Rate Chinese

[maynard]

The time and millions spent could not result in the instrumental mess and lyrics like This I Love. It's unacceptable.

[wkuk04]

I rate Chinese 8/10, it is a solid rock album. More solid than most new albums of today.

[Flayer]

It's pretty good. Think 7/10 is a fair rating. I personally like it more than a 7 but I wouldn't go around and try to argue to people that it's one of the best albums ever. Just one of my personal favorites. I'd give it an 8/10 if you compared it to other rock albums of the 2000s only, maybe even a 9/10. Against the old stuff though, a solid 7/10.

It's really just the same five or six people on here who keep saying it's shit 24/7.

Most people I've played the tracks to liked it or thought it was all right. That includes a number of non-GNR fans and even one who said she hated GNR. Some can't recognize it as GNR, some do, couple couldn't even recognize the difference and asked me if this was old or new Guns they were listening to.

Catcher in the Rye went over well with Beatles fans, some friends who're into quirky alternative music dug If The World. Couple friends said Shackler's was catchy and got hooked on it. Chicks all like This I Love and Prostitute. My mom put Better on her driving playlist. Seems like you can find something on it for most people.

Edited October 4, 2015 by Flayer

[MrSoftie]

Oh it is a better album than St Anger. Chinese is a fairly poor album but St Anger is one of the most tuneless awful horrendous stinky turds ever created. Species of wildlife died that came within audible range with that monstrosity. My HI-FI has still not forgiven me for putting that compact disc in her, and subjecting her to such awful pain.

At least there are a few redeeming features here and there on Chinese such as Better and TWAT, the odd decent solo here-and-there.

^This is my point.

Some fans consider St. Anger to be cool and against the grain while others consider it to be absolute shit. It doesn't make either "tr0lls." If one were to call St. Anger the best album of the 2000's, it's a whole different story.

I'll gladly take 'Shoot Me Again' over anything on CD even with the horrible production. I say this being a very strong hater of St. Anger.

Checklist on CD:

Bland rockers? check

Whiny ballads? check

Messy epics? check

And you also got to factor in that it took Metallica a couple of years to Axl's decade plus. The fact that they're pretty equally shit should be humiliating on Axl's end. I mean I always hear the story that the time it took to make CD shouldn't be a factor of how it's rated, but I never understood why. I'm not saying it should have been the best album ever made, but it should've at least been consistently solid and cohesive through and through. The fact that it took him that long to release something that mediocre was probably the biggest tell tale sign that it was never meant to be to begin with.

Well when you judge any other album do you factor in how long it took to be made?

I know it sucks that CD is all we got from 14 years (or whatever it was), but I'd imagine it really is true that Axl made many more songs and, IMO, what he released on CD was the songs that had been played live, or leaked, with a few random songs. I honestly reckon the songs Axl wanted to be on CD is a completely different track-list than what we got. Not to mention there was supposed to other records following it that as of yet haven't been released.

[Nosaj Thing]

In the Rock genre, CD could be considered the worst by some without it being "tr0lling." I personally rank St. Anger above it and that album is shit but it at least had a couple of good songs despite the horrible production.

Definitely.

As far as I'm concerned, Chinese Democracy is an awful turd and one of the worst ones. Whatever other people's perception of the album might be is none of my business. They are free to love it.

Will never understand why people love to use the word "trolling" so much. It is stupid.

[-W.A.R-]

Chinese food is good but gets kinda bland after a few bites

not to mention it doesn't keep you full long and your searching for something to eat mere hours after you ate a whole pint of lo mein and 3 egg rolls

i'd rate it 6/10...i prefer Mexican or Italian

[Mr. Dude]

Oh it is a better album than St Anger. Chinese is a fairly poor album but St Anger is one of the most tuneless awful horrendous stinky turds ever created. Species of wildlife died that came within audible range with that monstrosity. My HI-FI has still not forgiven me for putting that compact disc in her, and subjecting her to such awful pain.

