The world spends on its Axl

So the eternal question- what will come first, the release of Guns n' Roses' Chinese Democracy or a democratic revolution in China- has been answered. Nowadays, the Guns of Guns n' Roses represents the hired guns Axl brings in to replace Slash, Duff, Izzy, etc, while the Roses part, of course, represents frontman and resident egomaniac/ musical genius Axl Rose. You'd think that the conflicts and the 17-year delay horrorstories that shade the album would foreshadow something like a musical 4o,000-car trainwreck. Well, actually, it's really good.

I mean, it's not something that screams "Timeless Masterpiece", but it is really good. The songs are good. They are catchy and well-written. The sound is vast and powerful. It sounds like something pieced together over 17 years, but it flows seamlessly. The rockers rock, the power ballads are pretty. When it wants to be poppy and catchy, it's poppy and catchy. There's nothing ironic or unintentional about this album's pleasures. This album is a great album. Period.