Review Round Up
Re: Review Round Up
The 39 Minutes part is so Porno for Pyros!
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Pure Method
- Posts: 686
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:23 pm
Re: Review Round Up
bman wrote:The 39 Minutes part is so Porno for Pyros!
Re: Review Round Up
This review was linked to in another thread.
At least I'm not the only one who liked the last track, or at least the parts of it that appear to be verses. (It does seem like it begins to go off into something more generic)
At least I'm not the only one who liked the last track, or at least the parts of it that appear to be verses. (It does seem like it begins to go off into something more generic)
http://punkmusic.about.com/od/reviews/f ... Artist.htm
Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
No Return to Past Glory
About.com Rating 2.5 Star Rating
By Ryan Cooper, About.com Guide
In the late '80s and early '90s, one of my favorite bands was Jane's Addiction. They were an irresistible force of music at the time, with their first three albums (Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual) being albums that commanded time in my tape deck, albums I gladly replaced on CD, albums which I still turn to rather often today. I saw them whenever they rolled through town, and even their most disappointing show (one where they cut it short after Farrell got hit by a shoe) was an amazing evening.
One thing that solidified the presence of Jane's Addiction was their cohesion as a band. You had Perry Farrell as the visionary frontman, Dave Navarro weaving guitar licks that were positively incendiary, and the one-two punch that was Eric Avery on bass and Stephen Perkins on drums. A section of the band that's all too often underestimated, this pairing was a solid, tribal resonance that created a foundation for everything that was to come from this band.
Fast-forward 20-something years. Farrel founded and Jane's Addiction headlined the first Lollapalooza, which toured the country before becoming a multi-day festival in Chicago. There have been multiple albums and the band has broken up and reformed. They've seen lineup changes and reformations, including the NIN/JA in 2009, which was an amazing circus that showcased the band with its original lineup.
Now, 2011 has The Great Escape Artist, an album which, like every Jane's Addiction album prior, I have awaited in anticipation.
So why am I not very happy?
It's a solid musical release, loaded with the dreamy, intricate musical soundscapes that have been an integral part of the Jane's Addiction sound since their inception. From the opening track "Underground," there is a lush depth to the music. They are truly doing something amazing with sound. (Listen/Download)
Tracks meld flawlessly into each other, presenting a band that, while always a solid outfit, a single solid entity. "End To The Lies" is a bold, expansive song that displays Ferrel's personality alongside Navarro's mastery of the guitar (Listen/Download), and "Irresistible Force (Met the Immoveable Object)" (Listen/Download) and "I'll Hit You Back" (Listen/Download) are veritable musical compositions with progression and proficiency to their progression.
But something is missing.
What's is it?
For one, it's Eric Avery.
While bass players often get dismissed for their contributions to a band, the tribal combination of Avery and Perkins was legendary. Avery has been replaced by Chris Chaney who, with a resume that includes stints with Alanis Morissette and Slash, is a solid bass player, but his sound falls just short from the glory days of Jane's Addiction. Chaney shouldn't feel shorted for this, though. Even the era that saw the position filled by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, one of the best bass players living and a current member on the nominee list for the 2012 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, fell short when compared to the combo of Avery and Perkins.
Also, The Great Escape Artist just seems slightly bereft of the frenetic energy from classic Jane's Addiction songs like "Stop!" and it's missing some of the whimsy of songs like "Classic Girl" or "Summertime Rolls." It's a really solid, well-produced record that seems short on passion.
The one exception would be the album's closer, "Words Right Out Of My Mouth," which has that furious energy displayed on many older albums (Listen/Download). But it's only a taste. I want more.
Maybe it's a fact of getting older. Some energy has to die. Maybe it's me, wishing for the excitement of my youth, and wanting to relive the amazement I first held when I cranked "Three Days" in my 1976 Monte Carlo. Maybe it's that early Jane's Addiction was just so good that they can never touch the genius of songs like "Three Days" again. Maybe it's both me and Jane's Addiction. Maybe we've grown older and we've grown apart.
Who knows?
But the fact is, I think I'm going to go listen to Ritual de lo Habitual again. Loud.
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cursed male
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:34 am
Re: Review Round Up
Album Review: 'The Great Escape Artist' by Jane's Addiction
7 October 2011
"You never really change like they say," Perry Farrell sings a few moments into Jane's Addiction's new album The Great Escape Artist (out Oct. 18), "You only become more like yourself." It's probably the best summation of what the Los Angeles alt-rock legends have accomplished here—two decades after their first (of several) breakups, Perry, Dave, and Stephen have released the first quintessentially Jane's Addiction music in as many years. At no point does The Great Escape Artist ever feel like a cheap throwback, though—producer Rich Costey and freelance bassist Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio) have lent dense layers of modern electronics and moody ambience to the band's trademark art metal ruminations. Even at a painfully brief 39 minutes, the album feels immensely superior to 2003's Strays—dare I say so, but it probably belongs in the same realm as Nothing's Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual.
