Post your own Contraband review here

[GNROSAS]

CONTRABAND IS A BIG LET DOWN!!!!!

I am so Pissed off. I heard the Full Contraband CD (Wav Quality) and it is  a big Let Down For Me.

- The Producer Must be Killed. What a Shitty Production. Slash is Buried!!
This is No Fucking Rock And Roll, as they claim they sound. They Should have had the Production of the White Stripes instead.

- No Fucking Solos. Only 2-4 Songs Have real Solos. I mean What is That. What the Fuck Slash Is Doing. It reminds me the St anger  by Metallica in which Hammet played no solos. Why the Fuck They Became too modern? Fuck It!!!

- The Classic Slash Guitar Tone is Gone. Fuck!!

- Now Scott Has Dominated too much and it sounds like his personal album. Only in very Few Occasions you can recognise that it is slash playing.

- The album sounds to Rushed. It has Brilliant ideas but they sound they were rushed to be made songs and so some songs sound  clever and very stupid on the same time.

- The LTA Ballad Seems too Gay For Me (except the Solo)

- The Only song that truly reminds me of GNR is Set Me Free!!!

The Real GEM in this Album Is YOU GOT NO RIGHT (With An Excellent Guitar Solo And great Weiland Voice.

Also The Other Positives Are :
- Intro Of Sucker Train Blues
- Refrain of Big Machine + Do It For The Kids
- Headspace Originality
- Solo of Falling To Pieces

I am a Very big Fan Of GNR and Slash and i was waiting for this album
such a long time. It Is Really a big Let Down. There in No Comparison With AFD + UYIs Albums. Even Snakepit had more Slash's Solos.

Slash + Duff Left GNR Cause they wanted to remain Rock and not modernize. To Me The new GNR Songs (CD,Blues,Madagascar) have more solos than Contaband.

I will Definately wait 10 more years for Axl rather than Contraband.
I am Not an Axl sucker and i said Slash is my guitar Hero.

I hoped VR would bring me sth i haven't had since the illusions albums but they Failed For Me in Contraband.

At Least they sound better on the Bootlegs than in this fucking produced Contraband.

Just my Thoughts.

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY CONTRABAND!!

[Top-Hatted One]

looks like you were expecting another Snakepit record. Nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that it is possible to sound different but good at the same time. You don't like LTA ,but I think it's amazing and I usually like songs that are 8min+

[gezm]

yeah albums really really good i think and slash aint gotta do solso all the time lets not do a st anger now ppl  

[starchild_666]

fuckin' awesome!   didn't expect anything so good!  

[GnRNightrain]

I forgot about the tingle to the spine that a slash solo can give.  

I agree that the Rockers are average, but the ballads are pretty darn good.

[younggunner]

I have finally heard the album in its entirty thanks to MtV. I dont know why the band would let MTV stream the album but thats not my business...anyways heres my review....

My feelings on the songs and album as a whole are basically the same. Theres some good parts and pieces but nothing over the top or complete. Except for YGNR.

The best rocker on the album is "Illegal I". It has punch and is something a lil different. Musically and vocally its good. Good vibe and you can feel the energy. Sounds like Janes Addiction and a little Led Zepellin. Fun Song.

The other "rockers" are descent. But they arent classic or even really that grimy rock the band has been talking about. Like another poster has said its more on the alternative side.
Headspace, and  Superhuman{except for the chorus} are good songs as well.
Like I said there are some good parts on the songs and they are catchy but I was expecting something different. Except for YGNR and maybe Illegal I, there nt one song that captures everything the band could offer. 1 song might have good guitars but lack lyrics and vice versa. Just sounds a lil rushed and the production wasnt great either.
Spectacle and Dirty Little Thing shouldt even be on the album.

As for the ballads. Overall they are much better than the rocker type songs. And thats probably the biggest surprise to me regarding this bands first effort.

