Velvet Revolver - Contraband

Last week I was considering reviewing this CD, but chose not to due to lack of time. I was going to review it because I was finally able to rip it onto my computer. See, BMG/RCA decided to use a copywrite protection on the CD. I bought it, but didn't listen to it much because I do most of my music listening on my comp. I was pissed. I actually boycotted them because of it. A few CD's were released on one of their labels, so I bought them all used. No profits for them out of my pockets. I may lift that boycott, but I am not sure yet.

I then looked at Best Buy's ad this week, and nothing good was coming out again... except a "special edition" Velvet Revolver CD, with 3 bonus songs. I don't buy bonus crap. If it comes out the same day I do, but six months after the fact, NO. That made up my mind to review the disk.

For those who don't know, Velvet Revolver should have been called Stone Temple Roses. Its Scott Weiland, vocalist from Stone Temple Pilots; Slash, the guitarist from Guns 'N Roses; Duff, the bassist from G 'n R.... You get the picture.

The sound doesn't go to far from what you would expect from such heavyweights in rock either. Its STP meets GnR. Sometimes I swear Slash, Duff, Matt, and Dave take on the essence of the Deleo brothers and Eric Kretz on their backing to Scotts vocals, and a few times you can sense a bit of extra flamboyancy out of Scott aka Axl style. The guys play together like this is their 5th album together. Good continuity, as the musicians compliment each other very well.

1. Sucker Train Blues - Starts out bass, some high hat, sirens, and toying around on the guitar, then it kicks in. Two guitar part, a rhythm and a lead. Its an art that is lost in most current rock bands. Partially because so few have two guitarists, and partially because most don't have a guitarist as talented as Slash. Scotts vocals are on for this song. He utilizes his full range, his clear low register, and his extra raspy high register. This song (along with the album) brings back another thing I miss - a good guitar solo. We need more guitarists of Slash's caliber in the music world. Overall good song. 4/5

2. Do It For The Kids - A second upbeat song. Scott goes with the same concept of the first track, low clearer register verse, high rasp chorus. Intricate guitar work during the chorus between Slash and Matt. Verse has a more basic driving riff. Acceptable solo in the song, nothing all too special. I'm not a fan of the lyrics on this one, but musically it is a competant song. 3/5

3. Big Machine - Starts with a monotonous bass line and beat (reminds me of Mickey by Toni Basil). Scott summons up some of his older STP style vocals (unglued comes to mind), sounds like something I would expect to hear on the Purple disk, but then the chorus hits, and it reminds me of the songs on Vatican I didn't like. Not that its a bad song, its just un-original. I feel like I've heard it a million times after a couple listens. 3/5

4. Illegal i Song - yes, the i is supposed to be lower case. I don't like it when bands do artsy crap like that. The song itself... ugh. It starts out good. Fast guitar, good drum work, then Scott's vocals come in and are horrid on the verse. The chorus is slightly better, but not much. Sucks that all this good guitar work got poor vocals. Just doesn't catch me at all. Guitar solo at the end is one of those, slash standing there, looking like the bad ass he is, playing some long and grungy notes. This is one of those songs I hit skip on. 1/5

5. Spectacle - The guitar work in this one takes me back to the eighties. More of the standard glam rock style, quality just not what is more common in the nineties and in the 00's. Scott's vocals are improved over the last song, but not anything particularly outstanding. I did enjoy Slash's solo on this one, not one of those wow, hows he do that, but a quality solo. Not a song I skip on a hour long drive, but if I was going ten minutes away, I'd skip it. 2/5

6. Fall To Pieces - I love this song. Slashes soft and sweet guitar work with Scott's amazing vocals on ballads creates a good song. This song takes me back to STP ballads i the late nineties, and power ballads that were all the rage in the 80's. Slash's lead guitar work is just so soft during the verse, with a subdued rhythm guitar in the background (not to sound like an insult, but it sounds similar to whales), then the power ballad standard guitar riff. Slashes guitar solo is just full of emotion. One of the reasons why the man is a legend. You can feel emotion from just a few notes, its the thing that seperates a technical guitarist from a great guitarist. Excellent song. 5/5

7. Headspace - Upbeat guitar riff in the beginning, splits into a two parter, then Scott starts singing. He is in his friendlier register (the lower one), then something so many musicians are lost on... a key switch. Slightly higher. Its such a pleasure to hear a band that has some writing talent. Towards the end, things switch up, and Scott does a two part vocal (with himself... not gonna be good live) over a two part guitar riff. Many different layers to this song. Yes, I like it. 4/5

8. Superhuman - Scott does what I like, sings in his lower register on this one too. The song has a low pitched rhythm guitar riff, while Slash plays above it with a higher lead. The bass and drums are just there to provide that foundation rhythm. Chorus is what I would expect out of Scott "Cocaine, alcohol, lady-lay, withdrawel." Another lost art is used on this song, the wah wah pedal. (think Alice in Chains, or Rage Against the Machine, bulls on parade). 4/5

9. Set Me Free - The opening vocals don't sound a lot like Weiland, more like Rob Zombie. Upbeat song, mostly bass and drums, then the guitars kick in, and more standard Scott vocals. Like many of the songs on this disk, much more intricate than a lot of other bands songs out there. Multipal guitar parts seems to escape way too many bands now-a-days. 4/5

10. You Got No Right - Acoustic guitar. Scott uses his voice to full effect in this song. This song sounds just like something STP would do. Quiet acoustic guitar for verse, and then some distortion for the chorus. For some reason, Scott and Slash together on slow songs and ballads is a lethal combination. By far my favorite songs on this disk are those. 5/5

11. Slither - This song starts out with a nice stripper-esque bassline, with some toying guitar parts. Then, the guitar kicks in, driving the song forward, as Scott tosses in some yells. His voice is near perfect on this song. Reminds me of the core days. The guitar goes from driving, to slower but very diverse for the chorus. Best song on the CD here. The head is forced to move during the chorus. My face twists and contorts during the guitar solo. THIS guitar solo is another fine example why Slash rules. After the solo, Scott goes on a brief rant that makes me think of Axl, but you know its Scott. 5/5

12. Dirty Little Thing - This is an upbeat one. Follows the, now overdone, routine of many of their songs. Here is the formula. Low register verse. High register chorus. Guitars fast during verse, slow for chorus. Throw in long guitar solo, that unfortuneately, makes me think of Van Halen. I expect to see Eddie with a big smile on his face, tap tapping away. Not bad, just unoriginal. If I heard this song second, it might have scored higher. Since it is second to last... it loses points. 2/5

13. Loving The Alien - Odd guitar thing in the beginning, then the song kicks in. Another song that could make it onto a power ballad CD. Just amazes me how well Scott and Slash go together on a ballad. The chorus gives me chills. Acoustic rhythm guitar, Slash's lead on electric guitar, just dancing around, while Scott sings above. "And I'm moving on, (sometimes I feel alone)." I absolutely LOVE this song. I'm a ballad addict. Especially when Scott Weiland is singing, and Slash has a guitar solo. I salute both of you guys. Outstanding. 5/5