Slash

Slash's Snakepit-It's Five O'Clock Somewhere ***1/2

For what it is and the audience it was aimed after It's Five O'Clock Somewhere is a nice bluesy rock n' roll album. What started out as a Slash side project turned into his full time band as he left Guns N' Roses during the recording on the album. It is almost the exact same band as GNR characteristically though it sounds nothing alike, and that is a great thing. But the problem lies in that the attitude is there but the song is not.

Almost every track on the album has what it takes but never fully delivers. The vocals become annoying at times and the lyrics are often a rock n' roll parody. If your a true blue rock n' roller you don't have to preach about it. At the end of the day Matt Sorum is not suited for this style of rock n' roll and sounds out of his element here. Perhaps that is why he wasn't on the next (superior) album, Ain't Life Grand. Slash himself just sounds like he is going through a guitar workout on the album. Many of the riffs are recycled and the solos seem unfinished and unfocused, this could be because the entire line-up was on smack the whole time.

As a whole this is a less than stellar rock n' roll albums from one of the greatest guitar players ever. Slash's Snakepit would go on to make a much stronger second album, and Slash would go on to make better music as a whole. This is the low point of the artists career but worth checking out for diehards.

I was really hoping this would be the Appetite For Destruction follow-up the Use Your Illusion albums couldn't manage to be. While the guitar work is unsurprisingly fine, the songwriting is lackluster at best, with memorable hooks or melodies in short supply. And what's the point of hiring as good a singer as Imperial Drag's Eric Dover if you're just going to have him do a second-rate imitation of Axl Rose? What a disappointment.

A pretty good hard rock album, and a nice first album for Slash. "Neither Can I" starts off the album in a dark blues that's very appealing, and the bluesy feel carries through "Dime Store Rock" to album highlight "Beggars & Hangers-On." There are a lot of good tracks on this one, and a few misses as well, but it's mostly a strong album. The songwriting is strong, if less than what it was in Guns N' Roses. The instrumental work is strong throughout, and the vocals are generally good, though somewhat inconsistent at points.

Unfortunately, this never got the play it deserved. To boost sales, the record company insisted on putting adding Slash's name to the bands name "Snakepit," turning the album from a cool new rock record to a side-project. Side-projects can be good, but fans rarely get as invested in them as they should, and I personally would rather see fewer sales and greater, deeper fan appreciate for "Snakepit" than increased sales for "Slash's Snakepit." But, alas, I'm certain that the record companies would disagree.

It's just a shame that this is less famous than Velvet Revolver, as much of the music is better than that band has produced.

I think this album shows a great side to Slash! By creating this side project, I think it opened many doors for him as a guitarist. Two BIG thumbs up!

3 parts of GnR snap up snotty singer from Imperial Drag, and hit it out of the park. Street savvy swingin' , reckless driving, out too late music. This record picks up where "Appetite" left off, without having a singer turned control freak. More sleaze and less ambition. Cool.

This is such a great cd. I recommend this cd for people who are into real rock and roll. This cd has so many great songs. Im surprised that this cd isnt well known because it is an awesome cd. Slash does it again and creates cool songs with all these new characters. One of the best music cds i have.

The first post-1990s release, Slash's Snakepit are back with a very different sound on this one. A very good album that never really got any credit, Ain't Life Grand features a different vocalist than the first album, which really gives the album a more powerful, soulful feel.

The songs on the album are generally quite good. Unlike the themes of their first effort, sleazy in the GNR vein, with touches of Alice in Chains type darkness, this album is high energy, rarely dark sounding, and generally more melodic and beautiful. There are too many strong tracks to name, but if you want a great rock effort with a lot of soul, then this is a good album to spin.

Slash is awesome on this album...I can tell you that pretty much everything he does rocks!

Good album, still trying to work out who the singer reminds me of with his singing style and voice. If you order this from the UK be careful as you are likely to pay customs charges (if the item exceeds £18) which can amount the price of the cd (I ended up paying £13 customs charge).

One of the greats.I mean it well maybe not i like there 2nd CD better but This one rocks hard and Slash as always leaves it all down on this album i say buy it

Danny Elfman has been the musical voice of many superheroes. While this is neither "Batman" nor "Spider-man", "Hulk" does have some interesting moments in the middle of that Oriental style that most composers want to use in their music these days.
I'm kind of upset that there is no discernible theme for "Hulk", execpt for a six-note motif that is heard all over the CD. There is the music for Bruce Banner and his father, mostly played by, I think, the duduk. Then there is Natacha Atlas who does the odious moaning on this CD. Thank God Elfman isn't at all influenced by the Oriental music style because he uses electronics and percussion to maintain the right balance between the artistic and the classic Hollywood compositions. The action music heard in 'Hulk Out', 'Hounds Of Hell', and 'The Lake Battle' is fantastic and very propulsive, good Elfman compositions. The rock song 'Set Me Free' is the last track of the CD, and deservedly so because it feels like out of context with all the rest of the album.
But not all the Middle-East influence is bad, and neither is Natacha Atlas. Because there is the track called 'Captured', which is the best musical cue of the CD. I don't know why, but when I first heard it in the movie theater, I sorta started dancing to it. It's too cool. I really love that theme, and when I got the CD and listened to it for the first time, I turned up the speakers because it's such a fine piece of music.
"Hulk" is a good composition by Danny Elfman, but I'd say 'Captured' is the real deal on this album, and if you don't like rock, then skip the last track.

