Apocalyptic Love FAN reviews

Gibbo

Axlin12 wrote:

My objective review:
Slash feat. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators: Apocalyptic Love (2012)
1. Apocalyptic Love
--- Track starts off in typical, groovy Slash style. Chorus is nice, Myles sings
in the lower register there. Higher parts are serviceable, not much Slash
guitar work going on during those parts. Slower breakdown is very nice
vocally, and guitar-wise. Solo is okay, nothing magical. Feels more like a
mid-album track, not an opener. Decent, nothing more, nothing less.
Very Snakepit.
2. One Last Thrill
--- Awesome rockin' opening. Myles nasal rap is irritated, especially over
Slash's great guitar. Myles continues to sing nasal, throwing you out of
Slash's guitar work. Chorus is very forgettable. Slash's guitar solo is
absolutely awesome. Very impressed, and I liked it better than ApLove.
Then Myles comes in and zaps you back out of the moment. Nice riffs,
great energy, great solo, Myles sucks balls.
3. Standing In The Sun
--- Fuckin' awesome Locomotive meets Rocket Queen opening. Myles sounds
awesome in the lower register. Very catchy immediately. Chorus is
awesome. A true follow up to the songs of Slash & Myles on Slash 2010.
Breakdown section with Myles is fucking terrible and unnecessary. Slash's
guitar and the following solo more than make up for it though.
Awesomeness. Riffs at the end are great. Best song on the album so far.
4. You're A Lie
--- Great opening, dig it, very catchy. Guitars go limp for Myles, but Myles
carries it. Great chorus. Myles is superior here, shows what he CAN BE
capable of when he works it right. Songs reminds me of very early Alter
Bridge. Myles goes nasal before the solo which is weak. Slash's solo is
okay, nothing spectacular. Riffs are decent. Chorus is what you take
away. Myles, for the most part, is the shining star here. Outro is a bit
better guitar-wise.
5. No More Heroes
--- Open is okay, then suddenly turns into a soft ass version of Metallingus.
Chorus is weak, melody is non-existant. Slash's guitar is unemotive.
Solo is good, and very tasty. Too bad the song isn't.
6. Halo
--- Nasal Myles immediately ruins any momentum, chorus is fucking
horrendous mainly because of Myles. Lyrics are garbage unless you're a
big Danger Danger fan. Solo is fuckin' awesome.
Slash is on fire briefly. Then back to shit.
7. We Will Roam
--- Forgettable, for a multitude of reasons. Guitar outro is decent. Next.
8. Anatasia
--- I immediately fell in love with this one (love Flamenco guitar).
Guitar instantly makes you think "this is the best thing Slash has done
since GN'R". Myles nasal vocals comes in and starts to crap on it, but his
melody is so strong the song holds. Then the chorus kicks in and is
instantly memorable. Slash's amazing guitar work continues
to be MIND-BLOWING. The entire second half might be the greatest
thing Slash has ever done in his entire career!
9. Not For Me
--- Starts off moody and nice. Myles sounds good low like this. It grabs you
from the start. I like the drums on this one. Slash's slow guitar has a very
emotional aspect unlike earlier tracks on the album. Lyrics are nice.
Myles sounds decent. Decent song.
10. Bad Rain
--- Decent, like Myles voice here. Kinda getting a bit bored here,
album seems to be getting repetive. Slash's guitar work is nice.
Nice little soloing pieced in the song. Mostly forgettable tho.
11. Hard & Fast
--- Hard and forgettable
12. Far and Away
--- Nice slow, moody ballad with some blues-isms. Myles sounds great,
and Slash's guitar has a Santana-vibe. Real big easy. Fantastic solo.
Outro has a bit of a "Street of Dreams"-feel ironically.
13. Shots Fired
--- Shades of My Michelle in the intro. Nice riffage. Great riffs from Slash.
Chorus is forgettable. Myles isn't horrible, but like I said is forgettable.
Another great solo from Slash. On fuckin' fire. Songs unfortunately
is a B-side rocker.
14. Carolina
--- Love the bluesy opening, Slash sounds great. Myles sounds like crap.
Melody is limp, kinda forced sounding. Solo is weak. Riffs and groove are
the driving force. Obvious cutting room floor bonus track, nothing more.
15. Crazy Life
--- Guitar riffs once again are good. Myles comes in and sucks. Melody is
okay. Lyrics are very cliche, but on a melodic rock-level they're decent.
Solo is too brief, but decent.

