One of the world's greatest guitarists strikes out on his own

On his self-titled debut album, Slash strives to approximate the heavy metal rock sound that made him famous. The only problem? Slash (born Saul Hudson) can't hold a tune to save his life, and Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose is unwilling to help. In the smoldering wake of supergroup Velvet Revolver, Slash has temporarily abandoned searching for a new lead singer. Instead, he's roped in 14 superstars for his latest experiment, whose names should be familiar to heavy metal and pop rock fans alike: Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock, Chris Cornell, Iggy Pop, Adam Levine and Fergie are just a few.

As you might imagine, the album as a whole is a patchwork quilt of musical styles: a hodgepodge rock album for the iPod generation. But while "Slash" may not please the rigorous aesthete, it's sure to warm the cockles of the hearts of even the most cold-hearted GNR fans. And the one undercurrent that holds the album together? Well, as you might have guessed, it's Slash himself, riffing away like there's no tomorrow. It's no wonder Time magazine ranked him second on its list of the "10 Greatest Electric Guitar Players" - this guy is seriously good. Neither overpowering the guest talent, nor fading anemically into the background, Slash's guitar work melds seamlessly with the vocalists on every track.

"Slash" opens with the album's strongest offering, "Ghost," featuring Ian Astbury, which is an accessible hard rock anthem well positioned to reel in ambivalent listeners. After an explosive shotgun burst of kettledrum oomph, Slash's pulsing waves of electric energy ripple outward. GNR bandmate, Izzy Stradlin, soon joins in with a hard electric bass that perfectly complements Slash's riffs.

The next track, "Crucify the Dead," featuring Ozzy Osborne, is somewhat underwhelming both in the slow instrumentals and lethargic vocals. About halfway through, it does pick up in pace as Osbourne and Slash start to harmonize in a more energetic way. But you'll probably have hit "next" by that point. If you can't be bothered to listen through the whole track, you'll be comforted to know that Osbourne reaches the thought-provoking conclusion that you can't, in fact, crucify the dead. Thanks, Ozzy.

The GNR fans among you may be raising your eyebrows at the prospect of Fergie performing heavy metal, but "Beautiful Dangerous" is actually one of the album's better tracks. The Black Eyed Peas singer offers an almost pitch-perfect impression of Axl Rose's signature wail, over a satisfying amalgam of catchy pop and bone-shattering metal.

Certainly, Fergie fares better than grunge godfather Chris Cornell, who sounds washed out and unremarkable on "Promise." Still, it's a hair better than "Gotten," which features the treacly vocals of Adam Levine and ends up sounding like a rehashed Maroon 5 track.

Anyone expecting a new GNR classic is sure to be disappointed, but don't worry, this is no travesty like "Chinese Democracy." While a good two-thirds of the album misses the mark - for example, "Gotten" seems like a failed attempt at resurrecting "November Rain" - the one-third that works is definitely worth listening to. In almost all cases, this would have been better as an instrumental album, since the lyrics seem almost like an afterthought. Slash himself is in top form, but, unfortunately, his prowess with the guitar can't quite hold together all 14 tracks. Each one could work just as well on its own.

3.5 Paws