good so far....love the ramshackle vibe...classic Paul.:peace:

a ballad with balls?:haha:.......I sort of prefer the Rio 2001 version as well but don't think it has "balls". I just like the quicker, more stripped down pace.

Bright Eyes, here is what Fricke said...don't have a scan

"Three big, dark, snarling new songs from the longest-awaited album ever."

"'Chinese Democracy is nearly here - based on these nine tracks, reportedly in final mastered form - and its deeply weird, in epic-reach and fuck-your-expectation ways that make me want to hear the whole thing pronto, in something better than this pinched-digital fidelity.  Of the new songs, "Rhiad and the Bedouins" is the closest to the snarling-guitar rumpus of Appetite for Destruction.  "If the World" and a third, untitled number are - like the previously leaked "There Was a Time" - midtempo, big production orgies, the former with a dusky Seventies-R&B flair, the latter cresting in an hammering chorus with singer Axl Rose at the peak of his shriek.  The effect is bleak and brawling, like Elton John's Madman Across the Water reset in a ravaged hard-rock Hollywood."    - David Fricke

James, David Wild from Rolling Stone said it sounded like Led Zep remixed by Trent Reznor.....I personally hear some of that in Maddy,Rhiyad, and Irs. David Fricke from Rolling Stone just gave the leaks a great review as well saying it sounded like a modern day Sunset Strip "Madman Across The Water" (a classic Elton John album). I agree with their take on the leaks-but that is JUST me. Just because Tommy says something is epic and earth shattering doesn't mean I agree with him.....but then again he just may have heard the other 30 purported tracks that exist that we have no idea about. I believe he was involved pretty heavily in the project.:cool: Now, as I have said before and will say again, earth shattering and epic to Tommy is anything more than 4 minutes with more than bass, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and drums.....he is from a very minimalist background. What don't you understand about that? And to Fortus' comment, name me one hard rock group out there today that could pull off the diversity in the leaks we have heard? Seriously, nobody is doing all that stuff because most modern singers aren't that eclectic...just talking hard rock here. What band is playing solos like Bucket's shit on the radio today? Nickelback-puhhhlease? The fact that he could pull off a Simply Red track then flip to something as nasty and angry as Silkworms tells me something.  I am standing my ground on this issue James and we will go toe to toe till the cows come home. Personally, I read so many critics reviews and other bands reviews of their forthcoming albums that I really only focus on what I think.