Customer Reviews

Chinese Democracy [Vinyl]

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

There's a reason why some people can't quite get their minds around Guns N' Roses' latest offering: Axl Rose didn't make a traditional rock n' roll album, he made a movie soundtrack. And the movie is the version of Axl's life that's playing inside his head.

Like other folks, I didn't know what to make of Chinese Democracy the first couple listens. My initial response was, "Take a familiar GNR album, Appetite for Destruction for example, dial down the guitars, drop in layers of pianos, strings, choirs and all manner of excess, splice in a kitchen sink's worth of odd background voice and sound bits, then compress the mix until it's almost unrecognizable as a GNR product." No wonder many folks' reaction upon release was, "What a disappointment." Upon the third or fourth listening, however, it dawned on me: movie soundtrack.

Approach the album in that context, listen to it a few more times, and after a while you'll conclude, "Wow, this is a pretty good album. In fact, this is a pretty good Guns N' Roses album." Listen to it eight or ten times and you might even conclude, "Wow, Axl's lyrics are much better than people gave him credit for. There's some brilliant songwriting here." That's because in the context of a movie soundtrack, songs that initially don't make sense become standouts, both musically and lyrically: "Chinese Democracy" opens the film with explosive action, a sonic and verbal kick in the teeth: "...all I got is precious time". After "Shackler's Revenge" we settle down for some serious drama: "Better" is a powerful examination of an individual's inner heartbreak, pain, and eventual self realization, Axl singing, "No one ever told me when I was alone. They just thought I'd know better, better." "Street of Dreams" explores a similar theme of loss and bitter disillusionment: "What I thought was true before were lies I couldn't see. What I thought was beautiful is only memories."

Many reviewers have raved about "If the World" and rightly so - it's a good song, but they slough off "There Was a Time" as too long and derivative. I beg to differ; the last 2 ½ minutes of this 6-minute opus make the build-up well worth it. Axl wails "There was a time I would do anything for you..." as Buckethead lays down guitar lines just as good as anything Slash put on a GNR record (sacrilege!)."Catcher in the Rye" and "Scraped" I can pass on, a spot where the movie gets a little bogged down if you will, but "Riad and the Bedouins" is a nice return to film action. "Sorry" is a kind of opposite of "Better" or "Street of Dreams", an outward emotional reveal, if a little obvious: "I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me."

That out of the way, the movie rocks to its conclusion, with Axl threatening in "IRS" to not just fight back, but to stomp you out. "Madagascar" is the movie's climactic scene: a declaration of newfound strength, dignity, and optimism for the future. It is a brilliant song, kitchen sink and all.

Then it's over - or at least you think it is. "This I Love" is the song playing as the credits roll and you fish for your coat and keys. A bit sappy and overdramatic, it could easily fit into one of Tim Rice's bombastic musicals ("Didn't I hear that in Phantom of the Opera?") It's okay, though, `cause you're leaving and it's just music over the credits. You're already several feet out the door when you realize that Axl didn't leave. He has one more thing to say in "Prostitute": "Ask yourself what would I choose: To prostitute myself, to live with fortune and shame? Oh, yeah. When you should have turned to the hearts of the ones that you could not save?" YOU can go now, but the movie plays on in Axl's head.

Some of the best melodies and arrangements I have ever heard. It is a subjective statement, but I feel a bit qualified as I have been teaching music, part time anyway, for about 10 years. The album takes maybe three listens to get to where you really click with it, at least for me it did. Great performance and amazingly written album! better than any that came before it. Sorry Slash, I don't miss you one bit.

I posted this review years ago, but I decided to add to it, with this, I'm guessing re release. Or maybe it's just finally not a best buy exclusive. Stupid marketing ploy ACDC and Collective Soul did too around this time. I also dropped a star because my opinion of the album has gotten worse over the years. Heck I read this review and I can't even remember the songs I didn't at least give a 7 to.

Ok so I love GNR, but this isn't a GNR album, and for best results, shouldn't be approached as such. The lineup is not only completely different from any GNR album, except for Axl and a keyboard player who doesn't really count, but the album as far as I've read changes members throughout the recording process. Makes some sense considering how long it took him to make this album. So it's not an Appetite 2 Or a Use your illusion 3, nor should it be. Again the lineup's different, and even if it had stayed similar, they probably wouldn't have done another version of what they'd previously done. Which is fine with me.

