Album review: Guns N' Roses' 'Chinese Democracy'

When Axl Rose announced in December 2006 that the new Guns N' Roses album, "Chinese Democracy," would be issued the following March -- the last false ending to a drama nearly as long-lasting as the Vietnam War and culminating today, as the hordes rush to exclusive retailer Best Buy to snap up the final version -- he briefly stepped out of the smoke-machine haze that surrounds him and feigned modesty. Vouching for the veracity and passion of his work, he seemingly aimed to lower expectations, writing, "In the end, it's just an album."

That may be the most ridiculous statement Rose has made in 17 years of whoppers. Just an album! Sure, and "Citizen Kane" was just a movie. And Brando as Don Corleone was just a mid-career acting gig.

Everyone with a passing interest in rock knows the abbreviated history of "Chinese Democracy." Recording for the album, the follow-up to Guns N' Roses' mammoth, chart-topping "Use Your Illusion" project, began in the early 1990s. Soon, though, Rose's authoritarian grip squeezed the life out of the original lineup, including his lead guitarist and artistic foil, Slash, and it went splat. Out of that goo rose the post-Guns band Velvet Revolver on one side and Axl, increasingly alone, on the other.

For the next decade and a half, Rose continued to work, running through band members like so many speed dates. Some, like avant-garde guitarist Buckethead, fled; others, like longtime keyboardist Dizzy Reed, stuck. This amorphous Guns N' Roses toured with varying degrees of success and spent time recording in 14 different studios in L.A., Las Vegas, London and New York.

Meanwhile, Rose got older (he's 46 now), decided he looked good in cornrows, and spent something like $13 million on a project few thought he would complete. The powers behind the already failing music industry gave a collective bloodcurdling scream.

The wait is over

And now it's here. The album that's been referred to as a "white whale" more times than Melville's own Moby Dick has been stabbed through with a spear and brought to ground. Fourteen tracks, no blubber.

Half the songs classify loosely as ballads, while the others are more forcefully up-tempo, but nearly every one makes unexpected stylistic switches. The effect is theatrical, with voicings and arrangements often taking precedence over riffs and grooves, making "Chinese Democracy" more like the score to a rock opera than an arena-oriented assault.

Like Brando and "Kane" mastermind Orson Welles, Rose is a macho refusenik whose career path illustrates how hard it can be for an ego-driven man to separate lofty ideals from fleshly indulgences. And though it's probably too cryptic to have the impact of the masterpieces to which I've dared compare it, "Chinese Democracy" does reach that far. Rose's fight to become and remain an auteur in a pop world increasingly hostile to such individualists has become a performance in itself. "Chinese Democracy" is its finale, the explosive end to a period of silence that, in retrospect, had its own eloquence.

It isn't exactly an accessible album, though many hooks and bombastic rock moments surface within its layers. Contrary to early reports, Rose didn't plunge into the "nu metal" style industrial rock that he'd embraced a decade ago with the lone track "Oh My God." Had he done so, producing an album's worth of static-laden ravers, like the album's first single and title track, he might have embraced middle age as a respectable experimental rocker. Conversely, had he fulfilled the dreams of the rabble who can't get past "Appetite for Destruction," reconnecting with Slash at the old intersection of punk and metal, he would have roared back as the king of the charts without making much artistic progress.

Instead, making this album has transformed Rose from a hungry contrarian to a full-blown desert prophet, howling mightily in protest against a pop industry that encourages its stars to innovate only within the realm of what sells best. At the same time, he's resisted the nostalgia that would have sent him after a purer time or sound, preferring to invest in a foggy future. Purity is the opposite of what Rose seeks on "Chinese Democracy." Convolution is everything as he spirals toward a total sound even he can't quite apprehend.

"Chinese Democracy" is a test for contemporary ears, an album that turns in upon itself instead of reaching out to instantly become a ring tone. Nothing on it immediately reveals its essence. Even the songs with hooks, such as the sing-song rant "Better" and the grande olde ballad "Street of Dreams," derail themselves in subtle ways, requiring the listener to reconsider her first judgment. This will frustrate plenty of listeners; lovers of "edgy" music may find it too melodic and rooted in the blues, while fans seeking simple catharsis may rue the many shifts in tone and tempo.

