Guns n' Roses - Better

Better... is better than nothing, anyway, which can be said for much of Chinese Democracy: most of the world’s happy enough the damn thing finally came out. The most recent single from G'n'R incorporates industrial and some skirtings of nu-metal - Axl’s definitely got into Nine Inch Nails, but sounds closer to Filter – into the classic Guns formula. And while the track stands up to current hard rock radio hits, the band’s back catalogue undermines it, because, while passable, Better doesn’t break new ground. Sure, it introduces newer sounds in a competent way, but not an entirely memorable one. [Jason Morton]