What exactly makes CD a "bad album"?

[Apollo]

What's funny.........or weird.........is that the Axl worshippers (Coma, Iftheworld, volcano, etc) seem more obsessed with talking about Slash than the sold called Slash-lovers. Did you ever think that maybe some people just didn't like music? It is a pure crutch to always say "Oh, they didn't like it or they just gave a bad review because they are still mad about Slash leaving." It is ridiculous to think that millions of people are that shallow and close-minded.

As for your raw comment. YOU don't know that. Again, you are just making excuses for your God Axl.

The biggest complaint I've heard about CD is how much it is overproduced. That fact right there tells you people would have been happier with a more raw album.

Instead of always blaming others and trying to make excuses for Axl, why not just accept reality and realize that not everybody likes the same music YOU like. And people are allowed to have different musical tastes. AND realize that not all people are still obsessed with the Slash-Axl breakup like you are. There are those of us who can make up our minds on GnR issues without our opinions solely tied to which artist we like better.

CD was a great album. I still listen to it every day.

It could have been a masterpiece with the right producer.

It's not a bad album, but it has the overproduction issues and, if you're hater, of course, there's the no Slash issue.

Bingo. Even if it was "raw" album people would have found something else to point out.

In my opinion many people made up their minds because:

-no Slash

-it took forever and a day finally come out

-Axl dropped off the face of the earth after 2007 (this might actually be the biggest reason).

Edited April 25, 2013 by Groghan

[ManetsBR]

Axl did one take? Listen to 2006 and 2008 versions of the ChiDem song. Diff vocals.

And some songs have multiple vocal layers.

[Blusky Grenfield]

There's a reason why there are so few covers of CD songs out there and it's not because there is no Slash on the album, it's because the minute you start playing Prostitute, Catcher, Scraped or Better alone with just a piano or acoustic guitar, those "songs" fall apart like the rotten apples they are - and that speaks volumes about how these songs were created, there was no band jamming with drums and guitars, the album is just one artificial patchwork of fragments. And even where that might somehow work for Better, TWAT, Catcher and Prostitute, even those "songs" are ruined by autotune and guitar wanking. There is not a single chorus and about five melodies to be found on the entire album. The lyrics are either stupid nonsense or just utterly depressing and bitter. No life, no soul, no inspiration. It's one of the most horrible albums ever made. And that is coming from someone who loves Buckethead's and Robin's work with Guns. I also like it when artists try and do something new but CD is an abortion of an album. Listen to the comeback albums of Alice In Chains or Soundgarden to see how it's done with at least some dignity. Axl made one step foward and two steps back with this mess, I was willing to cut him some slack for all the bullshit he had to go through but after seeing him touring covers and greatest hits for years now I think it's safe to say he became his own Judas.

[JimMorrison4]

Too many mid to slow songs. Street of Dreams, Sorry, If The World, Madagascar, Prostitute, TWAT, Catcher, This I love... I like the album, but it's not something you can put on to listen to and just enjoy. It's like you have to set aside time to listen to each song.

[Iron MikeyJ]

I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me.

That's a pretty singable chorus imo.

[Coma16]

What's funny.........or weird.........is that the Axl worshippers (Coma, Iftheworld, volcano, etc) seem more obsessed with talking about Slash than the sold called Slash-lovers. Did you ever think that maybe some people just didn't like music? It is a pure crutch to always say "Oh, they didn't like it or they just gave a bad review because they are still mad about Slash leaving." It is ridiculous to think that millions of people are that shallow and close-minded.

As for your raw comment. YOU don't know that. Again, you are just making excuses for your God Axl.

The biggest complaint I've heard about CD is how much it is overproduced. That fact right there tells you people would have been happier with a more raw album.

Instead of always blaming others and trying to make excuses for Axl, why not just accept reality and realize that not everybody likes the same music YOU like. And people are allowed to have different musical tastes. AND realize that not all people are still obsessed with the Slash-Axl breakup like you are. There are those of us who can make up our minds on GnR issues without our opinions solely tied to which artist we like better.

CD was a great album. I still listen to it every day.

It could have been a masterpiece with the right producer.

It's not a bad album, but it has the overproduction issues and, if you're hater, of course, there's the no Slash issue.

Bingo. Even if it was "raw" album people would have found something else to point out.

In my opinion many people made up their minds because:

-no Slash

-it took forever and a day finally come out

-Axl dropped off the face of the earth after 2007 (this might actually be the biggest reason).

My last point is noted as my main reason. (Which has nothing to do with slash but rather with Axl)

Also, I've seen Slash play 3 times live int the last 3 years, and purchased both of his albums so don't make it sound like I'm a slash hater. I just think he tweets too much

[DieselDaisy]

Brain apparently re-recorded every one of Josh Freese's drum lines over a period of a year. Punching in drum tracks like that is highly tricky and unorthodox. He had to have tons of this sheet music written out. Now my question is, is that anyway to make a record? Why didn't they just bash the songs out in a month rather than spend ten years re-recording everything while playing with their penises? Axl obviously likes Appetite more these days than the Illusions. Appetite was recorded in thirty days.

