Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Ed Haynes 'Ed Haynes Sings Ed Haynes'


I went to do some shopping last Friday. I was on the hunt and prowl for gifts at Best Buy in Winston-Salem for my nieces and nephews… And I was after a little something something for myself.

I came up empty-handed on both counts.

I didn’t have time to properly shop for my nieces and nephews because I was meeting friends at Buffalo Wild Wings for food, fluids (adult), and NTN Trivia (I placed 17th on Network Rankings one game). Disappointing? Yes, but I’ll get them something this week.

BUT!

The biggest disappointment… I wanted to purchase a gift from me to me… Cheap Trick’s 30th ‘Live At Budakon’ Anniversary box set.

I checked under Cheap Trick. Checked under all the C’s. Checked under Trick. Checked under all the T’s. I checked the DVD section. I checked the New Release section. I checked and tossed every stone in the building, including Trudy Hackenbaugh’s kidney stones near the Guitar Hero display. I gave up and decided on something else…

The long-awaited new album from Guns n’ Roses.

There were plenty on hand at Best Buy… The exclusive retailer for ‘Chinese Democracy’… The new Guns n’ Roses album. So I plunked down my $11.99 plus tax ($12.80 total) to have, possess, keep, and rip to my Zune.

After a couple of listening sessions (something I rarely do for more than a day), I’ve come to the conclusion that ‘Chinese Democracy’ is a good album. Not great, but good. Not Guns n’ Roses per se, but rather the Axl Parsons Project.

It’s big and blown up… ‘Chinese Democracy’ is more like a modern day ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ Jim Steinman production. There are many players upon this new GnR stage. Think of ‘Chinese Democracy’ as a complete album of “November Rains”… Big and grandiose. The once black and gritty soul of Guns n’ Roses has become an Axl Rose transcription therapy record.

The streets from where GnR spawned without repent presented us with, in my opinion, two great albums… ‘Appetite For Destruction’ and ‘Use Your Illusion I’. ‘Chinese Democracy’ still has the “no remorse” street policy in effect, but all the yelling is coming from Axl’s padded cell.

‘Chinese Democracy’ is a very good album, but I think the key is not to think of it as a Guns n’ Roses album. Again, feel free to think of ‘Chinese Democracy’ as an album from the Axl Parsons Project. Because… After all… That’s exactly what it is.

I can only recommend it if you have a strong and unhealthy respect for Axl Rose and the Gunner’s legacy. Otherwise, you’re going to get a rather nice crosspollination of Axl, Meat Loaf, and Nine Inch Nails.

4 comments:

  1. I did love G N' R back in the day. Izzy was my crush. My husband traded Appetite for Destruction in at some used cd store. Pissed me off b/c I had to buy another one.

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  2. Did he do that before or after vows were exchanged?

    Either way... Questions remain.

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  3. Ha, we were married. He didn't think I listened to it. To his credit, I blasted the cd when he wasn't around.

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    ReplyDelete