Was just re-listening to the last Jane's Addiction album, Strays. It's really good--classic Jane's, just better recordings. The difference is that the world has grown around them, and they no longer seem shocking or innovative; they're just a great rock band. There's no nudity, no drugs (?), and there's no threat of the whole thing spinning wildly out of control. And with the rise of the White Stripes, Jane now sounds a bit slick & over-produced.

Still, age hasn't mellowed them as much as cousin band Red Hot Chili Peppers. True Nature starts off the set with great energy, The Price I Pay rocks about as good as anything they've done, and Superhero blends the funk & rock to it's lyrics very effectively. However, Just Because, the first single, stands out to me as rather bland, or at least conventional though not bad by any stretch.

But, while I really like the first 8 or nine tracks, I realized upon re-examination that I didn't know the last couple of songs at all, like I'd never heard them. It seems the album just kind of peters out rather than ending with the best stuff.

Did they lack the creativity to push the album that extra little bit, or do I just need to listen to the last songs a couple more times? I might never know because I'm listening to the beginning over & over again.

The Record Label wouldn't let them include any songs over 5 mins long. There are apparently almost a whole nother album worth of songs in the vault that the label wouldn't let them release. The songs that did make it onto the album just don't impress me, and I LOVE all four of their previous albums.

smokeverbs said:

It is a pretty conventional album. Perhaps it sounds better to me because there is less competition now in the rock world than there was in the early/mid 90's; I'm hungry for any real rock & roll. And I can't fault them because the record is not as good as the rumored unreleased stuff.

Yea I dig you. even mediocre Jane's Addiction is better than most of the shit out today, so yeah.

I really never gave that album the proper attention, maybe I should pull it back out this weekend...

This is a great CD. One of the coolest rock CD's I've heard in a while. A "mature, but rockin'" Janes CD.

Fucking GREAT album!

alright i'm listening to it again now, it's alright, but Ritual De Lo Habitual still owns it by a mile. "Three Days"??? Shiiiiit. I want to hear the outakes from Strays that the label wouldn't let them release.

Glad I inspired a bit of listening. It might not be as good as Nothing's Shocking or Ritual de lo Habitual, but it's better than Porno for Pyros...and 99% of other rock music out there today.
[Edited 8/16/05 13:43pm]

Sure...I know it was the lead single, but Just Because just rocks as a song...I listen to it every time I work out