Guns 'n' Roses new album Chinese Democracy is totally sweet. It really, really, really is. Axl Rose, who's been working on this record for a record 15 years and has reportedly racked up a record debt for the recording of the record reckons it's sweet too. Well, I can't back that up with a direct quote, but obviously he's got to be pleased with his efforts. 15 years of working on a record and then finally releasing it is tantamount to that pleasing feeling one feels when one walks out of the lavatory after a particularly long battle with constipation. But not a 15 year battle with constipation, I'm talking 3 days or less, because 15 years of not doing a poo would kill you.
Axl is obviously broken-hearted from his break up with a girl who was called Stephanie Something. Good. Axl's broken heart equals good album, we can only hope he gets another broken heart but with much speedier stages of broken hearted related creativity, so the next album gets made quicker. Poor guy.
Record reviews traditionally talk about individual tracks individually. So, here goes: Track one is sweet, track two is sweet and every other track individually until track 13 is sweet. Track 14 however has sweet guitar and drums just like all the other tracks which also contain their fair share of piano.
The vocals are sweet too.
So, if you want exquisite, multi-layered hard rock with influences ranging from blues, to industrial and hip-hop. An album with an urgent wall of sound mixed with melodic guitar and vocal symphonies. An album that surges with muscular, syncopated percussion and grinding, mind-blowing guitar courtesy of Buckethead and Finck then this album is for you.
Or, if you just want an album that makes it feel like you've been punched in the face by an angry deaf guy, then this album is also for you.
27.9953 stars.
