Rolling Stone Review Of Contraband

[Acquiesce]

I was just going to mention the same thing about the ballads, badgirl.

Review would have been better if they just left out the first paragraph.

[badgirl]

I was just going to mention the same thing about the ballads, badgirl.

Review would have been better if they just left out the first paragraph.

yeah, it's really funny. to each his own i guess. especially Falcon cause he really loves the ballads.
 

[Jizzo]

I wasn't suprised that RS gave it a good review. For once they are right

[jabba2]

It's interesting to read one group that thinks that ballads are the weakness of the album while others (critics and fans) say they are the stengths..

I am going to have to read all the lyrics before i conclude that Scott is a lackluster lyricist, but this was the first pro-Scott review i have read.
 

Scotts lyrics are lackluster in Contraband. I think its the worst lyrics for a record hes ever done. But i wouldnt judge him solely on that. If you listen to STP "Shangri La De Da"  you would think its a different person writing them. Is it possible GNR contributed to the lyrics?

[Fretzo]

I was surprised to read that some of the reviews of Scott Weiland are now considered to be lazy by a Rolling Stone writer.  Scott has traditionaly been written off as Grunge poseur and a very poor lyricist.  On contraband his lyrics aren't great but maybe Rolling stone is willing to let Weiland be and see what he can do.  With all the Axl references I was sure that they would call him a brilliant lyricist and trash Scott's lyrics.  
All in all a good review.

[badgirl]

i thought some of the lyrics to "sour girl" were quite clever.. (shrug)
maybe his sobriety has something to do with it.

either way, they aren't the worst i've ever heard, but they are clearly not the best either.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

If nothing else, banging your head to Contraband's snarling update of Eighties Sunset Strip rock classicism

I don't get his reasoning here, it doesn't sound anything like the strip.  Updated or not.  

I was confused by that as well - the 3 songs I've heard dont sound like the strip to me either.  But he elaborates on his reasoning:

The d?j?vu keeps on comin' throughout the next twelve tracks: Slash's high, strangled fills in "Do It for the Kids" and his reprise of the soprano-hiccup lick from "Sweet Child o' Mine" in "Fall to Pieces"; the tumbling growl of McKagan's bass

Apparently, he feels deja vu - echoes of the Strip, maybe?  

He does say that the album is better than he had any right to expect, so I presume his feelings of dejavu are to be seen as a good thing.

[Top-Hatted One]

 like the sound of the rockers and the ballads!

so i guess i can now die a happy man!  

I'm still not listening to the album til T uesday when i buy it

[Jizzo]

I don't know why people think the lyrics suck. Not everyone is izzy stradlin or mick jaggar when it comes to lyrics. Scott has some pretty catchy, quoteable lines

[TK1]

I don't know why people think the lyrics suck. Not everyone is izzy stradlin or mick jaggar when it comes to lyrics. Scott has some pretty catchy, quoteable lines

I agree.  People tend to treat Scott like he's a little kid just learning to write...

[duga]

Jarmo: How do you think Expressen and Aftonbladet will rate the record? I guess that Martin Carlsson at Expressen gives it 4/5 and that Aftonbladet gives it 3/5  

4/5 in Expressen today!  

[starchild_666]

I don't know why people think the lyrics suck. Not everyone is izzy stradlin or mick jaggar when it comes to lyrics. Scott has some pretty catchy, quoteable lines

I agree.  People tend to treat Scott like he's a little kid just learning to write...

I personally consider Axl's lyrics the best in rock history, but I don't think lyrics on Contraband are bad... they're pretty good for this album!  

[sandman]

4 out of 5 from RS is huge. this album is getting some serious respect. kudos to VR.

number of copies sold is irrelevant. it's not a measuring stick for how great an album is. linkin park and brittney sell millions, but that doesn't mean they are making great albums.