Contraband
by Velvet Revolver
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jun 8, 2004
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 113 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 91 out of 113
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 113
  3. Negative: 13 out of 113

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. BrockS
    Sep 8, 2004
    10
    This album is great!
  2. scottywhailand
    Jun 10, 2004
    8
    Great record
  3. DaveH
    Jun 12, 2004
    10
    This album is a solid rock albumwith not one single bad track. Album of the year!
  4. roberth
    Jun 13, 2004
    9
    Great hard rocking return that beats the crap out of all the wimpy corporate rock junk being passed out like pablum for the lemmings. There's nothing original here - just ROCK. Ignore the whiners. Get it.
  5. MohdNohnoh
    Aug 3, 2004
    10
    Velvet Revolver is so far the best merger of former GNR and S.T.P, it remind me of the good old days of Alice in chain, this combination is perfect and they sound better than audioslave, which i expected they play something heavier and im looking for VR next realease
  6. ClaireL
    Sep 6, 2004
    9
    I think all of us real rock fans have waited a good few years for an album likr this to come along. This has restored my faith in hard rock. Yay to the "old hands"
  7. mord
    Sep 8, 2004
    9
    Not a dull track on the album. Great songs from start to finish. 'nuff said
  8. JohnA
    Jan 14, 2005
    10
    Greatest album ive ever bought, Great guitar and lyrics, every song is brilliant after 2 listens
  9. ThaddyD
    Jul 29, 2005
    10
    What sounds better then a lp standard, tone knobs down, tube amp at 11 and a good singer to boost?
  10. JC
    Aug 5, 2005
    10
    This album rocks all the songs on the album are absolutely brilliant. Best Songs Sucker Train Blues, Slither, Dirty Little Thing and Do it For the Kids. It sounds much better than any of the GnR stuff.
  11. dominicl
    Jan 4, 2006
    10
    This album is amazing. Just like the Guns N Roses Days, this album also covers a range of tracks. Heavy songs: Slither, Do it for the kids! Ballads: Fall To Pieces and Loving The Alien. Velvet Revolver, i my opinon are the best (possibly second best) modern band around. My favourite tracks of contraband are: Slither, Fall To Pieces, Do It For The Kids, Dirty Little Thing, and Suckertrain This album is amazing. Just like the Guns N Roses Days, this album also covers a range of tracks. Heavy songs: Slither, Do it for the kids! Ballads: Fall To Pieces and Loving The Alien. Velvet Revolver, i my opinon are the best (possibly second best) modern band around. My favourite tracks of contraband are: Slither, Fall To Pieces, Do It For The Kids, Dirty Little Thing, and Suckertrain Blues! Brilliant album 10/10… Expand
  12. antsl
    Oct 5, 2006
    10
    lets get slashing
  13. LachlanH
    Oct 5, 2004
    7
    Couple of good moments. Slash isn't loud enough. 'Nuff said.
  14. ARkelRod
    Jun 11, 2004
    10
    This album represents a rebirth of the mainstream rock. Solid vocals from Scott and the amazing riffs of Slash...this is a rock band!!
  15. ErikH
    Jun 10, 2004
    8
    Kick Ass!!! An awesome return to the Sunset Strip! These guys just sound like they are having fun and the reviews/critics be damned. Keep it going fellas!!
  16. NateS
    Jun 10, 2004
    9
    Great 'in your face' rock album.
  17. JayT
    Jun 12, 2004
    10
    Contraband is a breath of fresh air that rock music needs right about now. The perfect combination of Guns N' Roses without the maniacal ranting of Axl Rose; Stone Temple Pilots with a kick. Over the next few weeks, you'll hear more about the ballad "Fall To Pieces", and the similarity with G N' R's "Sweet Child O' Mine", but a few plays of the ballad "You Got No Contraband is a breath of fresh air that rock music needs right about now. The perfect combination of Guns N' Roses without the maniacal ranting of Axl Rose; Stone Temple Pilots with a kick. Over the next few weeks, you'll hear more about the ballad "Fall To Pieces", and the similarity with G N' R's "Sweet Child O' Mine", but a few plays of the ballad "You Got No Right" reveals a classic that has Velvet Revolver in a class that neither STP or G N' R would be able to reach. In fact, "You Got No Right" is what we all wished that "November Rain" really sounded like.… Expand
  18. ekubi
    Jun 14, 2004
    2
    boring album.
  19. ciztarkman
    Jun 16, 2004
    9
    awesome real-kick ass modern rock demo. Slash and Scott make an excellent duo way better than fucking shaq- kobe or tom morello-chirs cornell b.s. axl rose should listen to contraband
  20. [Anonymous]
    Jun 8, 2004
    9
    A really good rock album on it's own, but fans expecting G'n'R or STP part two won't be happy.
  21. ErleK
    Jun 8, 2004
    9
    Best CD I've heard in YEARS... Not quite GN'R, not quite STP.... Velvet creates their own identity and ROCKS!!
  22. StephenS
    Jun 9, 2004
    8
    Interesting mix of STP's often harsh sound and G n' R's 80 racous
  23. Ben*******
    Jun 9, 2004
    5
    Scott's slow, deep singing will not be heard much as he is forced to strain his voice while trying to keep up with the fast paced playing of old rock stars.
  24. JamesO
    Aug 8, 2004
    10
    This album is so much better than it is given credit for. This is not 1987 or 1993 and we can't expect it to make the same kind of impact against what passes for popular music today. It is just the best hard rock album to come out in the past 8 years or so.
  25. rinaldoc
    Feb 13, 2005
    10
    this album really rocks, it's even better than the guns n roses era that slash, matt and duff been through. slash is on the guitar even better, he did not lose the rhythm at all. matt's drumming is amazing. scott on the vocals is perfect. i could not pick an other singer out, better than axl rose.... people should think that these guys lost the inspiration because they have not this album really rocks, it's even better than the guns n roses era that slash, matt and duff been through. slash is on the guitar even better, he did not lose the rhythm at all. matt's drumming is amazing. scott on the vocals is perfect. i could not pick an other singer out, better than axl rose.... people should think that these guys lost the inspiration because they have not released a project for years...but they are contra of that.... full of esteam, power and rock n roll.........velvet revolver rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!! my favorite number is do it for the kids......… Expand
  26. Avi
    Jun 17, 2005
    9
    The chemistry of Matt, Duff, and Slash is there. This band cannot be compared to GNR because it has nothing alike. This band is much more modern. I've been ashtonished by the solos of Slash. I think Weiland needs transformation into "Axl" - in his behaviour on stage.
  27. chadh
    Jul 19, 2005
    10
    great album
  28. PeterM
    Oct 27, 2006
    1
    It's ok when you hear it the 1st time. But Scott's voice is annoying and there is not much really ground-breaking on it. It's a pity.
  29. SlashH.
    Jun 29, 2007
    9
    Great Rock n Roll record!
  30. aveh
    Dec 8, 2004
    10
    it sucks compared to guns n' roses but way better than the alternative crap rock with 4 power chords and blink 182 type bands that pass as music these days.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Most Discussed Album of 2004
56
#56 Most Shared Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Mojo
    80
    A perpetual guilty pleasure. [Jun 2004, p.107]
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Even at its sharpest, Contraband feels secondhand, and much of it is also hobbled by a disconnect between singer and band. [4 June 2004, p.79]
  3. Spin
    42
    This is a troubling record. There are some stellar moments, but it's mostly just troubling. [Jul 2004, p.105]
See all critic reviews »