Velvet Revolver

"Contraband"

Courtesy of Justin Cremer, CO
The concept is neither new nor complicated, but there’s still a certain curiosity factor created by the formation of a so-called “rock supergroup.” Former members of high-profile bands hook up and see if they have any rawk left in them. Or maybe, as cynics might suggest, to eek out a few more years of fame and fortune to recoup what was squandered during years of excess. Undoubtedly a little bit of both brought us Velvet Revolver, although the members would be loath to admit it.
Comprised of former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, the ex-Guns n’ Roses trio of guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum, and former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner, Velvet Revolver aims to prove they are more than the merely the sum of their parts and not just a bunch of burn-outs and fuck-ups whose best days are behind them.
With their powerful debut Contraband they do just that, meeting the hype that has been swirling around the project over the last few years, since it was announced that Slash, McKagan and Sorum had reunited and were auditioning frontmen. From the opening bluesy riffs of “Sucker Train Blues,” it is apparent that the ex-Gunners control the musical direction. 		Weiland’s well-publicized substance-abuse problems and legal run-ins, while almost keeping VR from becoming reality, also provide plenty of introspective lyrics (“getting high, crashing cars and makin’ mistakes”) throughout Contraband.
On the album’s ballads, “Fall to Pieces,” “You Got No Right,” and the closing “Loving the Alien,” Weiland is able to express vulnerability (“I’ve took it farther on the outside/I’ve took it nearly to the brink”) while only occasionally sounding wussy (“Funny right here I find myself/Inside a paper cup”). They are heartfelt without coming of as monster ballads and they provide a reprieve to break up some of the more indistinguishable tracks.

The raw churning, chugging sound of Appetite-era GNR can be heard throughout the album, from the bass and drum-driven power of “Big Machine” to Slash’s “Sweet Child O’ Mine” reprieve on “Loving the Alien.” Just as you are expecting to hear a signature Axl Rose scream, you’re hit with Weiland’s bullhorn-style rumblings and the realization that this is something new and electrifying.
The oft-maligned Weiland proves to be the true star of the album. His ability to alternate between forceful growling and gently groveling is a perfect fit to the driven play of his bandmates, more so than it ever was with the second-rate grunge sound of STP.

Contraband doesn’t break much new ground but it is a solid example of how rock and roll is supposed to look, sound and feel. It is perhaps more than should be suspected given the amount of drugs consumed and years past. And while Scott Weiland may not be Axl Rose, perhaps that is the best compliment he could be given.

After all, Weiland has peaked, hit rock bottom and now resurfaced again in less time than it has taken Axl to produce anything other than the title of the supposed next GNR album. Not only has Velvet Revolver done enough to escape being known only as a “supergroup;” with only one album they have staked their claim as one of the most important bands in rock and roll today.
More information about Velvet Revolver avaliable at: http://www.velvetrevolver.com/index.php

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