Overall:
Slash was looking for the follow up to Slash, his self-titled 2010 non-band marketed guest-star laden first official solo album, but what he got was more like Snakepit III with hints of VR III. Although some tracks seemed like sequels to the Myles Kennedy-fronted tracks Back From Cali & Starlight, mainly "Standing In The Sun, "You're A Lie" & "Anastasia", most of the tracks feature Slash is prime form instrumentally, and technically the most proficient we've ever heard him. But like the first Snakepit album It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, somewhere the actual song is missing. Let's get it clear though, these more recent Slash solo efforts are without a doubt superior to his Snakepit albums, even this one. Much more cogent.
Kennedy is largely a hit and miss vocalist. When he hits, he's without a doubt the most unique and talented hard rock throwback singer in the modern rock scene today, but when he misses he's the stuff American Idol gag reels are made of. Regardless Kennedy seems like a good dude that is great with fans, tries to work an audience (although he's not Axl Rose or Scott Weiland at that... yet), Kennedy seems to be humbled by his job, and just glad to be alongside a Rock N' Roll Hall of Famer on stage rocking Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, and downright Slash fans across the globe.
Like most Slash releases if you take a few tracks from the release, and hold it up to the sun, it will glimmer with a golden shine, but Slash unfortunately fails to provide a worthy follow-up to his 2010 release. Slash himself always impresses and seems to get better as a player, but actual whole songs... short of a few tracks, I doubt i'll return to this record again.

Rating: 2.75/5 - Fair
Top tracks: Standing In The Sun, You're A Lie, Anastasia
Honorable mentions: Not For Me, Far and Away

Nice review but how many times have you listen to it

Intercourse

Ok so you're Slash's manager....when this album / tour cycle is over then what..?

For me... here's what I'd be putting on the table. of course I'm goofing off work and just dreaming so...

A rock album with famed rock vocalists: Scott, Dave Grohl, Mike Patton, Seb Bach, Caleb Followill, Corey Taylor,

An instrumentals album..very like U2s Passengers...just get lost in sound scapes..

A 70's style bluesy guitar album written with Izzy guesting Chris Robinson, Lenny Kravitz, Adelle, Jack White, Stephen Tyler, Joe Cocker & Van Morrison.

An unplugged album featuring: Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Norah Jones, Chris Cornell, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, & Robert Plant.

I can but dream and I don't believe even Bob Geldof could make some of the artists above work with Slash..

Gibbo

I would love to see him with mike patton or the singer out of butterfly effect but i just cant see him leaving myles EVER sad they seem like they get on to well

Axlin16

Intercourse wrote:

Ok so you're Slash's manager....when this album / tour cycle is over then what..?
For me... here's what I'd be putting on the table. of course I'm goofing off work and just dreaming so...
A rock album with famed rock vocalists: Scott, Dave Grohl, Mike Patton, Seb Bach, Caleb Followill, Corey Taylor,
An instrumentals album..very like U2s Passengers...just get lost in sound scapes..
A 70's style bluesy guitar album written with Izzy guesting Chris Robinson, Lenny Kravitz, Adelle, Jack White, Stephen Tyler, Joe Cocker & Van Morrison.
An unplugged album featuring: Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Norah Jones, Chris Cornell, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, & Robert Plant.
I can but dream and I don't believe even Bob Geldof could make some of the artists above work with Slash..

Slash might go back to guest work, but as far as "official Slash releases" go, he and Myles are gonna be a tag team for some time. That decision has been made.

Personally?

I love Slash, and have wanted for YEARS for him to do an instrumental album.

What I would really think would be cool is instead of sculpting all songs to be standard rocks, intro, riffs, solo, outro solo, done.

Is if Slash got into soundtracks. Like think if Slash hooked up with Dave Kushner, and did a full soundtrack for like, Sons of Anarchy (not sure if you're aware of that show where you're at).

So like Slash & Dave hook up, with maybe Izzy, and hammer out a blues-rock meets ambient-western sound with California sun themes, for a dark-oriented biker gang TV show.

Some songs are just ambient, blues-rock, bar rock, Renegade-type songs, which a couple (not all) having the door opened for guest vocalists like Bob Seger, or Joe Cocker or Van Morrison or Springsteen or Joe Walsh or Ian Astbury, but like I said... it's mostly an instrumental soundtrack album. And even the vocals aren't always FULL vocals on a song. Sometimes it might just be one chorus part, and the rest is just instrumental.

THAT is what I would die for.

gibbo wrote:

Nice review but how many times have you listen to it

Dude this album is not a grower for me. Me listening to Myles over and over is not gonna change my opinion on Myles. Believe me, i've tried. I've listened to Live In Stoke over and over, I saw the two of them live in person, I listened to the Myles tracks on Slash 2010, I even tried to listen to the entire Alter Bridge back catalog.

I just don't dig the guy all that much.

Slash of course, is a fucking beast on this album like always. He's awesome. But SLASH chose to try to make WHOLE SONGS, and not just guitar songs, like an instrumental album. And that hurts him overall. Because judging this album on Slash's merits, right now it's a fuckin' 4.5/5, if not higher.

But taking Myles into consideration, choruses, melodies, lyrics, tone, the whole package.

Myles prescence, and actual vocal spoken words brings the package down overall in rating. I have never felt that Slash works with talented enough vocalists to do full song albums as a solo artist, and that hurts him.

I've felt for years that Slash should do like Bucket, and just record instrumental solo albums, no different than Satriani or Vai. Because based on Slash alone, not only is he good, he's gotten more proficient, and just the guitar work on Anastasia alone is the best thing since his work on Sweet Child (the Elan song), and possibly the best thing he's done since Guns instrumentally.

