Libertad Velvet Revolver Released – 2007 by RCA Records Track List 1. Let It Roll 2. She Mine 3. Get Out The Door 4. She Builds Quick Machines 5. The Last Fight 6. Pills, Demons & Etc. 7. American Man 8. Mary Mary 9. Just Sixteen 10. Can’t Get It Out Of My Head 11. For A Brother 12. Spay 13. Gravedancer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The long-awaited follow-up to 2004's ‘Contraband’, this album is another step forward in the evolution of this band from it's roots in the past histories of S.T.P. and Guns N Roses to an original sound all it's own. To be honest, I really think that too many people expected (and still do) too much from this band. They deride the band for being musically lazy and non-adventurous when I just think they are a good, simple rock band.  Nothing too fancy, just straight ahead hard rock which is something that we need nowadays in my opinion. 

Starting it off with rockers like ‘Let It Roll’ and the lead-off single ‘She Builds Quick Machines’, you can see that the band has not strayed too far from the sound of it's debut but with songs like ‘Get Out The Door’ you can see the band trying to push it's boundaries a bit. 

Another high point is the album's closer; ‘Gravedancer’, a very dark yet strikingly melodic track that seems destined to be a dark horse in the legacy of the record. ‘The Last Fight’ is a nice pseudo-ballad in the ‘Fall To Pieces’ vein of their debut while in a subdued cover of Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Can't Get It Out Of My Head’ you have a more than worthy follow-up to a great debut album. 

If you can find the Deluxe edition of this album (I couldn't myself so I had to get creative) then you can take in the dramatic ‘Messages’ with it's "I've been on the road too long and I miss my family....etc" vibe coupled with Slash's moody guitar work making for something that should have been a lot more than an extra track on an album no one can seem to find. 

Closing it out is a "killer" version of the Talking Head's classic ‘Psycho Killer’ which gets the full rock treatment the original never really had.  Imagine David Byrne in leather pants and a policeman's hat wielding a riding crop.  Scary?  I hope so.

DirtyRock.net review by ‘Snake’ 2008

 

Critically ‘Libertad’ is already doing pretty well. The fans however are another story. Often when critics like something fans don’t and vice versa. When listening to ‘Libertad’ you can’t go in with expectations because ultimately it won’t be what you had in mind.

The fact of the matter is, Velvet Revolver as a band are too young to have a definable signature sound and in all honesty probably don’t want that placed on them in any case. They have all moved on from their previous ventures so with this in mind it makes it easier to understand and appreciate the evolution in this more refined and polished release.

From the beginning its easy to hear the differences although the familiar characteristics are there it’s further removed from ‘Contraband’. Scott Weiland seems to be “singing” more clearly and the material as a whole is a little more progressive. ‘Let it Roll’ is a great opener and slams through in high octane fashion. The first single ‘She Builds Quick Machines’ really is one of the best songs if not the best on this album. They slow it down with mid-tempo track ‘The Last Fight’ plus slower songs ‘Pills, Demons & Etc’ and the awesome ‘Gravedancer’. Each have a real ‘hit’ vibe about them too. The cover of ELO’s ‘Can’t Get It Out My Head’ is okay but not my thing.

My advice is to give this one a chance to grow on you. At first I was undecided but now that I’ve given it a spin or two I find myself getting into it more. Sure it’s probably not as gritty as ‘Contraband’ but good on them for taking things to a new level.

Visit: www.velvetrevolver.com – www.myspace.com/velvetrevolver 

Dirty Rock review by 'Jonni Starr' 2007

 for CDs and DVDs on CD Universe