satisfied with leaks

[the best of me]

from the leaks we have heard....better ( studio)..there was a time ( studio )..irs ( studio)...would you be happy if they were the finished product ....you know thats how they will sound on the album.....

[dykwtfya]

that better not be the finished product, i want at least 12 tracks on this album  

[The Spaghetti Incident?]

from the leaks we have heard....better ( studio)..there was a time ( studio )..irs ( studio)...would you be happy if they were the finished product ....you know thats how they will sound on the album.....

Catcher In The Rye

Yes, we all know they're studio, no reason to point them out, and no, I would not be happy with it, they're all from different era's, Better being the most recent, obviously.

[ndcrazy8]

No - I would not be happy if they were finished product....  The mix is not great on any of the tracks....  I'm sure that Axl would mix these in the studio before releasing...

[MaggotEater]

No - I would not be happy if they were finished product....  The mix is not great on any of the tracks....  I'm sure that Axl would mix these in the studio before releasing...

Same here.  The vocals in TWAT don't seem to be mixed right.  Well, at least Axl's voice.  The chorus is fine, but his vocals seem to low.  Also, if you listen to the 99 demo of IRS and the new one it would be great if they could actually improve on it just a little bit more.  Better seems like it is done though.  I don't know if changing that tune would make it better.  Maybe working with the mix a little more, but as for changing parts or anything that one is gold as far as I'm concerned.  

What I'm dying to find out is if Checkmate is going to be on it.  Those 16 seconds are actually pretty good if that actually is GNR.  I guess we will find out eventually.

[RyanRose]

I think this is one of the main problems on message boards. We either don't want to upset people or can't be arsed to debate. I am a fan of the leaks but lets be realistic.

1. I.R.S- Is it trying to hard to be old gnr. Also the use of the metaphor IRS doesn't make a create lyrical statement.

2. Better- Love this track but it is a bit pop/metal.

3. TWAT- It should have a solo to compete with November Rain then it would be complete.

4. CITR- A great song but seems to be 45 secs/1 min longer than it should be. I see why Brian May want it released soon after it was  recorded.

So bring on the flaming

[Jerman]

I love all the nwe songs, but if we look at the leaks...
1. i was never a huge fan of IRS, it grew on me in time but it has no potential comparing to other Guns N'Roses songs... this is a song that people will say: we've been waiting for this for 10 years? i like it but general public will think it's just another average song...
2. Better is the greatest... i don't think it's pop/metal, i think it's the best Guns N'Roses can offer... this is a song that can stand aside Paradise City, Welcome To The Jungle or You Could Be Mine...
3. Catcher In The Rye is a great song, nothing special in guitar since you've all been pointing out that Brian May is there... i can't feel it...
i love the song, it could be a hit but comparing it to The Blues and Madagascar, the last two are better...
4. There Was A Time could be a bit shorter but the solos are great... this will be another huge Guns N'Roses hit...

but lyrically i think all songs are more than fantastic... If you look at the whole thing a new band did a fucking amazing job...

my opinon of course ...

[RyanRose]

glad to see someone actualy has an opinion and not just "i love the new songs"

 

[sweetbreakdown]

If the record will have Chinese Democracy, IRS, Catcher in the Rye, Madagascar, Better, TWAT n' The Blues it's already half way to be the best GN'R record ever! Imagine the other tracks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh My God!!!!!!!

[sunnyp]

I dont like the drum loop at the begining of TWAT. Sounds rubbish. I think that Brain playing a Mr Bstone style intro (so that it is fitting with the song) and a guitar with a wah effect playing the xylophone part. From there the slide into the whole instruments, vocals and orchestra. That would sound awesome. The solo after about 4.5 mins is one of the best I have ever heard.

I dont think Chinese democracy has a long enough solo. Needs a longer intro. I like the energy and aggression in it. I think that during the verse' Axl could put a megaphone effect on his voice, that would sound superb IMO.

IRS sounds really good IMO. My favourite of all the leaks.

Better: Most amazing lyrics, the instrumental parts are repetitive and boring.

I can see how Axl is trying to cover all the bases on this album: Something for everyone.

[The Spaghetti Incident?]

There Was A Time and The Blues are the only ones I've heard that really deserve to be on Chinese Democracy, both power ballads, but I have no problem with that. They both have alot of power, lyrically, and the music in both is amazing, although, TWAT could use some more lyrics throughout the song, it sounds like a Buckethead instrumental afterwards, which is perfectly fine by me..

[goliathPL]

Leaks sound GOOD, but some sound rough.

My personal feeling - there's a one note mistune in Robin's Better solo, which he avoids on live gigs, but its present on the record. Although you really can get used to it and even start to like it, hence I think this may have been 100% intentional.

