Guns N' Roses- 'Chinese Democracy' Album Review & Reflection

[Coma16]

Prostitute is most Micky Mouse-esque on CD (but I still love it)! Sorry, I haven't heard that in a few days so I had to bring it back! Imagine what it would sound like with rasp lol

[Musicman11]

Like others have said, this guy hit most of the album on the head. Anybody who listens to GNR that I know in real life already passed on this, which I've always thought was a damn shame, but ehh, their loss. With more listens it does get better, I've said it before, but I when I first got it, I hated it. A Few days later after repeated listens I loved at least parts of it, by now I love everything except Scraped and If The World, neither of which are bad. Glad I picked this one up on the sole purpose of just cause :xmasssanta:

[gnrfan2007]

Right on: CD > AFD !!!

[wasted]

He really hit the nail on the head. It's really a travesty how many people listened to the album with a chip on their shoulder, knowing before they heard the first note that they weren't going to like it. It's an amazingly intense and effective album, and I guarantee you that if Nickelback had released 'Better' or Daughtry had released 'Street of Dreams' or Bruno Mars had released 'If the World', they would have been ginormous hits. I would put huge money on it. I wonder why the reviewer was puzzled by 'Catcher in the Rye', though?

maybe because it doesn't fit that well into the "break up" vibe of the other songs? but it could if you say those other songs put him that state of mind or something. but it seems to be about something different.

It's a shame he didn't mention Prostitute, as it's sort of the pay off for the earlier problems, like the final resolution. I think each song sort of rises above the person who fucked him. Overall the record is way more defiant than people think.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Right on: CD > AFD !!!

Greater than? No. But it's definitely a brilliant record, and I myself prefer it to Appetite. But a "great" album usually is the album that brings acclaim and popularity to a band, I would think.

Kind of like your favorite song may be Breakdown, but SCOM will always be greater because it's a song that will always be relevant on the radio. Even though (in my opinion) Breakdown might be the better song.

[Flayer]

Now that's a motherfucking review!

[bran]

Chinese Democracy is my second favorite album ever (behind Skunkworks by Bruce Dickinson). I agree that the album wasn't really given a fair chance because if you look up ANY GN'R video, there will be lots of comments bashing the current band and saying, "Bring back Slash!" Or my favorite: "That song is great, and that solo is great, but it would be even better if Slash was playing it!!!111" When you look up Skunkworks videos (a universally hated album) you don't even get comments like that. People either say they love it or they hate it, but most say that they love Bruce either way. Nobody says, "If only Roy Z or Adrian Smith was on here!" Of course, the circumstances are different, but the point is, Bruce is respected. Axl hardly gets any respect on those videos. Even some of his best videos (Perfect Crime, Indiana '91) have quite a few negative creeps. Axl is just the one everyone loves to hate. Imagine GN'R debut album being Chinese Democracy and Appetite For Destruction was the album Axl came up with to follow the UYIs. Would AFD be considered one of the best albums?

Sorry if this post makes little sense. I'm pooped today.

first things first skunkworks is an awesome album strange death in paradise is one of my faves of bruce solo or in maiden

and onto chinese democracy review it is spot on it is such a great fucking album, the album became trendy to make fun of due to what happend to the original lineup and the cost and time to make the album. some people bashed it without listening to it i remember a friend of mine saying chinese democracy being shit i told him to name 3 songs off the album and he couldnt do it. i remember my brother talking shit and then walking in on him listening to better. chinese democracy for all the hype will go down as one of the most underrated albums of all time

[Eu4ic]

I dont think Scraped is a filler - the first 5 seconds of it encapsulate Chi Dem and will surely be used as the catchy soundbyte for any program on Chi Dem. Also many of my friends didnt like Chi Dem but they liked Scraped. But anyway, in today's impatient, attention-deficit, art-illiterate, politically-maligned world, Chi Dem is not the type of album that captivates the lamestream media's, or the popular culture's, attention for long in the beginning. Leave that to the Lady Caca's of the world. Interestingly, we may remember the Killers and Kanye West 'beating' Chi Dem in early sales - but really, who's raving about the Killers anymore? And, who doesnt see that Kanye is a shithead who typifies the mainstream today - he's all but been bought by the community-organizer-in-chief. Chi Dem crept back into the Top 100 (or whatever) over a year after it was released, unlike the others; furthermore, there are too many things about the album which stand out (for better or worse), and therefore its legacy is just beginning, unlike the others.

Edited November 3, 2011 by Eu4ic

[Eu4ic]

Also, nobody cares what metal publications say about Axl, GnR, or Chi Dem. They've been doing the same shit for about 25 years now - they hate Gnr because Gnr ROCKS harder than their loud, belching nonsense, and they get defensive that someone from outside their orbit commands attention they'd love to get. Now, I love lots of old metal because it retained a rootsy rock element to it (see Sabbath, Pantera, CoC) which is appropriate because METAL COMES MAINLY FROM ROCK DUHHHH. Metal today on the other hand doesnt pay any homage to its rock roots and therefore, just like any cultural phenomenon which pretends to have no roots, its name merely gets hijacked by people who exploit it for ulterior purposes; namely, people who desire to be a part of a group, period.