Yes, there is alot of percussion which is a staple of Elfman, but in writing the music for a their super-hero franchise, Elfman breaks new ground. Rather than the dark flourishes of Batman & the high flying theme of Spider-Man, The Hulk is a dark score filled witth exotic sounds that actually capture the filmakers vision and provide an interesting listening experience for the listener. I gave this score 3 stars not because its bad, but because its not to my personal taste, and I would not necessarily recommend it. However, if you a collector of Danny Elfman music or super-hero scores, then feel no guilt when you purchase this unique score.

I Have To admit The soundtrack is alot better than the movie. It is good to listen to. This might be one of his lighter superhero soundtrack scores i heard compare to batman, batman returns & batman Forever. hey the big green guy shouldn't get left out. One thing is to bad they did put the original theme in it like they did for spider-man. that woul of made a great eddition. Set me free was a good song. the only lyeric song in it. so you can't say it's really elfman's cd. Nice work Elfman keep it up. Hope he does one for the sequal.

My only problem with the Hulk score is that there doesn't seem to be enough of it. That isn't Danny Elfman's fault, but the movie didn't leave a great many opportunities for him to flesh out the score. That said, what's here is amazing.

The main theme is suprising. One would expect something loud and clamoring with brass for a character like the Hulk, and while the music does get that way at times, the Hulk's melody is actually a steady, soft melody that resonates with wonder. It almost feels like what you'd hear when looking at DNA, molecules, and whatever else would need to be involved in the Hulk's origin. In the background there is a low, appropriately grand brass.

The score uses this theme to different heights throughout, along with fast-paced drums and occasional synth instruments. The most memorable tune outside of the main theme is a Middle Eastern choral section in the second half of the score, emoting the desolation of a solitary creature like the Hulk (and used for the desert backdrop seen in the movie.)

The finale varies the theme, making it granduer, because in it's simple 12 notes, a score for a movie about science fiction makes it seem like a score for a movie about magic. It peaks curiosity, majesty, and even innocence, and then turns into the backdrop for what the movie entails as a climactic battle.

Danny Elfman has been given a large responsibility among composers. He's had to tackle the objective of composing unique themes for three different well-loved super-heroes: Batman, Spider-man, and now the Incredible Hulk. And because he is such an excellent composer, the Hulk can join these other fine scores, and I can only hope Elfman is brought back for the sequel.

Seemingly abandoning his more melodic tones for a heavier orchestral vibe, Danny Elfman has churned out another solid film score with The Hulk. Elfman's score was one of the few bright spots of the film; fusing sounds which are very similar to some of his past works with some Middle Eastern-ish tones and electronical blips to create something that isn't very memorable, but enjoyable nonetheless. Elfman's past few scores have either been solid or disappointing; I like his Hulk score more than I did his scores for Spider-Man and Planet of the Apes, but not as much as Sleepy Hollow or Nightmare Before Christmas. The final track on this disc is a song called "Set Me Free" which is performed by Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland and old members of Guns 'N Roses. That track is a nice little extra thrown on the disc, but Elfman's score is the main highlight.

Nash the Slash's first two albums re-released on one disc proves that, at times, there is justice in the universe. Though he's toiled in obscurity for over thirty years now, Nash the Slash's own unique take on avant-garde rock (imagine King Crimson playing guitar with The Who instead of Townshend)is well revealed on Bedside Companion and Dreams and Nightmares, his first two albums that comprise the present disc under discussion. As a whole, both of these albums are moody, abstract, expressionistic and--for the time--quite experimental: violin and mandolin, both electrifued and heavily processed with distortion, phasing, delay, etc. are used to good effect against an often mechanized backdrop of drum machines, keyboards, string machines and numerous effects. This is perfect music to listen to during a violent thunderstorm, as it has the same unpredictable character as a meteorological event. For those who love cinematic, surrealistic "rock" music, this it it, right here.

Starting as a member of FM in 1976 and going the solo route in 1978 on a variety of performance-art projects, Nash the Slash emerged in the Punk/New Wave era, and then as now, continues to defy any musical classification.

While the biography is sketchy about the Canadian multi-instrument performer - known for his work on electric violin and mandolin - he performs with surgical bandages on his face, there is no mystery that his musical talents are oftentimes absolutely spellbinding.

