This CD is an immediate favorite in my books. Velvet Revolver is exactly the kind of band we need now a days to remind us that there are some bands out there that know how to rock. This band is what you would call a "super group" because it is made up of members from other insanely popular bands. Most of them are former members of one of the most popular rock bands ever, Guns `N Roses. From Guns `N Roses is lead guitarist Slash, bass player Duff McKagan, and drum player Matt Sorum. The idea to start the band rooted from these three when they played at a benefit concert for Randy Castillo. The next member is guitarist Dave Kushner, who had previously played with Wasted Youth and Dave Navarro. Finally to complete the band they recruited Scott Weiland, former lead singer for the Stone Temple Pilots, who was friends with Duff McKegan. This is who makes up Velvet Revolver and as you might be able to tell they had a lot of expectations to live up to.
They definitely did live up to these expectations and then some with their first CD, Contraband. Slash is my favorite guitar player ever, not because he's the best (there are people out there that are better), but because of his style. The way he plays those solos are just incredible and it makes you wish you could play half as good as him. The way he plays them is exactly the kind of way a guitar solo should be played for that particular song. It ends up fitting so well he could go on playing for hours and no one would even notice where the time went. You can tell that these guys play together well and are all amazing at what they do. Slash busts out the solos in nearly every song and they'll all have you playing air guitar along with them. Weiland's singing is incredible on this CD and is one of the biggest parts of its success. The CD has the ability to move in between hard rock and those slower, close to the heart type songs like "Fall to Pieces," "You Got No Right," and "Loving the Alien." In those it seems like you can feel that the lyrics are coming straight from Weiland's heart and you feel the emotion with him. The song "Slither" is one of my favorite songs on the CD. It's their first single and is an awesome hard-rocking song with a guitar solo from Slash that just blows me away. You can tell that the songs on this CD aren't there to impress anybody. I don't think anyone in the band is really strapped for cash so you know they're just doing this for the fun of it and that's what makes it so good. They don't need to try and make songs that people will like, they make them so they sound good to them, and that's where the best songs come from. The songs have that, not too heavily laid on rebellion sound from the lyrics paired up with music that fits in perfectly with it. The song "Big Machine" is a perfect example of this and one of the best songs on the CD. Overall I would have to say that this is my favorite CD that I own. I bought it the first day it came out, and had very high hopes for it. When I listened to it, my hopes were greatly exceeded. I can't wait for the opportunity to see them live, and I'm really looking forward to any future albums they put out. Until then, though, pick up Contraband, it's worth the investment.
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