[auad]

very good article.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Chinese Democracy is my second favorite album ever (behind Skunkworks by Bruce Dickinson). I agree that the album wasn't really given a fair chance because if you look up ANY GN'R video, there will be lots of comments bashing the current band and saying, "Bring back Slash!" Or my favorite: "That song is great, and that solo is great, but it would be even better if Slash was playing it!!!111" When you look up Skunkworks videos (a universally hated album) you don't even get comments like that. People either say they love it or they hate it, but most say that they love Bruce either way. Nobody says, "If only Roy Z or Adrian Smith was on here!" Of course, the circumstances are different, but the point is, Bruce is respected. Axl hardly gets any respect on those videos. Even some of his best videos (Perfect Crime, Indiana '91) have quite a few negative creeps. Axl is just the one everyone loves to hate. Imagine GN'R debut album being Chinese Democracy and Appetite For Destruction was the album Axl came up with to follow the UYIs. Would AFD be considered one of the best albums?

Sorry if this post makes little sense. I'm pooped today.

first things first skunkworks is an awesome album strange death in paradise is one of my faves of bruce solo or in maiden

and onto chinese democracy review it is spot on it is such a great fucking album, the album became trendy to make fun of due to what happend to the original lineup and the cost and time to make the album. some people bashed it without listening to it i remember a friend of mine saying chinese democracy being shit i told him to name 3 songs off the album and he couldnt do it. i remember my brother talking shit and then walking in on him listening to better. chinese democracy for all the hype will go down as one of the most underrated albums of all time

Spot on post. Strange Death in Paradise is probably my favorite Skunkworks song, too.

[MJG]

"Plain and simple, the world judged a book by its cover and missed out on one of the most emotionally bare records of the last decade."

Nailed it!

I have actually seen/heard this in person. Something along the lines of -

"hey you heard CD?"

"nah its shit"

"so you listened to it?!"

"nah Slash isn't on it is he"

???? Mental.

Edited November 3, 2011 by MJG

[Kill Devil Hill]

"Plain and simple, the world judged a book by its cover and missed out on one of the most emotionally bare records of the last decade."

Nailed it!

I have actually seen/heard this in person. Something along the lines of -

"hey you heard CD?"

"nah its shit"

"so you listened to it?!"

"nah Slash isn't on it is he"

???? Mental.

I've had this conversation. Many times.

[James Bond]

"Plain and simple, the world judged a book by its cover and missed out on one of the most emotionally bare records of the last decade."

Nailed it!

I have actually seen/heard this in person. Something along the lines of -

"hey you heard CD?"

"nah its shit"

"so you listened to it?!"

"nah Slash isn't on it is he"

???? Mental.

I've had this conversation. Many times.

As have I.

Luckily, one of the guys who I had this conversation with saw the light and decided to give it a go. He was in my guitar class at school and thought it wouldn't sound right without Slash, but he ended up loving the guitar work. He felt the same way I do - maybe it's not what the accepted version of "Guns N' Roses" is but at the end of the day, good music is good music. Does it really matter what name it is released under?

Hell, Axl could have released it under the name "Purple Monkey Fuck Farts" and I'd still like the songs. For all intents and purposes, this is still Guns N' Roses and anyone who dismisses the line-up or the album simply for being different are missing out on a great band. Their loss, right?

[Bruno P.]

Right on: CD > AFD !!!

Greater than? No. But it's definitely a brilliant record, and I myself prefer it to Appetite. But a "great" album usually is the album that brings acclaim and popularity to a band, I would think.

Kind of like your favorite song may be Breakdown, but SCOM will always be greater because it's a song that will always be relevant on the radio. Even though (in my opinion) Breakdown might be the better song.

I don't and certainly never will care about popularity more than quality - it's the quality that matters. That's why I like Chinese more... and by a long shot.

[WhazUp]

Right on: CD > AFD !!!

Greater than? No. But it's definitely a brilliant record, and I myself prefer it to Appetite. But a "great" album usually is the album that brings acclaim and popularity to a band, I would think.

Kind of like your favorite song may be Breakdown, but SCOM will always be greater because it's a song that will always be relevant on the radio. Even though (in my opinion) Breakdown might be the better song.

I don't and certainly never will care about popularity more than quality - it's the quality that matters. That's why I like Chinese more... and by a long shot.

I love AFD but CD is light years better in terms of quality.

I like both for different reasons. Overall I perfer AFD because it has a vibe and flow that really shines throughout the album along with great songs and great performances. IMO Chinese doesn't have that flow but it does have great songs that are intresting to listen to.

