Anyone change their initial opinion of TGEA?

[nestos]

it sucks.

I first thought it could be their best effort for about 10 years, but it isn't.

it sucks.

[Hokahey]

First listen - I already liked IF and found myself loving Underground. Thought the rest was mostly garbage.

2/10

Listened again - Twisted Tales starts sounding like Depeche Mode and I start realling digging it.

3/10

More listening - Broken People isn't bad at all. Much better than anything on Strays.

4/10

Listen again - Have an urge to hear Splash a Little Water on It, listen to it on repeat - fall in love with it.

5/10

The rest is okay - nothing I love, but nothing I hate (except maybe Curiosity). That brings me to my 6.5 rating.

So we're trending upwards.

The fact that there are 4-5 songs I enjoy listening to quite a bit is much better than I expected. I give these guys a LOT of credit for pulling that off. I wouldn't have ever guessed.

[Pandemonium]

when you hire drew carey to play bass and write your songs for you

HA! Excellent!

[blackcoffee]

I am enjoying the album. Have listened a lot in the car, while running, and at the computer. The one song I tend to want to skip is Broken People. The one song that immediately sounds like something from Satellite Party is Curiosity Kills. While it is not a favorite it does get in my head....

[Matz]

I would also be happy with Dave releasing another solo album.

me too, that would be far more interesting than TGEA

[sonny]

this album will sink, as time goes by. the like that people are experiencing i chalk up to just new stuff. that new stuff will wear off this album will be universally thought of as a big mistake.

from the cover to using an outside songwriter to the end result of mediocre songs, this album should do the band in for good.

watching them play these songs live is just gonna be icing on the embarrassing cake. it's tough to watch it happen.

[JOEinPHX]

Thanks for your negativity, once again, Captain Xiola.

[Eric B.]

this album will sink, as time goes by. the like that people are experiencing i chalk up to just new stuff. that new stuff will wear off this album will be universally thought of as a big mistake.

from the cover to using an outside songwriter to the end result of mediocre songs, this album should do the band in for good.

watching them play these songs live is just gonna be icing on the embarrassing cake. it's tough to watch it happen.

Really Sonny, shame you make such a crusade for this. I think you shouldn't underestimate what the opinion on these kind of boards do to the public opinion. Not saying you got the powers in hand and shouldn't voice your opinion, but I think you also voice a lot of personal frustration here.

I really don't understand what's so wrong about the cover. Compare it to RDLH and I think they're in the same category. Everybody's hyping about how great that cover is. I really don't see it. It's just papier mache if ya ask me. NS cover is way way better and really lifts the music up. Also because the artwork overall on that one is really breathing the same kind of feeling. I really like that but thaught RdlH way not that good. I thought the amendment was actually cooler. More of a rebel vibe on that one. A big fuck you.

Using Sitek is a bit weak I agree. Now it's not clear who's art we're listening to. I dig the album for what it is. Not brilliant, but it's got sparks. Live Perry won't be really strong I guess, but maybe that isn't that important. Most of the time he get's the crowd going like in the old days. I never thought he was that good live (although better than now), but was always good for some good fun.

Why a big mistake? Bullshit. Like they don't have the right to make an album. They don't owe you anything. For now I got a new album that I enjoy and the last couple of months I enjoyed the buzz that's all around. A new video here and there...what's wrong with that? Anytime soon a concert probably. All good if you ask me. I don't take it that seriously. Fuck that legacy.

Oh fuck. Who am I preaching to. You only enjoy these kind of reactions. End of story for me. Bye bye.

[ESY]

I like it a little more with each listen. Except for the last two tracks. Not sure why Broken People gets a mention in many reviews as a standout track. Its just not that good. Still my opinion is that I like a lot a of the songs, I like the production and I like that they weren't trying to make NS, RDLH or even Strays! To me, it really is not Janes at all, but it is a good record.

[ESY]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time. Agree with everything else you say.

[Eric B.]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time. Agree with everything else you say.

