From a new, young band, The Taking may have been a decent, spirited, tough-but-anonymous hard rock album. As an offering from one of the key members of the classic Guns N’ Roses line-up, though, it can’t help but disappoint.
The attitude is there and, though not without its sleazy moments, this is no exercise in retro-glam nostalgia. It’s modern and surprisingly metallic – but, in a way, that’s the problem. Memorable tunes are thin on the ground and, though McKagan has a perfectly serviceable voice (indeed, better than Axl’s these days), his slightly monotone delivery robs the songs of some of their power and atmosphere.
Nevertheless, there are some good moments, such as Indian Summer – a poignant rocker with a New York Dolls-ish intro – while the musicianship and lyrics are pretty impressive throughout. Less inspired is the ominous, tuneless but no doubt heartfelt dirge Cocaine, which is more representative of an album which rarely rises above “solid” status. Having said that, it’s much, much better than Chinese Democracy – and maybe that was enough for Duff.