At least there are a few redeeming features here and there on Chinese such as Better and TWAT, the odd decent solo here-and-there.

People calling it the worst album of the 2000s are as much tr0lling as the ones calling it the best. Seriously guys it's fucking boring.

Yes, I agree. Chinese is a 4-6 out of 10 job. Saying it is 1/10 is hyperbole. Saying it is 10/10 is equally extreme and ridiculous. The truth is somewhere between. It is fairly poor in many ways but it is not that bad - like St Anger (see above).

I'd at least put it on the level of a Sgt Peppers

[DieselDaisy]

Oh it is a better album than St Anger. Chinese is a fairly poor album but St Anger is one of the most tuneless awful horrendous stinky turds ever created. Species of wildlife died that came within audible range with that monstrosity. My HI-FI has still not forgiven me for putting that compact disc in her, and subjecting her to such awful pain.

At least there are a few redeeming features here and there on Chinese such as Better and TWAT, the odd decent solo here-and-there.

People calling it the worst album of the 2000s are as much tr0lling as the ones calling it the best. Seriously guys it's fucking boring.

Yes, I agree. Chinese is a 4-6 out of 10 job. Saying it is 1/10 is hyperbole. Saying it is 10/10 is equally extreme and ridiculous. The truth is somewhere between. It is fairly poor in many ways but it is not that bad - like St Anger (see above).

I'd at least put it on the level of a Sgt Peppers

No where near. The only GN'R album that can be included among the absolute best, your Peppers, Blonde on Blondes, Exiles, etc. is Appetite. I reserve 10/10 for all of those albums by the way. You cannot have turds like Scraped, Shackler's, Sorry or This I Love and qualify for the 10/10 category - that is simply an impossibility.

[DR DOOM]

Oh it is a better album than St Anger. Chinese is a fairly poor album but St Anger is one of the most tuneless awful horrendous stinky turds ever created. Species of wildlife died that came within audible range with that monstrosity. My HI-FI has still not forgiven me for putting that compact disc in her, and subjecting her to such awful pain.

At least there are a few redeeming features here and there on Chinese such as Better and TWAT, the odd decent solo here-and-there.

People calling it the worst album of the 2000s are as much tr0lling as the ones calling it the best. Seriously guys it's fucking boring.

Yes, I agree. Chinese is a 4-6 out of 10 job. Saying it is 1/10 is hyperbole. Saying it is 10/10 is equally extreme and ridiculous. The truth is somewhere between. It is fairly poor in many ways but it is not that bad - like St Anger (see above).

I'd at least put it on the level of a Sgt Peppers

No where near. The only GN'R album that can be included among the absolute best, your Peppers, Blonde on Blondes, Exiles, etc. is Appetite. I reserve 10/10 for all of those albums by the way. You cannot have turds like Scraped, Shackler's, Sorry or This I Love and qualify for the 10/10 category - that is simply an impossibility.

Oh yeah, well I've just had some bath salts and I think he meant to say Pet Sounds.

[Stress Fracture]

It will make for the ultimate anniversary deluxe edition one day with all the demos, alt mixes and unreleased tracks from the sessions. Then the world will be able to appreciate it for what it is.

14 tracks of variable quality could never do justice to all that money, time and work spent on it. You need 14 discs to get to the heart of Chinese Democracy. A document of one man's madness and a lengthy, ever-changing cast of yes men indulging his every whim.

(And maybe finally give it some decent artwork/packaging too and include a 1000-page Making Of book in the box set with a foreword from Shaquille O'Neal.)

[niceguy]

Scraped is a 10/10 classic?

Good lord. Whatever you guys are smoking, I don't want any.

[AxlsMainMan]

Scraped is underrated. Tasty guitar riff similar to Shackler's, an awesome solo, and all kinds of cool Axl voices goin' on; one of my favorite songs for running/jogging.