The best song on the album is "You Got No Right". Its got the classic Slash solo that is great. And Weiland actually doesnt ruin the song. The intro to the song reminds me of the Beatles a little. This imo, is the best song on the whole album.

FTp is another good ballad. Its great musically and its catchy lyric wise. I wish the lyrics could have been better but overall its a good song.

LTA is good musically but Weiland kinda ruins it. It sounds liek an STP ballad{which is not a good thing}. What saves it is Slash's solo and guitar throughout the song.

Overall i would prob give this album a "C+ maybe B". I think its a fair grade. Like I said theres a lot of good parts and stuff but it just seems like it was rushed. Theres a handful of songs that standout and even those could have been better. But those aside, the rest of the songs particularlky the "rockers' are the same. Its definately better than the stuff thats out there so thats a positive. They have the right attitude so i hope in their next album they capture everything in every song.

When I first heard about this band getting together I was extremely excited. I love stp and Weiland. And Ive always loved slash and duff. I must admit I have lost a little love for Weiland though. It seems like he didnt step up. SLash stepped up in this album. I haved crititsized his work post gnr, but he def. stepped up in a big way. His guitar work on this album is excellent and I finally get to hear the Slash I know. For the most part he showcases his great talents on this album. So im happy about that. But weiland seemed liek he couldnt keep up with the band lyricly. HEs great at writing catchy chorus and stuff but it kinda gets old as you listen to the album. I really didnt feel the energy and emotion from him aside from some of the ballads.

Im happy to see slash and duff doing well. Like i said overall the record is good. And im proud of them.  I hope this band does well. They are  awesome live and you should def check them out. Its a great experience. Enjoy the album and Vr.....peace....

[Dave_Rose]

Well I want bore you with like a long formal review I just listened to contraband its fucking awesome people go out and buy when it comes out its one of the rock n' roll albums of the yeah its not GN'R or STP is Velvet Revolver there are some nices mellow songs on there and some great riffs they album is great full stop.

[HoldenCaulfield]

I just listened to it, and I must say, while I wasn't really expecting much, I'm still a tad disappointed. I won't go into deep detail, but having just listened to the album, the only memorable song is 'Fall to Pieces', which is really good, it seems as if they put a lot of heart into that one. 'Slither' is a good rocker, definitely better than anything currently on the radio, but everything is just decent, not very memorable. 'Set Me Free' is a pretty good rocker, as well. Scott's vocals are to inconsitent and sparatic, and not nearly enough do any of the lyrics meld together, they just seem like random thoughts, whereas most other songs of another *ahem* band *cough* seem to flow together and portray a story. The music is genuinely good, I just can't help but think of how much better the flow was when they were in GNR. All in all, definitely a decent album, better than 99% of today's music, but not nearly as stand-alone as these guys are capable of. Now, let's get that Communist party out of China...

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

i think their sound kicks ass.
it's not greatly produced.
but i feel like i'm back in the early 90s, i'm 10 years old and i'm discovering rock n roll.
we couldnt feel that since, when ? 1994 ?

its been so long, with all the linkin park and white stripes.

VR is ROCK N ROLL now.
i'm not comparing to the axl's GNR, cause as good as CD will be, it won't be rock n roll.

slither is better than ever.

 

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Like I said before there are a few really good strong songs but the rest is just blah.
The ballads are some of the  best music out there but the rockers are dull and boring. The lyrics on the album are sorely lacking but most of the guitar melodys are good.
The whole album IMO is a 6/10.

[younggunner]

Like I said before there are a few really good strong songs but the rest is just blah.
The ballads are some of the  best music out there but the rockers are dull and boring. The lyrics on the album are sorely lacking but most of the guitar melodys are good.

Before you all start ripping on him...in Daves defense {and i dont agree with most of what he says}...thats an accurate review/description of the album. Of course its all opinion and taste and its definately not fact its what i think is accurate. Just throwing it out there before the wolves come...

