Review Round Up

[cursed male]

People care too much about what other people think...

No denying that.

[CaseyContrarian]

OK, now this is officially the worst review I've ever read. Somebody please turn off the Internet.

WNCT Review: Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
19 October 2011

Jane's Addiction's "Great Escape Artist" Is Musical Magic

It's back to the record store once again. And this time, it's for a brand new album from one of the most creative and underrated bands in the entire music industry. Today's review is for the new album from alt-rock pioneers, Jane's Addiction. The band recently released its new album, "The Great Escape Artist". For those looking for something other than what's currently polluting the airwaves, "The Great Escape Artist" is a great escape.

Originality. It's something that the music industry has sadly lacked for well over a decade. Ever since the twentieth century turned to the twenty-first, music has become progressively boring and unoriginal. It's been next to impossible to find a band, group or artist to call an innovator. Thankfully though, with the relase of "The Great Escape Artist", one of the true originators of the alt-rock world has come to save the day.

It's been eight years since the release of Jane's Addiction's previous album, and over twenty since the band's self-titled debut. The irony of this is that "The Great Escape Artist" is only the band's fourth full length studio release. As much time as the band has taken between albums, one can't help but be amazed at how each album has been different from the other. And the band's latest is no exception. It's different from the band's previous three releases, and yet just as great a listen. It's a solid release from start to finish.

The album's opener, 'Underground' is kind of a classic/psychadelic rock piece with a modern era rock sensibility. Whether it's Dave Navarro's guitar work or the driving bass line of David Stick, or famed drummer Stephen Perkins' work, this is a great introduction to an album that Jane's Addiction fans and rock fans in general, have needed for a very long time. 'End To The Lies' is an interesting track in that lyrically, it's a scathing piece that on one hand could be the anti-love lost song. On the other hand, it coul be a rant against fake people in general. It's a song that actually has substance to it. And that includes the musical side, too. Musically, it's just as strong as 'Underground'. By the time that the album reaches 'Broken People', listeners might think that the band will just gently deposit them onto the shore on the other side of the musical world, with a new view on things. Ah, but wait. That's just long enough for audiences to catch their breath. That song is just a new beginning, if the band has anything to say about it. And the band does. As soon as its last strains end, the band gives listeners another kick in the pants, with the album's closer, 'Words Right Out of My Mouth'. Frontman Perry Farrell sings, "There's people on the ground/hungry for some beats to pound/don't need no bread/they just scream for a morsel of sound!/More sound!" That more sound is exactly what audiences get with this track. It's a good up-tempopunk-esque piece that reminds audiences one last time that while "The Great Escape Artist" may only be the band's fourth album, Jane's Addiction has proven once more that it can still be relevant and original, regardless of the times.

http://www2.wnct.com/blogs/reel-reviews ... r-1515353/

[jptm]

any review that i read here that doesn't know what 'ETTL' is about; i disregard. they just don't know the whole story.

[cursed male]

IGN Review: Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist
19 October 2011

La Rockers Trade Sharp Edged Rock for Melodic Cool on Fourth Album

Los Angeles rockers, Jane's Addiction's searing, experimental blend of hard rock and funk has been described in many ways, but boring has never been synonymous with their sound until this most recent release. On their fourth album, the since 2003's Strays, the band largely underplays the thunderous, invigorating elements that put them on the map in favor of a mainstream, melodic sound.

The band itself remains largely unchanged, save borrowing TV On The Radio multi-instrumentalist Dave Sitek on bass, drum programming, and keyboards. Sitek pulls in just enough of his main band's electronic elements to update Jane's sonic palate on tracks like the mysterious "Ultimate Reason", ripe with loosely flung guitar and eerie vocals alongside the flickering electronic bits. Their sound has grown up a bit here, with the more seductive slant of the album simply lacking the sharp edges fans expect.

The major players remain in the achy vocals of Perry Farrell and guitar work of Dave Navarro. While the heart and soul of the band remain, the time off seems to have mellowed both of them; largely effecting the sound. Navarro's work on the album feels largely neutered. The blistering axe work of old is largely replaced with layered, atmospheric clusters of guitar on tracks like "End To The Lies". With the shimmering saw of riffs in the back of melodic "Underground", where at least the buzzing bass groove grabs your attention, you get the feeling he could play this album in his sleep.