Yup greatest frontman. I agree. Not greatest singer if ya ask me. I think he's still a great frontman (if he doesn't brings the Liberace capes)........only a lesser singer.

[nausearockpig]

Nope. My opinion of this record hasn't changed from the first time I listened to it: at first i was "what the fuck? where is the arty-crazy-sexy-rocky-metaly-mental music?" and it's still the same now. I've listened to it once a day since the weekend and I feel nothing close to excitement when i hear the songs.

There's no way that this record is of the caliber of XXX, NS & Ritual. Dress it up any way you like, the magic and spark that made the first three records just phenomenal is gone. They can't get that magic back - this much is clear: EA couldn't work with them and they with him, Duff lasted 6 months before he Duffed out and then bringing in someone who doesn't have a historical and emotional tie to the music was IMHO a huge mistake. A mistake that is evident on all of the tracks..

Plus as we all know, Perry's voice just doesn't have the qualities it had back in the day..

[Pandemonium]

this album will sink, as time goes by. the like that people are experiencing i chalk up to just new stuff. that new stuff will wear off this album will be universally thought of as a big mistake.

from the cover to using an outside songwriter to the end result of mediocre songs, this album should do the band in for good.

watching them play these songs live is just gonna be icing on the embarrassing cake. it's tough to watch it happen.

I guess this was what it was like for some hardcore fans of Metallica when St Anger was released.

[Pandemonium]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time.

Uhhh, not even close even when Perry was at his peak. Just using frontmen who I saw live between 1987 - 1991 when I saw Janes, I can think of Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Lux Interior, Stiv Bator, Trent Reznor just to name a few.

[CaseyContrarian]

this album will sink, as time goes by. the like that people are experiencing i chalk up to just new stuff. that new stuff will wear off this album will be universally thought of as a big mistake.

from the cover to using an outside songwriter to the end result of mediocre songs, this album should do the band in for good.

watching them play these songs live is just gonna be icing on the embarrassing cake. it's tough to watch it happen.

I guess this was what it was like for some hardcore fans of Metallica when St Anger was released.

Everybody is right here, at least to some degree. The real difference between this and St. Anger is that, unlike the Metallica effort, TGEA at least has songs that aren't outright embarrassments in their own right. Meaning, Trevor may think that some songs sound like Alanis and others U2, but at least there is some semblance of craft and conveyance of sonic intent. You really can't say that about St. Anger, which is qualitatively God awful, regardless of what it is compared to (even itself).

Sonny is right about one thing, and has been since before we even heard ETTL: Jane's Addiction's failures and successes should be the sole responsibility of its remaining original members. No song doctors. No co-writes. Let's see what Perry, Dave and Steve can come up with on their own. If they felt like letting Chaney participate, fine. Dave says he's "always" been in the band, so let's give him a pass. Whatever the result can be judged as an honest reflection of their current creative potential. Even if I don't hate TGEA (or find a good chunk of it better than expectations), I can't ever call it an "honest" JA expression.

[creep]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time.

Uhhh, not even close even when Perry was at his peak. Just using frontmen who I saw live between 1987 - 1991 when I saw Janes, I can think of Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Lux Interior, Stiv Bator, Trent Reznor just to name a few.

really?

bruce
trent
bono

maybe iggy but jane's music is so much better.

perry was the best frontman easily.

[Pandemonium]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time.

Uhhh, not even close even when Perry was at his peak. Just using frontmen who I saw live between 1987 - 1991 when I saw Janes, I can think of Iggy Pop, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Lux Interior, Stiv Bator, Trent Reznor just to name a few.

really?

bruce
trent
bono

maybe iggy but jane's music is so much better.

perry was the best frontman easily.

Well, I saw all those artists in that time span, most multiple times so I'll stick to my opinion with some degree of authority. Maybe it's because I like(d) a lot of different bands and genres of music and never really considered any one band or artist tops over other favorites, I have or had a bit more objectivity.

