thevoid99's Full Review: Use Your Illusion I by Guns N' Roses
When Guns N' Roses emerged in 1987 with their debut album Appetite for Destruction, the album marked the beginning of the end for the hair-metal genre as they arrived as the new bad boys of rock. Led by its volatile yet unpredictable vocalist Axl Rose along with guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. GN'R were a band that had a punk-like attitude to mesh with their blues-laden, hard-rock sound. In late 1988, the band released G N' R Lies as a stop-gap release between albums that consisted of a live EP released in 1986 and four new acoustic tracks. Yet, the band was mired by drug habits and internal clashes with Axl Rose as they were courting controversy and feuds with many acts including Poison and Motley Crue. By early 1990, the band was ready to record a brand new album that would become a double album entitled Use Your Illusion I & II.
Recording began around that time yet got off to a shaky start due to Steven Adler's drug dependency that forced him out of the band as he was replaced by Matt Sorum of the Cult. Joining the band during the recordings was keyboardist Dizzy Reed who helped Rose shape the album and broaden its sound incorporating bigger arrangements with orchestral music, Elton John-like balladry, and epic songs. With Slash, Duff McKagan, and Izzy Stradlin providing many of the songs written with contributions from associates Paul Tobias, West Arkeen, and Del James. The result would be a sprawling double album that would cover the bases for the band's sound into new heights.
Produced by Guns N' Roses and longtime collaborator Mike Clink, Use Your Illusion I & II is an album that takes the band's blues-based hard rock sound to newer territory with expanding sounds and arrangements. With the first album geared towards a heavier, rocking and the second for more bluesier, softer sound, the lyrical content deal with loss, anger, and political themes. Featuring the core sound of the band that includes Axl's screeching, high-pitch vocals, the dual guitar work of Slash and Izzy Stradlin featuring Slash's blues-laden solos, and Duff McKagan's pummeling bass work. Along with Dizzy Reed's blues and classical keyboard work and Matt Sorum's heavy metal style of drumming that is different with Steven Adler's more punkish, hard-rock drumming style. The result is a fascinating, sprawling, yet imperfect album that takes the band to new heights.
Use Your Illusion I
The album begins with Right Next Door To Hell that arrives with Duff McKagan's pummeling bass that is followed by the rumbling drums of Matt Sorum and blazing dual guitars of Slash and Izzy Stradlin for this mean, up-tempo song. With Axl Rose's snarling yet screeching vocals, the album kicks into high gear as Rose sings incendiary lyrics filled with attitude as he's ready to get dangerous. Featuring Slash's wailing guitar solo, it's definitely a great opener. Dust N' Bones is a mid-tempo song with Izzy Stradlin singing lead in this blues-laden number with Dizzy Reed's blues-driven piano accompaniment, a thumping rhythm, and Slash's slippery blues licks. With Rose joining Izzy on the song's chorus, the song revels on the idea of death as it harkens towards traditional blues thanks in part to Slash's fierce guitar playing. Next is cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' Live And Let Die from the 1973 James Bond film of the same name. The band retains the song's sense of adventure and bombast by giving it a rockier edge with its pummeling rhythms, Rose's sniveling vocals, and Slash's triumphant guitar licks that makes this one of the greatest covers ever performed.
Don't Cry (Original) is a power-ballad that opens with an arpeggio melody by Izzy Stradlin for this slow yet smooth tempo as Rose, Stradlin, and late Blind Melon vocalist Shannon Hoon sing doomy lyrics over a relationship's dissolution. With its smooth, serene tempo and presentation in tact for most of the song, it would later go into a powerful bridge featuring Slash's wailing guitar solo and then return to its ballad-like tempo until the chorus with Slash's guitar. Perfect Crime is an energetic, upbeat, and snarling rocker with shimmering guitar licks and Sorum's hard-hitting beats as Axl goes into a punk-style vocal with his high-pitch screeching vocals for his song against authority. Featuring Slash's high-octane, wailing blues-laden solo, it's a great song that reminds fans of the band's early energetic style. You Ain't The First is an acoustic-blues ballad with Rose and Stradlin singing the song in this nice little blues number with bluesy lyrics and Slash providing some slide work on the acoustic guitar.
