Post your own Contraband review here

[Smoking Guns]

What is up with the liek all the time.  

but anyway, who cares about that.  my points were very clearly stated for you.  For Christ's sake,  Scott was in rehab, hungry to be clean so he could be with his wife and kids and put out an album.  Slash and Duff were hungry to tour to fulfill commitments to the fans.  Duff and Weiland go to the woods and bond by doing kung fu and shit like that.  They are a real band.  Maybe I am wrong about NuGNR, but I don't think so.  I try to compliment you objectivity, but you just want to be rude.  You act imature and like a know it all.  It is quite amusing how fired up you got.  NuGNR are so tight!!!  So tight that they haven't talked in months to each other.  Don't you find that disturbing?  Isn't that odd?    You are brainwashed by your idol.  It is sad.  I guess you want me to say NuGNR can be better?  History proves, you can't improve on certain things.  It just cannot be done.  Just enjoy what he does put out.  It won't be a total package.  We all know he will sound much different on the CD then in concert, if he ever tours again.  I have been coming to this board since 97, and since 97 Axl has done nothing but let me down.  That is why I doubt him.  Let him and NuGNR prove me wrong.  He does not deserve the benefit of the doubt at this juncture.  I saw a cover band the other night and they sound more like GNR then GNR sounds like GNR.

Young Gunner, i suggest you check this band out.  It will be closest you ever get to the real Axl Fuckin Rose.

http://www.notquitegnr.com/

watch their video and tell me who sounds more like Axl.  That guy, or Axl.

[killingvector]

I'll repost so it is in the right section:


Well, I feel this is a near miss. I agree that the ballads are very strong, namely LTA and YGNR, but the rockers are extremely bland and bleed into one another. I am a bit partial to SuperHuman, but honestly there is not much distinction between SuckerTrain, Do It, Headspace, and Superhuman.

Slash is excellent on this record but Weiland's voice doesn't dance around the melody as well as these songs demand. From what i remember from STP, the music stood out and cascaded about Weiland's steady lyrical and vocal talent. Here, the workmanship of slash, duff, and the rest isn't as dynamic as the Deleo brothers. The solos kill but slowly erode their novelty with a bombardment of redundancy, until they are  almost numbing with predictability by the end of the album. I really miss a solid Vaseline style hook; the too eerie resemblences of LTA riff to SCOM is a bit unnerving. Scott's vocal approach isn't too exciting as he lacks the range and schizo attitude of his predecessor. Lyrically, the content isn't anything to get excited about.

I agree also that this album needed to merinate a bit longer; it lacks a unique perspective and approach.

Overall, a serviceable approach but nothing spectacular.

5/10

[Top-Hatted One]

I'll repost this here then..

Those song sound nothing alike. Suckertrain Blues is a bluesy rocker, Do it for the kids is a punk song with an amazing refrain and melody, Headspace is a catchy ass song in he vein of STP/Audioslave and Superhuman is STP with awesome guitar.

I don't know what you're talking about KV

[Mr Cowbell ?]

Remember David Lee Roth when he left Van Halen?

One tiny interjection, Roth wasn't much of a songwriter, it's not quite the same.  

WHAT Don't you remember his single that "Wish they aw to be california girls" That was bad ass. Wait that was a cover. HOW about his hit single "I'm so sad and lonely" That was some great stuff right?

Wait a minute I am drunk. I'm sure when I sober up I will regret saying he's good

[killingvector]

TopHat, you maybe listening to slash's axework, but i'm listening to Weiland and the rest. Weiland sounds identical for each track; he lacks axl's vocal range and schizo mannerisms; he's almost montone in how he approaches the fast tracks. I wasn't pulled into them as much as an STP song because the backing music was formulatic: here is a good solo, here is a bridge, here is the chorus. Too much formula, not enough innovation.

[Top-Hatted One]

actually Scott normally uses 2 voices on the rockers if thats what you mean. a low Jim Morrison/Elvis one and a higher pitched punkier screaming voice. And it's so awesome how he goes from one voice to another!!

just listen to Suckertrain & Headspace

and Sex type thing & Crackerman

[da_illest_in_402]

There's a lot of people on here complaining about the production. My question is.......is it possible that the MTV steam audio could be a poorer quality then what we will get on the CD??