Versions of these final 14 tracks have been floating around the Internet throughout Rose's exile. Some may date from before the "Use Your Illusion" sessions. Rose kept building on them, rewriting, hiring and alienating all those producers and collaborators -- the album's credits, which include Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck and Primus drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia, read like an Oscar night thank-you list from hell -- and trying everything from multitracking his voice to resemble a children's choir to sampling the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.

The end result is a cyborgian blend of pop expressiveness, traditional rock bravado and Brian Wilson-style beautiful weirdness. The snake-dance-inspiring rhythms that bring Rose's libido to life occasionally dominate, as do the romantic piano runs that represent his heart. Neither overcomes the other, and sometimes both collide in the same song.

Playing the reference game with "Chinese Democracy" is a thankless task. Individual songs could be compared to everything from Queen (Rose claims that influence, though he disposed of a guitar solo Brian May gave him for one song) to My Chemical Romance, Heart, Wings, Korn, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Bowie in his Berlin phase, U2 after "Achtung Baby!" and Curtis Mayfield circa "Freddie's Dead." Oh, and to Guns N' Roses, especially the more cracked version of that band behind "Use Your Illusion II." But rarely does a song settle anywhere. It's even difficult to declare the ballads pretty or the rockers simply ferocious.

It's also pointless to dwell too long on individual players besides Rose. Keyboardist Dizzy Reed and bassist Tommy Stinson appear on most tracks; they must have been the most successful at tolerating Rose's megalomania. As for the album's much-touted guitar army: When five different players are featured on one song, individualism becomes impossible, no matter who's soloing. Many early Guns N' Roses songs are structured as literal dialogues between Rose and Slash, with the singer's wild falsetto directly responding to and setting up the guitarist's rococo riffing. "Chinese Democracy" features no such exchanges. The real tension here is internal, and Rose's alone.

It's the same push-pull that defines everything Rose has created, including his assumed name: steely, aggressive hypermasculinity versus lush, feminine openness. Rose's music tells the saga of the mutually abusive relationship between the freight train's axle and the rose it crushes, a potentially poisonous flower that keeps growing back.

This is a central plotline in male-centered heroic tales, and it's key to the music of artists as diverse as Richard Wagner and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. But few artists have committed so strongly to both sides at once. Never mind the tales of childhood abuse and adult violence (often allegedly toward women) that fill out Rose's biography. All of that ugliness is right there in the music, in Rose's primal yowl and marauding metal-punk assaults. And anyone who's heard "November Rain" -- that's all of us -- knows that florid loveliness resides there too.

On "Chinese Democracy," Rose reflects on the cost of making art that fully expresses that dichotomy. This is where we return to "Citizen Kane," another story that plays out the tension between a wounded heart and an iron fist, and to Rose's soul mate Brando, who was also a brute and an aesthete, and who tragically misstepped as often as he triumphed.

Ever the enigma

Could Rose be self-aware enough to genuinely capture this life-defining conflict? He seems to be trying on "Chinese Democracy." But his lyrics, like the songs' musical twists, are hard to parse; their knottiness may be the album's ultimate downfall. It's tough to imagine anyone besides Rose connecting many of these songs to their day-to-day experiences. In "Rhiad and the Bedouins," he seems to be comparing himself to a besieged Middle Eastern state. "Catcher in the Rye" spits at mortality while nodding toward another famously blocked artist, J.D. Salinger, but its last verse devolves into incomprehensibility. "Madagascar," the one in which Rose pairs his voice with Dr. King's, is a sort of civil-rights-era- inspired retelling of Odysseus' journey across a monster-ridden sea.

At least that's what it sounds like to this listener, bringing my own history and imagination into the listening experience. Whether it's intentional or the result of Rose's addled grandiloquence, the strangeness inherent in these songs allows for an old-fashioned rock 'n' roll pleasure: the chance to grasp that album cover (OK, gaze at that image on your MP3 player screen) and make up your own solutions to its mysteries. Whether history declares it a tragedy or a farce, this is one album that's more than a pop exercise. And for that, Axl Rose can finally take a bow.

--Ann Powers

"Chinese Democracy" cover courtesy Geffen Records

Axl Rose photo courtesy Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[black president]

The review was somewhat ambiguous (oh, there I go using those big words), it sounds like you liked it Ann.

Anyway, I think that with this album Mr. Rose has proven himself to be the musical genius that I always believed he was

The complexity and unpredictability within each song is amazing. The way that Rose mixes various rock sub genres is brilliant.

