Review Summary: Although Libertad does succeed where Contraband fails, and shows a musical progression, the band's recent single, She Builds Quick Machines, carries the sludge of Contraband with it, and nothing is able to fix it perfectly.
The long awaited follow up from 2003's Contraband, Libertad, was promised to be a major musical progression from the sludge featured in Contraband. Contraband had it's flaws, such as neither Slash or Scott Weiland in their comfort zones. Sometimes they sounded like they weren't at home, most noticably with Slash in Sucker Train Blues, and with Scott going a million miles an hour on some songs like Do It For The Kids. Who doesn't remember such lyrics like "Went too fast and outta luck and I don't even give a ***" or "Somebody raped my tapeworm abortion, come on mother***ers and deliver the cow" in Contraband. And that was only one of the problems with Contraband. Let's not forget that Contraband was generic and for a moment, it just seemed like all that Velvet Revolver is was Guns N' Roses with Scott Weiland. Let's not forget about the stupid lyrics in most of the songs as well.
But that's not the case here in Libertad. Now with the overseer of all 5 STP releases, Brendan O' Brien, producing this, of course Scott's gonna sound great, who doesn't know how good of a vocal ability Scott has other than Brendan? Anyways, let's go on with the review.
1. Let It Roll- This is a perfect opener to start with. Kinda leaves off an effect on Libertad similar to the effect Vasoline had for STP's Purple. Sounds just like something you'd hear from the '80s during the glam rock era when bands like Motley Crue, Van Halen, and Poison reigned. Both Scott and Slash seem in their comfort zones here, especially with the Slash solo in this song. Though it be short, it's a good opener, and for once, Velvet Revolver sounds more like Velvet Revolver rather than GNR with Scott Weiland.
2. She Mine- We go a little into a STP type song here with She Mine with lyrics like "I call it love insanity, I call it my reality". Still a good song though, although Slash's solo in this song is short. However, it still doesn't sound like GNR w/ Scott still. It sounds more like STP with different members other than Scott.
3. Get Out The Door- Nothing much to say here except this sounds like another 80's song, just more modern like Let It Roll, but this time it's the negative of Let It Roll. Kinda humorous when Scott says "Like Transformers girl, there's more than meets the eye", I must say.
4. She Builds Quick Machines- Their first single from Libertad, She Builds Quick Machines, sounds more like the stuff that VR did in Contraband. But though it has a great Slash solo, the song reallys brings Libertad down. This sounds more like the sludge in Contraband with stupid lyrics that made no sense,like "Ice cold desert snow" and "I can feel it when you pull straight down, I can feel it when they stood their ground" Even the chorus makes no sense! Another problem with this is that it has a sort of how-now-brown-cow rhyme scheme in this song. Really this song is a filler and it really throws off the balance of the album.
5. The Last Fight- Now we go to the first of 3 ballads in Libertad. The Last Fight makes a major progression from a ballad like Fall to Pieces. Instead of using hard, chugging riffs, it uses some backing vocals and has a mellow mood to it. A better song than that of SBQM.
6. Pills, Demons, & Etc.- You'd think this would be a darker song, but this is surprisingly up tempo, with a great Slash intro. This is one of the songs that was dedicated to the memory of Michael Weiland and Daniel Sorum. They died during the recording of this album from heroin, and this song talks of the demon drug that killed the brother. Again, it shows a musical progression from Contraband.
7. American Man- Scott takes some time to talk of the modern culture of today in American Man. Nothing much to say here, but an okay song. Kinda dull, but nothing noticiably sludgy about the song.
8. Mary Mary- It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who wrote the song or even who it's about. Again, this is one of those songs like that reminds of an '80s glam rock song. Shows a major progression again from Contraband, and this song really shows off Scott's vocal ability. Also, good drum opening from Matt.
9. Just Sixteen- This song is like Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher". This song is surprisingly up tempo, and again sounds like another 80s style glam rock song like I've pointed out, like I don't know, a lot? Anyways, this is a very good song, and this is one of the stand out songs that succeeds where Contraband fails and shows signs of a major musical progression.
10. Can't Get It Out Of My Head- The best ballad of I have ever heard from the band, it's even better than You Got No Right in Contraband. I must applaud Slash in this song, this is the best solo I have heard and some of his greatest work ever. Great song, but it seems familiar to how Contraband's track list was arranged. But nonetheless, it's a great song.
11. For A Brother- This is the other song dedicated to Michael Weiland & Daniel Sorum. But this seems more heartfelt this time around. Good song, nothing much more to say about this.
12. Spay- Again, this is one of the songs that sounds all too familiar to a song from Contraband, Spay sounds more like Dirty Little Thing, but it aims more at the modern Hollywood starlets rather than just at one person with lyrics like "You would rather spite your face than change your life" and it takes a shot at the rappers of today with "The singer sings of diamond things and all excesses". A wonderful song.
13. Gravedancer- A wonderful ending to Libertad. Scott's voice is perfect for this song, and Slash has a great closing solo for this song. But I must say: the country song at the end of this song is kinda humorous. Gravedancer ends like Kitchen Ware & Candy Bars does for STP's Purple. And does anyone know the name of the country song at the end of Gravedancer? Anyways, Gravedancer is a perfect ender.
Improvements in Libertad:
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-Better written lyrics
-Slash is more comfortable in this album
-Scott takes his time on the songs and doesn't try to keep up with the band or go faster than them
-Libertad succeeds where Contraband fails
-Libertad makes a musical progression
The only problem I see in Libertad, production aside, is the musical balance in Libertad. She Builds Quick Machines really threw the balance off, as it went back to the stuff done in Contraband and carried the sludge of it with it. And though with songs like The Last Fight, Can't Get It Out Of My Head, and Just Sixteen attempted to fix and redress the balance, it didn't quite get the job done. Nonetheless, Libertad does a better job musically and is much better than the sludge in Contraband.
Song Ratings
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1. Let It Roll- 5/5
2. She Mine- 4/5
3. Get Out The Door- 4/5
4. She Builds Quick Machines- 2/5
5. The Last Fight- 5/5
6. Pills, Demons, & Etc.- 4/5
7. American Man- 3/5
8. Mary Mary- 5/5
9. Just Sixteen- 5/5
10. Can't Get It Out Of My Head- 5/5
11. For A Brother- 4/5
12. Spay- 5/5
13. Gravedancer- 5/5
Recommendations:
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-Let It Roll
-The Last Fight
-Just Sixteen
-Can't Get It Out Of My Head
-Spay