[yagami1gnr]

Well, it's funny that all VR fans (specially Booker and Dizzy )didn't answer my post of rating all the VR songs that they have listened so far from 0-10 points. But what is funny that of the few people that rated everybody was giving VR songs 9 or 10, and I really mean not on comparing with AFD but if you say that those songs are that great, then that would mean that this is going to be one of the best rock albums of all time.  

In my opinion I only have listened 3 songs entirely and aprox 30 seconds of the rest, and I'm not blowed away for what I have listened so far, if at first I thought that Slither was one of the weakest, now I know why they chosed to be the first single. Would I buy the album? Yes, but to only support the band, and who knows maybe I change my mind. Special mentions to You got no right and Do it for the kids, I really have to listen to FTP (well lyricwise.......).
Contraband score: 6/10

Two more points:
1. People if you want to enjoy good songs why don't listen: Been there lately, Just like anything, Shine, Back to the moment and Serial killer. Good Stuff.
By a band that I think you know whose singer was pretty good (bluesy.)

2.Audioslave kick Velvet Revolver ass. Not because a song has the best riffs is better. It's like if Slash play SCOM and let's say Fred Durst adds his own lyrics.  

Anyways, Ain't Life Grand.  

[Booker Floyd]

There's a lot of people on here complaining about the production. My question is.......is it possible that the MTV steam audio could be a poorer quality then what we will get on the CD??

Its actually likely...

The actual CD will sound different than a streaming RealAudio.

[metallex78]

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.

Hmmm.. you're listening to the 4th track, but you need to read reviews on a message board to decide if you'll buy it or not???

Can't decide for yourself huh buddy???

As for no solos, I've read many reviews and and articles stating that there ARE solos on every track, but I guess you would've heard that yourself if you were already up to the 4th track...

[Booker Floyd]

Well, it's funny that all VR fans (specially Booker and Dizzy )didn't answer my post of rating all the VR songs that they have listened so far from 0-10 points.

I didnt respond to your thread because Im not a fan of giving songs number ratings...

If youre that curious about what I think of the songs...

I like everything Ive heard a lot.

[metallex78]

I'll make you a deal Dave, when something from CD supplants WTTG at every sporting event I ever goto, or a riff from CD ranks hire on every all time Riff list than SC, or it sells 25 million albums, or it leads to them becoming the hottest ticket in America.......I will come on this board and tell you I was wrong. I am going to sleep pretty well though in the assumption none of the above is most likely going to happen.

OH so since boy bands and girl bands like BSB or B Spears can sell 25 million albums it means they are better than gnr?
I dont think so. And you mean 25 million world wide?

Cd could be better than AFD yet not sell 15 million even  you know that.

Madagascar is better than most of the songs on AFD.

Maybe to you it is. It's all down to personal opinion, but you're stating it like it's a fact.

Oh, and before you bash me, I love Madagascar, but comparing it to anything off AFD is like comparing apples and oranges.

[GNRisAFD]

It gets better on a second listen. Here is a score out of 10 for each of the songs i rated.

Suckertrain-5.5/10
Do It For The Kids-7/10
Big Machine-7/10
Illegal-6/10
Spectacle-5/10
Fall to Pieces-7/10
Headspace-8/10 The best rocker with Dirty Little Thing
Superhuman-6.5/10
YGNR-8/10
Dirty Little Thing-8/10 My favourite off the album
Loving the Alien-7/10

[jarmo]

I'd appreciate if the CD/AFD comparisons were continued in another thread since this one is about Contraband.



/jarmo

[SunKing278]

Curiosity got the better of me.  I LOVE IT.  I can't stop listening to it.  Yeah, it's not classic GNR, but who the hell expected it to be.  This is all I thought it would be and more, a first-class hard rock record that kicks the living shit out of everything else out there these days.  Sort of an STP-vibe to it, but with a lot more balls, more sleaze, and (obviously) better guitars.  I don't really pay much attention to lyrics in songs, so that's not much of a concern for me.  The only track I'm even somewhat disappointed with is "Loving the Alien," but, after repeated listens, it's starting to grow on me.  Kind of a dull way to round out the record, but I'm not really much of a ballad person anyway.  Out of the three ballads, "Fall to Pieces" is the most impressive.  Is that a huge late summer hit I hear?  I think so.  Weiland puts a lot more emotion into this one (and a lot of the other songs here) than I've ever heard out of him.