So, this being under the Guns N' Roses name, there are certain things we as GNR fans expect. One is great guitar solos. Won't really find many here. That buckethead guy is awful, or maybe just a different style not suited for a hard rock band. I get Slash and Axl couldn't work together. Who could work with either of these jackasses? Sriously I read a story that Velvet revolver recorded an album with Slipknot/Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor, that Matt said was really good and ready to go. But Slash didn't like him, so there went that. Everyone else liked him. Now I'll admit I really don't need another Taylor fronted band, so I'm reasonably ok with that, but still. Sure that doesn't make him as much of a drama queen as Axl, but it does lead me to wonder how much of this was Slash's fault. Sure I still blame Axl too, and I'm sure it's still mostly his, but I have to wonder. Also I'm currently listening to Duff McKagan's solo/loaded stuff, and I have to say, the band misses him JUST as much as Slash, maybe more.What I was going to say earlier, before getting side tracked, is that if they weren't going to have Slash, they needed to find a damn good replacement. None of the umpteen million replacements do the GNR name justice. McKagan's solo stuff, what I'm hearing, isn't always great, but so far it sounds pretty consistantly good, and better as a whole than this album. He's a solid bassist, but he's a pretty darn good songwritter too, and they desperately needed that on this album. I also have a major problem with this being called a Guns N' Roses album because the lineup changes from song to song. You'd think Axl could at least get a consistent lineup together, an actual band, and then at least re record the parts to have an actual band playing on here instead of a bunch of fill ins.

That being said, as an Axl solo album it works fairly well. He tries some different things on here, some work some don't. Hey, at least he's willing to try. There are far too many electronic influences on here, not a fan of much industrial except for Gravity Kills and a few lesser known bands. I'm also not a big fan of the track order. There are too many ballads and slow songs, but what really bugs me is that they grouped what few rockers there are into two small groups. Also the album drags on and on. I love long albums, when the songs are all good, but unfortunately the middle and end of this one are both kind of weak. We get a few good songs at the beginning, and a few more to start the second half and the rest is filler. Also no Oh my God, which I thought Axl said was going to be on here.

Chinese Democracy 9/10 This is a good opener for the album. Like many others I'd heard a version or two of this one several years ago, but it's nice to have a full version with good quality. It's a mid to slightly up-tempo rocker. The guitars have a very industrial sound. Very nice way to start the album.

Shackler's Revenge 8/10 Here's another solid rocker. Slightly up-tempo one as well. I don't like the dance beat in the pre-chorus, but otherwise it's cool. I like the vocals in the verses.

Better 8?10 I like this one too. I personally would have switched this one and the next track to break up what will be a lot of monotony later, but either way. I really like the verses. It's another rocker, more mid-tempo. The chorus doesn't really fit the verses as well as it could've. Also I don't like the electronic beats in the interludes and intro. Overall it's still a good song.

Street Of Dreams 7/10 The first of many ballads, both in a row and on the album. This is one of my favorites of them though. Quite piano driven. The rest of the band fils in just fine. I like the guitar solo. It's not particularly catchy, but it's grown on me.

If the World 2/10 The first real experimental song. This is where the album, for me really loses steam. There's a spanish guitar piece, that's kind of cool, but then the rest of the song kicks in. I don't know what kind of instruments they use in this one, but the first verse sounds like I would imagine background music for a 70's porn would sound. Awful just awful. Also the chorus really is nothing special, and doesn't really differentiate itself from the rest of the song. Also there's some more electronic sounding beats, not a fan.

There was a Time 6/10 It's another slow one, not as slow as the previous songs or the next one. The intro has more damn electronic beats, kinda hip hop sounding to me, but I'm not a fan of the genre so maybe it's not considered that. I like the vocals in the chorus, but the song tends to drag on and on for what it is, Dream Theater these guys aren't. Also the lyrics, and I could be misinterpreting them, but it sounds like the story of a girl being used or something. It's kind of ironic considering how many women Axl probably used back in the day.

Catcher in the Rye 4/10 Yet another slow one. I was quite bored the first time I got to this song. We get more piano, not that I mind piano, but I don't really want a whole album of it, and another unmemorable song. I really don't have anything else to say about this one.

Scraped 9/10 Probably the second fastest song on here. It's a rocker, and a pretty good one at that. It's fairly basic. Nice vocals, nice music. I wish more of the album were like this. The lyrics also sound kind of positive, which I like. I don't really like the wierd vocal intro and cut it off when I put it on my computer.

