One of the problems with the vocals, something I noticed immediately, but let slide (because's it's Axl's thing) is this double and triple vocaling the fucking tracks.

I can't find one single person other than him that likes that shit. Not one.

It makes the vocals sound overproduced, and unbalanced. He started doing that during the Illusions, and believe me, it's still just as stupid sounding now as it was then.

The man has a beautiful voice. I love it. But I would much rather see him go low, mid, then high, as the sound keeps building throughout (think KOHD live), but doing this multi-layered vocal technique just leaves you... why?

After a few listens, instrumentally the song is the strongest it's ever been, but I think the vocals were better on the 2006/07 demos.

Bono wrote:

Well I wonder if the hysteria has dropped a notch or two or three. ... maybe four.   Yesterday I heard Chinese Democracy played 6 times over a  12 hour period on the same station. Today I heard it once over 9 hours.  I wokr out of a truck so the radio is on all day. I called into the radio station today after I heard it and talked with the DJ. He isn't sure whether he likes it or not but he did say without any suggestion from me that he thinks the production is terrible and that if this is the lead single he doesn't have much hope for the album. I told him in my opinion it's not the best song off the album.  Though it does sound better than the leaks I agree with him about the production. I think this is gonna be a real problem with the album.  The DJ said the feedback from their listeners has been not so good. In fact he said alot of people have been calling and e-mailing to say the music sounds pretty good but the vocals and lyrics suck.  To prove his point he actually played a call on air after I hung up where the guy asked "Could you guys play that song again but without the lyrics" Ouch.  I have a buddy who works at the station and he basically said the same. Music is tight, vocals are weak.

Personally I like hearing it on radio. I just find it  amusing that others are actually lsitening to this now. It dos  sound diferent than the standard rock radio stuff which is good I think. But at least here in Central Alberta the reaction from most people seems to be negative. Yesterday it was split from the people I talked to but the more people I've talked to since than the pedulum has definately swung towards the negative side.

I honestly wonder if these people have heard It's So Easy. Just goes to show you that the term "casual fan" is literal. They've probably only heard WTTJ, SCOM, PC, and NR. People assume because he's singing in a deeper voice that he has lost his voice. They're fucking morons though because it's part of his range. It's part of what makes him an impressive singer.

I'm just gonna wait, and go pick my CD up on the day of release.

Old school, just like the previous albums.