Solo albums are always a tricky review, especially solo artists who were in a very popular band before. There will always be comparison to the previous band. That is inevitable. But if the solo album is different enough, it can be taken at face value.

Sometimes solo albums are vastly different from the artists previous band in a bad way, (Chris Cornell) sometimes solo albums are vastly different in a good way (Scott Weiland), and sometimes albums are not at all different from the old sound. Such is the case with Duff McKagan's side project Loaded and their album Sick.

Sick can best be described as the Miller Lite of Guns N' Roses splinter albums. Probably because it is basically Guns N' Roses lite. If I gave you the album and didn't tell you who it was, you would probably say "It sounds like Guns N' Roses demo without Slash's ballsy riffs added." If you did say that, you would have written the review for me.

Loaded is Duff McKagan's (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver) side band. Duff plays guitar and sings in the band. His backing band consists of Mike Squires (guitar), Jeff Rouse (bass), Geoff Reading (drums).

Duff has always had that ear for melody. His backing vocals on Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver prove this and Loaded further solidifies that ear. Each song is so jam packed full of vocal and guitar melody that any more it would erupt like Dennis Nedry's gut.

The album starts out with Sick, a song that has a great riff that sounds like a emergency war call.The guitar solos lack testicles, but that might be because I am waiting for Izzy Stradlin and Slash.

The one song that sticks out to against the musical back drop is the album's lead single Flatline. It is an education in rock pop song writing. Harmonies, memorable guitar hooks, and a Matt Sorum drum sound that makes me point forward like he always does. The chorus injects itself into your head and continues to play days after hearing it. The song is a great lead single.

Other stand out hits on this album is the song Translucent, which is just a great rock tune that has the catchiest vocals on the album. Duff's voice is a bit weak on some tracks, he never struck me as frontman vocals, but it is Translucent that makes me rethink that position. His vocals fit effortlessly and work in the song perfectly. Around the two and half minute mark the guitars drop and the drums and vocals remain for the pop breakdown. It's the second best song on the album, but depending on my mood, I might make it number one.

I See Through You has a great Velvet Revolver sound, but without the Scott Weiland sultry vocals. The song has a Let It Roll meets Use Your Illusion.

I really didn't find a song on the album that I didn't like. In fact, I haven't stopped listening to the album since I got it. I have had other album reviews to do, but I find myself just wanting to listen to Sick over and over again. I think the comparison to Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver are inevitable, but they ruin the listening experience. Loaded isn't GnR or VR. I think there is something for everyone on Sick - casual rock fans and hardcore fans.

Check out Sick and then check out Loaded on tour this summer. Tour dates can be found here.