CORPORATE LINE: Contraband is a rock & roll song cycle with an eclectic streak and a sonic nerviness. It’s a rock-hard headphones classic for a new generation, reflecting the players’ influences from The Beatles to Refused, and for obvious reasons a little Guns N’ Roses and Stone Temple Pilots too.
THE GREAT:
“Slither” – “Slither” sounds straight from Stone Temple Pilot’s “Core.” STP fans will rejoice in hearing the harder side of Weiland coming back after years and years of waiting.
“Do It For The Kids” – It’s a shame you have to get a minute and a half into the song before you realize it’s not white trash rock. Once Weiland hits the bridge “Do It…” springs to life. This seems to be a reoccurring theme for Weiland as a songwriter.
THE AVERAGE:
“Dirty Little Things” – Typical Weiland-style rock anthem. If the kids can’t make rock then let the old guys back at it.
“Set Me Free” – Tries hard to be something it isn’t. The harmonies don’t sound right without Weiland’s partners from STP who perfectly counterbalanced his vocals.
“Fall To Pieces” – This is out of Weiland’s element. Slash should have sold this song to Axl Rose or Josh Todd (former Buckcherry frontman). It’s a bad heavy metal hair band ballad.
“Illegal I Song” and “Spectacle” – Good hook–bad verses.
“Sucker Train Blues” – Sounds like a bad STP b-side.
“Big Machine” – Straight out of STP’s “Tiny Music” when Weiland was battle his drug-related demons: “All that first class drug sh*t brings me down.”
THE BAD:
“Headspace” and “Superhuman” – This is as pathetic as anything you’d hear from a bad metal band at your local water hole.
FRANKLY: Velvet Revolver is an all-star lineup to band Contraband sounds like a new Stone Temple Pilots record. Where are Slash’s amazing orchestration and out of this world solos? There is a little of Slash in the middle of the album—to bad each of these songs stink. Every song starts out as rough but once you get to the chorus you’re surprised to find its not all bad.
+ Rae Gun
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