After a buzzy, unsettling synth intro, we crash aggressively into the propulsive bass guitar grind of opener "Underground", a monolithic stomp of John Bonham style drumming and trippy, meandering guitars—if Navarro isn’t riffing like his life depends on it, he’s ripping the weirdest, ugliest sounds possible out of his instrument. Early single "End Of The Lies" feels like the best hybrid of the old and new approaches—Dave’s pummeling surf metal riffs screech and roar over Perry’s confrontation with a sycophantic ghost from his past. It’s somehow classically Jane’s while still sounding innovative and even a little dangerous—ditto for "Irresistible Force", a shimmering, space-bound jam that tears itself gleefully apart during a searing hard rock chorus ripe with tension ("Banging and banging and banging and banging together!") and otherworldly imagination.
Everything here—from the ominous black disco march of "Curiosity Kills" to the dense keyboard/guitar atmospherics of "Twisted Tales"—feels entirely organic; at no point are we listening to the stale efforts of washed up rockers trying to appeal to the kids. "I’ll Hit You Back” finds Perry struggling with his innate desire to tear people apart ("I’ve got some scars on you,” he half-boasts, half-sighs) over a startling inventive, almost uplifting chorus melody. Equally astounding is my personal favorite, "Splash A Little Water On It"—"It’s hard to tip-toe around so as not to make a lot of sound," Perry wails sensitively over a minimal drum loop and gorgeous layers of 12-string guitar chords. Its emotionally devastating qualities seep into "Broken People", a melodic, major key "ballad" that juxtaposes a brutally cynical set of lyrics ("Welcome to the world… a woeful world of broken people") with possibly the most shamelessly beautiful arrangement in the band’s entire catalogue.
Just in case you're worried the band have gone "soft" or "serious", there’s the bizarre "Words Right Out Of My Mouth", where Perry sings about birds stealing his voice (no joke) over an old-school hard rock freak-out. It ends The Great Escape Artist on an aggressive but playful note—evoking their best material and the sonic adventurousness that inspired it. For a group averaging about one album per decade, Jane's Addiction have burst into 2011 sounding fresh, invigorated, and resoundingly relevant—fingers crossed we won’t have to wait another eight years to hear more of this.
SumOlogy: One of (if not the) best rock album of the year. Seriously.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
http://ology.com/music/album-review-gre ... -addiction
7 October 2011
"You never really change like they say," Perry Farrell sings a few moments into Jane's Addiction's new album The Great Escape Artist (out Oct. 18), "You only become more like yourself." It's probably the best summation of what the Los Angeles alt-rock legends have accomplished here—two decades after their first (of several) breakups, Perry, Dave, and Stephen have released the first quintessentially Jane's Addiction music in as many years. At no point does The Great Escape Artist ever feel like a cheap throwback, though—producer Rich Costey and freelance bassist Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio) have lent dense layers of modern electronics and moody ambience to the band's trademark art metal ruminations. Even at a painfully brief 39 minutes, the album feels immensely superior to 2003's Strays—dare I say so, but it probably belongs in the same realm as Nothing's Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual.
After a buzzy, unsettling synth intro, we crash aggressively into the propulsive bass guitar grind of opener "Underground", a monolithic stomp of John Bonham style drumming and trippy, meandering guitars—if Navarro isn’t riffing like his life depends on it, he’s ripping the weirdest, ugliest sounds possible out of his instrument. Early single "End Of The Lies" feels like the best hybrid of the old and new approaches—Dave’s pummeling surf metal riffs screech and roar over Perry’s confrontation with a sycophantic ghost from his past. It’s somehow classically Jane’s while still sounding innovative and even a little dangerous—ditto for "Irresistible Force", a shimmering, space-bound jam that tears itself gleefully apart during a searing hard rock chorus ripe with tension ("Banging and banging and banging and banging together!") and otherworldly imagination.
