Singles Roundup: Guns N Roses, Sebastian Bach, & Green Day

The first roundup of the year has some head-scratchers.

Guns N Roses – The General

You know how sometimes we complain about bands becoming nostalgia acts who just go out and play the same dozen songs until the end of time? Yeah, this is why that's not always such a bad thing. This version of Guns N Roses has been together for quite a while now, and they have absolutely nothing of worth to show for it. The only 'new' music they've made are a few updated versions of old demos that have been circulating among collectors for years, and let's be kind and say they aren't quite "Appetite For Destruction".

Let's now not be so kind and say that Guns N Roses is putting out music now that's even worse than "Chinese Democracy", for all of you who ridicule that album to this day. There's a reason why songs like this one didn't make that record, and Slash's presence can't do enough to make it interesting. The song is a slow drag with absolutely no energy, no melody, and vocals that show Axl didn't make good use of his decades in the studio. I'm not sure what the point of the track is supposed to be, or why it doesn't sound better, given how long it's been worked on.

Say what you want about Chinese Democracy, but it at least sounded like an album you could tell Axl wanted to make. I don't think even he gives a damn about this song. That's how it comes across to me.Sebastian Bach – What Do I Got To Lose?

To this day, Baz keeps calling for Skid Row to get back together, despite the other guys repeatedly telling him how much happier they are not to have him in their lives. I wonder how much of that is due to Baz not liking to make music anymore, since it's been a long time since he last put out a record. This song signals another attempt on his part, and it's rather interesting, in a way. Baz is working with people who know what they're doing, so the song itself is a nice blend of modern heaviness and old-fashioned hooks. Calling this an updating take on the "Slave To The Grind" sound wouldn't be far off-base.

What's also notable, since Baz keeps thinking his old band shouldn't be without his glorious voice... is that he doesn't sound so glorious anymore. He's fine through the verse, and the screams he started doing as he got older, but the chorus is rough. His higher register sounds like a lot of work and effort to hit, and the strain in his voice makes it more unpleasant to listen to than it should be. Baz won't like me saying this, but he's the weak link on this song. Would it be any different if he went back to Skid Row?

Green Day - One Eyed Bastard

This upcoming Green Day album is shaping up to be one weird experience. This time around, they give us another short burst that makes me scratch my head. The heavier chords are welcome, but the melody sounds quite similar to their own "Holiday". There's a sense of deja-vu in the chorus I can't quite shake either. And then there's a bridge where they literally use "ba da bing, ba da boom" as lyrics. Excuse me? I joked when "Look Ma, No Brains" came out that it was an odd rallying cry for an album, and that is carrying through. It continues to look to me like Green Day doesn't know how to pull themselves back from the cliff. How far down do we have left to go?