Tracks from Guns N' Roses' Unreleased Album Leaked

So, having had the privilege of listening to nine leaked tracks from Guns N' Roses' unreleased album, I have to say it's been far too long.

One thing Axl Rose did in the eighties was redefine what rock 'n' roll could be at the time; he pushed his band hard to make the best music they could, often leaving songs unpublished for years before releasing them on one of the handful of legendary albums in their far-to-short discography. Touting three albums an EP and a cover album, Guns N' roses has managed to maintain media attention, without a fatality to drive sales, far longer than most bands in music history. Even the many failed and ongoing solo projects of ex-band members has not held media interest as ravenously as Axl's continuous reincarnations of the band.

Attracting the best and worst musicians in the industry must have been a huge headache for Axl Rose; these guys can play anything, if they can stay sober long enough to finish a riff. It's a shame that one of rock's greatest song writers does not seem capable of working with more reliable talent, and Axl's penitent for paranoia and low-self esteem probably doesn't help either. Quite frankly, Axl is an ass. A point he has proven time and time again over the 14yrs it took for these songs to reach the public in what appears to be a finished form.

Regardless of personal feelings about the man behind the music, it must be noted that the music is a pleasure to listen to; although many reviews are saying otherwise and some are quite brutal. Fortunately there are positive responses, but they are somewhat sparse at the moment.

These tracks are not as hard or intense as I would have liked to hear from Axl, but moving past my personal disappointment of not getting my way; just looking at the music for what it is, I would buy this album.

It's not the kind or rock n roll that you would listen to while breaking things or smashing your fist into someone's face; it's the kind of music you actually listen to, the kind of music that could win awards, although I'm not certain his lyrics are note-worthy enough, but the music certainly is. Admittedly, it's difficult to set aside 14yrs of jaded expectations and just listen to the music instead of searching for what isn't there, but given a chance, an impartial listener can see the these gems for what they are; great works of art.

I wouldn't suggest doing anything illegal to hear these songs, I heard them on Youtube a few days before they were pulled upon legal demand, but if you happen to come across a happy hippy friend who has some new GnR tunes that you just "have to hear", by all means, give it a listen; a real, honest, and impartial listen.

However you come across the opportunity to listen to these tracks, don't accept any disks or file swaps, these tracks were stolen and piracy can get you into a place you don't want to be; even Chinese Democracy isn't worth the risk. Just listen to enough to form an opinion and go about your business, so far listening to music isn't illegal.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2008/06/19/review-chinese-democracy.aspx

http://www.timeout.com/chicago/blog/out-and-about/?p=4431

http://www.craveonline.com/articles/music/04650786/guns_n_roses_review_the_chinese_democracy_master_leaks.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Guns_N%27_Roses_members