Edited October 5, 2015 by AxlsMainMan

[maynard]

Scraped is underrated. Tasty guitar riff similar to Shackler's, an awesome solo, and all kinds of cool Axl voices goin' on; one of my favorite songs for running/jogging.

The thought of fat Axl running behind me screaming AAYYYY OOHHH *blip* DONT YA TRY TO STOP US NOW would make me run faster as well.

[Russel Nash]

Scraped is underrated. Tasty guitar riff similar to Shackler's, an awesome solo, and all kinds of cool Axl voices goin' on; one of my favorite songs for running/jogging.

The thought of fat Axl running behind me screaming AAYYYY OOHHH *blip* DONT YA TRY TO STOP US NOW would make me run faster as well.

Don't be silly, you don't have time to run.

On Chinese: i would buy it again.

[wasted]

There's probably 12 songs on CD I'd consider for a Best of GNR.

I understand why people don't see it as GNR, it just doesn't bother me. I was over it in 2000.

Although patchy in places, I think the production opens up a lot of potential. I'm used to different productions and feel it works well for Axl's songs where there's all these parts. So again not an issue.

Songwritingwise it's a 7-8 easy. After that it's personal taste. It's a 8-9 for me, but then it's so unique and fascinating that it edges into a 10. As in it won't happen again. It's worth a point.

Just my take on it. I know no one else in the real world gives a shit.

[Free Bird]

There's probably 12 songs on CD I'd consider for a Best of GNR.

I understand why people don't see it as GNR, it just doesn't bother me. I was over it in 2000.

Although patchy in places, I think the production opens up a lot of potential. I'm used to different productions and feel it works well for Axl's songs where there's all these parts. So again not an issue.

Songwritingwise it's a 7-8 easy. After that it's personal taste. It's a 8-9 for me, but then it's so unique and fascinating that it edges into a 10. As in it won't happen again. It's worth a point.

Just my take on it. I know no one else in the real world gives a shit.

So you'll judge what is good songwriting for everyone? How that? Don't you think that's personsl preference, too?

[Jakey Styley]

10/10 for me, I just love it. Not really posting here to give an objective critique, there's just something very special and unique about the album for me, there's nothing else like it.

[Mr. Dude]

There's probably 12 songs on CD I'd consider for a Best of GNR.

I understand why people don't see it as GNR, it just doesn't bother me. I was over it in 2000.

Although patchy in places, I think the production opens up a lot of potential. I'm used to different productions and feel it works well for Axl's songs where there's all these parts. So again not an issue.

Songwritingwise it's a 7-8 easy. After that it's personal taste. It's a 8-9 for me, but then it's so unique and fascinating that it edges into a 10. As in it won't happen again. It's worth a point.

Just my take on it. I know no one else in the real world gives a shit.

So you'll judge what is good songwriting for everyone? How that? Don't you think that's personsl preference, too?

That's what his entire post is about hence the "just my take on it" bit.

[Swedish]

It's a 6-7/10 for me!
It has some good songs (and a few great) but there's way to many forgettable songs in there.
If I would break it down song by song it would look something like this:

• Chinese Democracy - Good
• Shackler's Revenge - Meh
• Better - Great
• Street Of Dreams - Good
• If The World - Meh
• There Was A Time - Great
• Cather In The Rye - Meh
• Scraped - Awful
• Riad N' The Bedouins - Meh
• Sorry - Good
• I.R.S - Meh
• Madagascar - Great
• This I Love - Good (I've never understood the hate there)
• Prostitute - Good

Edited October 6, 2015 by youngswedishvinyl

[Terzyo]

I don´t like CD rock songs, i only like ballads.

6/10

[Free Bird]

So you'll judge what is good songwriting for everyone? How that? Don't you think that's personsl preference, too?

That's what his entire post is about hence the "just my take on it" bit.

For most of his post you're right, but that very sentence is clearly saying something else, isn't it?

Songwritingwise it's a 7-8 easy. After that it's personal taste.

[KBear]

5/10

Totally mediocre. There are many superb songwriting ideas there, but they're obscured by the horrible shredding and just way too many things happening at once.

