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Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I was listening to Street of Dreams, TWAT, Prostitute, Madagascar,CITR...hell I was listening to the album, and I think I may have pinpointed what I find sonically irritating about it.
Granted a majority of these are piano based numbers, but I really keyed in on listening to the guitars.
There is no discernible guitar riffs in any of these songs during the verses.
Axl sings, and there is guitar noodling melody that sometimes is a counter melody to what he is singing, and sometimes it is emphasizing the melody that Axl is singing.
This is not a comment on the talent level of the musicians, but rather if this is what they were told to do, in order to deemphasize the guitar aspect of GNR, in order to add extra emphasis to Axl's voice.
It doesn't work for me. Too much fucking around.
A lack of "riffs" or guitar hooks is frankly what I am finding to be lacking.
Also, and I think CITR and Scraped are the most glaring example of this:
Studio and digital tomfoolery on Axl's voice, bouncing from speaker to speaker at random times to try and cover up the overall thiness of the songs. And that ridiculous piano noise in CITR, why?
The only riff heavy song was Better, with Chinese Democracy faring only slightly better with what Bumble added to it.
I'll keep listening, and see where I stand, don't want to completely write it off, but it's getting close.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I think it's personal prefrence as to if its better or worse but I agree that the guitar parts are limited mostly to melodies lines and solos. That's why in that other thread we had a few weeks ago discussing Death Magnetic vs Chinese Democracy from a guitar point of view I was saying there is far more guitar on DM that would be hard to learn. CD has bursts of incredible and impossible playing but stylisticly it's not a guitar driven sound despite the inclusion of some of the world's most formidible guitar talents.
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I don't think anybody came to the door step of new GN'R looking for guitar riffs. They came for Axl's voice, and possibly piano.
Unless they've been under a rock since 1996.
Even Buckethead, amazing guitarist, he's not a real 'hooky' guitarist. Very technical & complex.
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I think the majority of the public has been under a rock regarding what was going on with this band.
Having heard the leaks, I think they did a better job of capturing the vibe of song more than the finished product did, along with putting the guitar more at the forefront. I think I.R.S. is a perfect example of this.
Amazing guitar work at times, but lacking a hook or the want to get up and do some air guitar. {Not that that's the coolest thing either}
Anyway, thanks for listening, answering, and contributing.
It's getting harder and harder to find people who don't immediately laugh when you bring GnR up.
- mickronson
- Rep: 118
- mickronson
- Rep: 118
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I don't think anybody came to the door step of new GN'R looking for guitar riffs. They came for Axl's voice, and possibly piano.
Unless they've been under a rock since 1996.
Even Buckethead, amazing guitarist, he's not a real 'hooky' guitarist. Very technical & complex.
gagged by gnr rules maybe he is
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
A huge proportion of GNRs fanbase is there because of their love of guitar driven music, not for sampled loops and protooled orchestras. Thats not because they are stuck in 1991 and dont want the band to evolve by the way, just down to particular tastes.
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
A huge proportion of GNRs fanbase is there because of their love of guitar driven music, not for sampled loops and protooled orchestras. Thats not because they are stuck in 1991 and dont want the band to evolve by the way, just down to particular tastes.
well thats my opinion anyway..hell even for VR my mind is trained on the music most of the time...its a rarity where i ever focus totally on vocals....for me the music speaks and the vocals are a background noise that floats in and out of my consciousness, i rarely even read the lyrics tbh...Chinese Democracy was a rarity that i did read the lyrics and that was only because i was compiling the info for our discography
If i had a say on a tune...lets say "Better" i'd cut out alot of vocal shit and the synth and instead of the "no one ever told me when i was alone" backing vocal shit....i'd let the guitars shine through..I think it would make the song a whole lot different 
the 80's metallica shit...8 minute songs with 2 minutes of vocals..thats what i'm talkin about 
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
It would be interesting to see if it comes across more rocky when they play more of the new songs live. Stuff like SR - could be all keyboard or they could really hammer the tars out...be interesting....
I think even old GNR is like that a bit. Like on AFD - stuff like MR Brownstone is a lot rockier live than it comes over on the record. Just the volume and power of the guitars I guess.
