Ritual De Lo Habitual

Perry Ferrel always sounds like he is trying to sing while both furiously masturbating and dropping a deuce at the same time, which really brings down what otherwise contains a lot of really great songs

Jane’s Addiction has always been a band that I’ve liked their singles but never really dove in. This album made me realize how great of a full album band they are. This record is awesome from beginning to end, and the last four tracks really carry a lot of that weight. Even with two tracks coming back to back to make up 20+ minutes of the whole album, it really is most of the musical and emotional content of the album. Front half is for guitar-hero riffage, back half is for artistry.

Remember when Wayne Campbell said to Cassandra Wong after watching Crucial Taunt play for the first time, "You guys really wail"? That bonehead sentiment sums up the scope of the vision here. Each song is constructed around the myth of the transportive rawk solo, either side of which the band emit attentuated squeaks, flail lamely with all the other parts of making a song, leaning on art poses like the excruciating freeform bit halfway through Then She Did... when they run out of steam. Sadly for them, when they arrive at the climax they so desperately seek it's only ever a sad dribble in the hand and a drip or two on the tummy. A very irritating listen.

Not my genre, but pleasantly surprised

This was a surprise, an excellent metal/rock album. A great mix of shorter catchy tracks and longer more progressive ones, 'three days' is amazing. 4.5, rounding up since it'll probably grow on me

Je dois dire que je n'ai pas tellement apprécié cet album. Il fut néanmoins sauvé des flammes de la nullité par son côté teenage rock à la con qui me rappela mes années collège. Vous vous demandez sûrement comment mon compagnon d'écoute eltrapeze et moi nous sommes rencontrés. Préparez-vous une infusion et laissez-moi tout vous raconter depuis le début. Le jour de la rentrée dans mon nouveau collège, il était prévu que les élèves de sixième devaient se réunir dans une salle pour savoir quelle classe leur serait attribuée. Au moment d'entrer dans celle-ci, j'aperçus une foule de nouveaux élèves attendant patiemment que la cérémonie ne commence. Soudain, une femme monta sur l'estrade vers laquelle les regards convergeaient et s'empara d'un micro : « Bonjour à tous, quand j'appellerai votre nom, vous vous avancerez. Je placerai alors le Casque Audio sur votre tête, et vous serez répartis dans vos classes. » Le Casque Audio en question était un casque audio des plus classiques, à cette différence près qu'il était très large et que des traits de visage humains apparaissaient sur sa partie supérieure, et notamment une bouche. La femme appela soudain une première élève. Une fois, le casque posé sur sa tête, des mots émanèrent de celui-ci : « Ahh, je vois… Hmmm… Oui … D'accord… Sixième shoegaze ! » La salle applaudit et l'élève s'en alla rejoindre sa classe. « Eltrapeze ?! » appela ensuite la femme au micro. Un petit bonhomme tout frêle émergea de la foule et s'avança jusqu'à l'estrade. La femme se saisit alors du Casque Audio. « Sixième trip-hop ! » s'écria celui-ci à peine posé sur le haut de sa tête. La salle applaudit à nouveau. « Tous les élèves qui ont mal tourné étaient en Sixième trip-hop... » m'indiqua un camarade situé à ma gauche. Une nouvelle élève fut appelée. Après un moment d'hésitation, le Casque Audio donna son verdict : « Hmm, j'ai trouvé… Sixième post-punk ! » Une vive douleur au crâne me fit laisser échapper un gémissement. « Qu'est-ce que tu as ? » me demanda mon camarade de gauche, l'air inquiet. « Rien… rien, ça va… » lui répondis-je la main posé sur le front. Ce fut au tour de ce dernier. « Ahhh… encore un Morrissey… Pas la moindre hésitation… Sixième jangle-pop ! » trancha le Casque Audio. « Robchimistoubijoutière ?! » appela soudain la femme au micro. Les regards se tournèrent alors vers moi. Une éternité sépara l'instant à partir duquel je me mis en route vers l'estrade et celui au terme duquel le casque fut posé sur ma tête. « Hmm… difficile, très difficile… je vois beaucoup de courage et des qualités intellectuelles aussi, il y a du talent, oh oui, et un grand désir de faire ses preuves, alors où vais-je te mettre… — Pas en post-punk, pas en post-punk... — Pas en post-punk n'est-ce pas ? Tu es sûr ? Tu as d'immenses qualités, je le vois dans ta tête… et le post-punk t'aiderait à avancer sur le chemin de la grandeur, ça ne fait aucun doute ! — S'il vous plaît, s'il vous plaît.. Pas en post-punk... — Bien, si tu es sûr de toi…. Il vaut mieux… Sixième shoegaze ! » La salle applaudit et je rejoignis mes camarade de la sixième shoegaze. Ce fut la première fois que je voyais eltrapeze. Nos premiers échanges ne se dérouleront que plus tard en classe d'option Musique Électronique Allemande & Krautrock, mais j'aborderai ceux-ci dans une critique ultérieure.