[gmsugaree]

Apples and Bananas.

Chinese Democracy is a combination of absolutely incredible and so-so, and a few duds. Sorry but true. The incredible are just that, incredible.

Appetite is the absolute masterpiece of raw dirty rock n roll.

[Apollo]

He really hit the nail on the head. It's really a travesty how many people listened to the album with a chip on their shoulder, knowing before they heard the first note that they weren't going to like it. It's an amazingly intense and effective album, and I guarantee you that if Nickelback had released 'Better' or Daughtry had released 'Street of Dreams' or Bruno Mars had released 'If the World', they would have been ginormous hits. I would put huge money on it. I wonder why the reviewer was puzzled by 'Catcher in the Rye', though?

See I just don't buy into that. To me, that's just some lame conspiracy theory. I think more people gave the album a legit chance than people give credit for.

I'm not saying every single negative review was someone that didn't give it a chance. But as a music fan, even casually, I find it hard to believe that you could listen objectively to the entire album and not find ONE song on there that you like. Take MetalSludge, for example. Not a very legitmate source, I know, but any time the album is mentioned over there, it's automatically shot down by 99% of the people on there. Yet these are the same people who put Ace Frehley on a pedestal. Find me one legitimate rock music fan that listens to 'Better' and doesn't at least say "hey, that's a pretty cool song". I'm not saying everyone in the world should agree that it's the best album ever made, but give it a little bit of it's due credit...

I feel ya on some of that. I liked cd (the song), twat, street of dreams, and some of catcher. CD as a whole was far from god awful. But there were quite a few misfires on that album imho. But again, music is subjective. Putting the whole issue of the name thing, and yadda yadda aside, I'm sure there are rock music fans that just plain didn't like "better", not because of the history behind it.

Have u ever made a post on here where u didn't have at least one negative comment? Just one post?

I'm just making a opinion as fair as I can. Some issues just aren't as black as white as people make them out to be. It is what it is, and that's why I go by. Not personal biases.

Thank you Bobbo! I actually spit up my Mt Dew when reading that.

That is one thing that always cracks me up about you and the other posters who are always negative. You guys always say that the Axl fans are biased and blind sheep and all that.....but that YOUR statements are just "the facts" without bias. Sometimes I think you guys are purposely trying to be funny or sarcastic....but other times, I think you guys actually believe that.

Everything you post is YOUR opinion. No matter how strongly you believe something, it doesn't make it fact. Everything you post is YOUR BIASED OPINION.

I apologise if you were trying to be funny when you said that.

[RandallFlagg]

I like the part where it's said about people not hearing what they think it should sound like, it isn't their record. I've been listening almost every day to CD since it finally came out and it's such a journey and really allows you to connect with a lot of emotion and different places where Axl was at and probably still is. Like the reviewer said, with Axl it's everything going into something, or nothing. That's how powerful art is created. The only track I can say I find a bit dodgy is Scraped but that has some awesome moments and Riad and Chinese have very long intros that could have done with cutting a bit. Everything else is perfect imo, it's just such a unique album even without all the crazy backstory.

Edited November 3, 2011 by RandallFlagg

[Use Your Delusion 1]

If only Axl hadn't put Rhiad, Catcher, If the World and Shacklers then CD would be better than UYI

[RandallFlagg]

I think those tracks are awesome

[GNR123GNR456]

Instead of focusing on the music most of the press focused on who wasn’t playing guitar, how long it took and the behind the scenes drama in bringing the album to store shelves. In their ever reaching goals to stake claim to dwindling readership most forgot to hone in on what matters above all else; the music.

To many people care about who's on it, it's not the old band, how long it took to come out, and some didn't even give it a chance. All because GN'R, like many, many other bands, changed band members. Fact it, it's about the music, and the more I listened to Chinese Democracy the more you can hear Axl's struggles and stories inside the lyrics, telling you a story of what shit he went through for the last 15 years.

[tkarmy]

If only Axl hadn't put Rhiad, Catcher, If the World and Shacklers then CD would be better than UYI

Wrong... Shackler one of my favorites.

Anyway that review summed up EXACTLY how I feel

[Kill Devil Hill]

Right on: CD > AFD !!!

Greater than? No. But it's definitely a brilliant record, and I myself prefer it to Appetite. But a "great" album usually is the album that brings acclaim and popularity to a band, I would think.

Kind of like your favorite song may be Breakdown, but SCOM will always be greater because it's a song that will always be relevant on the radio. Even though (in my opinion) Breakdown might be the better song.

I don't and certainly never will care about popularity more than quality - it's the quality that matters. That's why I like Chinese more... and by a long shot.

Which is all fine and dandy, but the user put that CD was GREATER than AFD. "Great," "best," and "favorite" aren't synonymous/interchangeable.

[Let And Let Live]

it's a bit heavy but I can appreciate the efforts made here, thanks for sharing.