Bad Obsession is another blues-inspired number but with a rocking edge as it opens with a harmonica solo from Hanoi Rocks vocalist Michael Monroe. With its snarling guitar slides and honky-tonk rhythms led by Dizzy Reed's accompanying piano, it's a rollicking, upbeat tune with Rose's low-sounding growling vocals to West Arkeen's dark lyrics of paranoia. Featuring Slash playing a sliding guitar solo to accompany Monroe's harmonica solo, it's a great blues number. Back Off B*tch is a menacing, angry rocker that has the band going towards more hard rock with its thumping, up tempo presentation and chugging guitars. With Axl Rose's screeching vocals and sneering lyrics, it's an amazing rocker that features Slash's trademark, wailing blues solo. Double Talkin' Jive is another Izzy Stradlin-penned track where he sings this fast, upbeat rocker with chugging guitars, pummeling beats and snares, and Stradlin's low, cool-sounding vocals with Rose's snarl in the background. With its lyrics of anti-authority and attitude, it's definitely an excellent song that features a nice guitar solo followed by an acoustic, Mexican-style arpeggio, melodic playing at the end.
Next is the near, 9-minute power ballad for November Rain with its smooth, symphonic arrangements of string orchestras, flutes, and horns as Rose plays a serene, melodic piano with Reed's accompanying keyboard. With Sorum's slow, rumbling bass drums and McKagan's melodic bass flourish, Rose sings lyrics of melancholia and loss as the tempo picks up just a tiny bit. With Rose's raspy vocals leading the way, it plays off as a melancholic yet bombastic ballad that is led by Stradlin's rhythm guitar strum that features Slash's amazing guitar solo. With its flourishing arrangements and symphonic presentation that leads to another guitar solo from Slash, the song then goes into a furious, heavy sound of strings, brass, and flutes playing along to the song's powerful coda led by Slash's amazingly heroic guitar solo with classical notes playing on the guitar.
The Garden starts off with West Arkeen's blues-driven acoustic guitar for this ballad of sorts featuring a smooth tempo with Rose singing despairing lyrics of loss and nostalgia in his high-pitch, raspy vocals. With a sliding guitar solo from Slash, the song then turns into this upbeat yet rocking track led by Alice Cooper's guest vocals as he sings lyrics of horror and decadence with his demonic, growling vocals. The song then goes back to its somber tone until Cooper returns for its rocking tone with Slash's blazing solo. Garden Of Eden is a fast, frenetic song with grinding guitars, a punk-like energy led by Matt Sorum's hard-pounding drums and Duff McKagan's pummeling bass as Axl sings in a fast, growling style with nonsensical lyrics about rock n' roll. With Slash's charging solo and McKagan making a speech near the end of the song, it's the band back to where they rock.
Don't Damn Me is another upbeat rocker with charging riffs and hard-pounding beats from Matt Sorum as Rose growls in his vocals filled anti-authority lyrics. With its driving rhythm filled with wailing, grinding guitar solos, a slow break, and McKagan's pummeling bass solo, it's a fantastic rocker. Bad Apples is an upbeat, blues-driven rocker with a dab of funky riffs and honky-tonk rhythms led by Dizzy Reed's piano and warbling guitar riffs from Slash and Izzy Stradlin with Rose singing in his screeching snarl filled with lyrics filled with attitude and humor. The song's blues-inspired presentation and rhythm is a highlight along with Slash's blues-wailing solo that is filled with amazing notes and playing.
Dead Horse starts off with an acoustic solo number of Axl singing in his calm vocal style with lyrics of angst and despair. Then the song goes into a fast, charging rocker with hard-pounding beats, chugging riffs, and Rose's screeching vocals filled with attitude and fiery lyrics. Featuring Slash's scorching solo, it's a song that has a lot of attitude where it ends with Rose singing by himself with his acoustic guitar. The album closer is the ten-minute epic Coma that begins with McKagan's eerie bass solo followed by Sorum's pounding bass drums. With the dual, grinding guitars arriving for the song's demeaning rhythm, Rose sings in a snarling vocal as he sings about a near-death experience as if he's on his way out. With the song featuring Rose's attitude about getting ready to go out, the song features a heartbeat rhythm pounding along with a beeping sound. With voices of people talking along with women as if Axl is about to die, the song features an amazing, snarling solo from Slash.
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