didn't see this one here, but i saw it on another forum. enjoy.
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment … 1-sun.html

It's been said that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

And maybe -- just maybe -- the greatest trick Axl Rose ever pulled was convincing the world Chinese Democracy was never coming out.

Think about it: Had Rose slapped together a disc 10 years ago, few would have cared about a Guns N' Roses album with virtually no members of GN'R on it. But by vanishing from the scene, holing up in studio after studio, treating his bandmates like chattel, and control-freakishly tweaking these songs for more than a decade, he told the world he was building something monumental on no one else's terms. And by withholding it for year after year, he turned it into the mythical Holy Grail of rock: The Most Wanted Album in Music History.

Everyone thought he was nuts. Turned out he knew exactly what he was doing. Listening to Chinese Democracy, you can hear -- and appreciate -- how much time went into these songs. Nearly every one of these 14 cuts is a massive epic crammed with umpteen parts, endless twists and turns, and layer upon layer of overdubs: A Great Wall of guitars from Bumblefoot, Buckethead and others, sure, but also electronica beats and loops, horns, strings, choirs, sound effects, you name it. And, amazingly, it all works: Instead of a bloated, indecisive, self-indulgent mess, Rose -- whose corroded, Joplin-esque shriek is still capable of shattering glass -- has created an audacious, over-the-top masterpiece that almost justifies all the years and money and mayhem and hype.

And, to give the devil his due, that's a helluva trick in itself.

Chinese Democracy 4:41

Fade in on a haunting Asian melody, whispering voices and ominous arpeggios -- and cut to a buzzsaw guitar riff, a swaggering beat and snarled lyrics about power and control. After 17 years, what are Axl's first words? "It don't really matter ... All I got is precious time." So there.

Shackler's Revenge 3:35

Axl's fascination with electronica asserts itself here as he fuses squiggly keyboards and modem-shriek stabs with hard-chugging guitars and a serpentine beat. Call in GN'R V 2.0.

Better 5:00

Opening with a sing-songy falsetto vocal, a pulsing melody and a beatbox, this seems to be a ballad -- until it kicks into a surging mid-tempo electro-rocker. Now we know better.

Street of Dreams 4:46

Cue the strings: Now it's time for the big, lushly orchestrated grand-piano power ballad -- aka the disc's November Rain. Axl's throaty warbling takes some getting used to, but it works.

If the World 4:50

Can Axl be funky? Apparently, yes -- judging by the Philly soul strings, hip-hop backbeat and wah-wah chicken-scratch licks on this groovy slow-roller. Extra points for the flamenco guitar.

There Was a Time 6:38

An orchestra and choir merge with a beatbox and shuddering, distorted guitars, while Rose waxes nostalgic over an old flame. We presume the tune's acronym is not an accident.

Catcher in the Rye 5:53

Another piano-driven slow-burner set to a gently funky groove and topped with existential lyrics inspired by Salinger. Honestly, this is the only song here that doesn't quite cut it.

Scraped 3:27

An a cappella intro leads into a punchy rocker a la Welcome to the Jungle -- but topped with intricate duelling vocals about how Axl is "unstoppable." No kidding.

Riad N' the Bedouins 4:10

Bedouins? We have no idea what the hell Rose is on about. But the thundering tom-toms and -- sorry, N' -- hard-driving funk guitars are the real stars of the show anyway.

Sorry 6:12

Axl broods through this lethargically slow waltz, blasting an ex (or perhaps an ex-bandmate?) with lines like: "You talk too much / You say I do / Difference is nobody cares about you." Ouch.

I.R.S. 4:30

Returning to the slinky, slow-grinding rock, Rose enlists the president, a PI, the IRS and the FBI to catch a woman who's cheating on him -- or perhaps her taxes. Still, killer chorus.

Madagascar 5:39

Plummy horns and shivering strings, a grandly sweeping landscape, a mid-song audio collage that samples both Martin Luther King and Cool Hand Luke -- Rose pulls out all the stops here.

This I Love 5:34

One last yearning, richly orchestrated piano ballad for the girls -- and the Queen fans in the crowd. Surprisingly, but wisely, Axl keeps the studio trickery to a minimum.

Prostitute 6:12

And one last bombastic, even more richly orchestrated electro-rocker for the boys. "Why I would choose / To prostitute myself / To live with fortune and shame?" asks Axl. Translation: Don't hold your breath for the sequel.

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GUNS N' ROSES

Chinese Democracy

Rock

Sun Rating: 5 out of 5

What a great day.  I still have trouble believing this is actually happening.  It was such a weird feeling peeling off the packaging and putting the cd in my cd player.  I actually have a physical, retail copy of Chinese Democracy.  Wow.  Its gonna be hard to focus on anything else today. 

Oh and russtcb... I cracked up reading your post.  Enjoy your Sunday morning whiskey!

great topic.  i absolutely love bumble's contributions to CD and to the band in general.  some of my favorite parts of the record are his additions. its like a combination of sleaze and madness. his shackler's solo is out of this world, in my opinion.  i actually dig the riad one too, which seems highly controversial at the moment.  anyways, i hope bumble sticks around for a really long time.

wow.  this is not meant to be critical, but i'm glad that my ears must not be trained enough to hear all these mistakes.  to me the record sounds really good.  i was actually surprised by how cohesive it sounded

its wild because even songs that i wasn't particularly excited about when i heard the demos (if the world, irs, maddy), i am really enjoying the final versions of.  there's not a single song on this record that i don't like.  maybe my excitement will die off after i've listened to it more, but right now i'm more than pleased with the final product.

i really think prostitute and sorry should be the next singles.  i would probably go in that order too.