A closer look at Chinese Democracy [opinion]

[Note to readers: Given the history of this album, combined with my own feelings on Guns N' Roses, Axl and this album, there was no way I could tackle Chinese Democracy as a straight-forward review, hence the column format. Enjoy...]




Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
Geffen (11/23/08)
Rock

Close to a decade-and-a-half in the making, Guns N' Roses' latest effort, Chinese Democracy, finally hit shelves over the weekend. But even before its release, the album had managed to polarize a listening public.

First off, most of the album had been leaked in some capacity over the past handful of years. Demos or live versions of songs had been traded and posted all over the Internet.

People either loved the songs or hated them. Then again, people were either going to accept or dismiss this album either way, what with frontman Axl Rose being the only original, founding member of the band left, holding down the fort with keyboardist Dizzy Reed and a handful (or more?) of other musicians.