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DEGREDATION TRIP Volumes 1 & 2
I will make this short because I reviewed the original single disc release
of this album a few months back. It's been a new trend in the
industry to re-release 'expanded' versions of things (i.e. Lord of the
Rings). Why they do this is simply to garner additional sales to the
diehard fans of the particular genre they are targeting. Well this release
is not about 'expanding' but about 'completing'. Cantrell had
intitially recorded 'Degradation Trip' as a double CD with the intent on
releasing it in it's original format. But label execs at Roadrunner
were not too sure if that was such a good idea considering that the sales
of Cantrell's first solo album, 'Boggy Depot', were less than
stellar. So in an effort to appease the label and release his music to the
populace, Cantrell streamlined the album down to one disc of
fourteen tracks with the promise of the record company that the original
version would be released in the future. Sales were good on
the new disc and here it is, Christmas season, and we all of sudden have
this nice, double CD, package of the 'original' version of the
album as it was intended. Is it better - NO. Is it longer - YES. Did we
need 23 tracks - NO. Why?? Because that is simply TOO much
music for anyone to digest in one sitting. Double albums have been known
to fail miserably, or simply sound un-focused and self-indulgent.
"Degradation Trip" 2 is no different. It's not that the additional tracks
that were left off the original release aren't good, because they are,
it's just that there is simply too much to sift through and the listener
has nothing really left to hold on to. I listened to this double disc about
ten times since it's release and I honestly can't remember half the tracks
because the album is simply too long. I prefer less is more. Trim
the fat off and what you get is a lean, mean, kick ass disc with terrific
songs, hooks, and goobs of guitar all over it. Recommended only to
the highest of Cantrell fans.
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