Perfect 90s album. It has a distinctive sound and feels like an addict experiencing the ecstacy and devestation of addiction.

I bought this CD the day it was released. Super excited, as their previous album, Nothing’s Shocking, was a huge favorite. Much to my dismay, my disc had the censored artwork - as you can see from the picture, this highly offensive material needed to be hidden from the youth frequenting BestBuy. This album did not disappoint. Love the opening track “Stop!” is a banger - great energy. The next three tracks are solid - especially “Ain’t No Right”, but the highlight for me was and is “Been Caught Stealing”. Our old dog Sydney loved this song too, and she always sang along to the opening. I am also a fan of “Classic Girl” which shows a soft edge for this abrasive group. Janes and this album strongly influenced the sound of rock/alternative that followed. A strong four, so I’m rounding up for the dogs.

Didn't think this was my cup of tea at the start… and was ready for the first three songs to be over not long after they started. Then the song “Obvious” came on and I found myself starting to like what I was hearing. "Been Caught Stealing" was great! “Three Days” was a pleasant surprise… Incredible guitars. Wow! “Then She Did” followed that and… am I a Jane’s Addiction fan? A haunting song… Where did “Of Course” come from? This is great stuff… followed by “Classic Girl”… a perfect ending. I started this listen wondering if I could make it to the end, and ended up blown away by Jane’s Addiction. Great album!

An album I just love, from the funky shorter songs like 'Been caught stealing' to the soaring 'Three days'. Everything feels well thought out, inventive and cohesive.

This album was all the rage right when I was about to graduate college. I would guess most fans of music are well aware of Stop and Been Caught Stealing. After listening to this album, I'm going to say Stealing is the band's cheesy pop tune to get radio play. Look, I like the song, but for this listener, seemed out of place on this album. Album starts out just a rocking then goes deep, but maintains the banging sound. Not normally a fan of long songs, but really liked Three Days. The violin in Of Course would make Charlie Daniels proud! In Ain't No Right, loved the line about skin and bones, pointy nose, but it MFing makes me try. There are lot of great deep lyrics an a lot to like about this album. Nice range of lyrics and style of songs. Last several songs were probably my favorites. Three Days, Then She Did, Of Course and Classic girl. Have to admit, I never really got into Jane's when younger. A couple of my co-workers and my son have told me these guys are fantastic in concert. I have been getting more and more into their stuff and hopefully 2024 I see live for the first time. Really enjoyed this album 4

Suite à l'annonce de robbrindegruyère de son erreur, je m'empressais de contacter Robert afin de le mettre au courant. Robert était supéfait: il avait pourtant accordé sa pleine confiance à rob, qu'il considérait jusqu'alors comme son bras droit. Je tentais d'arrondir les angles, expliquant que rob avait été pris par surprise par la mère de sa famille d'accueil. Compréhensif mais néammoins furieux, Robert décrocha son téléphone, prononça quelques mots en espagnol, et raccrocha rapidement le combiné. Je compris de suite ce qu'il venait de faire: une équipe de tueurs en série était déjà en route pour éliminer, non pas rob, mais la personne qui l'avait poussé à fauter. rob quand a lui, se voit retirer sa place de bras droit, qui me revient logiquement de droit. Si e jvous raconte cette histoire, c'est à titre préventif, pour bien vous faire comprendre qu'il ne faut pas chercher à jouer avec le générateur. Ici, la mère de famille en a payé le prix fort, mais Robert ne souhaite pas de nouveau avoir besoin d'en arriver là. A bon entendeur.