The rubbery bass and barreling guitars of closing "Words Right Out Of My Mouth" serve as the lone instance of funk-infused rock eruption fans expect. Piano works its way into the rumbling mix of bass and beat, with the guitar wailing like a siren in the deep, on "Curiosity Kills", and the atmospheric chill of the verses and soaring shouted hook of "Irresistible Force" feeling like it should add up to more than what it does.

While this is an evolution for the band, it is not entirely unpleasant. The loosely jangling guitar drizzled under Farrell's slithering verses on "I'll Hit You Back" proves that the less aggressive slant they give the album works exceedingly well at points, with gorgeous layers of guitars sparkling over each other. The bed of bass and guitar give "Twisted Tales" a glittery vibe that makes the chilled tune sound like it belongs on Duran Duran's Wedding Album, but it is the gooey melodic cool of Farrell's hook that sticks with you long after the album is over.

The band's softened edge can be felt in the songwriting of kind-hearted, post-partying "Splash A Little Water On It". The electronic-leaning psychedelic rocker finds Farrell taking a care of a delicate friend who could not quite hang with the band's hard-partying ways, as Navarro lends a more melodic guitar shimmer to the drowsy tune. Pretty rock ballad "Broken People" drifts along as Farrell warns, "Welcome to the world / Welcome to the aching world / A wonderful world of broken people", looking at the pitfalls that pull people into darkness before the song wakes to loosen Navarro's leash a bit.

On their latest album, Jane's Addiction feels like new again, but you have to wonder whether you wanted them to or not.

7.5 / 10

http://music.ign.com/articles/121/1210152p1.html

[kv]

do you just look up reviews all day? just wondering for me reviews are only for something i have yet to see/hear/taste myself...once you've had it, who cares what anyone else has to say?

[Artemis]

It's not a matter of caring, kv. Personally, I just find the variety of reviews interesting...all the analysis or lack of analysis.

Speaking of reviews here's one from the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/ar ... disappoint

JANE'S ADDICTION

The Great Escape Artist (Capitol/EMI)

2.5 stars (out of 4)

Jane's Addiction only released two proper studio albums during its original late-1980s run, so in releasing The Great Escape Artist it confronts the risk of running its career +/- record down to zero with a second unnecessary reunion disc on the order of 2003's entirely unmemorable Strays.

This record, at least, has the benefit of some new blood, with resident TV on the Radio noise addict Dave Sitek joining Jane's principals Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins as co-writer and bassist on most of the material. Since the three songs co-credited here to ex-Guns ‘n' Roses bassist Duff McKagan — the band's previous choice of replacement for original member Eric Avery — do nothing to advance the Jane's Addiction legend, we can probably credit Sitek's influence with keeping the rest of album from plunging into the crapper.

He's certainly convinced them to bring more keyboards to the party and a tinge of Goth drama to the first single “The Irresistible Force (Met the Immovable Object).” Maybe he also had a hand in getting Jane's Addiction to sound more resolutely like the Jane's Addiction of yore on the opener “Underground” and the excellent “End to the Lies,” a scathing screed against an unnamed hater.

Interest starts to fade during “Twisted Tales,” whose lilting Farrell vocal and burnished pop melody feels a little light on its feet for Jane's, and becomes difficult to maintain during the album's second half. Rich Costey's production is potent and Farrell is in excellent form on the rather schmaltzy ballad “Broken People,” but despite a nicely chugging Navarro riff here and there the songwriting is decidedly B-list. Beset by bad decision-making, too; the portentous arrangement to “Splash a Little Water On It” makes no sense behind Farrell's semi-sensitive lyrics about how “You gotta treat her like a flower man, women need time to recover.” Oh, well. It's better than Strays.

Top track: “End to the Lies.” If the rest of the album were like this, we'd have no problem at all.

Ben Rayner

[Larry B.]

