Artist: Guns 'N' Roses
Label: Geffen Records
Release Date: 1991
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: Use Your Illusion I and II Artist: Guns 'N' Roses Label: Geffen Records Release Date: 1991 Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Kefka X's Review:
Seldom in the history of music has there been a band that has had such a quality catalogue and left as profound a statement in such a short career as Guns 'N' Roses. Barring Alice in Chains, Guns 'N' Roses would be the perfect example of this rock 'n' roll genius. In less than a decade, the band produced some of the most memorable hits of rock music while breaking down boundaries, making headlines, stirring ridiculous amounts of controversy, etc. Everyone has heard G'N'R, man. Axl and Slash are household names. If you haven't heard them in your life before, just turn on a random radio station. Odds are they're playing right now. Yeah, they were and are that big.So let's go back to 1991. It's only been four years since Appetite for Destruction, which was already being regarded as one of the greatest rock albums in history, was released and dominating the charts. The anticipation surrounding their next studio album was high. The fans are anxious for a new release while playing the hell out of their tape of Lies.
So what do you do? The natural thing that any rock band would do, or go beyond the call or duty and go all-out to epic proportions to please the masses? Guns 'N' Roses released not one album, but TWO in 1991. Not only that, but both albums were filled to the brim with music, each one spanning over 70 minutes.
It's impossible to review either album separately. While either the first or second can be listened to individually, I feel that both albums are equal and should be listened to in succession to get the full listening effect. Combined, Use Your Illusion I and II hold a total of 30 songs. The frightening part was that 10 of these songs were hits, either on music television or the radio. What you are listening to is a band at their prime. These recordings signified a more evolved G'N'R, refining a rebellious, aggressive approach that Appetite delivered and diversifying and exploring all boundaries. The result was successful. Very successful.
Of course, neither album is perfect. There will be a few songs here and there that you won't like, it's almost impossible to listen to each album without skipping a track. When I listen to them I'm always finding something new. A new song I have stuck in my head, a new wailing guitar solo that makes the hairs stand on the back of my neck, a new lyric I'm reciting to myself when I least expect it. I can't even begin to tell you what my favorite song is. By the time the song is over, I'm already calling the next track my favorite one.
When people tell me that rock music is dead, these are the albums I go home and listen to in order to reassure myself otherwise. It's been 13 years and these albums have yet to show their age. This is the pinnacle of rock. This is what it's all made of. This is the orchestra, the symphony behind it all. There's absolutely no excuse not to own the both of the Illusions. Use them.
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