Everyone of the rockers kick my ass.  "Suckertrain Blues" kicks things off with the force of an atom bomb.  "Illegal I" surprised me with just how heavy it is.  I love the groove of "Do It For the Kids."  "Big Machine" is prime fist-pumping material.  "Spectacle" is not quite as average and bland as some here have made it out to be.  Certainly not the record's highlight, though.  "Superhuman" and "Dirty Little Thing" are amazing.  "Headspace" needs a little more time to grow on me, but it's a good rocker just like the rest.  Of course, we all know "Slither" and "Set Me Free" by now; great fucking songs, great fucking band!

Just an absolutely killer rock n'roll record.  Thank you, MTV, for finally doing something cool by giving the world a sneak preview of this.

[gezm]

Madagascar is better than most  of the songs on AFD.

no, its not. Maybe better than Anything Goes, Youre Crazy and Think About You, but thats about it

madagascar is better than everything but wttj, brownstone, pc, and scom.

madagascar sucks dick its so boring and old its crap, i love taking the piss of that song axl worst singing ever so fucking bas makes my ears hurt, dave likeing axls balls again

[D]

ive listened to slither, fall to pieces and ygnr

and im disappointed

but this may be a record i gotta listen to a few times b4 i like it

i didnt care that much for the blues,cd or maddy when i first heard them either

the music is fan fuckin tastic, slash's guitar work is fuckin awesome

i gotta warm up to scott's lyrics though, he doesnt nail them emotionally,the lyrics seem like the same ole same ole
but ill keep listening and im sure ill really dig these after a few more listens

im seeing what gnr and vr need though

axl's lyrics and voice over that VR music would be in fuckin credible

slash's guitar work on the blues,maddy and c.d would be un fuckin real

im missing old gnr a tad, just have to say that

[Lineker10]

In my opinion from the sounds ive heard (about 8 or so) the rockers are a bit bland. Scotts voice isnt that exciting for me and the sounds arnt too catchy. However i like Set Me Free, YGNR (Great song!) and Suckertrain Blues. Fall To Pieces, Slither and Do It Fo The Kids are all OK. Im hoping ill like it more when ive heard all the songs and am listening to the CD - not a dodgy quality stream.

[D]

loving the alien is pretty good, im gonna listen to the rest and give a detailed review!

i miss axl and slash i can say that for fuckin sure!

how great and awesome gnr couldve been, fuck, just listening to this vr stuff and imagining axl over top of it, couldve been better than the illusions

[JustWckd]

here are my two cents song by song (dont hate me)

1) Sucker Train Blues - 8/10..love the intro..really builds the anticipation of the song
however, i dont like Scott's "overproduced" voice"
2) Do it for the Kids - 9/10, great hook
3) Big Machine - 8/10, a little better than average imo, also repetitive
4) Illegal I song - 8/10, love Matt's drum work in the song, however too Jane's Addiction for me
5) Spectacle - 6/10, nothing about this song grabbed my attention...but is still better than anything else you'll find right now in the true "rock world"
6) Falls to Pieces - 10/10 great song maybe the best on the cd...love Slash's riff.  does the intro remind anybody of Sweet Child of Mine...maybe it was just me but i got that feel
7) Headspace - 7/10 good rocker but solo is cut way short...that loses points with me b/c it felt rushed
Superhuman - 7/10 alright song, nothing overly good or bad
9) Set me Free - 9/10, catchy song, good guitar work, and Scott's voice fits the song
10) You got no Right - 10+/10, best song on the cd, hands down
11) Slither - 10/10 after hearing this song, i had high expectations for the rest, i wish more had this feel to it
12) Dirty Little Thing - song 5/10, solo 9/10 i give you both ratings b/c i really hated this song, until the solo, Slash saves the song..overall 7/10
13) Loving the Alien - 8/10 it grows on you after the first listen
14) Bodies - 7/10 i dont like Scott on this song...but it live so what can you do


Overall i give the cd a 8/10, and yes i was a little disappointed.  Sometimes the chemistry between Scott and the band is superb, other times, you ask why?  Also on thing i noticed...Duff isn't really featured...i cant really tell he did anything in the studio...is that just me?