Since Kat is dealing with this album in his top 50 thread, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so here as well and cross-pollinate ideas.
Guns n Roses - Appetite for DestructionSongs:
-Welcome to the Jungle
-It’s So Easy
-Nightrain
-Out Ta Get Me
-Mr. Brownstone
-Paradise City
-My Michelle
-Think About You
-Sweet Child o’ Mine
-You’re Crazy
-Anything Goes
-Rocket Queen
This album was/is an absolute MONSTER. I have mixed feelings about it, so it's kind of a tale of two takes on the album.
First, on a personal note, I don't particularly care for it.
Personally. While the strength of the songs is undeniable, the headspace of this album just isn't something I particularly identify with or care for. I liked Welcome To the Jungle, Sweet Child, and Paradise City well enough. But I first got the album as a "donation" from my uncle, who didn't care for it. And while I liked a few songs, it wasn't really for me. I ended up trading away my copy to a friend for Warlock's Triumph and Agony (the vocals on that blew my mind!), and to this day, I still consider that a good trade. The overall tone of the album captures a gritty, seedy, grungy, unseemly vibe to a tee. But that's just not me and never has been.
On the other hand, I can appreciate the excellent song writing, the attitude, the genuineness, and the influence this album has had on the rock/metal scene. GnR took the world by storm as the true "bad boys" of rock. And they were the real deal, which I think is one of the reasons this album has endured (coupled with, again, rock-solid songwriting).
So let me be clear: I fully recognize that this album is incredible. I just personally do not identify with the vibe. So while I still enjoy a lot of the songs on occasion, I don't gravitate toward this album.
The interesting thing for me is, as good as the "hits" are, the album really shines on its deep cuts. Rocket Queen and My Michelle, for example, are way underrated gems. But really, there isn't a weak track on the album.
One thing I often see sort of touched on when the band is discussed, but not put in quite these terms and explored from this angle is the almost "musical identity crisis" of this band. And maybe I'm overstating it just a tad. But I definitely see/hear it. On one hand, you had Slash and Duff, who were all about dirty, grimy, no-frills, straight ahead, in-your-face rock. They don't need the music to be shiny and polished. They just want it real, aggressive, and edgy. Then you had Axl, who can definitely play in the same playground as Slash and Duff, but also STRONGLY has a more polished, artsy side. Then you had Izzy, who was sort of artsy in a different way, with some blues and jazzy influence. The result was, in a way, a mess. But it was a brilliant mess that gave GnR a unique sound. That musical tension resulted in some truly groundbreaking songs that made you take notice and rewarded you for listening carefully to what they were doing.
Anyhow, this is kind of a rambling review. But when it comes to GnR, that's kind of my thought process.
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Link to discussion in Kat's thread:
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2571055#msg2571055