Nov 20 2008
Review: Guns N Roses “Chinese Democracy”
The long awaited Guns N Roses album Chinese Democracy is available for streaming from the band’s MySpace page.
That’s right, it’s streaming. Chinese Democracy has not been “released early” as reported by other sources on the web *cough* Yahoo! *cough* who obviously don’t know the difference.
I’ve been sitting here in front of my PC for the past hour or so listening to Chinese Democracy streaming out of my poxy PC speakers. Has the long wait been worth it?
On first listen, no.
It sounds like Axl forgot the first word in rock ‘n’ roll. I keep waiting for this album to rock and, 12 songs in at the time of writing this sentence, Chinese Democracy has so far failed to do so.
Is it a bad album? No. It’s just not what I want out of a Guns ‘N’ Roses album. If Axl released this as an Axl Rose album, and not put the Guns ‘N’ Roses name on the cover, I might say it’s an OK album. But using the Guns ‘N’ Roses name means having to stand up to Appetite For Destruction and the Use Your Illusion releases. Chinese Democracy doesn’t come close.
I’ve been waiting for a standout track to blow me away, but with tracks running thin, it doesn’t look like I’m going to get one. Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like this album before I started listening to it.
Hearing this, I wish Axl would either ditch the Guns ‘N’ Roses name and continue as the solo artist he already is, or put away his ego and reform the band. I know of at least one former member who would be up for it .
Update: I’ve now heard the whole album. Nothing in the final two tracks made me change my mind.