And omfg why didn't anyone tell me CITR is such an amazing song?
I've heard it just recently and I'm in love with the brilliant melody.


Let's face it - this will be the album we'll be cheering,rocking or crying listening to for the next couple of years.

[_God_]

Ik think in Better the parts "Now I know you better
You know I'd know better..." should be sung by Axl as in the live versions

then it will be even better   [/i]

[goliathPL]

But back to the subject. On the new songs:

I.R.S. - this one is weirdest, but I like the ascending power chords played up until the main chorus verse, when it rocks with a nice riff. Strong solo.

T.W.A.T. - yes this is the song that could be compared to November Rain, but will not beat it. It has a beautiful short solo by Robin + acoustic guitar in the background, and Buckethead's godly guitar touch at the end, i.e. a powerful solo.
The thing I DONT LIKE in this song is Robin's following Axl's line with exact guitar notes. He does that VERY OFTEN, also in live gigs, and it MAY become IRRITATING.

Madagascar - melodic, I like Martin Luter King's speech with Bucketheads (RIR III) solo. Sweet.

Blues - the same as Maddy. Robin solo is very nice.

I really DON'T enjoy listening to Oh My God and Silkworms.

CITR - beautiful, period.

Better - power chords at their best, interesting riffs, its nice to hear something different that the always boring standard riffing.

GNR will release an album with the fame only few bands are able to reach - Queen, Scorpions, Pink Floyd. Always among the greatest.

[Zephyrus]

The songs won't sound like that entirely. The studio versions will have changed a great deal since those demos, the vocals in particular. Also listen to the live versions of the new songs- I.R.S has an extra guitar solo, Better has some new synths (just before the "I never wanted you to be so full of anger..." bit) and T.W.A.T has a choir voice opening. Expect the finished verions to be similiar in structure but more impressive sounding.

[Robbie]

Twat although it's a great song with an amazing solo at the end, is still missing something!!!

[chineseroses]

Twat although it's a great song with an amazing solo at the end, is still missing something!!!

i think the solo kinda needs to get to the point quickly, after a while i feel it kinda drags on, more vocals would help IMO

As for the rest:
IRS, the worst lyrically, "gunna need the irs, gunna get the fbi" these are poor lyrics, doesnt sound threatening enough. also i feel the song gets old really quickly.

Better: great song, at first i thought it had a shit intro, but now i can just see the intro being a SCOM-esq trademark.

CITR - great song, if im in the mood, drums need to be louder. apart from that good song. its better if you listen to Imsorry's remarster.

[goliathPL]

i think the solo kinda needs to get to the point quickly, after a while i feel it kinda drags on, more vocals would help IMO

As for the rest:
IRS, the worst lyrically, "gunna need the irs, gunna get the fbi" these are poor lyrics, doesnt sound threatening enough. also i feel the song gets old really quickly.

Better: great song, at first i thought it had a shit intro, but now i can just see the intro being a SCOM-esq trademark.

CITR - great song, if im in the mood, drums need to be louder. apart from that good song. its better if you listen to Imsorry's remarster.

as for Better, yes the intro is very nice and simple - exactly like SCOM. But in my opinion, it should be more badass & dirty - like in live gigs. Also, the weird whisper-like Axl's voice in the intro before the kick in, initially made me think..."wtf?". And the second time I heard it, everything was fine :-)

[axlstwin]

IRS- Dont like the lyrics as much as the others... apart from that I really like it, musically!!!

Better- Ive never much like the chorus/intro "Noone ever told me when i was alone, they just thought id know better, better" doesnt sound that great to me. Its amazing apart from that but i dunno why, but that part bugs me a little.

TWAT- I dont have a problem with it at all...its got good melodies, good lyrics.... but it doesnt really GRAB my attention like IRS and Better do, even though I can find fault with them

Catcher- Very good if a little old sounding.

Madagascar- My favourite.

The Blues- Very good as well.

C.D- Good... I think someone said above the solo needs work...Ill agree with that.

[yemabef]

I think There Was A Time is great, the guitar work's fine and the way the song shifts gear after about 2 minutes is a cool touch. That and Catcher In The Rye are my favourites from the leaks, and there's not much I'd want different on the album versions. Catcher I suppose reminds me most of Yesterdays, and as for specific positives it's got the punchy guitar work before the choruses going for it, a bouncing offbeat rhythm throughout and some fantastic melodies. Oh and the keyboard interlude fits well.

I guess I don't particularly like the electronic bits in the intros to TWAT and IRS. I'm probably just too loyal to the raw AFD sound to be won over easily by that stuff but I generally dislike those kinds of bells and whistles in rock music anyway. I wish the IRS drums were raw throughout instead of that computerised sound that kicks in at the start and a few places during the song. It fits better in TWAT so I'm less concerned there, especially as the song really builds well from that start.