God I love big words!

[Matt]

you morons. She likes the album. But whats fascinating about the album at times is exploring this persona that we call "Axl Rose" himself, which is the point that she's trying to make. There is nothing in history like this, even the story of "Smile" is tame because the songs were released on other records, etc.

[Anthony N.]

Perhaps if you babbling morons picked up a book once in a while, the sophistication of this review wouldn't confuse you.

Oh, yeah...the album. The album is amazing, too!

[Eddie W.]

Bob Hilburn, where art thou?

[stan nicolaides]

we waited 14 years for this? rather listen to the white stripes or black rebel motorcycle club

[Benoit M.]

This is a very good review and quite comprehensible. Some of you people do need to read more! She likes the album and so do I.

[matt]

I truly enjoy this album! It feels to me that there are a lot of people out there that just can't get over the fact that the original band isn't all together, or the fact that this album doesn't sound anything like Appetite. I would encourage people to get past that and listen to this album with an open mind. Does it have 14 great songs on it? No, but what album even has half that many great songs on it? I personally think two songs are phenominal in Better and This I Love. I think these songs have a chance to be a really big success in mainstream. And then there is another six songs that I enjoy listening to, about three that are mediocre for me, and only three that come across as bad. When you come across an album that has 11 songs on it that are worthy of listening to, I believe that is a great record. I think in time, after more promotion, and given fair listens, this album will become a years best and ultimately one of the great records of this decade. In just about every review that you read, the writer lists different favorites from the review before. To me, that means good things.

[Slothtrop]

Excellent review of an excellent album. Nice to see a reviewer who "gets it" and is willing to explore what the album, and its creation, means instead of just regurgitating what everyone else is saying. For all the morons bitching "tell me if it's great or if it sucks," and whining because the reviewers dares to - GASP! - use words with more than two syllables, head on over to Rolling Stone where David Fricke is more than happy to tell you what you think. Leave the critical thought to the rest of us.

[Scott B]

I think this album is a huge achievement! I will be pissed if i doesn't get album of the year! So many critics out there, and so few of them have ever picked up an instrument, let alone be in a band, let alone record in different decades, and adapted... Yea, this review was didactic and scholarly, but this album is sophisticated beyond "pop", and didactic to those might even try and cover one of those songs! good luck... Axl is on his own, his musicians, yes the many, are allstars of their craft and this album has blown me away beyond words. my review took a few listens... (on my itunes i stand at 10 listens for every song), and not each is going to be publicly poppy, but they are bad ass, and like nothing that has been floating around that I have ever known!! I love this album! I am glad Axl is such a pyscho and personality is his product, and i get vicarious chance to me moved by him and all that him and me!! Love iT!!!

[thickage]

This article wasn't tolerable. Probably the most winded piece of fluff since the Unabomber's Manifesto - only much less readable. This could have been about 400 words shorter.

[John]

The review is welcome, thanks Ann.

Personally I like reading reviews after I have listened to something rather than seeking someone's opinion on whether it's good or bad (which nobody can decide but me, and which I'd never really base any purchasing decisions on anyway), so I prefer a more detailed review of the themes of the album in general. Music cannot be put in words, really. In other words, the interpretations of the public out there are good to read.

The album is a melting-pot of sounds, as you stated, and it is more than a simple pop exercise, and possible less groove-based and can arguably be called 'more complex'. And yes, I am grateful for that :) The album moves me, simple as that. To me it's easily one of the better albums of the past decade, so the hype is more than justified.

Thanks for your piece.

[Steve]

You know, I read a lot of the comments in this mail. Very interesting. Not sure if I have my mind made up on the review - it is a little verbose. I did like some of the analogies though.

I don't usually add comments, so I'll be brief. I thought the album is really interesting. Listened to it a few times now. I think Sebastian Bach (sp?) has had a huge influence on this album being such good friends with Axel. "Raid N' The Bedouins" sounds like it could've been an extra track on Skid Row's "Sub Human Race" album. Very cool as I also really liked Skid Row.

The album is pretty odd in general, but well worth getting IMHO. I think anyone who liked the original lineup of G'n'R wouldn't be disappointed.

