Velvet Revolver: Contraband? I Hope So

Velvet Revolver: Contraband? I Hope So
by Martell

Velvet Revolver seems like every late 80's/early 90's rock 'n' roll fan's dream. Take the lead singer of a popular-yet-still-underrated 90's band (Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots), mix with the musicians from one of the biggest rock bands of the 80's (Guns 'N' Roses), and voila! You have the Frankenstein of rock! As we all know, though, Frankenstein didn't end up quite how the good doctor expected, and in my opinion, neither did Velvet Revolver.

As it turns out, they had the right idea but at the wrong time. If they had created this combination 10 years ago, I think it would have been a smashing success. Today, though, Weiland's songwriting skills are mediocre at best. I didn't hear a single song on Contraband that would make a Best Of STP album. Considering Weiland's past work vs. his present work, I have to wonder if giving up drugs has sapped his creativity. Don't get me wrong--his lyrics are still as disjointed and incoherent as they ever were, they just don't have the poeticality they used to. The words seem to be there just to fill space.

Musically, the crew from Guns 'N' Roses still has good chemistry, and there are glimpses of the old Slash in a couple of songs on Contraband, most notably "Loving the Alien" and "Slither." Duff McKagan's bass playing and Matt Sorum's drumwork are both solid as well. Nonetheless, the songs on this album come across as formulaic and uninspired. The band doesn't seem to suffer from the lack of drugs as much as Weiland does; they just seem to be going through the motions. Not that it's hard to understand--most bands burn out long before they hit 20 years. It just doesn't make for very good music.

When I was purchasing the album, the guy at the register asked me if I liked Guns 'N' Roses or Stone Temple Pilots better. When I told him I liked GnR better, he informed me that Contraband is basically a Stone Temple Pilots album. He probably wasn't Virgin Records' top salesman, but at least he was honest. Since I also happen to like STP, I bought the album anyway, but having listened to it, I would have to disagree. I think about half the songs sound like STP and the other half sound like GnR, which is probably the biggest victory of this album. That way, it should have at least a moderate appeal to the hardcore fans of each band, which means more records sold.

Overall, I found nothing to get excited about when listening to Contraband. "Slither"--the song currently on the radio--is the only catchy song on the whole album. In fact, I had to force myself to listen to it three times, just to get my thoughts straight; if I hadn't been writing this review, I would never have listened to the album a second time. In other words, don't waste your money. And if you really have to have this album, just wait a few weeks and there should be a slew of them at your local used CD store.

Martell can be reached at martell@babblog.com.