
(http://gypsysoul.lunarpages.com/EW112604a.jpg)

This is not about having an opinion, this is about some of you just can't take the fact that some publications do bash Contraband. I was just pointing that out. I don't personally give a fuck about what the Daily News says, it's not gonna have any damaging effect to my opinion regarding Contraband. Contraband is dull and weak...but hey, that was just my opinion.

Think if Axl sang to the music of VR's"Contraband, would it still be worst album? or dull or week..etc.  Its like listening to the song, wreckless life from GnR w/out Axl. Imagine Scott singing that song. I can't. Something about Contraband, I just can't play it over and over like I wish. 

But it said cheesy hair metal trying to be punk..  That's the problem, not the idea they didn't like it..

Daily news is good for sports n news, not reviewing music..

With duff it's like when rambo meets fabio.. :rofl:

Man, ...Bottom line......... the guys from guns are the cats ass i totally dig the music.....but some of you act like you would worship Scott even if he made fart noises out of his armpits... Thank you, keep the change........... :o

To me, anyone who says Contraband is one of the 10 worst albums is being ridiculous. It is not as good as AFD, but it is a very solid and overall very good album. Especially by today's watered down standards whereby an album might have one or two decent songs and the rest are filler. In my opinion, Contraband has 3-4 top notch rockers, two very good ballads, and the rest are listenable and enjoyable. In total I would say I like 11 of the 13 songs. So it is a very respectable and solid album, certainly not even close to being a top ten bad album.

thye do fine by me, I read it every day during my subway ride to work..

I somewhat agree.  For me Contraband was a real let-down.  A barely average rock album from an all-star line-up.  I wouldn't call it one of the worst albums of the year by any means but was definitely expecting a much better musical effort especially considering all the hype that followed 'the project' for over a year.  The album doesn't even come close to 2004's "The System Has Failed" by Megadeth which is basically Dave Mustaine's solo project with the Deth name.  VR sold alot of records but as far as the quality of the music they need Axl alot more than they think.

It's funny how you hear Matt Sorum and Slash bash the ballads Axl wrote and the artistic direction he wanted to take the band before realizing that GN'R's most memorable and still talked about songs are the ballads (with the exception of WTTJ).  I highly doubt anyone (other than the die-hards) will still be discussing "Slither" & "Fall To Pieces" in 5 to 10 years.

I agree with you Kayoss, your speaking my language.

Yeah man, after I saw the exploitation of the singers they had send in videos and the guys who actually got the physical audition on that Vh1 show and actually made it on that show..................I realized that it was about column space  (newspapers), not chops and that this record wouldn't be that cool. Too bad.....As if Scott WEiland is the best singer in ther the world.........................Muthafucka pleeeeeeeeeze maybe the most pretentious.......what the the fuck does "precipise" mean anyway. I don't care I'm not looking it up.

I don't expect everyone to like it. If people remember Gn'R would get voted for worst and best band in readers polls back in the day. What can ya do???? It just doesn't make sense to me that an album that is 1.5 times platinum, still selling 50,000 a week 6 months after it' srelease, and two very succesful singles still getting mad airplay is one of the worst  ::) .  If the album sucked, it would have sold the initial 250,000 copies and copies would have fell of tehg face of the earth...

I am still loving it....

There were FAR WORSE albums than Contraband. Corny 80`s hair metal?!?! Europe is corny 80`s hair metal, not Velvet Revolver.. As for the punk shit, Not one of those guys are acting in anyway punkish.
Leave music reveiwing to the people who acually know what albums are good, and what`s not...

Saying Contraband was one of the worst albums of 2004 is a joke.  It is one of the best I have heard in a decade.

No, as has been said before, its 'Corny 80s hair metal trying to be punk' that everyone's got a problem with. I mean, how the hell is Dave Kushner hair metal? :rofl:

Hey man!! Rock the fuck on!! Megadeth's "The System Has Failed" kicks ass!!! It is my second favorite album of the last year behind "Contraband".  I wish more people listened to the last Megadeth album. Kick The Chair, Blackmail The Universe, The Scorpion, Truth Be Told all great... I still like Contraband better though, for awhile they were flipping back and forth but Contraband came out like 4 months before and I still listen to it more. The are both in my disc changer though....

i havent posted yet cause its entirely bullshit

contraband is a? great album

i think scott pissed off some critics and they are paying VR back for it

Silvertide: Show and Tell. ::) Some of you guys seriously need to look a little harder. Just because something hasnt reached number 1 doesnt mean its not good.

It's a great album but not as good as CB. The songs blur too much in the same sound/melody and the ballads are simply of Nickelback standard. They cannot touch LTA, FTP and YGNR.