That reminds me... I'd like to express say thanks to Cursed Male for his effort with these reviews

[kv]

[creep]

do you just look up reviews all day? just wondering for me reviews are only for something i have yet to see/hear/taste myself...once you've had it, who cares what anyone else has to say?

i think he has taken the job as "news guy" that hoka was asking for.

[kv]

really? if so my bad do your thing

[Larry B.]

I wasn't being sarcastic with my previous post, btw

[ESY]

Loving that these reviews are all over the place. For UK fans: Janes Addiction - sounds like Marmite.

[cursed male]

do you just look up reviews all day? just wondering for me reviews are only for something i have yet to see/hear/taste myself...once you've had it, who cares what anyone else has to say?

It really isn't that huge effort to google up the reviews pal... and while you're not interested in reading them someone else here might be. And like Artemis said it's not a matter of caring.

[Kajicat]

Keep posting them Cursed Male, I've been reading them and appreciate your work!

[kv]

do you just look up reviews all day? just wondering for me reviews are only for something i have yet to see/hear/taste myself...once you've had it, who cares what anyone else has to say?

It really isn't that huge effort to google up the reviews pal... and while you're not interested in reading them someone else here might be. And like Artemis said it's not a matter of caring.

like i already said i didn't know you were the sites news guy so carry on my bad

[cursed male]

like i already said i didn't know you were the sites news guy so carry on my bad

Well, neither did I. Live and learn...

[kv]

lol damn creep got me

[creep]

lol damn creep got me

i just assumed.

hoka asked people and said some people wanted to do it.

[Jasper]

I like the reviews. Thanks for posting them. It's just interesting to see what's being written out there, beyond our internet blanket fort. It's kind of fascinating to see all of the reactions (and factual fuck ups) from people who are nowhere as familiar with the band.

[leviticus]

Here is a good collection of reviews. Metacritic doesn't seem to be gathering as much of the positive reviews as this site.
http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/38 ... rtist.aspx

[Hokahey]

Here is a good collection of reviews. Metacritic doesn't seem to be gathering as much of the positive reviews as this site.
http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/38 ... rtist.aspx

Seems like they lose points in a lot of reviews for not being "outrageous" or "confrontational" anymore. As if the reviewer pops in the album and expects these guys to be doing exactly what they were 20 years ago. Either the music's good or it isn't.

[tcrock]

Here is a good collection of reviews. Metacritic doesn't seem to be gathering as much of the positive reviews as this site.
http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/38 ... rtist.aspx

Seems like they lose points in a lot of reviews for not being "outrageous" or "confrontational" anymore. As if the reviewer pops in the album and expects these guys to be doing exactly what they were 20 years ago. Either the music's good or it isn't.

that seems to be the consensus with most negative reviews either from fans,writers, whatever.......of course we have our residents here who hate it regardless, but most disappointed with the album are still hung up on comparing it to the past. It's a problem for bands that put out a new album every, 10 years or so.

[trevor ayer]

ya know thats fuckin bullshit .. no one is comparing the new janes to the past .. coldplay sucks .. i dont like them .. and i dont like this shit either .. its not because its different than the past .. its not because they try to sound like coldplay .. its cuz it sucks .. coldplay sucks and now janes addiction sucks too .. on record anyway .. the live shows seem to be improving ever so slightly .. we will see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeyjRxy55wg

[tcrock]

ya know thats fuckin bullshit .. no one is comparing the new janes to the past .. coldplay sucks .. i dont like them .. and i dont like this shit either .. its not because its different than the past .. its not because they try to sound like coldplay .. its cuz it sucks .. coldplay sucks and now janes addiction sucks too .. on record anyway .. the live shows seem to be improving ever so slightly .. we will see

like i said, there are some that hate it regardless........I get that. However, to say no one is comparing new Janes to the past is a bit of a stretch, no?

[leviticus]

ya know thats fuckin bullshit .. no one is comparing the new janes to the past .. coldplay sucks .. i dont like them .. and i dont like this shit either .. its not because its different than the past .. its not because they try to sound like coldplay .. its cuz it sucks .. coldplay sucks and now janes addiction sucks too .. on record anyway .. the live shows seem to be improving ever so slightly .. we will see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeyjRxy55wg

TGEA sounds nothing like Coldplay, if that is in fact what you are implying.