Rate Chinese

[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.

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.

Even so, there is a certain musical vibe that was lost there imo. Still didn't ruin the song for me though, but Pitman's work, and May's leads, not just the main solo, but also on the outro all worked really well.

It's essentially a simple, bright song musically with a certain lyrical theme that kinda clashes with the music in the studio version imo.

[DR DOOM]

Oh wow, Rovin and Mr Dud quoting each other...I need a drink, where did I put that cup of vomit I mixed with feces earlier?

[DieselDaisy]

Oh wow, Rovin and Mr Dud quoting each other...I need a drink, where did I put that cup of vomit I mixed with feces earlier?

You only now need Wasted to turn up and then you have a real Chinese Democracy discussion on your hands.

[Stress Fracture]

CD is better to listen to when you imagine Axl as Cartman having had his Cheesy Poofs confiscated.

[maynard]

Oh wow, Rovin and Mr Dud quoting each other...I need a drink, where did I put that cup of vomit I mixed with feces earlier?

Side 1

CD

This I Love

Prostitute with Jimmy Page on lead synth

Side 2

This I Love

Seven

Jackie Chan feat. Shaquille O'Neal

Dheidjfuchdjdhcud chef he hunk djfjfjrishxfirjc fjfjciroedk difjcjfjrj jfj jfj jfj if I kdijfivitjfjgjek fjfjvvifo fjfjvvifo.

[Facekicker]

3/10

[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.

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

Just my opinion, everything ever is just opinion.

Don't get me wrong I'm not always in the mood for CD and sometimes some songs. But at certain times I've felt a lot of the songs are great.

I do think as a GNR record it's missing the Izzy factor and even straight out rocker that Slash might bring. But it's not a bluesy hard rock record so I don't judge it on that.

[wasted]

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.

I see what you mean, but that's just how I tally up albums. Most releases are 6-7 as they have a batch solid songs. Like Suicide Society by Annihilator has solid songs. Can get a bit repetitive and it's nothing new, that's just my opinion though. Some might see that as a strength.

Some albums have those tracks where you just feel like they didn't put much effort into some songs, pure filler. The song is nice enough but not really vital. Hardly any of that on CD. In my opinion.

[-W.A.R-]

Oh wow, Rovin and Mr Dud quoting each other...I need a drink, where did I put that cup of vomit I mixed with feces earlier?

Side 1

CD

This I Love

Prostitute with Jimmy Page on lead synth

Side 2

This I Love

Seven

Jackie Chan feat. Shaquille O'Neal

Dheidjfuchdjdhcud chef he hunk djfjfjrishxfirjc fjfjciroedk difjcjfjrj jfj jfj jfj if I kdijfivitjfjgjek fjfjvvifo fjfjvvifo.

don't forget that he'll post the same post worded slight different hours later as if he totally forgot he already posted

[rendestroi95]

10/10

considering that i love every song, i shouldn't give it less than 10, so it's 10

[wasted]

10/10

considering that i love every song, i shouldn't give it less than 10, so it's 10

Post of the year.

[trqster]

CD is an album with great potential ruined by some shitty quality mixing and inconsistent vocals from Axl. IMO it's only got two potential rock mainstream hits, TIL & Better, which is a bit on the short side. 6/10.

[Bumblefeet]

8/10. Would have been 9 if we got Oh My God instead of Scraped. I take off a point for not having any bass lines. Maybe they are there, but they are drowned in the mixing. The highlights are the guitars and Axl's vocals which I thought he sound amazing on most of the tracks. If he rests and just does studio work he would have been able to produce more outstanding performances.

I agree with your comment on the bass lines though it's not a big miss for me. The one exception on CD and the song that popped into my mind with having the most prevalent bass line -and it's quite busy- is Catcher in the Rye. Keep an ear out for it next time you listen to it.

[DieselDaisy]

Who cares about bass lines? What about the lack of actual songs?

[NicoRourke]

It's just personal taste in the end.

People can keep on calling it 'utter shit', 'turd' and other names if it makes them feel better.

Me, I NEVER listen to AFD (I only like live versions of some of the songs) and barely a few songs from the Illusions. I listen to CD songs everyday.

