Velvet Revolver — Libertad

Libertad

RCA

Caitlin Hotchkiss (CHARTattack)

07/31/2007 9:46am

Not as boring as Audioslave, as pretentious as Satellite Party or as lame as The Panic Channel (and let's not even touch Rock Star Supernova), Velvet Revolver — the only mainstream rock supergroup left standing — continue to assert their own relevance, even if those left listening are Slash devotees and cougars who love Scott Weiland. At least the band know their audience. The opening of "Pills, Demons & Etc." is so '80s rifftastic that you almost expect Axl to come in caterwauling during the first verse. Too bad we instead get a crooning Weiland, who sounds less edgy than ever. Given the members' pedigrees (and notable past infamies), VR don't exactly benefit from this level of sonic sheen. They ought to be the aural equivalent of a big, rumbling, scuffed-up motorcycle. Instead, they're a shiny, souped-up Camaro. What horrors hath detox (and possibly ProTools) wrought on our gritty hard-rock heroes? Bring back the filth and the fury!