Towelie Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) Although it's not without its flaws, this is by far the better of the two Illusions albums. I really love this record and feel it gives Appetite a run for its money as the best GNR album from the original lineup. Coma and November Rain are amongst the two best songs the band ever made, and stuff like The Garden, Right Next Door To Hell and Don't Cry are up there as well. Even the lesser celebrated tracks like the underrated You Ain't The First and the cheeseball cock-rock of Bad Apples and Dust N Bones add a certain charm, with their bluesy Stones-esque feel. If you swapped Don't Cry with the far superior alt version and replaced the fairly average Back Off Bitch with You Could Be Mine I think it could've been an even stronger album than Appetite. Thoughts? Edited May 14, 2015 by Towelie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEXzilla Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I actually like the Illusions records more than AFD but I do get that those albums are flawed. So I suppose the way you arranged UI1 would rival AFD in terms of consistency(as AFD flows way better than I and II). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post estrangedtwat Posted May 14, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted May 14, 2015 Didn't bother reading past the first sentence cause everyone knows UYI II is the superior album. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman51999 Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 If you strip both albums down to One there is no doubt Use your Illusion is just as good - 1 -Perfect Crime-2- You could be mine-3- Civil war- 4- Right Next door To Hell 5 - November Rain- 6 Coma-7- Locomotive-8-Don't damn me 9- Don't Cry 10- The Garden-11-Estranged 12- Garden of eden 13- DTTJ-14 -Pretty Tied upThat would be a killer album - just as good as appetite imo and for god sakes drop Dizzy Read and the piano in every song expect November Rain -During the middle of Estranged have Slash play a killer guitar solo instead of piano going nowhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 By far, UYI II is actually better.But II'd argue that a well made compilation of the two would have made a better album that Appetite, no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MYWIFEMYLIFE Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 It is already UYI II is better tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Illusions are better than Appetite for two reasons:1. Lyrics2. Song arrangementUse Your Illusion II epics: Estranged, Breakdown, Civil War, and Locomotive.Use Your Illusion I epics: November Rain, Coma.Use Your Illusion I, however, has non- epics with life changing lyrics, such as Right Next Door to Hell, Dust n Bones, Perfect Crime, Garden of Eden,and Don't Damn Me. I'm most interested in songs between the two that focus on Losing Your Illusions about life. These songs are:1. Right Next Door To Hell2. Dust n Bones3. Perfect Crime4. Don't Damn Me5. Garden of Eden6. Bad Apples7. Coma8. Civil War9. 14 Years10. Breakdown11. Locomotive12. Estranged 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Yeah bin Bad Apples and LALD.Also wins for the fact you can hear Izzy on most songs whereas he's inaudible on II or simply doesn't play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Jay Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) No.I could see Pretty Tied Up, You Could Be Mine or Back Off Bitch on Appetite, that's pretty much it.I listen to Vol.1 to the point that I skip most of the songs. Sorry. It's been years since I haven't heard Right Next Door To Hell, Perfect Crime, Garden Of Eden or Bad Apples. Surprising Ain't Going Down didn't finished on vol.1. Edited May 14, 2015 by Silent Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sturginho Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 UYI II is better, sorry to break it to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 the cheeseball cock-rock of Bad ApplesEveryone says this about Bad Apples but i think you're not giving Axl enough credit for his intelligence here, i always felt this song was kinda satirical, like a piss-take of the LA rat race, i think just cuz it's presented in a hard rock context from a big 80s band that people make that association, that it's like some thicko cock-rock track but i don't agree with that at all. In fact, lyrically i think it's up there with Axls best work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 The highs on UYI2 are incredible, but the album has too many sub-par songs, such as Get In The Ring, So Fine, Shotgun Blues, My World and Yesterdays (don't mind that one, but it isn't great). UYI1 only has one mediocre track (Bad Apples) and that's fun in a sort of guilty pleasure way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnold layne Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I don't think Don't Cry is a good song.You Ain't the First is one of my favorites though, but I can totally understand why a lot of people don't like it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) the cheeseball cock-rock of Bad ApplesEveryone says this about Bad Apples but i think you're not giving Axl enough credit for his intelligence here, i always felt this song was kinda satirical, like a piss-take of the LA rat race, i think just cuz it's presented in a hard rock context from a big 80s band that people make that association, that it's like some thicko cock-rock track but i don't agree with that at all. In fact, lyrically i think it's up there with Axls best work. As I said above, I do like Bad Apples in a guilty pleasure way, although perhaps I should cleanse myself of the Bad Apples guilt because you're right, it IS clearly delivered with Axl's tongue firmly in his cheek. I'd still keep it on the record though. The only track I'd happily kick to the curb off UYI1 is Back Off Bitch. It just sounds too... Appetite-by-numbers. The