I like Guns n’ Roses more than perhaps I should. Have a strange fondness for and identification with Axl Rose. And, more subconsciously than not, was awaiting this album for over a decade, increasingly skeptical it would ever be released. So when it actually was, I felt compelled to write a review. Clearly, this review is miscategorized. I have no intention of rating more music, so I include it here.

 

Key: 
[ X ] – don’t like
[ ~ ] – okay 
[ * ] – like

 

1. Chinese Democracy  ~
2. Shackler’s Revenge  ~ 
3. Better  ~/*
4. Street of Dreams  *
5. If the World  *
6. There Was a Time  *
7. Catcher in the Rye  * – the first two-thirds of the song is decent, the last third good
8. Scraped  ~
9. Riad n’ the Bedouins  X
10. Sorry  ~
11. IRS  ~ 
12. Madagascar  * – the middle section containing voiceovers, a patchwork dialogue or de facto poem, is far too long musically, but from a literary perspective probably contains the most poignant lyrics on the album 
13. This I Love  * – horribly maudlin, yet a catchy melody, and surprisingly poignant
14. Prostitute  X/~

 

Overall technique/style:  B+/A- (would be higher if the album weren’t so overproduced) 
Overall substance/poignancy:  B-/B
Lyrics: neutral to poor

 

Overall grade:  B+

Final thoughts: In spite of how overproduced and convoluted this album is, there is something of the obsessive, daemonic, and genius in it that somehow prevents the flaws from being utterly unworkable, and even uses some of them to the album’s advantage. Does the album bear repeated listens? Yes. One can listen to it periodically year after year, and this is a hallmark of ‘art.’ It likely would have done better commercially if it had been split into two cds— ‘Official Album’ (best songs), and ‘B Sides’ (weaker songs)— and if a good song drawing directly on Guns n’ Roses fans’ pent up nostalgia, for instance, There Was a Time, had been released as the first single rather than the mediocre and incongruous Chinese Democracy.

Related posts:

  1. The Tree of Life – Terrence Malick
  2. Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen
  3. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger – Woody Allen
  4. Another Year – Mike Leigh


♥ Donating = Loving

If you found the above item worthwhile—or get any joy and value from the site—it would be great if you could leave a 'tip'... FWIW takes a lot of time and money to run. Donations from engaged readers are immensely helpful (and indeed indispensable).

 

You could contribute with a modest recurring Monthly Donation of your choice, between a cup of tea and a dinner. (Note: You don’t actually need a PayPal account; just use any credit or debit card and click through.)

Or you can make a One-Time or Recurring donation in Any Amount of your choice:

 

Partial to Bitcoin? You can send to this address: 
341CiB6nQsKYMcYrKcdTQJvrpa2wAx7fmC
Other cryptocurrencies? Ask for the address

To Occasionally See More Pieces Like This In Your FB Newsfeed