This CD, initially released in 1997, finds Nash the Slash covering the gambit of his artistic landscape - free jazz, avant-garde, classical, rock-n-roll - with 16 songs that clock in for nearly 80 minutes. The most interesting track is the 10-minute epic, Un Chien Andalou, though his three versions of Blind Windows and two takes of The Million-Year Picnic demonstrates the premium he places on interpretation over repetition.

Nash the Slash is truly an original who has retained creative energy through studio sessions, tours and CD releases. His catalog is hard to find, but Blind Windows is an excellent representation of Nash the Slash on top of his game.

A good coctail of hard rock riff, bluesy rythm and amazing, traditional vocals, this album is not about creating original sound, just writing good old rock & roll. Not being ego-centric like Axl or Scott always are, the vocalist is just concentrating in his singing, and man how great is the result! It seems that Slash & co. recorded this album with a lot of fun, without any care of commercial success or the current musical trend at the time, which makes this album really timeless. Don't look for a legacy of Guns n Roses or the previous Snakepit, just view it as an independent work of a real tight band. solid vocal, solid guitar, solid drums (by the amazing Matt Laug), no pretension, just pure unadulterated old rock & roll. Salute to all the musicians involved in this album.

This is a great cd. Great vocals and great drumming. Oh and lets not forget that guitar player, Slashs shines on this record like never before. The guitar riffs are the strongest he had created since Apittite For Destruction, and the solos are as strong as ever. The lyrics on this album are not exatcly the sasme calaber as Axl Roses but are still great for rock. But thats the problem you can tcompare this to GNR or Velvet Revolver because their is no comparison between the three bands.

Some of My favorite songs on the album are 'Shine' 'Been There Latly' 'Mean Bone' 'Back To The Moment' 'Aint Life Grand' and 'Serrial Killer' these songs offer the best vocal performance by the lead singer and show off some of Slashs best guitar work, especialy on 'Shine' thats probley the best song this band ever recorded.

So while Slash's Snake Pit isnt Guns N' Roses or Valvet Rovelver and while this album isnt Use Your Illusion II its still a great rock record. Be sure to check out It's Five O' Clock Somewhere as it is an even better album then this.

I spent much time in my "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" review bashing all the people that called Slash's Snakepit "bargain bin fodder," but that is the impression that I get when I listen to the album "Ain't Life Grand."
On this album Slash seems to put emphasis on the fact that he is half-black, going so far as to thanks all his "ho's" in the liner notes. That also shows in the songs, which overall have a mix of Sam & Dave R&B with Lenny Kravitz-style rock. There are some good songs on here such as hard-rocking "Been There Lately" and the New Orleans boogie of the title track. "The Alien" has a terrible chorus lyrically, stuffed with cliches, but the chorus musically sounds great. Other than those, this album is terrible. It is not that the songs are filler, I believe that Slash and the band poured much passion into writing and recording these, it is just that they are no good. Cuts such as "Mean Bone" and "Life's Sweet Drug" sound exactly like, well, bargain bin fodder. Slash shows considerable restraint in the songs, trying to make way for the other members to show their talent as well. It is a generous idea, the only problem being that the other members aren't very talented in the first place. The only member besides Slash that I could maybe see being successful is the bassist. Slash holds back on his solos, which sound more like Kravitz than Slash, it that is a HUGE disappointment. I bought this album to hear Slash.
Slash had put this band together to be a permanent lineup, although it dissolved shortly afterward due to poor record sales and Velvet Revolver. I wish he had stuck to his previous lineup, the chemistry in that group was obvious. Stay away from this album, it is a major ripoff at over $40.00. Hardcore Slash fans might enjoy this, but only buy it if you can find it for $14.99 or less.

Wow - so Im a couple of years late picking up this CD - and I gotta say I owe it ro becoming a hard core Ryan Roxie fan from him playing with Alice Cooper and Dads Porno Mag. I initialy picked this CD up just to listen to Roxie on the guitars and expected nothing special and then - BAM - this CD rocks! Been there Lately, Shine, Speed Parade, Serial Killer - they are all kick ass rock tracks. Sure - there is nothing "new" here, but they arent pretending there is. Rod Jackson's voice is perfectly suited for this kinda stuff, and well - Slash and Roxie are just awesome axe men!!

If you're looking for a straight out Rock and Roll album to jump around playing air guitar to - get this- give it a listen or two and rip out your leather pants!

This is THE hard rock anthem. Forget Back In Black, Rocks, or The Black Album. All greats, classics for all ages. So, you may be asking what this CD has over the others. Those albums have their hard driving anthem rock, pulsing metal riffs, and as much blues base as the King himself, but ask yourself...Does every song on these albums have the potential to be an instantly persuasive, beating, gain-laden hair metal icon? --Slash and his former band have put their foot down, as the true princes of the six string, delivering a stylistic assortment of tracks. On this CD you'll find everything from the jazzy title track "Ain't Life Grand", to the heavy metal "Alien", and of course, plenty of the smooth hard rock we've come to expect from truly one of the most gifted, adaptive and stylish guitarists of all time.