kind of song Slash would write on one of his solo albums. I don't think Don't Cry is a good song. You Ain't the First is one of my favorites though, but I can totally understand why a lot of people don't like it. Don't Cry alt version is one of GNR's best songs. But I agree about You Ain't The First. Very underrated track. "DEEP DOWN INSIDE!" Edited May 14, 2015 by Towelie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I don't think Don't Cry is a good song.You Ain't the First is one of my favorites though, but I can totally understand why a lot of people don't like it.I think GnR nailed the likes of YATF better than almost any other style they tried their hand at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Back Off Bitch, YATF, Garden Of Eden (fun song, but come on) are honestly pretty subpar song.I know there's a good chunk of amazing Slash riffing an obviously a stellar Axl performance on it, but Coma is clearly the weakest of all the UYI epics too.I respectfully disagree with anyone preferring the Alternate Don't Cry.I love the honesty of the original lyrics, plus the jarring transition bw the verse and the chorus (you know the one) make me cringe everytime I hear the alt. version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drtydane Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Used to love UYI 2 better growing up. But now I def prefer 1. But combining both albums and leaving a handful off, it's def better than Appetite, although I agree that Afd flows better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyrobot Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 UYI 1 is more SlashUYI 2 is more Axl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 The best Don't Cry is the demo. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoSoRose Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 UYI II has better songsUYI I is the better albumIn my opinion 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixes Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 the only song I like on UYI 1 is Don't Damn Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Broue Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 (edited) Although it's not without its flaws, this is by far the better of the two Illusions albums. I really love this record and feel it gives Appetite a run for its money as the best GNR album from the original lineup. Coma and November Rain are amongst the two best songs the band ever made, and stuff like The Garden, Right Next Door To Hell and Don't Cry are up there as well. Even the lesser celebrated tracks like the underrated You Ain't The First and the cheeseball cock-rock of Bad Apples and Dust N Bones add a certain charm, with their bluesy Stones-esque feel.If you swapped Don't Cry with the far superior alt version and replaced the fairly average Back Off Bitch with You Could Be Mine I think it could've been an even stronger album than Appetite.Thoughts?Well i disagree with your entire post...UYI 2 was better (some more filleresque songs, but better gems)Back Off Bitch is one of the best tracks on UYI 1... it's from the AFD days, btw I never liked Bad Apples and You ain't the first...Dust N' Bones could be shorter, but it's a fucking great Izzy songNovember Rain sounds overproduced on the record i much prefer the demo version or various live versionsThe Garden is a fun song, though and contains one of Slash's best solos of alltime, imhoRNDTH is a great opener. LALD is a complete dud, one of the worst songs they ever released and only works on a live setting because the high notes that Axl hit...Don't Cry: I prefer the original lyrics and much more prefer the 80's demo versionsComa is over rated like EstrangedI miss a proper recording of DTJ (like the live version or this hidden gem) or this heavy part To me: GNR is Locomotive, YCBM, 14 Years, The Garden, Back Off Bitch, DTJ, Don't Damn Me (it's a shame that DDM never played live, because Axl thought the song speaks for itself on the record)y'know rock songs from a rock band.... (although i always liked Estranged more than NR)aaand no, AFD is the definitive GNR record and while UYI contains their absolute best songs, overall not even close to AFD in terms of a cohesive record, imho Edited May 14, 2015 by Strange Broue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotsfired cro Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Both UYI's are perfect the way they are.On both albums you have almost double the songs than on AFD, yet, nly songs I would take out LALD, My World, KOHD and maybe Bas Obsession.UYi's were technically better than AFD, AFD was a raw album, on the UYI they technically matured and evolved.The songs were richer in sound, more epic more bombastic.Compared to UYI's, AFD was one dimensional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Coma is overrated, Estranged isn't. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pockets Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Although it's not without its flaws, this is by far the better of the two Illusions albums. I really love this record and feel it gives Appetite a run for its money as the best GNR album from the original lineup. Coma and November Rain are amongst the two best songs the band ever made, and stuff like The Garden, Right Next Door To Hell and Don't Cry are up there as well. Even the lesser celebrated tracks like the underrated You Ain't The First and the cheeseball cock-rock of Bad Apples and Dust N Bones add a certain charm, with their bluesy Stones-esque feel.If you swapped Don't Cry with the far superior alt version and replaced the fairly average Back Off Bitch with You Could Be Mine I think it could've been an even stronger album than Appetite.Thoughts?In my opinion UYI 1 isn't better than Appetite. But what is better than Appetite is the Chinese Democracy CD and worth every penny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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