Everything here—from the ominous black disco march of "Curiosity Kills" to the dense keyboard/guitar atmospherics of "Twisted Tales"—feels entirely organic; at no point are we listening to the stale efforts of washed up rockers trying to appeal to the kids. "I’ll Hit You Back” finds Perry struggling with his innate desire to tear people apart ("I’ve got some scars on you,” he half-boasts, half-sighs) over a startling inventive, almost uplifting chorus melody. Equally astounding is my personal favorite, "Splash A Little Water On It"—"It’s hard to tip-toe around so as not to make a lot of sound," Perry wails sensitively over a minimal drum loop and gorgeous layers of 12-string guitar chords. Its emotionally devastating qualities seep into "Broken People", a melodic, major key "ballad" that juxtaposes a brutally cynical set of lyrics ("Welcome to the world… a woeful world of broken people") with possibly the most shamelessly beautiful arrangement in the band’s entire catalogue.
Just in case you're worried the band have gone "soft" or "serious", there’s the bizarre "Words Right Out Of My Mouth", where Perry sings about birds stealing his voice (no joke) over an old-school hard rock freak-out. It ends The Great Escape Artist on an aggressive but playful note—evoking their best material and the sonic adventurousness that inspired it. For a group averaging about one album per decade, Jane's Addiction have burst into 2011 sounding fresh, invigorated, and resoundingly relevant—fingers crossed we won’t have to wait another eight years to hear more of this.
SumOlogy: One of (if not the) best rock album of the year. Seriously.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
http://ology.com/music/album-review-gre ... -addiction
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cursed male
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:34 am
Re: Review Round Up
Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
10 October 2011
Very hard work indeed
Jane’s Addiction never enjoyed quite the same success on this side of the pond as some of the other rockers who climbed out the LA scene of the mid-to-late-Eighties, but at their best, they had enough swagger and wit to give their sock-rocking contemporaries a run for their money.
Like the Chilis, they certainly had the chops, but while Anthony Kiedis has spent the past twenty years behaving like a bug-eyed gym bunny with personal space issues, Perry Farrell always managed to make it look effortless. Snake-hipped, stick thin and with more than a hint of the Bowies about him, he’s a great American frontman, without even having to try. It’s a pity, then, that much of ‘The Great Escape Artist’ - the band’s first outing since 2003’s ‘Strays’ - is very hard work indeed.
Farrell comes across like a man in the midst of an identity crisis, flitting between juvenile boasts and wrong-headed takes on domestic bliss in the space of a song on the ponderous ‘Splash A Little Water On It’. It’s probably telling that the only time he really sounds at home is when he’s looking back on a time before fame (“I laid my bed out / On my back seat” on ‘Twisted Tales’). But that’s only half the problem. ‘The Great Escape Artist’ is one-paced, bloodless, and frequently blighted by Dave Navarro’s ersatz Edge-isms. It’s only on closing stomper ‘Words Right Out Of My Mouth’ that they finally cut loose, but it’s too little, too late.
4/10
http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/janes ... ape-artist
10 October 2011
Very hard work indeed
Jane’s Addiction never enjoyed quite the same success on this side of the pond as some of the other rockers who climbed out the LA scene of the mid-to-late-Eighties, but at their best, they had enough swagger and wit to give their sock-rocking contemporaries a run for their money.
Like the Chilis, they certainly had the chops, but while Anthony Kiedis has spent the past twenty years behaving like a bug-eyed gym bunny with personal space issues, Perry Farrell always managed to make it look effortless. Snake-hipped, stick thin and with more than a hint of the Bowies about him, he’s a great American frontman, without even having to try. It’s a pity, then, that much of ‘The Great Escape Artist’ - the band’s first outing since 2003’s ‘Strays’ - is very hard work indeed.
Farrell comes across like a man in the midst of an identity crisis, flitting between juvenile boasts and wrong-headed takes on domestic bliss in the space of a song on the ponderous ‘Splash A Little Water On It’. It’s probably telling that the only time he really sounds at home is when he’s looking back on a time before fame (“I laid my bed out / On my back seat” on ‘Twisted Tales’). But that’s only half the problem. ‘The Great Escape Artist’ is one-paced, bloodless, and frequently blighted by Dave Navarro’s ersatz Edge-isms. It’s only on closing stomper ‘Words Right Out Of My Mouth’ that they finally cut loose, but it’s too little, too late.
4/10
http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/janes ... ape-artist
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cursed male
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2011 10:34 am
Re: Review Round Up
Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
7 October 2011
It's been eight years since Jane's Addiction decided to show planet earth that Rock n' Roll is far from dead. Their new album is a sleaze-ass slice of rock pimpery sent from the heavens. 'The Great Escape Artist' is one of the year's finest rock albums and a great record to throw on, sit back and remember the good ol days of grunge and messed up pants.
