I Never Thought I'd Actually Be Excited for a Jane's Addiction Record...

Jane's Addiction has always been around, and I've always never cared. But the two songs they've released thus far have definitely captured my attention...


About six months before I was even born, Jane's Addiction released their debut studio album Nothing's Shocking in 1988. And, still before I was born, their hit single "Jane Says" was already annoying the fuck out of the world. If I thought it was over played in the mid 90s, I can't imagine how awful it must've been in the late 80s. Thank god my mom's fat stomach was there to protect my ears from such nonsense.

This was quickly followed up by Ritual de lo Habitual in 1990, which featured the far more tolerable, yet still boring, "Been Caught Stealing."

Then they vanished, but apparently reappeared for a brief reunion in the early 2000s with a new album. I didn't even know about it until recently.

I hope I have accurately painted a picture of how much I really could care less about Jane's Addiction, as much as I do have a soft spot in my heart for 90s alt rock.

Anyways, the group re-re-formed and will be releasing their fourth studio album The Great Escape Artist in October 2011. And, against my better judgement and past history with the group, I gave their songs a chance.

Jane's Addiction's music video for "End to the Lies"
Unfortunately, it's the censored version...

Lyric video for Jane's Addiction's "Irresistible Force"

Both songs are really proggy and spacey--two styles I don't recall in my previous Jane's Addiction experiences. And even though they're this multi-platinum, major label, arena-rock sell outs, these songs almost have a subtle indie rock jamming kind of vibe.

I'm totally shocked by what I'm hearing, and I'm even more shocked how excited I am to hear the finished product.

Are these just two good songs within a pile of crap? Or are these the two most boring songs within a pile of gold? I've heard albums go either way. Deftones' self-titled album had a couple of my favorite songs, but over all the album was kinda dull. But then Mastodon's album Crack the Skye was overall a great prog rock piece, but the single "Divinations" seems way out of place and like it was just tacked on to gain the interest of the heavy metal fanbase.

I guess I'll just have to find out on October 4.