Revisiting “Chinese Democracy”

Now that the furor over Chinese Democracy, the Guns ‘N Roses album that was eighteen years in the making has long since passed with most dismissing it as an abject failure, has long since passed it’s time to revisit it on its own terms minus coloration by the circus that one W. Axl Rose brings with him to whatever he may be connected with at the moment.

And why does it deserve revisiting?

Because it’s a rock masterpiece.

One of the problems many had when considering Chinese Democracy as a singular entity is they wanted Appetite For Destruction II or at least Use Your Illusion III. Not going to happen. The dynamic of Guns ‘N Roses in its original incarnation was the tension between Rose’s musical leanings, which will be explored in a minute, and Slash’s bluesy hard rock. Which he does very well, at least part of the time. But that’s all he does, and apparently is capable of doing. Rose has something more in mind.

Rose is clearly a disciple of ’70s rock, in this going far past the same handful of songs that have long since been played to death on classic rock stations worldwide. Instead, his affection is for the experimentation, the pushing of boundaries that marked the beginning of the decade before it collapsed into the formulaic, bloodless vapidity of arena rock running alongside the cartoonish pseudo-nihilism of punk. Rose’s affection is for an era when pursuit of creativity was honored.

Clearly he is enamored with the piano plus orchestra stylings of early Elton John. “November Rain” said as much. Chinese Democracy expands this across several songs chock-full of unexpected melodic twists. It’s difficult envisioning describing a Guns ‘N Roses album as beautiful. Yet there are several moments which are just that.

Not that Rose had mellowed over the years, mind you. The album snarls far more than it soothes. Rose has obviously paid attention to what’s been going on in hard rock the past decade plus as he’s woven industrial patterns into his crunch. The end result is music that even with the aforementioned affinity with ’70s rock sounds like it was recorded in the current millennium.

Separate what’s gone on before and Rose’s antics over the years from his music today. Chinese Democracy is a true rock masterpiece in an era where such is well nigh impossible to find. Paying homage to its influences while not only connected to the here and now but blowing most everything else away, this album is the real deal. Period.