Love this album! Such a unique fusion of different influences.

Holds up. Amazing performances, energy.

One of my favorites.

I liked this, probably will listen again. Been caught stealing is a Rock Band Classic and the longer songs all work pretty well. I’d take off half a star bc the vocals aren’t stellar and the end kinda drags. Cool album art

Can’t believe I used to not love this. What an album

As a person who existed in the US in the ‘90s and listened to the alternative rock radio stations, I of course have heard “Stop” and “Been Caught Stealing” many times before. But the rest of this album is really very good, and if “Been Caught Stealing” wasn’t generally kind of overplayed I probably would have listened to it before. I’m not sure it’s quite on par with some of my other 5-star ratings but I really have enjoyed it so there you go.

Has a few of the songs I like (Then she did...) but overall wasn't as good as I expected. They are definitely experimental for the 90s

I really struggle with Perry Farrell's voice. I love hearing it on one song, but I don't really vibe with it for a whole album. That said, I still dig the bass and guitar work throughout. The division of side A and side B dealing with Perry's mother's death is interesting, and a project worth listening to, but not something I'd find myself coming back to much. This one's just a 3.5 for me.

Solid alternative rock one of the driving incidences that much 80s and 90s music however the music was a little basic.

Not sure how I feel about this album. There were a couple songs I enjoyed but not sure it really hit with me in the way I wanted it to.

I only knew "Been Caught Stealing". I like this song, but they others were not memorable to me. It's a bit too slow for my test. Not a bad listen though.

Yooooo Guitar Hero 2 was my favourite in the series, and this brought me back. That one track 3 intro with the drums has me thinking about "Love is a Battlefield", which I can't help but wish I was listening to instead.

His voice has always annoyed me. Some good tracks here though.

Cool album. Really grew into the second half.

No. 270/1001 Stop! 4/5 No One's Leaving 3/5 Ain't No Right 3/5 Obvious 3/5 Been Caught Stealing 3/5 Three Days 3/5 (2x) Then She Did… 3/5 (2x) Of Course 2/5 (2x) Classic Girl 3/5 Average: 2,83 Really overstayed it's welcome for me.

Ritual de lo Habitual Been Caught Stealing is the only Jane’s Addiction song I know, and it’s a great track. Other than that I don’t know much about them apart from Dave Navarro being the guitarist and the singer’s clunky pun name. Red Hot Chili Peppers I suppose are the obvious comparison, especially with the Navarro Connection, even if they aren’t completely analogous, but I did find this much more enjoyable than I generally find RHCP. Farrell is similarly not a great vocalist although in a slightly less annoying way, despite a huge preponderance of ‘Whooahs’ and ‘Yeahs’, and their tendency for slower, more drone like songs among the funk rock makes them a slightly more interesting proposition. Things Like Obvious, Three Days and Then She Did sound a little like pre Urban Hymns Verve, a more spacey vibe than hard rock or funk rock. Been Caught Stealing is the stand out for me, but the run from that song to Then She Did is good, with much more groove and feeling than the first half. Of Course is a bit of a stinker though - big DurkaDurkastan vibes. I enjoyed this, there’s some good stuff happening between the harder rock moments, and when they go for the lower tempo grooves it works pretty well, and is a lot more listenable than a lot of other early 90s US rock bands. A solid 3 - wouldn’t be averse to listening again, but I may not necessarily seek it out 👩👩👩 Playlist submission: Been Caught Stealing

Meh. I've tried several times to explore Jane's Addiction's catalogue and I'm always left thinking "okay". This album changed nothing. Don't get the hype at all.

cool

um clássico entre usuários

love!

