POLL- Contraband or Libertad: which do you like better

[GeraldFord]

I'm going with LIBERTAD.

And I liked the first album a lot too.

[Smoking Guns]

Dick, I mean RichardNixon, I agree 100%!!!!  I too like Libertad better.

[slashvr86]

libertad, just because it was alot easier for me to get into

[metallex78]

I'm going with Contraband. Much heavier and in-your-face guitar crunch.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Contraband, no contest.  Although there are a few songs I really like on Libertad, Contraband just has flat out better songs.  The rockers rock harder, the ballads are superior.  Libertad has too many skippable, uninteresting songs IMO

[metallex78]

Contraband, no contest.? Although there are a few songs I really like on Libertad, Contraband just has flat out better songs.? The rockers rock harder, the ballads are superior.? Libertad has too many skippable, uninteresting songs IMO

Sad to say, but I feel the same way.

[Verse Chorus Verse]

I go with Libertad.

[BillBailey]

Contraband is better. That being said Libertad is really growing on me. I wish Brendan O'Brien would have produced Contraband and same with whoever mixed Libertad. It is mixed and produced so much better.

[chinese democrazy]

Libertad, listening to the album from start to finish is a much more fulfilling,deeper and enjoyable experience. I agree contraband had the big hits, but libertad is just an overall stronger effort by far. That said, they both have their strong points, libertad will never be able to compete as far as wanting agressive hard rock.

[mustaine]

Better induvidual songs on Contraband (Slither, Fall to Pieces, Dirty Little Thing) but overall Libertad is a bit better. Nothing mind blowing, just a fun record that probably won't age well (for me).

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Contraband, no contest.  Although there are a few songs I really like on Libertad, Contraband just has flat out better songs.  The rockers rock harder, the ballads are superior.  Libertad has too many skippable, uninteresting songs IMO

Sad to say, but I feel the same way.

I hadn't listened to Contraband in a while, I listened to it today so I could compare with Libertad fresh in my mind, and my thoughts were definitely confirmed

The other thing that has struck me is that I couldn't get enough of Contraband when it first came out.  I was listening to it all the time.  With Libertad, after about 5 listens I'm already bored with half the album, and I don't have that itch to listen to it again and again like I did with Contraband

[D]

Contraband is WAY better at this point.

[Smoking Guns]

If you took the best from CB and Libertad and made a greatest hits, people would still bitch. ?Ha! ?But it would be a hell of an album. ?I expect the 3rd album to be the charm at this pace!

[GeraldFord]

I feel that Contraband starts out strong, but then songs like "illegal i song" "Spectacle," etc., sort of blend together and throw a wrench in the momentum. The second half of that album is much stronger.

With Libertad, I can really enjoy the whole thing all the way through--and it's just getting better and better. LOVE the direction of the CD, much more upbeat and more enjoyable than the dour debut. There is also more depth, more layers of sounds in the nooks and carnies.? ?

[Smoking Guns]

Slash is the real deal on this album.  He definitely stepped up his game.  But even during the Snakepit eras, he was still a badass.  But it is just different now.  And I like it.  I like the album and can't wait to buy it.  There are a lot of good songs and don't "hate" any of them.  Sorum's drumming is so much better.  The band sounds so inspired, which now brings me Mr. Weiland. WTF!!!!  Scott, you do rock on a few songs.  You Got No Right stands out.  However, the artsy fartsy shit he says and the way he sings sometimes annoys me.  However, i like how he gets crazy at the end of Illegal I.  Fall To Pieces, really, that song had so much potential. Lyrics? WTF! All these songs will grow on everyone.  They did a fine job.  Just the repetitiveness of some of songs sucks.  SuckerTrain is another song I like.  Did they stray a little too far from "Blues Based Rock?"  Yes, they did.  Slash is still the best guitar player out there.  But I do miss the "Bluesy" sound.  All in all this album rocks, and there are lots of guitar solos.  Just feel left wondering, WHERE ARE THE SONGS IZZY HELPED WRITE!!!!!!!  THEY SHOULD HAVE THROWN US GNR FANS A BONE OR TWO WITH THOSE.  I THINK SCOTT RESENTED IZZY'S SONG WRITING ABILITY.  I like Scott's voice, just stop being so dramatic and rock.  How many songs on here are better then "Down" or "All in Suit that you wear?"  I don't really know, but it is different, solid, and I like it.  I think I must agree, Scott was the weak link, but not too many people could have done much better, except Axl of course.  He is working with master's of their trade.  He doesn't have the chemistry yet.  He will eventually.  I look forward to the follow up.  Lots of potential here.  I expected better then STP, worse then GNR (you can't top GNR and don't expect it too).  Should have blow away STP, and at times it does.  At times, it is only even, which is not a horrible thing.  8.5/10  The album will do great.