Riad n' the Bedouins 9/10 Probably the fastest rocker on here. I switched this one and the next song, like I did with Street and Better. I had also heard versions of this one several years ago. The first verse is a little too short, but otherwise a solid track. I love the vocals. There's another short electronic, club, soundingintro that I had to cut. Solid guitar solo too.

Sorry 9/10 My favorite slow song on here. Dominated by some keyboards, but mostly acoustic guitars. I love the power in the chorus. Also another of my favorite songs on the album. Not a big fan of the line about him kicking someone's a-s though. If it were Henry Rolling, sure, but Axl?

I.R.S. 7/10 This one's kind of unorthodox, but it mostly works. This one's kind of a mix of slow and mid-tempo. It has soft parts and I guess you could say not so soft parts, not quite heavy. Some of the vocals in this one get on my nerves, they're kind of grating, The lyrics don't really make much sense to me, except I guess he misses some girl. Still I like the chorus and the slightly different song structure.

Madagascar 3/10 Yet another ballad, and I really don't like this one. It starts with some sort of wierd instrument, which is fine, but the song never takes off. Instead of an instruental break, we get a bunch of vocal samples, some from Martin Luther King, one from wherever they got the intro from Civil War, others I'm not sure where they came from.

This I Love 5/10 mostly piano, strings and Axl singing. I don't know, it's ok I guess. I don't particularly like hearing it though. I would've liked some acoustic guitars or something else. Still better than the last one.

Prostitute 6/10 Here we are treated to more piano and electronic beats, but this time they kind of work. It's a little faster than the last few songs, not heavy at all. Overall it's an ok song, but kind of a weak album ender, maybe if they'd switched this and if the world, so I could quit after I.R.S. Oh well, that's the beuty of mp3'ss

Oh My God 7/10 A decent rocker... oh wait Axl chose not to put it on here. I don't get it. I believe he said he was going to. I'll admit it's not the greatest song, but it's still decent. Also it could've broke up the ballads some more. Oh well.
Overall it's an ok cd. There are a few songs I'd put into the catagory of best songs of 08, course that list would be pretty long. I would definately recomend checking it out, but you could always listen to it before buying. I don't know if it's still up on their myspace or not. Also as others have said you may have to let it grow on you. Still one of the better projects from a former gunner.

Some review on here said that. Really? Yep. This person listened to a few songs on the CD and came to the conclusion the CD sucked?

Some other rocket scientist said it was overpriced at $3.00 and wanted his money back. WTF? Really?

Well, I got it for under $5 shipped and it's good enough that full price would've been fine with me. Some killer tracks on this CD. BTW, I'm only writing this to give a MUSIC fans opinion from someone that's seen Guns live in 2011, and the band and this music was incredible for 3-hours. This version of GUNS has good music and lyrics, and gets better every listen. If the original band recorded it, they would've shot each other before the 4th track and the CD never would've been finished, and of course, Izzy never would've showed up and Axl would've been an ass, and Slash, Adler and Duff would've been wasted, just like the old days... Just play it loud and enjoy it while you drive!

Just got this on vinyl, bought it at a deep discount, on a whim. Heard it was terrible. Well, the naysayers can go take a flying leap...this is one hell of a good hard rock LP...with an updated sound, it might be one of the best hard rock LPs in recent memory! Sure Axl has his issues, what artist worth his or her salt doesn't? I think it maybe should have been a solo Axl project, but he owns the name, so he can name it what he wants to..I'd go see this new GNR in concert in a heart beat...saw the old GNR and they were good, Slash is one great player...but he is not all together missed on this LP. Axl's writing is still good, his voice...its all there, but an updated take on old GNR sound....check it out...

What we've got here is an album that fails to communicate what type of music it truly is. Metal? Rock? Techno? All of the above? Is it Guns N' Roses? Hardly. 4/5 of that band is gone. Chinese Democracy is Axl Rose and his many cohorts struggling to keep the GNR dream alive. While it is not a terrible album by any stretch of the imagination, it most certainly cannot be believed to be the rebirth of a band long since dead.

