Contraband Review

[younggunner]

Monday July 19, 2004

Velvet Revolver
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Velvet Revolver


Contraband


RCA Records





Even rock stars have to pay the bills. With the public's taste in music becoming ever so fickle, it's probably hard paying for a Beverley Hills mansion, luxury imported cars and piles of drugs with dwindling royalty checks. And nothing boosts an aging, washed-up rocker's pocket lining like a supergroup.


Velvet Revolver is composed of the Guns N' Roses rhythm section and former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. Apparently Weiland had time between rehab and court sessions to record, and Slash wasn't satisfied with his other post-GNR projects. But Slash, Snakepit was so ahead of its time!


Every bit of this album's energy is spent trying to convince the listener that these guys are still edgy and, more importantly, relevant. From the drug reference in the title, to the aggressive guitar-heavy approach to the curse-laden lyrics - the members of Velvet Revolver seem to be screaming, "Look at us! We're still dangerous!"


Unfortunately, these guys aren't fooling anyone. No matter how fast and clean, Slash's riffs are the same recycled rock licks that have graced every arena tour since Led Zeppelin. And Weilan's lyrics are boring, clich‚d tales of the hard, fast rock 'n' roll life. "Went too fast I'm out of luck/ And I don't even give a fuck," he sings on Do it for the Kids . Yeah Scott, well neither do I.


The members of Velvet Revolver seem to be very full of themselves on Contraband . So sure that the public has been looking for something to fill the void they think was left by the disintegration of their former bands, they didn't bother trying to make anything new or refreshing. I like Guns N' Roses as much as the next guy, but I do not want to hear a hackneyed parody.


The good thing about music like this is that stagnant and decadent tripe is the reason music evolves. It can only numb people's minds so long before they are inspired to experiment and make music that becomes important and influential. With Contraband , Velvet Revolver has placed itself after Aerosmith and the Black Crowes in the long lineage of Arena rock irrelevancy.


- C.M. Caskey

[oldleadbelly]

It's called "Damned if you do and Damned if you don't."  When STP branched out into some highly experimental areas (check out the recently released demos) they were basically ignored.  Same with GnR.  There was some great experimentation in the UYI albums, but these songs are still seen as second class citizens next to AFD.  So VR makes a straight ahead rock record, and still they are bashed as retread.  I'm really beginning to see why Scott has given a big middle finger to the media.

[Walapino]

That review was pretty lame, I dont mind reading a bad review of contraband but that dude seemed like he had no idea what to write about. 

[younggunner]

what would qualify as a "good" bad review?

[Booker Floyd]

Wheres this from?

[Naupis]

We should get used to this stuff. From here on out they will always be known as guys trying to recapture their youth and relevance. Its what happens after you turn 40 and its part of life. People will always be prejudicial against them because of their hard rock roots (Appetite) and nothing any of them do will ever recapture that. Hence we will continue to see these types of reviews regardless of what is released, good or bad. Axl will hear the same shit about relevance even if he releases the second coming of Mozart's sympothny. These reviewers have it in their minds that just because you are past 40 that you aren't capable of producing Music that is relevant and in touch. If Appetite were released today by 40 year old Axl and SLash instead of 25 year old Axl and Slash, it would not be held in the same regard and anyone who disagrees is obviously not paying attention to the shit the music industry pushes on us by some wanna be punk band who are young and Hip looking. It is very sad, but even more sadlly it has become commonplace in the world of music.

[SADIS]

I'm getting more and more sick of all the reviewers and journalists who think WE care about what THEY think. Just like he said about Scott "I don't even give a fuck", well I couldn't care less about what he thinks. Why do they even exist? Yeah, I know that they are supposed to give the bands some promotion, but this shit is way too stupid......and what's with the expirimental? Do they want VR to make music produced by the Neptunes 

Just go home and give your Avril Lavigne record another spin........

[Top-Hatted One]

Great post Naupis!!

[Walapino]

what would qualify as a "good" bad review?

Well if he expect GNR version 2 he got it all wrong from the beggining. All the stuff about trying to recapture and making them old and stuff like that is lame in my book. But anyway I could careless about reviews cuz I already own the cd for a couple of months and it rocks!

[GnFnR87]

yea that review was pretty lame, what a dumbass,

[slave2thegrind]

How bored was this guy to write a review such a pointless review.  Its the same junk over and over.  It seems that critics find joy in shooting down something that isn't "inventive" or "different".  Who cares?  Who said rock n' roll has to be different all the time?  "Recycled guitar riffs?"...what about all the recycled beats used in every rap album ever put out?  I enjoy hearing an album with tracks that are just down to earth rockers then some of the garbage that is coming out right now.  People have forgotten what it's like to rock...

