Axl Rose sailed off into the operatic stratosphere. Slash sank down into the arena-metal mud. The only member of late supergroup Guns N' Roses to get it garage-rock right, in fact, was rhythm guitarist Stradlin, who hooked up with fellow riff worshipper Rick (Georgia Satellites) Richards for some of the best down 'n' dirty picking this side of Exile on Main Street. This sophomore release is sloppy, scratchy, and growling with gut-level blues-rock. Stradlin pays homage to longtime influence Ron Wood by aping his speedball cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis." Naysayers may tut that Stradlin can't really sing too well. But that's exactly the point. He's singing anyway, naysayers be damned. --Tom Lanham