Jane's Addiction - Strays

Anybody else acquire this new album yet? I pre-ordered it from Amazon and just got it a couple days ago.

I can’t turn it off.

I so love JA and missed them so much. This CD sounds so much harder and edgier than I remember them. Is it because I’m used to this watered down vanilla alternapop that I hear on the radio all the time… or did JA really crank things up for this album?

Awaiting to hear others’ comments. Does anyone actually not like this band?

Does being ambivalent to them count? When they come on (I can always count on one of the xmradio alternative stations to play a Jane’s Addiction song when I’m in the car) I hunt around to see what else is on and if nothing better’s on, I’ll put the JA song back on but turn it down a little.

I like it, though I think Farrell’s vocals are a bit low in the mix. When I first got into rock and roll, Ritual was one of my favorite albums, it’s great to hear them back at work. The blistering guitar and wicked bass on " True Nature" is a killer opening track. The album has more production than I expected, with the horns and choir sounds on various tracks. I guess that is Bob Ezrin making his presence felt.

A musician friend of mine says he especially likes the drums. He thinks they sound very tribal. I agree.

True Nature blew me away. Awesome way to start up a new album after a 13 year hiatus (or however long it was).

One of my other favorite tracks is Price I Pay. It’s on the DVD (which comes with the CD I got). Such a beautiful harmony between the bass line, the lead guitar riff and the drumming. I sat up and had to watch/listen a couple times in a row.

Great hooks, this album… Anyone seen 'em live on the Lollapalooza tour this summer?

I agree that Chris Chaney is a fine bass player and what he’s doing serves the music very well, but…

I always liked Eric Avery’s ability to write fairly simple, yet instantly identifiable bass lines…I Would For You, Summertime Rolls, Ted- Just Admit It, Three Days

I understand that a bass player’s role isn’t necessarily to draw attention to himself, but I would hope that once Chaney gets through the “new guy” thing, he starts opening up a little more.

And I really like that Perry kicked off yet another album with “Here we go…!”

Though technically Nothing’s Shocking opened with “heeeeeeeeeEEEEEeeerrrrrree weeee goooooooOOOOOooooooo…”

“Does anyone actually not like this band?”

Feh. I was a huge fan at the end of high school 90-91, saw them 2 or 3 times then (Ritual de… tour and the 1st Lollapalooser). Anything they’ve done since then is just … blah. Zzzzzz…

Disclaimer: I hate most everything these days, so take my opinions with a fraction of a grain of salt.

When I was young and just starting to give some post-punk bands a chance (I was a huge punk snob. If it wasn’t punk, and I mean Black Flag or harder, it could just fuck right the fuck off. I’ve since gotten better,) a friend gave me a copy of “Nothing’s Shocking” right after it came out, and God, was I blown away. It remains one of my favorite albums of all time even now. Ritual de lo Habitual sucked ass for about 10 years, then I started to not mind it…but I absolutely could not stand Kettle Whistle or whatever.

I am looking forward to seeing if the new album still has the magic.

One I definately need to get. Did you ever hear them as Deconstruction? Edgy art pieces, but unmistakeably JA.

Jeez, I am such an idiot. The mix is fine, I was playing the CD on my PC with speakers set for game environment. I can hear Perry’s voice clear as a bell now. “True Nature” & “Just Because” kick even more ass than I previously thought, “Wrong Girl” is some cool funk. Give the album a chance you skeptics, it ain’t the old band but it’s good.