[Coma16]

Brain apparently re-recorded every one of Josh Freese's drum lines over a period of a year. Punching in drum tracks like that is highly tricky and unorthodox. He had to have tons of this sheet music written out. Now my question is, is that anyway to make a record? Why didn't they just bash the songs out in a month rather than spend ten years re-recording everything while playing with their penises? Axl obviously likes Appetite more these days than the Illusions. Appetite was recorded in thirty days.

Not obvious at all. If anything, since 2011 we've heard the most Illusions songs played live since the birth of nu-gnr.

Also, anyone listening without reading the credits would have no way of knowing anything about the drums.

[DieselDaisy]

Brain apparently re-recorded every one of Josh Freese's drum lines over a period of a year. Punching in drum tracks like that is highly tricky and unorthodox. He had to have tons of this sheet music written out. Now my question is, is that anyway to make a record? Why didn't they just bash the songs out in a month rather than spend ten years re-recording everything while playing with their penises? Axl obviously likes Appetite more these days than the Illusions. Appetite was recorded in thirty days.

Not obvious at all. If anything, since 2011 we've heard the most Illusions songs played live since the birth of nu-gnr.

Also, anyone listening without reading the credits would have no way of knowing anything about the drums.

'''For me, when I hear certain things on the "Use Your Illusion" tour, I... on that record, it's... since I'm in it, I can hear a band dying. I can hear when Izzy was unconsciously over it. I can hear where the band was leaning away from what Guns N' Roses [had] originally been about.

People may have their favorite songs, and it may be on "Use Your Illusion," but most people do tend to lean towards "Appetite" as being the defining Guns N' Roses record, and I can hear how, in the sound, it was moving away from that there. There's just so much I was able to do in keeping that aspect together.''

- Axl, Loder 1999 interview.

''On one hand I knew the band was over before we started touring Illusions but you have hope…''

- Axl, Dexter chats 2008

[Coma16]

Yes, the illusions tour was a bad time for Axl.

[Carburetta]

It's just too complicated.

[Carburetta]

And I don't think it's a "bad" album. It just sad the way it turned out, it should have been waay better, even with likes of Scraped in there making up the numbers. It's sad that this cut made a 14 year in the making album, I mean, c'mon, it's terrible. I love Madagascar live, but can't even listen to it on the record, it's sung in a different tempo for crying out loud. I loved "The Blues" but can barely listen to Street of dreams on the album. Better sounds like three songs in one, the intro and verses are good, even the solo, just don't like heavy/screaming parts, there are too many different parts to each song that don't always fit.

Plus I can't fathom how I barely know how the songs are supposed to "go" what's recognisable about Prostitute and Catcher? How would you whistle it? I mean they're pretty decent songs and the outro to Catcher is almost brilliant on Axl's part, but there are no riffs. There's barely a recognisable guitar part on the whole album.

[Kosonen]

CD is too serious. I think it`s a great album, But it`s too much to handle almost.....like getting sucked into all that depression. hard to listen. And I mostly listen to music these days to help my own depression issues, CD does not work for that at all.

[maynard]

it's overproduced. it's artifficial. it's copy and paste throughout the whole album. this is not music, it's a product. the effects are dated, the layers that were supposed to make the album complex are just not interesting at all. it had a lot of potential, but axl managed to fuck up that one too, like everything his stupid hands touch.

[Millions]

Not really that complicated to answer :

- Too many shit songs (Scraped, Rhiad, If The World (ESPECIALLY If The World) ;

- Over production sucking the life out of everything ;

- too many mid-tempo rockers becomes boring.

[jthunders13]

there are moments and parts of the album that are epic and great...there are songs though that in total dont work...also, there are no singles.

[amacfantasy]

My ONLY problem with CD is that Axl did not release ALL of the CD era material at once or very close together. Because now people don't understand the FULL beauty of the music, and only have a partial view of the entire painting. And also Axl haters think that Axl only worked on 14 songs over those 15 years.

[wasted]

I think taken on its own terms, its very strong set of songs. But theres a whole lotta rosie there and a lot missing from what people liked about GNR.

Theres no Duff bass intro like on RNDTH, theres no Izzy rock n roll tunes. People really liked Slashs solos. In some cases usually Bucket that doesnt matter. But there are times where they rape those ecpectations.

I think the main thing is the production, Guns fans in general seems to like a more no nonsense production style whether its AcDC, Zepp, AIC or even NIN. A unified sound.

Personally Ive come across this kind of production before with UNKLE or even FNM, Korn.

To me this is what is mind blowing about CD though, the sheer insane scope of it. Its like a huge pointilist mosiac of rock history.