Honestly, I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. From reputation, I’d kind of associated Jane’s Addiction with the early Funk-Metal scene, and I’ve listened to enough RHCP to kinda put me off that for a lifetime, but this ended up being more much eclectic and affecting than anything the Chilli Peppers ever did. It was the one-two ending punch of the fun and gypsy-folk like Of Course and the gorgeous little pop of Classic Girl that really clinched it for me. I’m excited to check out more Jane’s Addiction

At this moment, you should be with us, feeling like we do. . . Great album. Three Days is one of my all time favorite songs. Most of the others are great, too.

Still a great album, even if Nothing's Shocking is better.

Fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

One of the definitive albums of the ‘90s for me.

This is another great album that reminds me of high school. 5/5

Fattar inte varför den här plattan är en sån vattendelare, det är ju bara banger efter banger? Så bra!!

I don't know what to say

So so good. I am going to listen to this again right now

Love it

Enjoyable

Nice, laid-back, very fun

Great album, my 2 year old even asked for it again after we danced through the first. Perry’s voice certainly does habituate a loud rill.

I never listened to them much beyond the tracks that were so overplayed on the radio back in the day. It was the overplaying that turned me off of them, but it turns out I like their sound on this album a lot.

Apparently written before nothings shocking, this can be considered their first,and imho best album. Check's off all boxes: sounds like no one else, no skip-over tracks, has a consistent and overarching vibe without all the songs sounding the same. If this were a sci fi novel I'd be talking about their world building craftsmanship. Three Days alone is worth buying a copy of this album for yourself. 11 stars.

How u gonna give this album anything other than a 5?

I could have been listening to this album for 33 years and yesterday was my first time. I will never be able to change this, but I will have to move forward. I blame my parents, really, who takes responsibility for their own actions any more anyway. The first side is terrific. The second side made me cry. That is magic.

whoopee i love this album :) makes me think of zachy :)

Really good.

Classic 90s album! been caught stealing, 3 days.

Exquisitely edgy. Classic not just because of the kicky, kinetic tunes (starting with the nonpareil "Been Caught Stealin'") but because of the smolderly burners that come mostly later in the record ("Three Days," "Then She Did," "Of Course," "Classic Girl" but also "Obvious"). An – perhaps the – essential 90s record.

this record sounds like what cocaine would feel like. no skips album.

Great album

Back in the day I wasn't a fan of Jane's Addiction because I thought their hits had kind of a grating sound - mostly because Perry Farrell's vocals are slightly off key. So I was shocked (pun intended) by the fact that Nothing's Shocking sounded so good. Well, this album shows there are two Jane's Addictions. The first half of the album has that grating sound, and I realized it's not just Perry's vocals, but even Dave Navarro's guitar sound has this metallic edge that bothers me a little (which is a shame, because he is an awesome guitarist). But then the second half of the album (starting with Three Days) is the band that blew me away on Nothing's Shocking (and boy can you hear the Led Zep influence on this album). Still, I'll give them their due - even the grating sound of the first half doesn't take away from the fact that every song is a banger and again shows Jane's Addiction was ahead of the curve - grunge before grunge broke through in 1991. The second half is an easy 5. I'd go with a 4 for the first half, mainly to take a point away for the grating sound. But since the songs are so good, I'm going to round the 4.5 average up to a 5.

This is Jane's Addictions Magnum Opus. First half of the album is where this cult band rocks with the best, and especially Dave Navarro showcases his talent. The Second half is the part of this album that has to grow on you. There really is no bad song on this album. 4,5*

The genuine article, the full-on real deal and likely the best-ever farewell album – this is the way to go out on top and full credit to JA for staying out, too, and not sullying their legacy with numerous farewell tours and other indignities. The article is not be topped for energy and dynamism – has there ever been a more kinetic song than "Been Caught Stealing"? – for belief and credibility, and the simple cool factor. Its variety is underrated too. The slow burns of side 2 mixing Stones and Zeppelin vibes in a wholly original blend. PF is the archetypal post-punk singer, not shying away from the big, dramatic gestures of classic rock and fully embracing the "fuck it" attitude of punk. This was a landmark achievement not just for the '90s – perhaps the best record of the decade coming in the first year – but for all of rock history. Just fucking great. And they gave us Lollapalooza besides.

Great album, although I personally prefer Nothing’s Shocking.

