Album Review: "Libertad" by Velvet Revolver (2007)

"Libertad" is the second release from supergroup Velvet Revolver, following up their 2004 smash "Contraband". Unfortunately, it's not as strong as its predecessor. While there aren't any tracks that are downright awful or could be classified as filler, nothing really hits the listener right between the eyes the way "Slither" or other tracks off of their debut did. Lead singer Scott Weiland delivers a mediocre performance, and if you compare his voice to how it was 15 years ago on "Core", one can hear the damage that a decade and a half of substance abuse has done to the man. Instrumentally, combine any two tracks off of "Appetite for Destruction" and give them a listen because you'll hear more killer solos from Slash that way than you would by listening to the entire 50-plus minutes of this album.

Now, don't get me wrong - this is not a horrible album by any stretch of the imagination. It just doesn't do it for me the way I hoped it would. Perhaps if I shelve it for a couple of months and then bust it out again, I'll hear things that I haven't this week. I'm sure hoping so.

Overall rating: 6.25/10