'The Great Escape Artist' was described by the band members as having a Pink Floyd influence and I can definitely see that leaking through. But what I love most about the record is how these songs would feel just as relevant in the mid 90's as they do now. Jane's Addiction have that unique sound that transcends time and their new music is a breath of fresh air in 2011, while at the same time the riffs remind me of highschool. Making a rock record that feels fresh and doesn't compromise who you are as a band, before the internet force fed music down everyone's throat, is an accomplishment.
Vocalist Perry Farrel is amazing as always, his high voice and unique sound gelling unbelievably alongside guitarist Dave Navarro's simplistic yet flawless riffs. Chris Chaney's bass should not be forgotten either though and is a huge part of how 'The Great Escape Artist' manages to deliver such memorable grooves layered on top of Stephen Perkins' brilliant drumming. Duff McKagan was with the band during the initial song-writing process before departing and his influence is definitely felt here as the darker tones of the album shine through heavily and effectively.
My favorite track is the opener 'Underground', which has one of the coolest damn choruses all year. Jane's Addiction aren't afraid to show us how slick they are and this song is by far one of the sleaziest pieces of delicious rock I've heard in years. The album does slow down a bit near the end and I found myself slightly losing interest. The first single 'Irresistible Force' balances the rock with the Pink Floyd jam moments well, but some of the songs can be a bit much for someone with a short attention span. 'The Great Escape Artist' is better listened to in chunks, as it has a song for every mood – both mellow and heavy.
Jane's Addiction are strong as ever two decades later and living proof that rock isn't quite dead yet. 'The Great Escape Artist' is a sweeping effort that will remind you of better times when your jeans weren't bought pre-torn – you wore your own damn pants out and listened to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine and it was considered cool without being trendy dammit!
http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2011/10/0 ... ape-artist
7 October 2011
It's been eight years since Jane's Addiction decided to show planet earth that Rock n' Roll is far from dead. Their new album is a sleaze-ass slice of rock pimpery sent from the heavens. 'The Great Escape Artist' is one of the year's finest rock albums and a great record to throw on, sit back and remember the good ol days of grunge and messed up pants.
'The Great Escape Artist' was described by the band members as having a Pink Floyd influence and I can definitely see that leaking through. But what I love most about the record is how these songs would feel just as relevant in the mid 90's as they do now. Jane's Addiction have that unique sound that transcends time and their new music is a breath of fresh air in 2011, while at the same time the riffs remind me of highschool. Making a rock record that feels fresh and doesn't compromise who you are as a band, before the internet force fed music down everyone's throat, is an accomplishment.
Vocalist Perry Farrel is amazing as always, his high voice and unique sound gelling unbelievably alongside guitarist Dave Navarro's simplistic yet flawless riffs. Chris Chaney's bass should not be forgotten either though and is a huge part of how 'The Great Escape Artist' manages to deliver such memorable grooves layered on top of Stephen Perkins' brilliant drumming. Duff McKagan was with the band during the initial song-writing process before departing and his influence is definitely felt here as the darker tones of the album shine through heavily and effectively.
My favorite track is the opener 'Underground', which has one of the coolest damn choruses all year. Jane's Addiction aren't afraid to show us how slick they are and this song is by far one of the sleaziest pieces of delicious rock I've heard in years. The album does slow down a bit near the end and I found myself slightly losing interest. The first single 'Irresistible Force' balances the rock with the Pink Floyd jam moments well, but some of the songs can be a bit much for someone with a short attention span. 'The Great Escape Artist' is better listened to in chunks, as it has a song for every mood – both mellow and heavy.
Jane's Addiction are strong as ever two decades later and living proof that rock isn't quite dead yet. 'The Great Escape Artist' is a sweeping effort that will remind you of better times when your jeans weren't bought pre-torn – you wore your own damn pants out and listened to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine and it was considered cool without being trendy dammit!
http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2011/10/0 ... ape-artist
Re: Review Round Up
did etty foget to sign her name to that?
Re: Review Round Up
I would prefer the days of wine and roses over the days of grunge and messed up pants.It's been eight years since Jane's Addiction decided to show planet earth that Rock n' Roll is far from dead. Their new album is a sleaze-ass slice of rock pimpery sent from the heavens. 'The Great Escape Artist' is one of the year's finest rock albums and a great record to throw on, sit back and remember the good ol days of grunge and messed up pants.
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CaseyContrarian
- Posts: 1035
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:48 pm
- Contact:
Re: Review Round Up
And here I keep thinking that I've already seen the worst music writing on the internet.cursed male wrote:Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
7 October 2011
It's been eight years since Jane's Addiction decided to show planet earth that Rock n' Roll is far from dead. Their new album is a sleaze-ass slice of rock pimpery sent from the heavens. 'The Great Escape Artist' is one of the year's finest rock albums and a great record to throw on, sit back and remember the good ol days of grunge and messed up pants.
