Contraband (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Velvet Revolver > Reviews

Advantages: Accomplished musicianship, doesn't disappoint
Disadvantages: Nothing new to the genre

I think it’s time I dealt with a blast of music again! My latest CD to remain glued into my CD player is Velvet Revolvers “Contraband”, and it’s really rather jolly good to coin a little-used rock phrase ;o) Velvet Revolver consist of three former members of Guns ‘N’ Roses – Slash (he of the wild hair and top hat)on guitar, Matt Sorum on drums and Duff McKagan on bass – Dave Kushner of Jane’s Addiction connections also on guitar and the rather ... Read review

Advantages: Solid debut. Strong vocals and guitar work.
Disadvantages: Some filler tracks, they haven't yet found their own original sound.

Well, this certainly looked like a messy one. Take one of the most notoriously debauched rock 'n' roll bands that have ever existed and mix them with a recovering heroin addict and you've surely got a recipe for disaster. Indeed, ex- Stone Temple Pilots' frontman, Scott Weiland, is no stranger to courts, police cells or drug clinics. He does happen to have a damn fine voice though, and his distinctive style adds great craft to a rock album that defies ... Read review

Advantages: One of the few GOOD modern Rock albums
Disadvantages: none!

...Revolver was on the day Contraband was released. I had floated away from closely following GnR and the ex-members around that time, so it came as a bit of a surprise when I walked into the CD store and saw posters of Slash and Duff all over the place. I missed all the build-up and hype, so I was going in with no idea about how they had formed and what sort of sound they'd created. In my mind I was expecting an album dominated by the bluesy, classic ... Read review

Advantages: Good music, great debut album
Disadvantages: Some weak songs but mostly good

...as "The glue that held Contraband together", I totally agree with him, this track will always be the song that will stand out as original, in my opinion anyway. It starts with a great guitar intro and is later accompanied by great vocals and drums. Later in the song Slash's guitar solo makes the song not just good but superb. The melodic rhythm makes this song sensational and easily one of the best on the album. This song was written about Scott Weiland ... Read review

Advantages: Like GNR but only in small doses, sounds brilliant, Slash
Disadvantages: Perhaps a little too like Guns N Roses in places

When I was a lot younger, about 12 years younger to be precise I was just starting to get into music. I came across this band who on the same day had released two albums. I bought the blue one and within a month I was completely taken with Guns ‘N’ Roses. I was about 10 at the time and was really discovering music and Use Your Illusions 2 was the first album I bought. I was quite disappointed when GNR split up as it seemed to be a real shame. Now ... Read review

Advantages: mixed work of legends
Disadvantages: past history against them

Where to start .......................... Duff McKagan Slash Scott Weilend Must I go on .............. Velvet Revolver are a freak of nature, something so good that it surely can't be true. largely assembled from the defunct members of rock legends Guns 'n' Roses and Stone Temple Pilots, these five guys have gone on to smash the modern rock scene to bits and have released a 'debut' album of such magnitude and brute force that it does, ... Read review

Advantages: .
Disadvantages: .

When Guns n' Roses split up, the world of rock n roll was devastated! Seeing axl rose struggle to make it with a new version of GnR was almost unbearable. But when Slash, Duff and Matt teamed up with ex stone temple pilot's singer Scott Weiland no-one expected the final outcome of 'Contraband'. The album features many songs sounding similar to that of GnR, but also lingers on a sound of metal with hard rhythms and intricate drumming. The album on ... Read review

Advantages: Great Rock N Roll, Slash :D
Disadvantages: Comparisons to ex-bands, Re-Releases

...band's first album appropriately titled Contraband is everything you would expect it to be, its fast paced rock n roll, catchy melodies, great guitar solos. But, all in all it's a return of rock n roll how it was intended to be - Unpredictable. Scott Weiland, who most Velvet Revolver fans really didn't like initally, have found a new found respect for, especially when seen live. The highlights of this album are many, starting of with a cliche like ... Read review

Advantages: See review
Disadvantages: See review

...Roses come to mind. Well Contraband is Velvet revolver's first release and was made in 2003, it was made after three members from guns and roses (Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum) teamed up with Dave Kushner and Scott Weiland (stone temple pilots). The band set about recording and this is there result, 13 tracks of metal: "Sucker Train Blues" - 4:27 "Do It For the Kids" - 3:55 "Big Machine" - 4:25 "Illegal i Song" - 4:17 "Spectacle" ... Read review

Advantages: A good hard rock ablum.
Disadvantages: My expectations were maybe too high. Could have been better.

...could do worse than give Contraband a go. ... Read review

Advantages: Proper balls to the wall rock! How it should be!
Disadvantages: Past history of band members; it's the music that counts though. The album art is quite weak for such a great album.

...trigger...” it becomes clear that Contraband is going to be a kick ass album. It has the perfect mix of full-on balls-to-the-wall rock such as, “Do It For The Kids” and emotion-driven power ballads such as “Fall to Pieces” (the second single off the album). The tracks are all perfectly formed and the musical togetherness of the 5-piece from Hollywood seems to eclipse their rocky pasts with an aura that you would come to expect from veterans of ... Read review

Advantages: One hasn't come to mind yet...
Disadvantages: Songs sound the same

If you are thinking of buying this album, I wouldn't recommend it. Just go download the hit singles off the Internet instead of spending money on this CD. Don't believe all the reviews in magazines about how great this album is, they have only rated it because of the presence of the ex-Gunners in the band. There is no decent rock in the market today and people have become a little desparate. If you want real rock n' roll, this will disappoint you. ... Read review