CD Review Slash- Slash (Written review)

Review: Domonic Rini (Program Director/Co-Host Maximum Threshold Radio Show)

Pre-Overview: the long anticipated solo release from Slash. Slash has been working on this release for some time and has gathered up some old friends and some really great talent and put together this one. From Ian Astbury (The Cult) to Fergie this one is destined to one that many rockers can relate to and cross over to different music avenues. It is very evident that Slash decided to put together a bunch of songs with some of his friends and people that he admires. If you look at this CD as something like that and not something with great expectations as this being Slash’s holy grail. I unfortunately went into this with the attitude of Slash is a guitar god so I want to hear some heavy sleazy stuff. Well this CD does not provide your fix for that Hollywood sleaze factor but a travel through some of today’s biggest stars and their impact in each of the songs. I think I was kinda hard on Slash on this review but like I said, I had expectations of something heavy and something that I will remember and want to listen to over and over. Because it is of course, Slash!

#1 GHOST (feat. Ian Astbury): Before I listened to any of the song on the CD I wanted to see who was featured on the tracks and saw that Ian Astbury was guest singing and I was looking forward to hearing this one. When listening to this one it was a treat, Ian is of course superb in the straight up hard rock setting and really adds to this song. Slash has the driving riff that is steady throughout the song and pulls this one off. Great tune!

#2 Crucify The Dead (feat Ozzy Osbourne): Song starts off on a eerie note with a feel of old Sabbath. I did not really enjoy this one. I was expecting this one to be a very strong stand out song but it did not live up to expectations. Ozzy sounded good but the song just wasn’t good. Maybe I will have to listen to it a few more times.

#3 Beautiful Dangerous (feat Fergie): I was planning on hearing some hard pop song but this song kinda threw me off. It had a weird feel of it and the adding Fergie to the mix was a bit off. She does have a fantastic voice and does indeed compliment this song.

#4 Back from Cali (feat Myles Kennedy): this song gives you a nice steady feel throughout. A lot of emotion was felt listening to the song and it has the drive behind it to really touch you. Great tune!

#5 Promise (feat Chris Cornell): I liked this one. You know what you are getting with Cornell in any song and this one is no different. He and Slash can not go wrong in this one. It has a sorta bluesy feel to it and it does pick up and makes a strong statement. A standout song on this CD.

#6 By The Sword (feat Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother): this song will be stuck in your head. I enjoyed this track. Has a nice Zeppelin feel to it. Nice riff and solo and of course Stockdale’s voice takes the song over the top.

#7 Gotten (feat. Adam Levine of Maroon 5): This song has the smoothness throughout it and would make it on an alternative radio station. You kinda expect this song to be in that mode and it doesn’t disappoint/

#8 Dr. Alibi (Feat Lemmy Kilmister): Here is your straight up hard rock meets punk song. Lemmy really brings this song along and makes the song real easy to follow. Cool tune.

#9 Watch This (feat Dave Grohl and Duff Mckagan): Great buildup in this song, nice solo in the opening break. The riff that starts the song stays prominent throughout the song. I will be humming this one for a while. Nice instrumental tune. Nothing spectacular other than the riff. Oh wait, did I mention that the drums were very strong and really defined in this one. I compliment Grohl on this one!

#10 I Hold On (feat Kid Rock): Nice ballad and has a gospelly (is that a word) rocking feel to it. Pretty cool song. I will definitely give this one a few more listens. I love the Kid Rock vibe to this one. Nice solo and this song actually holds up very well throughout the whole song. This one should be on the radio.

#11 Nothing to Say (feat. M. Shadows): Ah nice song. This on has a steady gallop and M. Shadows does compliment this song. I enjoyed this song. I think this song challenged Slash and it has all the crunch you would expect with the featured artists. Blazing solo in this song and the song holds up through to the end!

#12 Starlight (feat Myles Kennedy): This is a pretty cool tune. Makes you want to get some lemonade and kick it on the front porch and fire up the GTO and make them tires kick the gravel! Great guitar work in this one and the vocals are beyond top notch. This may be their holy grail on this CD.

#13 Saint is a Sinner Too (feat Rocco DeLuca): Ok this tune is a bit different than the rest of the songs and makes an impact in the order. This song is mellow but it sounds really good. Good acoustic riffs. Kinda made me think of watching the Godfather and Pink Floyd’s The Wall.

#14 We’re All Gonna Die (Feat Iggy Pop): I was looking forward to this song and had to fast forward through it because it made me depressed. It was a dragging song. The only positive note was a really cool solo.

#15 Mother Maria (feat. Beth Hart / iTunes Edition): This song has a nice feel to it, it is an uptempo song, definitely not a heavy tune. I sense the Melissa Etheridge influence in this one. Made for airplay.

#15 Chains and Shackles (Feat Nick Oliveri / Australian iTunes version): thank God for Nick! This song is really bad ass! Heavy as hell and in my eyes the absolutely best choreographed song on here. Nick has the opportunity to shine on this one and the song has a lot of strength and it has a heavy hook to it. I had to check and make sure this was really on the Slash CD! Well it is a bonus track on the Australian release. I hope Slash and the label decide to put this on all distro’s versions.

#16 Sahara (feat Koshi Inaba / iTunes Edition): Wow is all I can say about this song! 1 listen and I am totally hooked!

#16 Paradise City (feat Fergie and Cypress Hill/Australian iTunes version): I wanted so bad to like this song. Other than Slash’s riffage this song doesn’t maintain the power that you are so familiar with. Fergie hits the notes but its not a better version. It sounded like a really bad karaoke song! I had to turn the song ¾ the way through it. Sorry Slash, you rock but the song had no gusto to it.

Overall: This CD is pretty cool. Definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. It took a really weird turn. There are a couple of cool tunes on this but for the majority of it, it just didn’t capture the vibe we have all been used of with Slash. At a lot of times the vocals really were much better than the guitar pieces. And that is not a good sign. I would rate this an 8 out of 10. Come on Slash!!! Blow us away, you are phenomenal and please on the next one let it shine! Once again, this CD is a great journey into the music and developmental feeling of Slash and it is still a very creative record. I recommend you to get your hands on this and please seek out the songs that aren’t on the US release, there are some good finds.