Former lead guitarist Slash is setting a different standard of rock with his self-titled album, and although it is by no means time to forget the ’80s Guns N’ Roses regime (as the question of “The Spaghetti Incident?” still remains unanswered), he has brought together a fairly solid group of vocalists to parallel his electric strumming, including Kid Rock, Fergie and Iggy Pop.
Alright, Slash fans. Don’t jump the gun (or rose) to judge the collaboration with Fergie. Coming in on “Beautiful Dangerous,” Fergie adds to the song the same unique female element of explosive vocals and womanly attitude that has allowed the Black Eyed Peas to continue “rockin’ dem beats” without refute all these years, and doing so with a talent that can only be described as Fergalicious. And although “Slashalicious” would really drag on the articulation of a similar title, the guitarist definitely holds his own in this song as well. “Beautiful Dangerous” is an illustration of pop-rock in its rawest possible form, and its seamless blend of Fergie’s seductive pipes with an amp-blasting Gibson Les Paul could very well cause die-hard head bangers’ “London Bridges” to fall down (whatever that means).
What really makes this collaboration work is that Fergie did not approach “Beautiful Dangerous” with a pop star mentality, nor did Slash attempt to outdo his guest vocalist with overpowering dosages of mid-song solo ballads. The same symmetry goes for the other contemporary pop artist, Adam Levine from Maroon 5, whose song “Gotten” is a pleasant midway point for the album. Indie artist Rocco DeLuca’s “Saint is a Sinner Too” also brings a vital softness to the end of the album, perhaps stomped on by Iggy Pop’s crude “We’re All Gonna Die.”
Coming from someone rumored to have bitten the head off a pigeon, or some say a bat, Ozzy Osbourne’s blandly morbid “Crucify the Dead” could have been a dead-ringer for the Slash album. Yet perhaps it gives some relevance to such a collaboration-reliant album that might otherwise be cast aside by those looking for something a little more serious.
While Myles Kennedy’s singing about fame and urbanity in “Back From Cali” is sure to blow listeners away, he has done surprisingly little work with big name bands previous to this, opting for smaller, alternative gigs. Hopefully his stellar performance will spark something to share his hungry, emotional vocals with a wider audience. On the opposite end of the celebrity spectrum, Chris Cornell is a name that a mainstream listener might not fully recognize, yet he has a vast repertoire; his voice in “Promise” is unmistakably the talent of Soundgarden and Audioslave fame.
Andrew Stockdale from Wolfmother is another one to get excited about on this album. Wolfmother’s successful song “Woman” was performed with Slash’s band and, as if to return the favor, the Australian/British singer’s work on “By the Sword” is wonderful, taking nothing for granted and leaving only awe behind.
Although some of the artists seem to be collaborating with Slash simply because of guitar work he has done with them in the past, few of them seem out of place on the album, and talent is present throughout. If Slash’s solo work continues to be as promising as it is on Slash, listeners may very well feel more comfortable in welcoming him to the jungle of post-GNR life.
3 1/2 stars out of 5.