Not to mention the influences are leaning to more Zepp and Queen than ACDC Aerosmith in general. I think the production suits those influences more than AC Smith. With the nu metal bits or 90s vibe i think it works.

But thats not what some want or expect from GNR. Some maynot even wanted Nov Rain or Estranged.

To me in terms of what has gone before CD was a legitimate shot at the next level. Enough so it wasnt just a rerun of UYI. GNR definitely broke the mold on this one.

[Towelie]

I don't understand the people that criticise the album for having no choruses. Are these folks deaf or do they not understand basic song structure? Almost every song has a chorus (bar Better and Madagascar).

Now if you don't like the choruses that's another matter. But just say "the choruses are weak" because to say there aren't any is just not true.

I can understand some of the criticisms levelled against the album. I can certainly see how the virtuosic guitar noodling could grate, and granted, a lot of the insane runs aren't really necessary and don't really add anything to the songs (case in point Better and Prostitute). But then what do you expect when you have both BH and Ron Thal on the same album? Perhaps fans of the old band would've preferred a less technically skilled guitarist such as Robin Finck as the sole lead player on the album. Personally, I love the amalgamation of different players and have had a lot of fun over the years deciphering who was playing what etc.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Towelie

[Randy Lahey]

It's not a bad album. Most of the rockers on it aren't very good though. Riad, Scraped, Chinese Democracy, IRS and Shackler's Revenge don't quite cut it.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Randy Lahey

[jthunders13]

some things work some dont, but parts of songs are incredible.

[Aussiegun]

In 'old' gnr, there seems to be a good formula to making a song. Good intro, solid lyrics, bit of attitude or emotion, good solo, good bridge - all of that, but somehow fitting in perfectly so it's not overdone (though some songs on illusions suffer from this)

Song by song problems (imo)

CD - crappy long silence intro, then made for radio short intro riff, subject matter was meh, the actual song was a bit short, it's like a mini version of Jungle.

Shacklers - Don't really have any problems with this song, though the subject matter isn't that relatable. Maybe the deep voice in the verses was overkill, could've used the ISE voice

Better - Mini version of SCOM. I have a bit of a problem with the intro, don't like the drum machine, and the riff is alright, but could've been more punchy like the SCOM one.

SOD - The only problem i have with this is it should be THE BLUES

ITW - Good solo the only redeeming thing about this song. For a non rock song it's not really organic enough, Doesn't sound like GNR at all.

TWAT - Intro sucks, should've been something more grandiose like November Rain

CITR - No problems really. This sounds stupid, but this needed 'modernising'

Scraped - Crappy intro. Like the rest though. Good attitude. Paste the Rhiad intro onto this would be alright.

Rhiad - The 'ahhhhh' kills it. Subject matter is meh to most.

Sorry - I dont like or hate it, nice crafted, but needed an intro, and towards the end needed picking up (ala Dont Cry)

IRS - Good song but you can tell where its been chopped and changed

Maddy - Good song but probably didnt need the quotes in the song.

TIL - Good song but needs an intro

Prostitute - Lyrically it says 'solo album', so it's hard to relate to. Musically it's not really the masterpiece some people make it out to be.

Overall the album lacks some songs with a) good decent size intro, b) relatable material, c) organicness and parameters within the song to display everyones skills without underkill or overkill.

[ashbalove]

CD isn't a bad album. it's a killer album. and the next record will be even killer with DJ Ashba

[rockerman]

Any album that has a "Cats" reject song on it is bound to have its problems:

Now i dont know why..she didnt say goodbye...i think ill eat some pie... just before I die...i dont have to try..so i have to lie...with all the love I have Ill masturbate and sigh.....................

What CD said to me was... from here on out GNR is a brand name only. Its not a "band' its not an image...its not a musical force ...its a parody of it self traveling nostalgia show.

Heres is where i think the future is with GNR-. Patch together some half baked irrelevent songs with protools, lineup a tour band and flog the hell out of the one absolute commodity you have in your arsenal..namely AFD and UYI material and ride that as far down the line that you can go before jumping off into a nice long retirement.

CD could have and should have been a solo album under Axls name. A nice experiment that works for a very small portion of the people and mainly ..sits there for the rest of us. As a demo album...it has its moments and its songs that could have been worked into some real stand alone..on it own.. songs seperate and distinct from the legacy bands and the expectation of the fans.

If Axl would have had -say maybe 15 more years those songs might have had some legs to roll with into classic status...but as it was ,all he had was since 1993 to 2008 to get them done- and it shows. Clearly Axl needed more time !!!

Edited April 26, 2013 by rockerman

[GeetarMikey]

From what I can gather the main issue is "production". I would second that. Also I really dislike some of the lyrics - too much rhyming of the ol' standard "do" and "you" over and over especially on Sorry and Prostitute and from a guy who writes amazing lyrics on Locomotive and Coma for example that was such a let-down.