IMO, Perry was wildly inconsistent even back in the day especially in his always limited range as a singer. The '91 Lollapalooza show I saw, he sounded like crap. There's just a lot more to being an outstanding frontman than waving a half-empty wine bottle around, spouting some goofy in-between song banter and getting through 15 songs per show. I'd like to see Perry get through a 3+ hour set like Springsteen still can.

Perry *was* a great frontman. Now he's a good frontman. He was *never* the best frontman on Earth (or any other planet).

[kv]

fact

[creep]

fact

fact that he was or fact that he wasn't?

[LJF]

I still think this cd is standard fare. I like Jane's to sound more raw, less shit being added to the sound. I don't know shit about recording so take this for what it's worth. To me this is just to polished and most of it can't be played live. It is just over produced.

I was listening to a lot of Nirvava over the weekend and as I was listening to TGEA today I was thinking maybe a Butch Vig or Steve Albini would be interesting. Please someone who knows more about recording & studio work let me know if what I'm saying makes any sense.

[CaseyContrarian]

I still think this cd is standard fare. I like Jane's to sound more raw, less shit being added to the sound. I don't know shit about recording so take this for what it's worth. To me this is just to polished and most of it can't be played live. It is just over produced.

I was listening to a lot of Nirvava over the weekend and as I was listening to TGEA today I was thinking maybe a Butch Vig or Steve Albini would be interesting. Please someone who knows more about recording & studio work let me know if what I'm saying makes any sense.

Butch Vig would've overproduced it. Albini could never, ever deal with Perry and vice-versa. Steve Wilson might have been able to coax the appropriate balance between "sweetened" and natural. I'm not his biggest fan, but he's helped Opeth transition from death metal to prog with their dignity intact.

[kv]

fact

fact that he was or fact that he wasn't?

he was in his prime prob the best front man i have ever/will ever see

trying to think only name that comes up in my silly head atm is lux interior of the cramps...never knew what you were gonna get with him either

[LJF]

I still think this cd is standard fare. I like Jane's to sound more raw, less shit being added to the sound. I don't know shit about recording so take this for what it's worth. To me this is just to polished and most of it can't be played live. It is just over produced.

I was listening to a lot of Nirvava over the weekend and as I was listening to TGEA today I was thinking maybe a Butch Vig or Steve Albini would be interesting. Please someone who knows more about recording & studio work let me know if what I'm saying makes any sense.

Butch Vig would've overproduced it. Albini could never, ever deal with Perry and vice-versa. Steve Wilson might have been able to coax the appropriate balance between "sweetened" and natural. I'm not his biggest fan, but he's helped Opeth transition from death metal to prog with their dignity intact.

Maybe it wouldn't matter who was recording if the band or I should say Perry wanted to achieve that stadium rock sound then that is just the way it was going to be. Again the CD has it's moments, mainly songs 1-4 then I think it falls off quickly. I would just like it more raw/basic.

[blackcoffee]

Umm, Perry back in the day was the greatest frontman of all time. Agree with everything else you say.

I've got a friend who swears David Lee Roth is the greatest frontman of all time. I disagree with her, but I'm basing that on my musical taste and cultural points of reference. Perry is pretty polarizing. People either love or hate him. Even back in the day.

[trevor ayer]

well bruce may be able to chirp away at his horrid songs for 3+ hours but the audience still has to sit thru that bore fest

perry tops bruce by a mile

trent? the only time i saw him was at the end of janes and he wasn't terribly interesting back then .. and was only starting out when janes was over .. so i am not sure about ur time frame there

iggy pop is truly great and is probably better than perry

stooges are one of the best bands ever .. iggy solo is even pretty good maaaaan

but perry was good at his peak .. sure by lolla there were bad gigs .. but they were done by then .. when perry was on he was on fiya ,.. one of the best if not the best for his time ..

sure i love black francis and robert smith .. but they just stood there compared to perry .. ya gotta hand it to him there

bono blows