644 Jane’s Addiction - Nothing’s Shocking (1988)

 644 Jane’s Addiction - Nothing’s Shocking (1988)

Studio Album - Heavy Rock



About the Act:

Jane's Addiction are a rock band from LA who were formed in 1985 and have had sporadic existence since, with plenty of in-band tensions and arguments, and have managed to squeeze out four studio albums and two live albums. 

About the Album:

This was their first studio album. The cover regularly hits lists of "Most Shocking Album Covers". Apparently the singer and frontman created plaster models moulded on his girlfriend, and he got the idea in a dream.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

Let' start with a comparison to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It's a similar kind of rock. Quite kind of heavy and crunchy. Apparently they were in the vanguard of Alt Rock. So if you like rocky rock, this might be something you enjoy. It's quite varied and there are gentler songs, and more eclectic songs in the mix. The acoustic guitar Jane Says is a bit dull, to my mind, the jazz of "Thank You Boys" is just odd, Summertime Rolls is a better, gentler song. Ted, Just Admit It... is the longest track and my fave, starting in an almost Reggae style. There's some funk elements at times, and it kind of nods at punk to come, and grunge to come (especially with some nice bassline focus at times). The opener, Up The Beach has some nicely handled discordant elements. Musically, I really enjoyed it.

The vocals, Perry Farrell, are quite high for this kind of rock, but strong enough. The subject matter and lyrics are unusual at times, and about as NSFW as the cover. There's a decent amount of swearing. Having said that, I quite like some of the songs, Standing in the Shower, Thinking is a fine example of studied banality, Summertime Rolls is good, Had a Dad is quite personal, and I quite like the premise of Pigs in Zen.

All in all, it's a little out of the ordinary, with enough interesting elements to make it interesting. I enjoyed my listens.

8/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4DVBJPJyizvHfJQt5pYaCa

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6ogdCG3tAWj78lwIVHjSU9pqYwa1KM9b

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing%27s_Shocking



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