Contraband (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Velvet Revolver > Reviews > Velvet 'Guns n Roses' Revolver

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money

Advantages:	-
Disadvantages:	-

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Take three members of the now defunct Guns ‘n’ Roses, add in a former Stone Temple Pilots vocalist and what do you get - 2004’s brightest addition, Velvet Revolver. After Axl had decided to abandon his chums and throw a tantrum, Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum sought about finding a front man that could match their ambition, and they found just the man in the shape of the highly controversial Scott Weiland. Weiland, with a history as chequered as Axl Rose, was seen as the perfect replacement to fill the void left by Rose after constant promises of ‘Chinese Democracy’ had turned up continual no-shows. People will, and have, instantly seen this as Guns ‘n’ Roses mark 2, however, were you to look deeper you will see that this is Velvet Revolver, and nothing more. The fact that the guys have tried to distance themselves from their respective pasts, shows great maturity and eagerness to be seen as something new, as opposed to ‘those guys that did that song’, something that has profited Weiland in particular. Being the front man of Stone Temple Pilots never was much to gloat about, yet Velvet Revolver has given him the chance to re-invent himself and forget the past, and the many woes that went with it - yet the most noticeable difference is in fact his writing ability, far improved from times past. Of course when you combine the pasts of the respective members, as well as considering what they bring to the table - surely it couldn’t fail, could it ?

“Yeah, here comes the water
It comes to wash away the sins of you and I
This time you will see
Like holy water
It only burns you faster than you'll ever dry
This time with me”

~~~~~~~~~~

‘Contraband’ was undoubtedly one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of 2004, the question was, would it live up to the hype. ‘Slither’, a track that shot to the dizzy heights of the UK singles charts, showed instantly that the band were to be accepted by a more mainstream audience than they had previously experienced, something that can be seen as nothing other then beneficial. ‘Slither’ was, as expected, a brooding rock monster rising from the depths from which it had been locked away for so long - delivering the strong vocals and the solos that were, to be honest, expected. The radio play that the track received was, at times, staggering, yet since when did a little airplay hurt anyone - and it seemed nothing could spoil the VR party except the band members themselves. Luckily, they all seem to have kept in check their respective pasts and taken to this as true professionals, with the music reflecting that in every way. Weiland’s vocals are far superior to anything heard in his STP days, delivering satisfying moments throughout the entirety of the album, and coupled with Slash’s ‘guns-esque’ solos, it’s a winning formula wherever you look. Where it will appeal to the majority of Guns fans, this is in no way seen as a connection to the band, as they have personally stressed throughout interviews and appearances that they wish this to be seen as simply Velvet Revolver and nothing more. As I stated - the song writing is better than anything Weiland had previously produced, seemingly free of his drug-fuelled past, he is now able to write songs that reflect his undoubted ability, and convey the face of the band as truly as possible.

“I keep a journal of memories
I'm feeling lonely, I can't breathe
I fall to pieces, I'm falling
Fell to pieces and I'm still falling”

~~~~~~~~~~

Songs such as ‘Set Me Free’ and ‘Headspace’ convey the anger within Weiland, an anger that despite longing for release, is being controlled and used to benefit rather than being a catalyst for destruction. Slash, with a past that will be solely remembered for his breathtaking solos on tracks such as ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ and ‘November Rain’, plays more of a back seat role within Velvet Revolver, and in large fails to meet the standards for which he had previously set himself under Axl’s guidance. The playing is still as good as ever, but he comes across as a dog on a leash, fighting for the freedom to really cut loose and replicate past glories, with any number of mind-blowing solos, that in large find themselves restricted here. Duff, a backseat man more than anything, never gained the respect he fully deserved as part of the Guns road show, yet as a member of Velvet Revolver, he seems more prominent, taking more of the spotlight than had been previously used to. I know that I stated that the band wished not to be compared to their pasts, but it’s one of those things that is easy to say, yet impossibly hard to do - you find it hard to comment on a song without referring to an former glory moment earlier in their career. Weiland is a man that despite having any meaningful success with STP, laid the foundations for a talent that we knew was there, yet needed the surroundings to bring that talent to the forefront of his mind - and it now shows what exactly has been unearthed.

~~~~~~~~~~

‘Fall To Pieces’, the bands second single, following on from the hugely successful ‘Slither’, is more of a quieter antidote to it’s predecessor, coming from the other end of the music spectrum, yet hitting just as hard. Of course, must-be-made comparisons will lead straight to ‘November Rain’, yet this will never come close to the beauty of the Guns ‘n’ Roses classic, they are as two different peas from one pod. ‘You Got No Right’ and ‘Dirty Little Thing’ are a couple more Weiland penned classics, full of anger and hate, as if coming from the heart of their very author. There isn’t a lot of differentiation between the majority of tracks present here, rather it is continuation from one to another of how to write a classic rock album in 2004, something not many could achieve. Whether it’s quite up there with the likes of ‘Appetite For Destruction’ and ‘Nevermind’ is something that will take time to be judged, but as far as recent years go, it meets the criteria to be one of the finest rock albums of modern times - and with the exception of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’, it is easily album of the year. What the past has given the band is a head start that no other new band could ever dream of having, a fan base that already swells beyond unbelievable numbers and a self belief that is more than evident throughout the entirety of ‘Contraband’. It doesn’t hurt to have a past, and this proves it.

“Free my mind, levitate
Don't let any of those f**kers in my headspace”

~~~~~~~~~~

Track Listing

1. Sucker Train Blues
2. Do It For The Kids
3. Big Machine
4. Illegal I Song
5. Spectacle
6. Fall To Pieces
7. Headspace
8. Superhuman
9. Set Me Free
10. You Got No Right
11. Slither
12. Dirty Little Thing
13. Loving The Alien

Bonus Track

14. Bodies (Live)