Fits Like a Velvet Glove

Ever notice how all of Slash's guitar solos sound like national anthems for Eastern Bloc countries? Whenever Slither plays, I imagine someone in Albania saluting and weeping.

So...I've listened to the new Velvet Revolver album a few times now, cranking it up in the MAZD (they left the "A" off for savings). And although I like Libertad, I'm not sure I could name one song title. (American Man? Yeah, that sounds about right. Oh, and they do a pretty good cover of ELO's Can't Get It Out of My Head.) The album can only be processed in one large jumble, like a late-'80s glam-metal festival, or a plateful of Little Debbie snacks. Scott Weiland, typically a cloying artiste, sounds low in the mix, which is fine with me. Neither he nor his awful lyrics deserve much credit. The best part of Libertad is Slash, who rips up the album, a restless pugilist looking for a scrum. The way his solos explode is a thing of ugly beauty. He's worth the price of admission alone. If you're a suburban dirtball, or an old Gunners fan searching for a comfy place to rest, you'll dig the new VR.