'The Great Escape Artist' was described by the band members as having a Pink Floyd influence and I can definitely see that leaking through. But what I love most about the record is how these songs would feel just as relevant in the mid 90's as they do now. Jane's Addiction have that unique sound that transcends time and their new music is a breath of fresh air in 2011, while at the same time the riffs remind me of highschool. Making a rock record that feels fresh and doesn't compromise who you are as a band, before the internet force fed music down everyone's throat, is an accomplishment.
Vocalist Perry Farrel is amazing as always, his high voice and unique sound gelling unbelievably alongside guitarist Dave Navarro's simplistic yet flawless riffs. Chris Chaney's bass should not be forgotten either though and is a huge part of how 'The Great Escape Artist' manages to deliver such memorable grooves layered on top of Stephen Perkins' brilliant drumming. Duff McKagan was with the band during the initial song-writing process before departing and his influence is definitely felt here as the darker tones of the album shine through heavily and effectively.
My favorite track is the opener 'Underground', which has one of the coolest damn choruses all year. Jane's Addiction aren't afraid to show us how slick they are and this song is by far one of the sleaziest pieces of delicious rock I've heard in years. The album does slow down a bit near the end and I found myself slightly losing interest. The first single 'Irresistible Force' balances the rock with the Pink Floyd jam moments well, but some of the songs can be a bit much for someone with a short attention span. 'The Great Escape Artist' is better listened to in chunks, as it has a song for every mood – both mellow and heavy.
Jane's Addiction are strong as ever two decades later and living proof that rock isn't quite dead yet. 'The Great Escape Artist' is a sweeping effort that will remind you of better times when your jeans weren't bought pre-torn – you wore your own damn pants out and listened to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine and it was considered cool without being trendy dammit!
http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2011/10/0 ... ape-artist
Re: Review Round Up
Messed up your pants over it?
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CaseyContrarian
- Posts: 1035
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:48 pm
- Contact:
Re: Review Round Up
They do feel a bit grunge-y...Artemis wrote:Messed up your pants over it?
Re: Review Round Up
CaseyContrarian wrote:They do feel a bit grunge-y...Artemis wrote:Messed up your pants over it?
Truly, that review was terrible. I was wondering where those guys take their writing courses.
Re: Review Round Up
blogspot.Artemis wrote:CaseyContrarian wrote:They do feel a bit grunge-y...Artemis wrote:Messed up your pants over it?
Truly, that review was terrible. I was wondering where those guys take their writing courses.
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Tyler Durden
Re: Review Round Up
The Daily Blam! wrote:'The Great Escape Artist' is better listened to in chunks
Ummm...The album is less than 40 minutes long.
Re: Review Round Up
So, we're not delusional. Apparently, one of today's JA's main influences is U2. How creepy is that?cursed male wrote: frequently blighted by Dave Navarro’s ersatz Edge-isms.
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Tyler Durden
Re: Review Round Up
Larry B. wrote:So, we're not delusional. Apparently, one of today's JA's main influences is U2. How creepy is that?cursed male wrote: frequently blighted by Dave Navarro’s ersatz Edge-isms.
Re: Review Round Up
Nice find 
Re: Review Round Up
Tyler Durden wrote:Larry B. wrote:So, we're not delusional. Apparently, one of today's JA's main influences is U2. How creepy is that?cursed male wrote: frequently blighted by Dave Navarro’s ersatz Edge-isms.
Re: Review Round Up
OT: Are those price tags on the posters? 
Is this someone's bedroom or a public place? Barstools... maybe a bar? Is that the top of a jukebox above Dave's head?
Is this someone's bedroom or a public place? Barstools... maybe a bar? Is that the top of a jukebox above Dave's head?
Last edited by Leto on Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Review Round Up
concert ticket stubs....Leto wrote:OT: Are those price tags on the posters?
Is this someone's bedroom or a public place?
Re: Review Round Up
Very geeky, I approve.AdmitI wrote:concert ticket stubs....Leto wrote:OT: Are those price tags on the posters?
Is this someone's bedroom or a public place?
Re: Review Round Up
it was a store
Re: Review Round Up
So if we're to read the writing on the wall, so to speak, they could have looked to either side of that poster for influence to a "new sound" and both would have been excellent choices.Tyler Durden wrote:
But, of course, they went with U2 for inspiration.
*siiiiigh*