Dave, I hear ya, but, it is like I can't stop listening to these songs.  Superhuman, that could be a sleeper, Darkhorse, on this album.  Did the boys ever play in Drop D before this album?  I don't think they ever did in GNR.  I will rephrase, VR can be better then the the "New" GNR.  Just not better then the old GNR.  Still a pretty Riff heavy album.  I am liking it more and more, but my main points stay the same.  If Weiland ever got an attitude adjustment this band could rule the world.  They might just do it anyway.  Look at the competition? 


Oh my God, look at what the hell I was saying on June 1, 2004.  I was more harsh then than now.  I was harsh on Weiland, but, he has grown so much.  Its cool to see first impressions than vs. now. 

[ShotgunBlues1978]

I feel that Contraband starts out strong, but then songs like "illegal i song" "Spectacle," etc., sort of blend together and throw a wrench in the momentum. The second half of that album is much stronger. 

The second half of CB is definitely stronger.  I like illegal i song a lot, actually one of my favorites off the album, that song rocks, but anyway I'll agree, songs like Big Machine (worst song on the album) and Spectacle are not very good.  But IMO, SBQM and She Mine are both worse than Spectacle

On Libertad, after Get Out The Door, the album's like Death Valley, very dry and life is sparse.  To my ears, I'm only digging like 4 of the last 11 tracks, the others might have elements that I like but as overall songs not so much

[Booker Floyd]

Libertad

[GeraldFord]

Hmm, I thought Libertad was much, much richer than CB. Never cared for "Illegal i Song." I thought it was the most generic, boring song on the whole CD. But I really like "Big Machine" though. "She Mine" and SBQM have grown on me a lot.

I wonder if Vedder and comp. will sue VR for ripping off "State of Love and Trust" in "For a Brother."

[metallex78]

I feel that Contraband starts out strong, but then songs like "illegal i song" "Spectacle," etc., sort of blend together and throw a wrench in the momentum. The second half of that album is much stronger.

With Libertad, I can really enjoy the whole thing all the way through--and it's just getting better and better. LOVE the direction of the CD, much more upbeat and more enjoyable than the dour debut. There is also more depth, more layers of sounds in the nooks and carnies.? ?

I guess that's the difference of opinions, because Illegal I and Spectacle keep up the pace of great rocking tracks. How can you not like Sorums great drumming on Illegal I, it rocks!

Libertad starts strong with Let It Roll through to Last Fight, then it is pretty bland for the rest of the album aside from Just 16 and Spay which both kick things up a notch. For A Brother, Mary Mary are both dull and uninspired riffs and melodies. Even Pills which sounded so promising to me upon hearing that opening riff in the vlogs, just fizzles into blandness too. It worries me that this was the best that they could come up with. Even Gravedancer sounds way too much like an obvious mix between FTP and LTA.
Rick Rubin was right when he told them to keep writing more songs.

Anyway, for those that do enjoy it, I'm glad if you do. The above is just my opinion on what I'm hearing, and I don't think it's that great.

[GeraldFord]

I though "Mary Mary" should have been the lead single---pure ear candy.