Yeah, I'd love to see a re-mixed version. Catcher is a great demo that was completely ruined. It's unlistenable in it's final form. Street of Dreams will always be known as The Blues to me. They should re-do it the way it was played live in 2002 and re-title the song. And just generally strip the songs to their core so that all the glitzy sounding computerized nonsense is gone, which usually just comes off as cheesy.

I'll give it a 6.5 out of 10, which I guess is a C. It could have easily been an A if Axl hadn't of spent so much time trying to polish it.

[niceguy]

5/10

Totally mediocre. There are many superb songwriting ideas there, but they're obscured by the horrible shredding and just way too many things happening at once.

Yeah, I'd love to see a re-mixed version. Catcher is a great demo that was completely ruined. It's unlistenable in it's final form. Street of Dreams will always be known as The Blues to me. They should re-do it the way it was played live in 2002 and re-title the song. And just generally strip the songs to their core so that all the glitzy sounding computerized nonsense is gone, which usually just comes off as cheesy.

I'll give it a 6.5 out of 10, which I guess is a C. It could have easily been an A if Axl hadn't of spent so much time trying to polish it.

Spot-on.

Catcher has always stuck out to me as a colossal missed opportunity. Had that song been stripped down to basic instrumentation and orthodox structure, it would have been remarkable.

[Rovim]

5/10

Totally mediocre. There are many superb songwriting ideas there, but they're obscured by the horrible shredding and just way too many things happening at once.

Yeah, I'd love to see a re-mixed version. Catcher is a great demo that was completely ruined. It's unlistenable in it's final form. Street of Dreams will always be known as The Blues to me. They should re-do it the way it was played live in 2002 and re-title the song. And just generally strip the songs to their core so that all the glitzy sounding computerized nonsense is gone, which usually just comes off as cheesy.

I'll give it a 6.5 out of 10, which I guess is a C. It could have easily been an A if Axl hadn't of spent so much time trying to polish it.

Spot-on.

Catcher has always stuck out to me as a colossal missed opportunity. Had that song been stripped down to basic instrumentation and orthodox structure, it would have been remarkable.

The structure of it is perfect. The production of the studio version took away a lot of the magic of the demo imo to better fit the album as a whole. I like what Bumble did there, but it sometimes clashes with Axl's vocals in the outro, and Bumble's tone is not quite right imo for this type of song.

May's tone had that classic sound and the production was fitting. Pitman's little mini solo was watered down as well.

I think the studio version is still great though. I listen to both versions of the song.

Edited October 8, 2015 by Rovim

[Mr. Dude]

5/10

Totally mediocre. There are many superb songwriting ideas there, but they're obscured by the horrible shredding and just way too many things happening at once.

Yeah, I'd love to see a re-mixed version. Catcher is a great demo that was completely ruined. It's unlistenable in it's final form. Street of Dreams will always be known as The Blues to me. They should re-do it the way it was played live in 2002 and re-title the song. And just generally strip the songs to their core so that all the glitzy sounding computerized nonsense is gone, which usually just comes off as cheesy.

I'll give it a 6.5 out of 10, which I guess is a C. It could have easily been an A if Axl hadn't of spent so much time trying to polish it.

Spot-on.

Catcher has always stuck out to me as a colossal missed opportunity. Had that song been stripped down to basic instrumentation and orthodox structure, it would have been remarkable.

The structure of it is perfect. The production of the studio version took away a lot of the magic of the demo imo to better fit the album as a whole. I like what Bumble did there, but it sometimes clashes with Axl's vocals in the outro, and Bumble's tone is not quite right imo for this type of song.

May's tone had that classic sound and the production was fitting. Pitman's little mini solo was watered down as well.

I think the studio version is still great though. I listen to both versions of the song.

Actually I think Catcher is one of the songs to largely benefit from the production and added instrumentation. The May version is unlistenable. It sounds like a rough draft which I guess it is.