VELVET REVOLVER SEND “MESSAGES” THROUGH iTUNES

Unlike most iTunes exclusives, “Messages,” the Velvet Revolver-Libertad b-side that’s avail only through the legal downloading service, doesn’t suck. In fact, it’s so good, I can’t figure out why it’s not on the album (as opposed to, say, that kinda bizarre ELO cover). A mellow, semi-acoustic ballad, Weiland’s lyrics about being away from his family are genuinely moving, and the tune features the kind of aching, longing, wah-heavy lead guitar work that only Slash seems able to pull off these days.

And the best part is that while iTunes-only songs like this one are often available only to those customers who purchase the whole album, in this instance you can actually just buy the single song for 99 cents (the album’s final track, “Gravedancer,” and the mysterious hidden song that comes with it are the “album only” songs here). And it’s worth every penny.

-AR