Style: hard rock
Label: Geffen
Year: 2008
Home: Los Angeles
Members: Axl Rose ~ lead vocals/keyboards
Dizzy Reed ~ keyboard/b. vocals
Chris Pitman ~ keyboards/bass/guitar/b. vocals
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Buckethead ~ lead guitar
Robin Finck ~ lead guitar/keyboards
Tommy Stinson ~ bass/b. vocals
Bryan "Brain" Mantia ~ drums/programming
Richard Fortus ~ rhythm guitar
Eric Caudieux, Caram Costanzo ~ programming/b. vocals
Paul Tobias ~ rhythm guitar/piano
Additional: Patti Hood ~ harp
Suzy Katayama ~ french horn
Pete Scaturro ~ keyboards
Frank Ferrer ~ drums
Guests: Sebastian Bach ~ b. vocals
Speaking of what if reunions … this is not a bad album. It’s got some great songs culling diverse sources of inspiration that G'N'R previously only hinted at behind a bluesy façade. While the reformed band is without question Grade A talent. But, one can’t help but wonder what a G'N'R album would sound like with the original or classic line-up, because this feels like Axl’s attempt at at a Use Your Illusion III with ballads over riffs. Gone is blistering Slash & the youthful G'N'R jungle anger, replaced by more piano & intricate & lush arrangements that in some ways could be better than earlier G'N'R. But, it’s like listening to the Stones after Mick Taylor or Pink Floyd after Sid Barrett. Something is missing. Something familiar. It’s not bad, just different. If it wasn’t for Axl’s reputation & G'N'R’s past hits this album might have faired better on the charts. Unlike older G'N'R albums, this does not hit you in the face with a lyrical/musical onslaught. This is a more meditative G'N'R, if such a thing isn't a contradiction between band reputation & music. Axl deserves more credit for his work, but this isn’t a perfect world, particularly in the music biz. Give it a chance. It ain't bad & really should be listened to without the what if attached.
(originally written for the Roman Midnight Music newsletter Issue 2, Fall 2009, expanded for blog)
No comments:
Post a Comment