I think Contraband is an awesome album.  It isn't supposed to be like GNR...it's supposed to be like Velvet Revolver...and I dig their sound.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

Who is C.M. Caskey and which paper/zine does he write for??

what would qualify as a "good" bad review?

.

Interesting question, younggunner...? I hope you will be as objective if/when CD reviews come out.? ?

But to answer your question, I think a 'good' bad review is one that doesnt make unwarranted assumptions about the band's intent or attitude based on the music.? ?Does having a hard-edged sound in your music equate to "they are trying to convince us that they are still relevant"?? ?Why not the simpler explanation that they are experimenting with sounds that are new for them?? ?Or simply because they fucking like it.

"And nothing boosts an aging, washed-up rocker's pocket lining like a supergroup" -? You see he has already exposed his bias in the beginning of the review!? He doesnt want to give them a chance - anything they do sounds 'stagnant' to him, because in his mind, they're already washed-up anyway.? You can be sure that many critics will have this same stupid bias against Axl.

There was a Metal Sludge review posted here. I thought it was pretty fair.? It wasnt filled with glowing praise or callous criticism.? It was the opinion of someone who had listened to the album (several times, mind you) and then stated what he liked and didnt like about the songs.

[AdZ]

It seems that critics find joy in shooting down something that isn't "inventive" or "different".? Who cares?? Who said rock n' roll has to be different all the time?

Well, they went on and on about the album being contemporary and modern sounding, of which it's neither.

And if it isn't different all the time, you end up like AC/DC, boring as hell.

[younggunner]

Interesting question, younggunner...? I hope you will be as objective if/when CD reviews come out.? ?

Trust me, Im going to be as objective as it gets when CD comes out. If it sux ill say it sux I have no problem with that.

But to answer your question, I think a 'good' bad review is one that doesnt make unwarranted assumptions about the band's intent or attitude based on the music.? ?Does having a hard-edged sound in your music equate to "they are trying to convince us that they are still relevant"?? ?Why not the simpler explanation that they are experimenting with sounds that are new for them?? ?Or simply because they fucking like it.

"And nothing boosts an aging, washed-up rocker's pocket lining like a supergroup" -? You see he has already exposed his bias in the beginning of the review!? He doesnt want to give them a chance - anything they do sounds 'stagnant' to him, because in his mind, they're already washed-up anyway.? You can be sure that many critics will have this same stupid bias against Axl.

There was a Metal Sludge review posted here. I thought it was pretty fair.? It wasnt filled with glowing praise or callous criticism.? It was the opinion of someone who had listened to the album (several times, mind you) and then stated what he liked and didnt like about the songs.

Excellent post. And I totally agree.
Now go back and read any new gnr related article/review. It reeks of bullshit. Yet, when i try to defend it or not take it seriosuly, the great objective lurkers we have here label you a nutswinger or soemone who cant take a bad review.

Ive said since day 1, when gnr release their material, thats is when I will take any reviews, good or bad seriously. When its all said and done, its abiut the music, not axls braids,clothes,weight, alleged musical visions,or the freaks. Its about what they create musically. When the article/review is about the music, that is when i shall take it seriously.

[GNRisAFD]

Negative review so lets dismiss it as just another guy who hates VR, Scott Weiland and thinks Slash is washed up.

Just as bad as the pro-Axl squad.

[GnFnR87]

How bored was this guy to write a review such a pointless review.? Its the same junk over and over.? It seems that critics find joy in shooting down something that isn't "inventive" or "different".? Who cares?? Who said rock n' roll has to be different all the time?? "Recycled guitar riffs?"...what about all the recycled beats used in every rap album ever put out?? I enjoy hearing an album with tracks that are just down to earth rockers then some of the garbage that is coming out right now.? People have forgotten what it's like to rock...

I think Contraband is an awesome album.? It isn't supposed to be like GNR...it's supposed to be like Velvet Revolver...and I dig their sound.

i couldnt have put it better slave2thegrind(awesome album by the way), i totally agree with you

[slave2thegrind]

How bored was this guy to write a review such a pointless review.? Its the same junk over and over.? It seems that critics find joy in shooting down something that isn't "inventive" or "different".? Who cares?? Who said rock n' roll has to be different all the time?? "Recycled guitar riffs?"...what about all the recycled beats used in every rap album ever put out?? I enjoy hearing an album with tracks that are just down to earth rockers then some of the garbage that is coming out right now.? People have forgotten what it's like to rock...

I think Contraband is an awesome album.? It isn't supposed to be like GNR...it's supposed to be like Velvet Revolver...and I dig their sound.

i couldnt have put it better slave2thegrind(awesome album by the way), i totally agree with you

Thanks man...VR ROCKS!