Keeping it classic - Magazine Qobuz

Slash hasn’t always been a workaholic, but since the end of Velvet Revolver in 2008, he has been working on projects and tours at a steady pace, both solo and with Guns N' Roses.

Even if he would like to present it as a band’s album (The Conspirators), it’d be hard to miss his name written in bold on the album cover. He is still the main focus of this fourth solo album (the third with The Conspirators), despite the merits of singer-guitarist Myles Kennedy and the less experienced Todd Kerns (bass) and Brent Fitz (drums, piano). After the delightful double live album, Live at the Roxy 25.09.14, we could have expected him to move on to something else (possibly to reconnect with the ambition, and the many guests, of the Slash album), but the guitarist preferred to remain strictly in the grain of a classic rock band that doesn’t integrate styles outside its comfort zone.

But now that he has found a certain balance in his life by reconciling with Axl Rose, does he really need to overcomplicate things? He masters his subject perfectly and his playing is irreproachable, especially since the producer Michael Baskette gave him a wonderful sound using digital software – a first for Slash, a great defender of analog. He has found an ideal partner in Kennedy who perfectly complements his compositions which are always in good taste, if not revolutionary, in a serene and positive atmosphere. Kennedy was able to express himself completely independently on his solo album, Year of the Tiger. There’s plenty here to sink your teeth into while waiting for a new Guns N' Roses album...