Finally, there have been a number of comments that G'n'R should change the name with no Slash - to something like "Rose...". Basically, the band was formed from my understanding by Traci Guns (i.e. L.A. Guns) and Axel Rose. Since Traci left prior to this band ever becoming famous, why should Axel change the name? Doesn't make sense to me.

[Steve]

this album gets better with every listen, i have to admit the first time i heard it, i was a little confused and was disappointed. i decided to give it another try and boy am i glad i did that. i absolutely love this album. i must have listened to it ten times all the way through, its massive epic, and best of all, unique.

if you didnt like it the first time, give it a couple more tries, its gets better with each listen... oh yea and no mp3s - if u listened to the mp3, then u didnt listen to the album. pick up the CD and some great headphones, you wont be disappointed.

[M]

Great album/great review...and too many semi-literate critiques of the professional critique. Like Tony who can't tell if Ann liked the album. Yo, Tony, she alludes to liking it several times without saying "Me likey" as would suit your obvious (lack of) intellect. Again, great review, Ann.

[B]

The album is like this review: If I never hear either again I won't be sad, but if I do that's ok, too.

[cinnebun]

Chinese Democracy; A 21st century masterpiece!

Mr. Rose has made history once again! He has created one of the highest quality, near perfection Rock music albums of our time! We must recognize this and appreciate his profound contributions! At first, you are only exploring, after listening just a few times, the joy of listening to each track is beyond words. Each note is carefully placed and each word is artfully crafted and integrated into the notes to enhance your experience. You will find yourself at a point that you cannot stop listening.

Chinese Democracy is a classic, a 21st century classic in every imaginable way!
It took human kind over 500 years to begin to understand Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings and the mathematical complexity behind them. Leonardo Da Vinci was ahead of his time.

As I was highly interested to see the reviews, I came across many comments that simply did not make sense. Many of the comments were indicative of the fact that some of us just don’t have the intelligence level to understand Mr. Rose. Instead we choose to act like the village idiots, bashing this 21st century magnificent work of art, and this clearly, is not Mr. Rose’s problem!

[indieyogiini]

Great review.
You described the tension within each song as Axl scrambles his operatic rage and romanticism. I initially felt jerked around by the abrupt changes and piled on flourishes, for example the bombastic speeches thrown into "Madagascar." It's taken me this long to fall in love with the album, since I could only listen to two or three songs at a time without feeling overloaded. The album is not immediately accessible but it becomes rewarding.

[Milewski]

Man, does this reviewer think way to much about her opinion. And the way she has compound every sentence with comma's, as to be her own contrarian, is amateur.

[Hawkarama]

Surely a review is meant to be helpful to consumers??

This "review" offers no clear advice or opions other than references to films and books beefed up with long pointless words.

Just bought the album, listened to it once and loved it!! Not what i expected by any means, but well worth it!! As long as you dont listen to the album hoping to hear music as GnR of old, you wont be disappointed!!

[shockg]

My friends,

Despite what you thought/wrote...is there anyone who does NOT think this album will make one hell of a show. NAS got it wrong, 'rock is dead'; thanks Axle for breathing some life back into it. For those still struggling to get it...please put on your Coldplay/Switchfoot/fill in the blank CD and return to your musak-al trance.

Signed

Rock or die tryin'!

[Jacob Russell]

Nice review. Don't listen to these anti-language Nazi's. The album is much more interesting then I thought it would be and I'm happy that Axel finally released it. But I do think that Buckethead and Bumblefoot's solo's are important to the disc and easily distinguishable. It's a large part of why I like it, but you may have to be a guitar geek to pick up on that. Good disc, but not mind blowing.

[karad]

As an English major, I have a fairly large vocabulary, and I do not consider myself an "anti-language" nazi. I love reading film and music reviews. But this review is just annoying.

[arse-tex]

Great Review...Great Album

[Fug]

I was listening to the album as I was trying to decipher the review.
Chinese Democracy sort of made me feel the same way the review did: Confused and no further ahead at the end of it. although I respect Ann's ability as a

writer, I just feel that she needs to consider her target demographic when deciding to use what I refer to as "Fifty cent words". I mean who uses the word

"grandiloquence" in a review of a "G'N'R" album?
All shots at the review aside, the album is neither great nor terrible. In the end, it IS just an album exactly as the man himself said.

[Biz]

it is nice to see GNR back. It was too long time since "Use Your Illusion". This album is not that good, but still shows that Axel is back on the track.