Media Reviews of Libertad

[sandman]

i thought it might make sense to have all print reviews in one place.

my dad just called me and asked if i bought the album yet. i said that's next week. he assumed it was today cause this review was in the Philadelphia Inquirer this past sunday....


Velvet Revolver
Libertad
(RCA **1/2)

One of the neatest things about Velvet Revolver is that its thrash-and-babble sounds little like the bands its membership came from. Sashaying ex-Stone Temple Pilots crooner Scott Weiland may have used bits of the tiger-on-Vaseline purr he had with STP. Guns N' Roses' Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum spruced up the tattered rawk cliches that made G&R rote.

Now, through a sound stripped bare, these Velvets, though mighty and melodic, come across as more earnest than sexy. There's little here that's as hedonistically lustrous in lyric or swell as Slither, though the haughty Stones-y "Mary Mary" and the bombastic "She Builds Quick Machines" come close. And Weiland's still a king of the vocal sneer. But in the ferocious "Pills, Demons, Etc." Weiland's careening swagger gets replaced by a sort of moralism that, though worthy of development, lacks punch.

- A.D. Amorosi

[Eazy E]

Velvet Revolver  (From Entertainment Weekly)
--
VELVET REVOLVERMusic Release9 DaysCredits
Release Date: Jul 03, 2007; Lead Performance: Velvet Revolver; Genre: Rock A-By Tom Sinclair Tom Sinclair
 Tom Sinclair is a senior writer for EW and has been called "the handsomest man in rock criticism'' (by his wife)
The good news: Libertad, Velvet Revolver's second CD is so chock-full of the tight 'n' crunchy pedigreed hard rock that's in short supply these days, it feels both comfortingly familiar and vaguely exotic. And, frankly, the closest thing to bad news is that the cover of Electric Light Orchestra's ''Can't Get It Out of My Head'' isn't anywhere near as good as VR's freshly minted originals. Our advice? Stop pining for a new Guns N' Roses release, break out your air guitars, and bask in the glory of Libertad. A-
DOWNLOAD THIS: Just Sixteen

[Booker Floyd]

http://ezine.classicrockmagazine.com/

9/10

[Burton]

Soundi (Finland's Biggest music magazine)

4/5

[Booker Floyd]

Total Guitar

7/10 

(Not sure if the article is posted online)

[ShotgunBlues1978]

http://idolator.com/tunes/leak-of-the-day/velvet-revolver-aims-misfires-271860.php

ARTIST: Velvet Revolver

TITLE: Libertad

WEB DEBUT: June 23, 2007

RELEASE DATE: July 3, 2007

SOUND QUALITY: 229 kbps (VBR)

ONE-LISTEN VERDICT: The mathematics of this band dictate that any of its recorded output should be at least halfway decent, right? Perhaps forgetting about what it was like to listen to Contraband, we went into this album with visions of hearing hard rock that would cross "Big Bang Baby" with "My Michelle." But listening to Libertad's by-the-numbers hard rock, full of sub-Buckcherry swagger and guitar solos that make Slash's contribution to "Black Or White" sound virtuostic--not to mention the liberal use of cowbell--had only one real effect on us: We went to iTunes and downloaded the new album by Izzy Stradlin.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST TRACK: We're just as shocked as you that there aren't many music blogs posting songs from this record--but ROCKNROLLPIMP has a stream of "Sex Type Thing '07" "She Mine."

[Naupis]

From Metal Sucks:

STEAL THIS TRACK: VELVET REVOLVER LIBERTAD LEAK, ?GET OUT THE DOOR?
June 25th, 2007 by Vince Neilstein
In response to a not-so-stellar review of Velvet Revolver?s new material by our pals over at Idolator, we?d like to prove otherwise. Libertad is chock of full of oh-so-sweet guitar riffage (and boy do they sound BIG), raw guitar solos, upbeat rockers and ballads alike, and Weiland?s voice sounds the best it?s ever sounded. Check out ?Get Out the Door? and our previous post of ?Just Sixteen,? and if you?re not convinced, well? seek help.

