A View Of Chinese Democracy, Part 2

Here is the moment you've been waiting for-the six tracks that are purported to being on Chinese Democracy. Yeah, even though the album is allegedly going to come out later in the year (the last conclusive date I heard on it was in September), no one has any clue what tunes will be on it aside from band members believing that a certain song will be included. Really, you can only assume that the title track will be on the album and that's it. Now that it got leaked then it's possible Axl will decide that the tunes will have to be re-recorded-hey, sounds like his kind of logic to me. Christ, it'd be just great for the album to be released so that we don't have to hear about the album coming out and then it gets delayed; the rigmarole has gone on for way too many years and this, along with how the band just isn't the same without Slash in it, that is why for the most part I'm not as amped up for the album as some people are. I mean, if you're an Axl mark or like how GNR sounded when they released that "Oh My God" song for the soundtrack to the shitty movie "End of Days" in 1999 ("Oh my God" was my reaction when I first heard the song on the radio-I thought it was fucking terrible and an insult to the GNR name) then it's understandable why you'd be so excited and wish so bad for Axl to stop being a cocktease and finally release the Goddamn album already. But, if you prefer the sound of GNR as relevant to "Appetite for Destruction" and both "Use Your Illusion" albums and you like the band as a whole and think it's not the same without Slash in the mix, then you'd be more hesitant with the album and you're not so ready to praise it as the best of all time.

After hearing the six songs, I have to say that none of them are "bad," but I was alarmed that none of them rocked out like any song from "Appetite" and some of them seem to blur right into each other. But, I'll go through song by song what I think of each upload, although the comments will be really brief.

"Better": This was leaked earlier in the year. This at least sounds a little different to the other five songs, which is always a plus. But, it's been said that this isn't the "final" version that's going to be on the album, so there you go.

Guns N' Roses-Better (5.92 MB, 160Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8P91HA5P

"Madagascar": This song is most notable for the fact that during the middle of the song there is a sample from a speech from… Martin Luther King, Jr.??? Yes. Talk about pomposity. But, like all of the songs I'll feature today, this isn't bad at all.

Guns N' Roses-Madagascar (6.52 MB, 160Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UAZQ7TNB

"IRS": No, not Irwin R. Schyster. I liked the tempo changes and the guitar work from I believe Bumblefoot; it's either him or Robin Finck.

Guns N' Roses-IRS (5.27 MB, 160Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N5B9HTLE

"The Blues": This is like a rewrite of "November Rain," with the piano and a violin section. No offense, but it's far from "November Rain," an undeniable classic.

Guns N' Roses-The Blues (5.48 MB, 160Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T6IHA714

"There Was A Time": This is like another rewrite of "November Rain," with a continued use of the violin section, but this time this is more similar to the song than "The Blues" and Rain.

Guns N' Roses-There Was A Time (TWAT)-7.75 MB, 160 Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z6SS1T6S

"Chinese Democracy": There is a one minute opening where you hear various sound effects and someone speaking Chinese, then you hear a music buildup, then it kicks into a guitar riff that someone says "Rocks you like a hurricane." Yeah, it does resemble the riff to the Scorpions song, but that's a little unfair as musicians always "borrow" riffs and whatnot from earlier sources, whether intentional or not. It's the most rocking tune out of the six and I'd say it's the best of the six also.

Guns N' Roses-Chinese Democracy-5.47 MB, 160Kbits/second)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UXFPJLYL

I'll close this out by saying that I wouldn't mind it if all six of these tunes end up on the album. But, the main thing is that the album FINALLY get released. I mean, I'm sure it's going to end up being a disappointment given that if you work on an album for fourteen years then it'd better be the best Goddamn album in the history of the universe, and judging by that caveat, this album will fall short of the mark. Still, while the career of Axl and Guns N' Roses has taken a major hit due to how the core group of guys bitterly broke up, Axl's obvious mental problems, and how after having such a meteoric rise due to three incredible albums, they descended just as quickly and the band has jerked all of its fans around by having this elusive album that seems like it'll never see the light of day. But, it seems like many of the fans are still willing to forgive the band if the album just comes out; if it ever does, then I'd love to see and hear what everyone thinks of it. The thing is, I'm sure I'll end up buying it once it comes out, so as you can see, no matter how long the wait, people will still want to buy it.

I'll be back with a new upload sometime on Friday.