[niceguy]

Shacklers just popped up on my spotify. Haven't heard it in ages.

It's so overcooked, so overproduced.

And the song itself is just plain ok. Nothing special at all.

If THIS is what defines a 10/10, classic, legendary, historical work of music, then I'll eat my own shit.

[maynard]

Shacklers just popped up on my spotify. Haven't heard it in ages.

It's so overcooked, so overproduced.

And the song itself is just plain ok. Nothing special at all.

If THIS is what defines a 10/10, classic, legendary, historical work of music, then I'll eat my own shit.

Not a classic by any means. I think people force themselves to like the album without even listening to it. And accuse people of the opposite. Most people who give it a 10 probably know nothing about music.

[NicoRourke]

Come on guys, I'm probably taking the bait here but there are people out there, myself included, that actually like Chinese Democracy.

In the end who cares, this debate will never end. I'm a musician, I think (at least I hope) I'm a bit educated music-wise, I'm curious about different genres / styles / periods etc. and I still like CD

Now if you don't like it that's fine, but sometimes the wording of some posters used to describe the album or people defending it is really over the top and not necessary.

is it perfect IMO? No. It does have flaws and the biggest one is clearly the unnecessary time it took to make, but it's a record that I enjoy listening A LOT (10-11 songs on there).

And I find the whole saga of Axl's insane journey to make it very interesting.

[Rustycage]

Liking CD isn't the same as rating it a 10. That suggests that there isn't 1 single song that should be replaced. Sorry? Riad? Scraped? No way is it even close to a 10

[NicoRourke]

I think the diversity kills it. For example Sorry is one of my favourites on the album. For others it's a terrible song.

I never listen to ITW but others really like it.

A few songs only make consensus, like Better or TWAT and even the latest is sometimes criticized.

Then there's the name issue. I bet people won't give it a fair spin on that basis alone.

[Lies They Tell]

Liking CD isn't the same as rating it a 10. That suggests that there isn't 1 single song that should be replaced. Sorry? Riad? Scraped? No way is it even close to a 10

Rating CD a 10 isn't the same as suggesting that there isn't 1 single song on the album that shouldn't be replaced.

Now I didn't personally give it a 10, but I would give AFD a 10. That doesn't mean that AFD is even remotely a perfect album IMO. If I'd get to choose, I'd replace My Michelle, Think About You, You're Crazy and Anything Goes with better songs. In fact I can't even come up with an album that wouldn't have some filler songs on it.

There is no such thing as a perfect album. I would still give AFD a 10 because there's plenty of ridiculously good songs on the album and that makes up for the filler stuff.

Likewise some people probably enjoy the better songs on CD so much that the lesser songs don't matter.

I'm not at all surprised that people on a GNR forum enjoy CD enough to give it a 10.

[Rustycage]

10/10 is perfect and like you say, no album is perfect. Well except for maybe Master of Puppets.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Rustycage

[Nosaj Thing]

Shacklers just popped up on my spotify. Haven't heard it in ages.

Ugh, I would burn my phone if that ever happened to me. Such a horrid song.

[maynard]

lol Schakler's Revenge, what a terrible song, solo makes me laugh all the time, it gets me thinking "What was Axl thinking when he allowed this to be on his record, thought he was a perfectionist!"

I think people liked the song without ever hearing it, like they do with lolSeven, lolThyme, lolThe General, etc. And after 3 minutes of Axl's messy dance-rock crap they had to convince themselves it was good and that Ron's solo was actually not a joke thing or that the elephant intro is part of GNR's complex evololtion, lolgical sequel to UYI.

[DieselDaisy]

I think the diversity kills it. For example Sorry is one of my favourites on the album. For others it's a terrible song.

I never listen to ITW but others really like it.

A few songs only make consensus, like Better or TWAT and even the latest is sometimes criticized.

Then there's the name issue. I bet people won't give it a fair spin on that basis alone.

I would respect your opinion, Nico, if you gave it say, 7-8/10. Even 9 would suffice, accepting a certain bias. But 10 must surely be reserved for your Appetites, Exiles, Peppers and Blonde on Blondes.