Steal This Track: Velvet Revolver - ?Get Out the Door?

-VN

[chinese democrazy]

When they exploded out of the gates on their 2004 debut, Contraband, Velvet Revolver were met with as much diffidence as appreciation. After all, supergroups have tended to detonate as often as succeed, and with vocalist Scott Weiland, bassist Duff McKagan, and guitarist Slash all vying to keep the lit match away from the fuse, the odds against this band ever seeing album #2 were even money at best. Surprise! Not only have Velvet Revolver survived three years with unreckless abandon, this album blows the doors off its predecessor. Save a pair of disinfected ballads ("The Last Fight," "Gravedancer"), Libertad is all about hand-grenade chords, drag-racing riffs, and circus-tent choruses. The ageless McKagan and Slash continually gun for the disorderliness of their former band (most notably on the punkish opener "Let It Roll" and its lewd brother "Spay"), while Weiland sounds--knock on wood--positively clean and like a voice of boisterous renewal on tracks like "Mary Mary," "She Builds Quick Machines," and the melt-in-your-mouth cover of ELO's "Can't Get It Out of My Head." Obviously egos have been checked at the studio door, as Velvet Revolver have already exceeded their anticipated existence. And now that existence goes back on the clock, trying to outshine a second album that's head-and-shoulders better than the first. --Scott Holter

Amazon.com


From Metal Sucks:

STEAL THIS TRACK: VELVET REVOLVER LIBERTAD LEAK, ?JUST SIXTEEN?

The new song is an upbeat rocker in the more traditional rock and roll vein, consistent with the new tunes we heard the band play at their May 22 concert in New York. In the humble opinions of your editors, this is a way more solid track then the previously leaked lead single ?She Builds Quick Machines.? The bluesy guitar riff has a great rock and roll swagger to it and keeps things moving right along beneath Scott Weiland?s vocals which sound as smooth and clear as I?ve ever heard from him. Throw in some tasty leads from Slash and you?ve got a song that we hope is a good indicator of what?s to come July 3.

Steal This Track: Velvet Revolver - ?Just Sixteen?

-VN

[Mikkamakka]

Is it only me or Libertad is getting better reviews than CB?

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Is it only me or Libertad is getting better reviews than CB?

Seems so, although the album is softer and more "accessible", more different styles of music, and is a lot less nihilistic and cynical which may have something to do with it.  It probably has broader overall appeal and is more digestable to the average listener

But I doubt it will sell as well, it doesn't appear to have the homerun type singles like Slither and FTP

[Mr Rage]

any1 read the review of libertad from classic rock? i agree with except the line about dave being a better rhythm guitarist for slash than izzy!!!!

[BillBailey]

any1 read the review of libertad from classic rock? i agree with except the line about dave being a better rhythm guitarist for slash than izzy!!!!

Yes. I like Dave Kushner but he would die in the shadow of the great Izzy Stradlin. Mick Wall must have been a having an early moment of senility.

[Dayle1066]

Would Izzy Stradlin be a better rhythm guitarist in VR? Hell no.

Different band, different setting and as far as VR goes I couldnt think of anyone better than Dave Kushner to partner up with Slash

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Would Izzy Stradlin be a better rhythm guitarist in VR?

If you're a fan of lean, mean hard rock which is what Velvet Revolver says they're trying to make, then yes he would be a better guitarist in VR

[Booker Floyd]

Blender

***1/2/*****

[Booker Floyd]

Penthouse

****

[GeraldFord]

Blender

***1/2/*****

I don't understand.

[GeraldFord]

Penthouse

****

Out of how many?

[Booker Floyd]

Blender

***1/2/*****

I don't understand.

3 1/2 out of 5

Not sure about Penthouse.

[GeraldFord]

I think getting mostly positive, but not glowing reviews is ultimately a good thing. When an artist gets unanimous rave reviews, the expectations are very high and the backlash of "overrated" kicks in soon. As long as "the people" like the album, VR are in a good position.