AFD-Era GN'R fans review thread for Contraband

[Miz]

Instead of starting a whole new thread, I'll throw the following statement in here.......which is sure to ruffle some feathers around here.  Feathers on birds that seem so affended that anybody dare like.....no, LOVE this album.


Ready??.....here it goes........

"Contraband is the long overdue sequel to Appetite For Destruction.  As in, this album is what Use Your Illusion should have been."


Got a problem with that??  Disagree with me??  Cry me a river!!

I saw a magazine review and it bascially said that exact same thing.

Now I wasn't exactly a fan when AFD was released so I technically shouldn't be posting in this thread but I'm gonna throw in my 2 cents anyway.

If Contraband had been the thrid GN'R album, not the UYI's, and GN'R had subsequently broken up, they wouldn't be one of my favourite bands of all time.  If Axl had written the lyrics that are in the Contraband sleeve, I'd think he was a shit lyricist.  I'd think Slash was a pretty average guitarist and the band was basically a one hit wonder.  IMO, while Contraband is good, and better than a lot of stuff out there, it is nowhere near the same league as the UYI's.

[WagMyDog]

I saw a magazine review and it bascially said that exact same thing.

Now I wasn't exactly a fan when AFD was released so I technically shouldn't be posting in this thread but I'm gonna throw in my 2 cents anyway.

If Contraband had been the thrid GN'R album, not the UYI's, and GN'R had subsequently broken up, they wouldn't be one of my favourite bands of all time.  If Axl had written the lyrics that are in the Contraband sleeve, I'd think he was a shit lyricist.  I'd think Slash was a pretty average guitarist and the band was basically a one hit wonder.  IMO, while Contraband is good, and better than a lot of stuff out there, it is nowhere near the same league as the UYI's.

One thing that really bugs me about this CD is the lyrics. They seem to be random incomplete thoughts that happen to rhyme most of the time (Hey that rhymed! )

The only song that really stands out with its lyrics is Headspace.

Even songs like FTP, YGNR and LTA seem to be missing something. The lyrics seem substandard when compared to the music supporting it.


So yes ... I'd disagree with your statement K-Rock ...

Ask yourself this ... would you give up songs like Estranged, November Rain, Civil War, Don't Damn Me, Coma, Don't Cry, You Could Be Mine (and the others) ... for any song on Contraband?

If you can ... embrace CB for all you believe it to be. Create a pedestal (albeit shorter than the one AFD is standing upon) and place CB atop it. You have obviously never appreciated UYI 1/2 enough to have held it in high enough esteem.

[D]

i actually bought the use your illusions b4 appetite, but i had the pc,wttj,scom 45's and i still got em

so i guess that means im an illusion era gnr fan

contraband is not the follow up to afd, cmon its a different band!  just like C.D isnt a follow up to use your illusions

its something brand spankin new!


suckertrain blues 8.2 out of 10
do it for the kids 8.1 out of 10
big machine 8.0 out of 10
illegal I  7.8 out of 10
spectacle  6.9 out of 10
fall to pieces 8.1 out of 10
headspace 6.8 out of 10
superhuman 7.8 out of 10
set me free 8 out of 10
you got no right 9.7 out of 10
slither 9.7 out of 10
dirty little thing 9 out of 10
loving the aliens 10 out of 10


108.1 divided by 13  contraband right now is an 8.32 or 4.16 stars out of 5  great rankin!

those songs in the high 6's will probably improve though!

[K-Rock]

Okey......

I can clear up my opinion of music when it relates to lyrics.  I have never paid any attetnion to lyrics.  For me, it's the music itself......the feel.  He could be singing about walking his dog and I could care less as long as the music moves me.

I'm not being critical of those who pay attention to and appreciate lyrics...I'm just saying I don't.

As far as Contraband not being the follow-up to AFD because it's a different band......I'm not speaking literally.  I'm speaking musically as a whole.

Appetite For Destruction took music in a whole new direction just as Nevermind did years later.  I stayed in the direction AFD sent me never going any other direction.

I tried other things (punk, country, hip-hop, rap) but nothing stuck.

And no Wag...the UYI songs you listed did not stick with me more than the year I dedicated to spinning the 2 Illusion records.  Because I loved GN'R so much I committed myself to listening to those records.....but in the end.....I was dissapointed.

I'll put Locomotive and Don't Cry against Contraband but that's about it.  And I'll add Right Next Door To Hell to that.

NOW, the pending studio versions of The Blues, Madagascar & Chinese Democracy are VERY promising.  And if true that they may be b-sides.......then Chinese Democracy may, dare I say, approach AFD.


EDIT:  Dizzy.....I'm patiently waiting your review.  Break-it-down brother.

[sandman]

at first, i was a little disappointed. but now i think it's a great album. i like it more and more with each listen.

the only negative is scott - at times his voice sounds overproduced or something. i think he sounds great live, but even with STP , certain songs i didn't like because of how he sounded.

FTP is incredible. could be a huge hit if they release it.

overall, i give contraband a solid 8.

[Miz]

Okey......

I can clear up my opinion of music when it relates to lyrics.  I have never paid any attetnion to lyrics.  For me, it's the music itself......the feel.  He could be singing about walking his dog and I could care less as long as the music moves me.

That's probably why you don't like the songs Waggy mentioned all that much.  I mean, if you listen to anything over and over, unless it's truly, truly moving, then you'll get bored with it.  You know what they say, familiarity breeds contempt.

To me 50% of GN'R was Axl's lyrics and vocals.  Axl is, IMO, what put GN'R above the rest of the bands around at the time (and the most bands before or since).  Even ignoring his influence on the types of songs they played and made, if you put DLR as the singer of GN'R on top of the exact same songs and riffs, with the kind of lyrics he wrote for Van Halen then GN'R wouldn't be half the band that they are in my eyes.  Even with Axl singing lyrics that for instance Nikki Sixx had written, they still wouldn't be anywhere near as good as I think they are.

I now understnad why you rate Contraband as highly as you do, so, there's no point in me trying to convince you otherwise.

[K-Rock]

To me 50% of GN'R was Axl's lyrics and vocals.  Axl is, IMO, what put GN'R above the rest of the bands around at the time (and the most bands before or since).  

Ouch!!  I say the other band members accounted for more than 50% on AFD.  That's what, IMO, helped make the album the greatest of all time.

For AFD, I say:
Axl- 30%
Slash- 25%
Adler-  15%
Izzy- 15%
Duff- 15%

Welcome To The Jungle.....Slash's opening riff and Axl's scream grabbed everbody's attention.

Sweet Child O' Mine......Slash's riff & solo ignited that song.

Adler's pounding beat......Izzy's flowing rythm......and Duff's signature bass playing spawned the greatest rock 'n' roll album off ALL time.

It just didn't flow like that in the UYI albums.

I feel the same "AFD-style" flow in Contraband.