Ha!
Ive been waiting to post this up for quite a while. I bought the album in Israel at the end of June, so it was really killing me when I was reading these reviews on HTGTH and I wanted to contribute.
I feel like Ive come to know the album well enough to finally lend a review.
*{Please note that before I even type one word on the review, I would like to note that Scott Weiland is the WORST songwriter ever - he is truly driven by drugs - though he is probably snorting a lot of coke because his music is very energetic. It doesn't hurt that he has 3/5ths of GNR backing him up}
-"Somebody raped my tapeworm abortion, come on mutherfuckers and deliver the cow"
-There's many more examples, but I'll just focus the rest of the review on the music of VR
"
Suckertrain Blues" - Awesome song, full of energy. The perfect song to kick off the album. Rhythm section and sirens blaring, this song really hits me like a sucker train. The song with the most energy on the album. It reminds me a bit of
"Right Next Door to Hell" by GNR. Lyrics of course stink, but who cares when GNR rock n roll abilities return after a 10 hiatus with a sober but lethal punch in the face.
9/10
"
Do It For The Kids" - A song that grew on me with the more I listened to it. A song with sustained energy throughout, though it seems (or I seem) to feed off the energy of "Suckertrain Blues". Nice melody - very catchy - I could listen to this one all the time after STB without skipping it. One of the better songs on the album.
8/10
"
Big Machine" - Great rhythm start as well - almost 80's style with the thumping bass and drums. Very catchy too. This one took less listens to like, but sometimes the song would nag me and not leave my head leaving me very annoyed. Literally! It ruined some of my nites of sleeping. For that I gotta take off a solid point.
7/10
"
Illegal i Song" - I skipped this song a lot until lately. Sounds a bit influenced by Janes Addiction. The chorus is pretty good. Overall an average song.
5/10
"
Spectacle" - Another I would skip on my way to FTP all summer, until recently. Actually, I would even skip this song too. Even weaker than the previous number. Only a semi-decent hook and some sheer energy of the players keeps it from going completely under. Don't waste your time with this one.
3/10
"
Fall to Pieces" - What hasn't been said about this song yet? I personally don;t think it comes near SCOM comparisons, but it definitly stands out as the most "radio" of the VR songs. A nice song with the GNR shifts of intensity - from a sweet accoustic ballad at the beginning to a hard rock ballad. I think its more like a "Don't CRy" (even though the lyrics don't nearly come even close to Axl's on that song). Song definitly illustrates great chemistry between Scott/STP and GNR. A blistering Slash solo (his best solo since Suckertrain Blues) will top off the great melodies.
9.5/10
"
Headspace" - Another song I would skip on my way to my favorite song on the album. Another great hook with some solid rhythm work. HOwever, it seems to follow a disturbing pattern with some of the medirocre work on this album - just throw a Slash solo in there to keep it from going under.
3.5/10
"
Superhuman" - The beginning for what has become for me the most heavy section of Contraband (ending with "
Dirty Little Thing". The song is very Alice in Chainsesque. The solo work in the beginning defintly threw me off at first, but provides a great framework for the rhythm on the song. Song is full of drugs - which seems to have been a bit overeemphasized on Contraband. Chorus is cool as Scott names off his good friends.
7/10
"
Set Me Free" - BEST SONG ON CONTRABAND
The song that ushered material from VR is the best song they have put out. Great musicianship all-roud, the best drumming from Matt Sorum - the most blistering solo from Slash. The song has different tempos that keep you on your seat. With the rising volumes of Scott Weiland prior to his singing the chorus, emotions build as he finally declares "SET ME FREE!!!" Even Slash's solo grow and acclimates in pitch and sound that with the background of powerful musicianship builds the song to its climax. The best song made by the Gunners (POST GNR). Better than anything that Axl and the new GNR have put out thus far - this song has the most energy and the lyrics make enough sense to have you running and gunning for your hardest when listening to it. Its only a shame that VR never eclipsed this song - otherwise they would be the biggest things out there since - GNR themselves.
10/10
"
You Got No Right" - A song that seems to take a page from the Chapter of Rock N' Roll called "Limp Bizkit". Unless it is Scott that influences Fred Durst's style or vice versa, he clearly sounds like the nookie guy. Lyrics on this song are the heaviest on the album - definitly something that Scott pulled out of himself - like a confession. Hook feels like its been there and done in Rock n Roll which kinda takes away from its power. Its solo by Slash sounds like a rip off of Joe Perry's from "Livin on the Edge". A strong song that I know its a favorite by the VR fans, but not one of mine.
8/10
"
Slither" - A favorite from early on. The song has the strongest beginning, (first only to STB). Great momentum leads to great song - the perfect choice for the first single on the album. A blistering Slash solo does not dissapoint. The lyrics make enough sense - hell even the video was hot. Defintly something that eased its way to the MTV rotation.
9.5/10
"
Dirty Little Mind" - A song that grew on me towards the end of the summer. Sounds pretty powerful, with enough melody to keep it together. Nice energetic song.
8.5/10
"
Loving the Alien" - A nice mellow song - the first taste of it since the mellow moments in YGNR. A nice way to end the album, but not at all a standout track. Kind of a weak track to end the album.
6.5/10
MY FINAL IMPRESSION of this album is that it shows a lot of potential for this band to grow and improve their chemistry together. Very strong tracks are unfortunately bridged by some very medirocre songs that could not have taken VR more than a day to process. Also seems that VR took a little too much from other rockers instead of developing their own style.
Nonetheless, there's no greater satisfaction (aside from a GNR comeback) than a comeback for 4 rock n' rollers who have been through tough times and had a lot to prove, Well by and large, they proved they could still rock. Scoot needs to works on lyrics, but aside from that, GNR s alumni are still a tight group together. They defintly earned their platinum success.
I for one love the record despite its glictches. Its become a regular on my rotation along with GNR. It definitly has me tied in until the GNR record comes out and we have 2 bands that rock again...
in the name of GUNS N' FUCKING ROSES
TOTAL: 8.5/10
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