Let me start off by saying that I am just as ecstatic as everyone else to hear Axl's shrilling vocals again. Just seeing his name along with the GNR logo gives me chills. The man's a legendary (if not controversial)frontman. With that said, his concept album (Chinese Democracy) finds him in unfamiliar territory (in over his head). Why did he go through with completing this album? Every song sounds as if it was made at a different time period. Perhaps they were. I could go into the nuts and bolt of each song, but I have yet to figure out if I like them or not. I sometimes wonder if I listen to this album solely BECAUSE the GNR logo is on the front. At this point, I'll say that Chinese Democracy is just average...and that's too bad.

Had this album been Released as: Axl and his Army of Misfits, or something along those lines, I might have approached this album with less of a critical ear. GNR: Chinese Democracy has an impossible hype to live up to. As a solo album, comsumers might not have attacked it so viciously. Then again, had Axl gone the true direction of solo, how would he have gotten all the money back he spent on making this album? People want GNR, not Crazy Axl and the nobodys.

In the end, I find myself glad to see a new GNR album, even if Slash, Izzy, Duff, Adler/Sorum are missing. I can't help it. I love GNR, but I often believe that I might have been happier had this album remained in obscurity. It was a lot more exciting wondering what could have been instead of listening to what it is.

Walking through the isles of Best Buy a couple of days ago and I spotted a vinyl copy of this album. Don't know what the CD sounds like, every time I looked for it, it was out of stock, but the vinyl album is a masterpiece. Since it was recorded in Pro Tools, and likely mastered to digital, the analog print only gets you so much. But the dynamics on the LP are old school; tight and punchy in areas, big and room rattling in others. The drums have that "hard as nails" digital character, but they're not too bothersome, and the guitars and vocals sound phenomenal. I found the compositions pleasantly unpredictable and each was different enough that you want to start the album again when it's done. The guitar work is brilliant. Guitar solos have become so humdrum and unfashionable that most bands skip them altogether. But holly snit, these guys can play. There must have been 30 smoking guitar solo licks I've never heard before. I'm not a long time guns n roses or Axle fan, but he tears it up on this album. The vocal tracks are superbly crafted, musicianship through the roof, nicely mixed and mastered (vinyl). Best rock album I've heard in years.

I bought this used for 2.00 plus shipping.

It is worth owning for the historical significance it has. But don't pay for a new copy. Anything over 4.00 is a waste of money.

I have sit idley by and read what others have said, First who in thier right mind would think this album would be like any other previous GNR album, and when has any GNR album been like an other. You can't say Lies was just like Appetite... But anyways Chinese Democracy is different to say the least, but it is very good. As to others saying that Velvet Revolver is made up of 3 members of GNR are partly correct, Duff and Slash Obviously, but when did Sorum have anything to do with music or lyrics of GNR basicaly he was just a hired hand. The tracks on the Illusion set was all written before Sorum was in the picture and on Spaghetti, ummmm again nothing to do with him. So for those saying he was a crative part of GNR better think again, Adler had more input. As for most things it was Izzy and Axl that dealt most of the memorable tracks from GNR, Granted Slash is a damned near god on the guitar and his solo albums, actualy wouldn't call them totaly solo are great, awesome solid rock n roll to the core. But what gets me the most is how all these sidetracking comments come about (yes I am doing this myself) talking about other members of GNR are doing. This is about reviewing this album. So now lets do it, ok so as I already stated this album does not sound like previous albums, but it has kick ass songs. Songs like I.R.S., Better... Some great rock n roll there then of course you throw the ballads in there, then you have the industrial sounding tracks like Rhiad... So it's not appetite but nothing ever will be, so Axl has grown and diversified all bands do, there maybe a few bands out there that don't but I rarely hear them. But to close I'll end with a quote from "Better", it seems to sum up where there album cae from.
'This melody
Inside of me
Still searches for solution

A twist of faith
A change of heart
Cures my infatuation'

This album should have been called 'The Axl Rose Show', not Guns n Roses, as it has little to do with anything except Axl's ego channeled through music played by a bunch of different people. the music itself is sometimes pretty good, and I was surprised at some of its complexity when I first listened.

Ultimately, it's faults are Axl's love of his screechy high-pitched whiny voice, which starts to sound like a mosquito in my ear, and it's CRAPPY recording quality. It sounds like it was mastered through headphones like the ones they give you for an in-flight movie. Maybe it sounds better on an ipod, but through my hifi, it sounds extremely flat and non-dynamic. Drums sound like they're made out of cardboard.

I bought it used for $2, so in that sense, I'd say it was worth it :)