G N’ R LIES (Guns N’ Roses, 1988)
Artist: Guns N’ Roses (D+)
Recording Dates: ’86 – ‘88
Release Date: November 29, de 1988. USA
Record Label: Geffen
Producer: Mike Clink & Guns N' Roses
Rating: 6
Era: Hard Rock (1968-???)
Subgenre: Hard Rock
Best Song: Patience
Tracklist: 1) Reckless Life; 2) Nice Boys; 3) Move to the City; 4) Mama Kin; 5) Patience; 6) Used to Love Her; 7) You're Crazy (Acoustic); 8) One in a Million.
Wow ! What happens if, overnight, with just one album, you become the most powerful band on the planet, with the most successful tour (so packed they cause fan deaths), with the members suddenly rubbing shoulders with rock royalty (opening for the Rolling Stones), with the guitarist being considered, at the time, if not the best, at least the greatest badass, even playing alongside His Majesty Michael Jackson… And with a kind of glam attitude, without so much makeup, and the added detail that they were genuinely “bad boys” and not just posers like Bret Michaels, John Bon Jovi, and company? Well, it goes to your head. The guys from Guns N' Roses really believed it, very seriously, that they were the best band in the world because of the success of their well-crafted Appetite for Destruction. And the result was that not only was their "bad boy" attitude far more authentic than that of their contemporaries, but they took it to extremes, embarking on truly destructive tours that ravaged the cities they visited, indulging in excesses of alcohol and drugs, and doing whatever they wanted. At one point, they were heard to say, "We're the Rolling Stones of the 80’s."
The thing is, when a band has such a successful debut album, it generates enormous expectations for its follow-up. Guns N' Roses' Lies was perhaps the most anticipated rock album of the 80’s… and the most disappointing. Frankly, after such a debut, Lies leaves much to be desired. And to begin with, it should never have been released as it is. It's actually a mix of Guns N' Roses ' first EP , Live ?! *@ Like a Suicide from 1986, with the four tracks on side one presented as a "fake live" recording, in which the band displays more enthusiasm, attitude, and eagerness than actual quality. Two of the tracks are even covers … Side two features four acoustic tracks recorded on the fly in just three sessions, including a softer remake of "You're Crazy", which I still prefer in its Appetite version, and of which only "Patience" manages to stand out.
The band didn't actually want to release a new album; they were fully immersed in the tour and enjoying the moment, and supposedly wanted to wait to write quality songs so their next album would be something worthwhile. I suppose the record label pressured them, and in the end, they succumbed to the temptation of a few more dollars, taking advantage of the momentum their debut album was still generating. So, instead of releasing the four new acoustic tracks on a second EP, they decided to compile the songs from Suicide (which they had recorded in the studio and to which they added fan screams to disguise it as a live recording) and sell it as an LP. Not stupid. The problem is that what could have been a more or less decent acoustic EP ended up being a bland LP, lacking unity and direction, and with the obvious aim of extracting money from their fans. So, either way, it's still disrespectful to them, and it falls very, very short of the level shown on their first album and on Illusion.
The album opens with “Reckless Life”, featuring Axl screaming at the top of his lungs, I don't know what the hell, but it ends, predictably, with “Fuckin ' Roses”. The song is a furious rocker, reminiscent of early Aerosmith, with Axl unleashed, screaming more than singing the lyrics, in extreme tones. The drumming is tremendous, delivering powerful fills, while Slash and Izzy intertwine their guitars, trading barbs in those power metal- like grooves. At the two-minute mark, we get a blistering solo from Slash, while the rest of the drums continue to pound away in the background. The problem is that it sounds very generic, soulless, with Slash trying to hammer away at as many notes as possible without much order or purpose. That's actually the problem with the whole song (and the entire A-side): it sounds powerful, but generic, something any pseudo-metal band could have done back in 1986. It's not bad, but it doesn't stand out, and after listening to the album, it's not particularly memorable. Perhaps the best thing about it is McKagan 's great bass playing, which reaches about 25 beats per minute.
Next up is “Nice Boys”, a cover of Rose Tattoo, another hard rock band. It’s not far removed from the original, wild, unrestrained, but I think Axl’s voice gets annoyingly high, especially at the end when they repeat the catchy chorus “Nice Boys don’t” countless times. "Play rock & roll…". With Rose Tattoo, the only interesting thing is that the rest of the band sings backing vocals. Here, everything sounds very heavy, disorganized, and forced. I don't know, with so many songs to cover, it seems to me that they not only chose a very bland and mediocre song, but compared to the original, they sound even worse and contribute absolutely nothing. It's because of songs like this that I say Rose can be an absolutely annoying and detestable vocalist.
“Move to the City” is a slight improvement. The truth is, the combination of Guns N' Roses' power with a horn section could be bizarre, but it works. At least the song is more rhythmic, and there's actually a catchier vocal melody, without Axl's vocals being so over the top. The guitars blend well, combining with the swing of the trumpets and then each going its own way. Slash's solo at 2:30, with the key change and all, is shorter but more organized, without trying to be flashy, and it suits the song better, along with the riffs Izzy builds in the background. Overall, it's more enjoyable, with a very pleasant mood, maintaining a good mid-tempo, neither a furious rocker nor a slow song. The horns are the odd thing, which is perhaps the last thing we'd expect to hear in a Guns N' Roses song, especially from their early days. But it's worth remembering that they were heavily influenced by the Rolling Stones (whom they would later emulate), and around that time they had a horn section. Besides, it doesn't sound bad at all; it's part of the song's charm. I think this is the strongest point of that first EP and this first side, though not enough to make it a standout.