[gezm]

8/10

[spiderman]

im halfway through listening to the fourth track and id nearly decided that i was gonna buy the album when i read a load of bad reviews right here.... i may have to listen to the album again before deciding but it sounds opkay to me so far. did somebody say there are no guitar solos on this album? ah man, i hope thats not true i mean... its slash for christ sake slash with no solos is like... well gnr without slash.

[BIGj]

I don't know...i'm listening to it for the second time now from mtv.com, and I really wasn't that impressed with it the first time through. Only Slither and Loving the Alien stood out to me. But I don't want to be too harsh because i'm one of those people who usually has to hear a song 4 or 5 times before I can really decide whether i like it or not. I am disappointed that there weren't more "signature" Slash solo's. I think the lyrics are mediocre and Scott's voice really isn't that distinguishable from a lot of other singers. Overall, i'm slightly disappointed, but i'll give it a few more listens before I come down off the fence.

[chineseilusions]

Thanks,I will see for my self in one week

[GNRisAFD]

I think its fair to say the general *consencus* is that Weiland is the weak link of this album, and after hearing the album its 100% correct.

Slither is the best of the rock songs, and that is rather worrying.

[Smoking Guns]

Slash is the real deal on this album.  He definitely stepped up his game.  But even during the Snakepit eras, he was still a badass.  But it is just different now.  And I like it.  I like the album and can't wait to buy it.  There are a lot of good songs and don't "hate" any of them.  Sorum's drumming is so much better.  The band sounds so inspired, which now brings me Mr. Weiland. WTF!!!!  Scott, you do rock on a few songs.  You Got No Right stands out.  However, the artsy fartsy shit he says and the way he sings sometimes annoys me.  However, i like how he gets crazy at the end of Illegal I.  Fall To Pieces, really, that song had so much potential. Lyrics? WTF! All these songs will grow on everyone.  They did a fine job.  Just the repetitiveness of some of songs sucks.  SuckerTrain is another song I like.  Did they stray a little too far from "Blues Based Rock?"  Yes, they did.  Slash is still the best guitar player out there.  But I do miss the "Bluesy" sound.  All in all this album rocks, and there are lots of guitar solos.  Just feel left wondering, WHERE ARE THE SONGS IZZY HELPED WRITE!!!!!!!  THEY SHOULD HAVE THROWN US GNR FANS A BONE OR TWO WITH THOSE.  I THINK SCOTT RESENTED IZZY'S SONG WRITING ABILITY.  I like Scott's voice, just stop being so dramatic and rock.  How many songs on here are better then "Down" or "All in Suit that you wear?"  I don't really know, but it is different, solid, and I like it.  I think I must agree, Scott was the weak link, but not too many people could have done much better, except Axl of course.  He is working with master's of their trade.  He doesn't have the chemistry yet.  He will eventually.  I look forward to the follow up.  Lots of potential here.  I expected better then STP, worse then GNR (you can't top GNR and don't expect it too).  Should have blow away STP, and at times it does.  At times, it is only even, which is not a horrible thing.  8.5/10  The album will do great.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Its funny what i have been saying all along about this album from what i heard and getting bashed for, a lot other people are now agreeing with me. Go figure.

[Smoking Guns]

Dave, I hear ya, but, it is like I can't stop listening to these songs.  Superhuman, that could be a sleeper, Darkhors, on this album.  Did the boys ever play in Drop D before this album?  I don't think they ever did in GNR.  I will rephrase, VR can be better then the the "New" GNR.  Just not better then the old GNR.  Still a pretty Riff heavy album.  I am liking it more and more, but my main points stay the same.  If Weiland ever got an attitude adjustment this band could rule the world.  They might just do it anyway.  Look at the competition?  

[GNRisAFD]

Both the New GNR and VR pale in comparison with GNR 87-93, that's obvious.

At least VR have a record out there though, and for that they should be congratulated.