Lies - Guns & Roses > Reviews > "The Shocking Truth"

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Original, "real" Guns N' Roses
Disadvantages:	Some may be offended by content

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Frankly, a great album.

This album consists only of 8 tracks, 4 live recordings from 1986 (before debut album "Appetite for Destruction") and 4 studio recordings from 1988.

This album gives us a slight insight into early Guns N' Roses with the four live tracks: Reckless Life, Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock N' Roll), Move to the City and Mama Kin.

Reckless Life on my first listen sounded, and I'll be truthful, terrible. However, when I was in a GN'R mood one day, I put three of their CDs into my Stereo, with the intention of only listening to Patience, which I had heard before, however, when this disc came on, and I listened to this again, I was amazed at how wrong my initial reaction was. This is a pure masterpiece, it's catchy tune, accompanied by Axl's unique vocal talents and the superb lyrics form a great opening track that leads seamlessly into the next track, Nice Boys.

Nice Boys, again, is a fantastically original song that's fast tempo compels you to listen, and lyrcis like "Nice boys don't play rock n' roll...I'm not a nice boy, and I never was" really capture the essence of Guns N' Roses - They were sleazy, they weren't "nice" - they were a parent's nightmare.

Move to the City is a slower track that places more emphasis on the music, which is sublime, though not typical of Guns N' Roses. I'm lost really for things to say about this track, but regardless, it is a solid song, but is over-shadowed by the next track; Mama Kin.

This cover of Aerosmith's Mama Kin is great. This IS rock n' roll.
Opening with Axl snarling "This is a song about your fuckin' mother", the lyrics are the same as the Aerosmith version, save for the last line of the chorus (the Aerosmith version is shown below):

Keep in touch with Mama Kin,
Tell her where you've gone and been,
Living out your fantasy,
Sleeping late and smoking tea

Keep in touch with Mama Kin,
Tell her where you've gone and been,
Living out your fantasy,
Sleeping late and smoking tea

In the GN'R version, the last line is changed to "Sleeping late and sucking me" - again Guns N' Roses original dirty, sleazy image showing through. Aerosmith members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry have commented on this cover and expressed that they felt Guns N' Roses "got it" and seemed to understand perfectly the attitude and mood of the song, and it really shows. This song is simply great, and I'd go so far as to say it surpasses the original (though I am a fan of Aerosmith, this is just better in my humble opinion).

This leads onto the 1988 side of the album. I heard somewhere (but I can't remember where) that this was all recorded in a single studio session.

Patience is a beautiful ballad that contrasts really with the other songs on the album. I highly recommend this song, it was the sole reason I purchased the album in the first place. It is great, the smooth acoustic feel, the whistling at the beginning, it all just fits so perfectly. The lyrics are simply beautiful and it doesn't seem fitting to come from the Axl considering he sang things lyrics like "I wanna watch you bleed" in Welcome to the Jungle (however, this IS the same man that sang Sweet Child O' Mine and November Rain, so I guess anything's possible)

Shed a tear 'cause I'm missing you,
I'm still alright to smile,
Girl, I think about you every day now.
Was a time when I wasn't sure, but you set my mind at ease,
There is no doubt you're in my heart now

Everything about it just fits, there's nothing I can really say to emphasise how amazing it sounds (to me at least) all I can do is recommend that even if you don't buy the album, you download (legally of course), listen to your friend's copy, or watch the video of this song on the internet or music TV channels, because it really is something else.

Moving on, I Used to Love Her.
A clever piece of wordplay and some tongue in cheek humour make for a good song that is infinitely better than it is given credit for. I'll let you try and figure out the meaning of the lyrics (look them up if you haven't heard it)

Penultimately, You're Crazy - This song is the same lyrically as that which appears on Appetite for Destruction. On the cover of the CD, Axl explains that the song was originally written acoustically, but was transformed into the fast electric rock heard on Appetite in rehearsals. Here, the song is taken back to it's original tempo, but stays electric. Axl also states "None of which has been done for better or worse...only for the sake of something to do. (We do what we want.) That there is Guns N' Roses in a nutshell: "We do what we want".
The song itself is good to listen to and shows what one single change can do to a song.

Now, finally, the most controversial song Guns N' Roses made. And really, it is great. Now, some of you may nay-say the use of language like "niggers", "faggots" and the such like, but I think if you do, you don't "get it". This song as about sticking a finger up to authority, and not caring about being PC, and Guns N' Roses "doing what they want" (although the term "nigger" caused some conflict between Axl and Slash due to Slash being half black). The chorus is beautiful, and the vocals on the track (even if you dislike the lyrics) are great, and the guitar is just what you'd expect from a Guns N' Roses song. And, really, if you're the type that is easily offended by music lyrics, then perhaps you shouldn't be listening to a band like Guns N' Roses.

In all, this album is pretty damn good, I think. It shows Guns N' Roses for what they are, and in that respect makes it the closest thing to Appetite for Destruction you're gonna find.

It's a good album, and a must for any Guns' fans, and that's no lie.