Next up is the second cover, “Mama Kin”, this time by Aerosmith, another of Guns N' Roses' great influences. This time they make the song heavier, adding parts and simply having fun with it, although again it falls short compared to the original, which is lighter, more carefree, and vibrant. From the intro, this version loses Aerosmith's bluesier feel, and they significantly shorten the intro. But hey, the point of this song is to have fun, and they do it with gusto, putting in a lot of punch, and this time they do add an instrumental change; while they respect the song's structure and riffs, the drums, guitars, and bass add notes and small arrangements of their own that make it denser and more hard rock, although again it becomes repetitive and lacks variety towards the end. Presumably, this was the song they closed their concerts with. These first four tracks aren't so bad, and they showcase the band's power and the development of the live sound that would define them (they would become even more overwhelming over time), but a certain lack of maturity is still noticeable. The seeds of Guns N' Roses are there, but they need to refine their style and address their flaws to avoid sounding generic. Of course, by that point they already had a much more mature sound, which is why I maintain that including this '86 EP in 1988 was a mistake.
The second part of the album is acoustic, recorded quickly in three sessions to complete the record. The first track is "Patience", a beautiful ballad (perhaps the best in Guns N' Roses' entire repertoire), composed by Izzy Stradin. The lyrics are simple, melancholic, and autobiographical, with Axl singing heartfeltly and without exaggeration, in a mid-range tone that suits him perfectly. The vocal melody is magnificent, and Rose himself adds the whistling at the beginning, which replaces what would be a main riff. The absence of drums and bass is compensated for by a third acoustic guitar played by Duff, creating a warm and richly textured atmosphere between the three of them, without ever overpowering each other. At times one guitar plays arpeggios, another strums, and then Slash breaks away to deliver a crystalline and well-crafted solo, both melancholic and very melodic, occasionally carrying the whistling line. At 4:10 there's a false ending; the song seems to finish, but then another guitar riff kicks in with a more rhythmic flow. The other guitars join in and create an excellent coda crescendo, which doesn't explode or become violent, but serves as a welcome change that refreshes the song and adds a touch more drama. A great song that shows us a more delicate side of the band, capable of creating good acoustic, melodic, and catchy tracks. Not everything has to be apocalyptic hard rock when there's quality in the song. Wow ! I think this simple song is worth 5 out of the 6 points on the album.
Next up is “Used To Love Her”, again with an acoustic base, but this time with a very rhythmic and pleasant bass and drums. The song is fun and basically just plain crazy. The chord progression is very simple, the kind any band starts with. It's not a masterpiece, but they create a great atmosphere with everyone singing along, a festive yet lighthearted vibe, and the lyrics are very funny: "I used to love her, but I had to kill her, I had to put her six feet Under, and I can still hear her complain" is as catchy as bubblegum. The solos are quite interesting; I'm not sure if it's Slash, but I think it's the closest thing to country we'll hear from Guns N' Roses. While not outstanding, it's a pleasant and refreshing song. On the other hand, the lyrics (which are clearly a joke) started to earn them a reputation as chauvinistic pigs.
Then comes “You're Crazy", which had already appeared in an electric version on Appetite for Destruction, is, in a way, a cover. However, it loses about three-quarters of its original character, being one of the most violent and powerful tracks on the debut album. Here, it's much slower, with Axl singing an octave lower, and then going wild in the middle section, surpassing Robert Plant with his vocal excesses. The solo is good, improving towards the end. It's not bad, but it doesn't add anything to the original, so it seems unnecessary. They supposedly chose this version to make acoustic because that was originally going to be the version on Appetite, but in the end, they sped it up to make it a semi- thrash track, so this is the song as it was actually conceived.
We close with the controversial “One In a Million”, with Axl once again providing the riff with a whistle. This time, they blend rhythmic, acoustic guitar with a fuzz -laden electric guitar, creating intricate arrangements throughout the song. The combination works well. The vocal melody is also strong and catchy, especially in the chorus, where the guitar shines. It could have been another relatively successful song, were it not for the blunder with the lyrics. They were supposed to be a joke and not taken too seriously, but Rose uses them to launch into a diatribe that ranges from racism and homophobia to anti-immigrant rhetoric. Of course, it was censored everywhere, and despite Axl's apologies and attempts to explain that it was a joke, “One In A Million” has become one of the biggest anthems of radical intolerance. They even changed the lyrics in one of the reissues, but eventually reverted to the original after realizing that it wouldn't stop people from continuing to demand apologies.
An album with more cons than pros, and two sides with ambivalent themes; on one hand, very powerful songs with somewhat generic rockers; and on the other, relaxed, acoustic tracks with a good mood, but which aren't particularly distinctive. Some average tracks, covers that don't add much, a beautiful ballad that stands out by far, and songs with potential ruined by the lyrics. I think that's one of Guns N' Roses' main problems. The lack of a consistent level, offering a mixed bag, with very noticeable ups and downs. That, and the notable excesses, and the ego clashes that would erupt within the band. I don't know, Guns N' Roses is a great band, with very good musicians and an attitude perhaps perfectly suited to the music they made, but despite two or three good albums, it seems they never managed to maintain their momentum or stop being an eternal promise that would save hard rock. This could have been a good acoustic EP, but ambition and a lack of planning caused it to end up as one of the band's weak LP’s, very short, and without much personality.
By Corvan
Jun/21/2011