Gibbo

Axlin12 wrote:

Intercourse wrote:
Ok so you're Slash's manager....when this album / tour cycle is over then what..?
For me... here's what I'd be putting on the table. of course I'm goofing off work and just dreaming so...
A rock album with famed rock vocalists: Scott, Dave Grohl, Mike Patton, Seb Bach, Caleb Followill, Corey Taylor,
An instrumentals album..very like U2s Passengers...just get lost in sound scapes..
A 70's style bluesy guitar album written with Izzy guesting Chris Robinson, Lenny Kravitz, Adelle, Jack White, Stephen Tyler, Joe Cocker & Van Morrison.
An unplugged album featuring: Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Norah Jones, Chris Cornell, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, & Robert Plant.
I can but dream and I don't believe even Bob Geldof could make some of the artists above work with Slash..
Slash might go back to guest work, but as far as "official Slash releases" go, he and Myles are gonna be a tag team for some time. That decision has been made.

Personally?

I love Slash, and have wanted for YEARS for him to do an instrumental album.
What I would really think would be cool is instead of sculpting all songs to be standard rocks, intro, riffs, solo, outro solo, done.
Is if Slash got into soundtracks. Like think if Slash hooked up with Dave Kushner, and did a full soundtrack for like, Sons of Anarchy (not sure if you're aware of that show where you're at).
So like Slash & Dave hook up, with maybe Izzy, and hammer out a blues-rock meets ambient-western sound with California sun themes, for a dark-oriented biker gang TV show.
Some songs are just ambient, blues-rock, bar rock, Renegade-type songs, which a couple (not all) having the door opened for guest vocalists like Bob Seger, or Joe Cocker or Van Morrison or Springsteen or Joe Walsh or Ian Astbury, but like I said... it's mostly an instrumental soundtrack album. And even the vocals aren't always FULL vocals on a song. Sometimes it might just be one chorus part, and the rest is just instrumental.

THAT is what I would die for.

gibbo wrote:
Nice review but how many times have you listen to it
Dude this album is not a grower for me. Me listening to Myles over and over is not gonna change my opinion on Myles. Believe me, i've tried. I've listened to Live In Stoke over and over, I saw the two of them live in person, I listened to the Myles tracks on Slash 2010, I even tried to listen to the entire Alter Bridge back catalog.
I just don't dig the guy all that much.

Slash of course, is a fucking beast on this album like always. He's awesome. But SLASH chose to try to make WHOLE SONGS, and not just guitar songs, like an instrumental album. And that hurts him overall. Because judging this album on Slash's merits, right now it's a fuckin' 4.5/5, if not higher.
But taking Myles into consideration, choruses, melodies, lyrics, tone, the whole package.
Myles prescence, and actual vocal spoken words brings the package down overall in rating. I have never felt that Slash works with talented enough vocalists to do full song albums as a solo artist, and that hurts him.
I've felt for years that Slash should do like Bucket, and just record instrumental solo albums, no different than Satriani or Vai. Because based on Slash alone, not only is he good, he's gotten more proficient, and just the guitar work on Anastasia alone is the best thing since his work on Sweet Child (the Elan song), and possibly the best thing he's done since Guns instrumentally.

Yeah i agree i just love the guitar that much i can go with it but i can see why people have a problem with myles its like he tries to hard

Smoking Guns

This albums is so damn good to my ears. Far and Away may be the best "song" on the album. "anastasia" is still magical to me. I LOVE it! Nice review Axlin12!

Mikkamakka

Smoking Guns wrote:

This albums is so damn good to my ears. Far and Away may be the best "song" on the album. "anastasia" is still magical to me. I LOVE it! Nice review Axlin12!

Axlin's review was well-written and balanced, based on the few songs I've heard. (Damn, I've been still waiting for my Classic Rock copy! They were supposed to post it 2 weeks ago and still nothing... I contacted them and they'll check what happened with my pack. )
Back to Axlin's review... the only thing that surprised me was the low rating he gave to the album. Reading his post I expected better. Axlin was harsher than any professional critic I've read.

metallex78

I still stand by my original review I wrote on the first page of this thread, although most of the album has grown on me, even some of the weaker songs.

Smoking Guns

Yes, the way Axlin typed, I figured a 6.5-7. Then it gets a 5.5 out of 10. Crazy. This I damn good no bullshit rock album.

buzzsaw

I am driving to Louisville this weekend for a bowling tournament, some casino time, and a trip to Churchill Downs. I will pop the CD in on the way there and give it a good listen. I'm not going to write a detailed review on that because I won't be able to take notes, but I will give a general one.

If I like enough of it (haven't heard all the songs posted here), I will do a more detailed review when time allows.

Unlike Axlin, I was able to get through the Live in Stoke blu-ray (and even enjoyed it), so I'm hopeful Myles will be more tolorable than the songs I heard so far on the album.

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