IRS and Better are both good but they almost feel... too structured? Is that a valid complaint? Better just kind of plods its way through various sections - all of which sound VERY good, don't get me wrong - and listening to the great old GNR hard rock songs and the way so many of them feel like they're on some mad adrenaline rush from start to finish driven by sheer momentum, I guess I just see myself tiring of the rockier tracks among the new songs quickly if they're all like this. Personal taste maybe, I know a lot of people have been impressed by Better in particular, so what do I know? Well I do know it isn't another Paradise City as someone earlier suggested. No freakin' way    Oh and the intro/outro thing is weak. Overall, good song though. Maybe the final version will improve and cut out some of the weaker points. It has a lot of potential and is still good as is.

IRS is a strong song, I can imagine it as a single at some point, but the lyrics in the "Gonna call the president" etc. section feel somewhat stilted, like the lines don't quite fit the music ("gonna get........... *makes coffee* .....the IRS"), and again the song doesn't carry that adrenaline rush that grabs you by the balls like, say, WTTJ or Nightrain or any of the old straight-forward rockers that just literally kicked every other band's asses back in '87.

I know, I know, 'why make more of the same?', 'the band should be moving on and not just rehashing past successes' etc. I agree. I'm just saying what I prefer, and if they made AFD II, even if that was 'artistically less fulfilling' or something, I'd still be happier listening to it so there   Afterall, it's that sound that got me into the band and I'm not apologising for what I like and don't like. To be honest I was hoping Chinese Democracy, in whatever form it took, would come along and wipe the smiles off the faces of all those emo bands in the same way that AFD burst out of nowhere and dominated the crap out of everything, and so far I'm not convinced, so there. Maybe it still will, but I can only comment on the demos and bootlegs and I don't claim to be doing anything more. If this new stuff was good enough to win me over in the same way that AFD and the UYI material did I wouldn't have brought it up.

Final thoughts on IRS: I'll add that I really like the guitar work, especially around 3:13 when it briefly echoes Bends-era Radiohead. Maybe.

One song that's grown on me a lot's Chinese Democracy. It's hard-hitting, sounds good (unlike Silkworms or Rhiad... *shudder*) and packs a punch in a short while without overstaying its welcome. Reminds me a little of It's So Easy. And yes, I'd prefer an It's So Easy-style production sound because I'm an asshole that way who refuses to let go of his precious AFD. Sue me.

The Blues is "nice." As a closer or near-closer (e.g. track 12 before Catcher In The Rye, which could close the album quite well I guess) it could work. Like I say, a "nice" song, and I can certainly appreciate it's merits. Looking forward to the final cut.

Madagascar's alright, the sound clips work well and have a sense of rising momentum to them. Again, looking forward to hearing the final cut on the album. There's potential there. It doesn't help the only recording I've got of this isn't that great in terms of sound quality, I'll probably go get something better at the weekend seeing as there's plenty of versions just a few clicks away from this page that'll do a better job.

Overall I like the songs individually to varying degrees, I guess I just don't see it hanging together as a tight album yet. I can't quite picture all of those songs working together as a unit in the space of 13 tracks and having the album flow all that well. I'll have faith in the ones we haven't heard yet to do the job in making it happen.

The fact that I'm not really too sick of any of the demos / live bootlegs yet after fairly extensive listening is a good thing in my books. The fact that persistent listening hasn't seen them grow on me the way the old GNR stuff did when I first bought it (pretty recently compared to a lot of people here, don't mistake me for some nut who grew up on GNR and defends their old stuff to the bitter end - I was probably 4 when UYI I and II came out   ) however somewhat counters that. At least I feel confident Chinese Democracy won't suck. It just might disappoint me a little at first given how long it's taken to arrive if the demos etc. are anything to go by.

[goliathPL]

"Better" is structured, but it's not built on the linkin-park-clone-heavy-boring-riffs, it has a kind of swing in it, which I always connect with Robin's style of play.

[MaggotEater]

Also, here is another way to look at what we have heard so far.  This is over 10 years later.  Even though the band hasn't released anything for ages it doesn't mean they didn't exist.  The whole time they were writing songs and in 10 years things will evolve.  When I first heard them I wasn't shocked at how they sounded.  It is sort of what I expected GNR to sound like a decade later.

I know it's going to happen when CD is released.  Reviewers are going to bitch about how it sounds totally different.  Well, if it sounded like it did in 87 they will complain that they haven't evolved at all and need to get out of the 80's.  Catch 22 for Axl and crew.