Slash - Slash (Album)
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» Soundwave Festival 2011 - RNA Showgrounds, QLD - February 26, 2011
Slash is the self titled debut album that features multiple musicians contributions. The album was produced by Eric Valentine. The cover art was produced from a painting by Ron English, a prominent Pop Surrealist artist and friend of Slash.
Ian Astbury (Cult) and Izzy Stradlin (Guns N Roses) tear it up on the opening track Ghost; combining their talents from a tight rhythm section to the Idiosyncratic of Astbury and his low, akin to baritone voice type, and Slash’s catchy riffs, this track is a lot of fun.
The punked up metal song that Lemmy (Motorhead) presents us with, Doctor Alibi, is none other than iniquitousness, his distinctive gruff vocal trademark is written all over this song, and compliments Slash’s raw oomph playing style.
By the Sword was the first official single for the album, and is performance packed with artist Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother) on vocals, Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) on bass, Josh Freese (Guns N Roses) on drums, and of course Slash on both rhythm and lead guitars. All performances are at a peak on this track and all involved really play up a match to Stockdale’s high octane vocal capability. To get an idea of the power backing this track, the live performance of this tune is joined by Dave Navarro on Rhythm guitar, and Travis baker on drums. This tune has a strong bass section with electric metal power riffs that will have you rolling a reefer and dissolving away in your armchair with the boss headphones on.
I guess the most astounding performance on the album for me was Fergie. We all know her background is hip hop, and listening to her perform Beautiful Dangerous, a rock song with balls, she has really commended herself as a very flexible female vocalist. She has pushed herself way out of her comfort zone and delivered the grunge rock chick persona. My view of her as a stereotype hip hop chick from black eyed peas has changed from here on. Honestly on first hearing the song I thought it was Leslie Maria Knauer from the 70’s rock group, the promises.
I was excited to know that Chris Cornell (Sound Garden) was making an appearance on the album, but sadly I was deflated very quickly after hearing his track promise, I expected more from him. Adam Levine (Mooroon 5) performs gotten, nothing of the unexpected then a power ballad, and very much in his comfort zone. Both songs respectively, while cool and interesting collaborations in theory, just don’t work for me. They are very radio pop rock and appear a little out of place on this album. Keeping in mind the album is about Slash, those songs were probably warm ups for him and his abilities.
Other appearances on the album are; Kid rock, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Myles Kennedy; and the infamous M Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) teamed up with Slash to kick it with a metal core style on the track Nothing to say.
Throughout the album Slash has displayed so much challenge and change with some of the unlikely calibrations, all with accolades. He is a much respected musician that has broken away from the chains of being known as the guitarist from GNR, and has set up a solo business and know as Slash with a repertoire that speaks agile and adaptability, and passion and promise.