Or Scott, or Matt... both of them have short hair, so that makes every musician, with short, bald or long hair "hair metal" then...  :hihi:

I like Megadeth but I really thought that "The System Has Failed" is weak! Damn boring with no catches whatsoever. Thanks but no thanks, Dave; I'll stick to my Rust In Piece and Countdown To Extinction.

Contraband rocks imo. It's not a classic but a very strong rock album indeed.

Yeah, CB is fine, it doesn't belong on a best or worst list.

Wow, you need to give it another listen man. You are the ONLY Megadeth fan that I have heard this from. This album is liek the follow up to Rust In Peace...To each is own I guess, but I would give it another listen or 2...Oh my broken heart....

I actually have listened to it a couple of times... The only good songs are Die Dead Enough, Back In The Day and Something That I'm Not.

Britney Spears albums triple what VR sold does that mean he albums are the best of the year? Album sales dont = how good an album is.  If Contrband was the same album without the slash and duff in it, you guys would not be saying its great, i bet noone of you would have gotten it. 

Contraband couldn't be the same album without Duff and Slash. oops, you still haven't realized that they are irreplacable.

The Slither guitar solo is the best I have heard in YEARS.

I really wish critics would listen to music instead of just stereotyping and chastising it straight from the get-go.

I mean, Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi is hair metal extreme... Contraband sounds nothing at all like that, nothing GNR ever released was ever like that, and STP certainly were never like that. It's such a fucking stupid comparison, I can't believe the miseducation and swill that passes for music journalism. These amateurs disgust me.

i don't mind reading negative reviews about VR when the author backs up his opinion by quoting specific parts, what songs they don't like, why they don't like them, what's wrong with those lyrics and that guitar riff etc.

They just see "featuring blah blah ex-GNR blah" on the album cover and somehow come to the conclusion of hair metal... daft is what it is  ::)

Dave considering Velvet Revolver was founded by Duff and Slash its safe to say that without them on the cd there wouldnt be a Velvet Revolver at all.

Got to agree you can't compare Green Day to WHO. Afteral in interviews GD was talking about messing around with different kiddie toys to make their album. Pete Townsend is a genuis and doesnt waste time dicking around but rather writes good songs and good stories. Quadrophenia is compareable at best the the Who's TOMMY. Now is they are hinting at American Idiot being anywhere near Tommy, Daltry needs to swing his mike and slap them straight.

     I wouldn't have gotten it the day it came out.  I usually won't buy an album from any band that I do not know unless I hear 3 songs that I like first. I would have never heard Set me Free, but I would have atleast heard "SLither", "FTP" and "Dirty Little Thing". Those songs would have gotten me to buy the album....And it if sucked I wouldn't still be listening to it. I heard Duff's loaded album and decided not to get it. The last Snakepit album came out and I really tried to like it but didn't.  Aerosmith is my favorite band and I buy their new shit but if it sucks like "Just Push Play" I don't listen to it.  There is no Agenda here...  The only thing I can think of is that you must sit there and  force yourself to try and like songs such as "Silkworms" and "Rhyad" or whatever it is called.  You can go ahead with your pathetic little ways and twist and turn it as much as you want. But reguardless of how bad it eats you up, "Contraband" is a great , succesful rock album... It gets better with every listen as a matter of fact...

How does an album go 1.5 times platinum?  I know it has sold almost 1,500,000 million copies but you don't need to say 1.5 times platinum trying to talk the album up to be larger then it is. That is how you can tell someone is a hardcore VR fan calling it 1.5 times platinum. Its an album by a supergroup that hit 1x platinum, I like Scott, Slash, and VR but to be honest I was a little disappointed.  I enjoy CB and think it is a great cd but I would say it lived up to about 80% of the hype I had for it.

Because the context in which he used that figure was intended to show how many records theyve sold, and 1.5 million is quite different than 1 million.  Saying "1.5 times platinum" is poor wording, but the figure is accurate, therefore hes not talking it up larger than it is - thats what it is.  Its closer to 2X platinum than 1X, which is the point he was making.

i couldn't stop laughing for a couple of  inutes when i read the hair-metal thing. i mean what idiot/s wrote that?
they obviously don't know shit about hair metal and look at dave, matt and scott. especially dave (can you see
his hair??!!) and all the rap albums on the top 1o best also pissed me off. like we haven't had enough of that.

CB was disappointing, at least to me, but they had no reason to put it even close to the top 5 worst albums.
some songs really kick ass!!

YOU KNOW WHAT??!! FUCK NEW YORK POST 'CAUSE TEY DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT REAL MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The System has Failed was a very impressive album.  I didn't think it was knock me over good at first, but after a couple listens I like almost every track.  I thought Contraband was a bit better, but I still thought The System has Failed was the 2nd best album of 2004.