I was whining about not enough 90s alterna-rock grunge and this album turns up. 5 stars for perfect timing. Also, for Stop!

As time goes on, this band becomes more and more underrated.

Hell fucking yeah. This album is exactly my niche sound that I crave. Grunge, punk, metal, hard rock, alternative, emo...all here in spades. And I cannot get enough of it. This is my first time listening to the entire album, and it will not be close to my last. Favorite track: Been Caught Stealing

A truly unique album. Strong from start to finish. The soundscapes created are truly unique. Jane's Addiction were able to achieve something that many bands strive their whole career. An album that everyone should have in their collection.

This is primo. The top grade Gen X mainline critical. A near perfect album from the cover art to every lyric. You can reject him for the unique voice or the words, but honestly who besides Cobain and Vetter caught the zeitgeist better than this? Top stuff.

If God exists they probably sound like Perry Farrell. Best album of the early 90's.

Really enjoyed this.

Love this album, happy memories of the early 90s, still sounds fresh and energetic.

That intro though. Hype as heck!!

Rad

I definitely prefer Nothing’s Shocking but this is still a fantastic album. Three Days and Then She Did… are incredible

Big nostalgia bump for this album - takes me right back to uni. Love the different moods encompassed - very different from the rest of the alt rock field - whimsical, dreamy at times, naïve. Fave track - "Been Caught Stealin'" is a bop. The payoff to "Then She Did..." still gives me chills every time....

This is a lot better than I remember it being

Love it. Jane’s Addiction in their pomp, all snarling attitude and screaming guitars. Fantastic album.

pretty rad

This was already a 90s favourite for me. Side 1 slaps so hard and the grooves of side 2 keep you swaying delightfully. Only “near perfect” but it gets five from me here!

Classic alt rock album. The hits are amazing ("Been Caught Stealing") and the deeper tracks are jamming. Very unique sound. Big fan.

Epic album. Not a wasted moment

All killer no filler

Awesome album. Saw them live on this tour and they blew me away. Absolutely awesome live and on record.

What an album, so much energy from start to finish, some of their best songs and then Three Days which is one of my favourite songs of all time, shame I can only give 5 stars, want more!

Ah memories

For the 17 year old me who got to hear this when it first came out, this was life changing. Released a full year before Nirvana's Nevermind it was one of the fires that led to the inferno of alternative music breaking through.

Perfect

One of my favourite bands of all time. i see them, i give 5*s. can't expect me to be more objective than that

Very 1990 of its time. I like it!

Classic album from Jane's Addiction. Been Caught Stealing is the highlight but the entire album just drips with angst. The CD version I have has the white cover. Jane's Addiction label didn't allow them to release the cover they wanted.

Señores y señoras Nosotros tenemos más influencia con sus hijos que tú tiene, pero los queremos Creado y regado de Los Angeles, Juana's Addicción Outstanding album. Pretty much perfect. 5/5

stop stealing!

I like this album a whole lot and really enjoyed listening to it in one sitting for the first time in a long time. I loved feeling immersed in the fullness of their sound. Perry Farrell's vocals are simultaneously raw and melodious. While I really like the singles (Stop! and Been Caught Stealing) that made me buy the CD when it came out, I dig even more the theatricality of the later songs on the album, like Three Days, Classic Girl, and the nightmare circus that is Of Course.

Absol

Wonderful album. I don't think I ever owned it but I did somehow know it pretty well, and it holds up after all these years. I Liked 5 out of 9 tracks, but really the whole album is solid.

So sick. You can almost smell the sweat and pheromones that went into making this album. It's a monolithic middle finger raised above a roaring and youthful crowd. Yet despite its explosive energy and grit, it's mixed unbelievably well; I feel like I never lost track of a single instrument even during the album's most chaotic moments. I feel like I'm going to listen to this album a lot, weaving through gridlocks on the 101, going on grocery strike missions, staring down the leaf-blower-wielding gardener as I angrily scrub the dishes. I wish I knew more about rock music history so I could place it in dialogue with its inspirations and the things that it inspired. I'm hearing tons of Led Zeppelin for sure, in Dave Navarro's guitar tones and comping style, Perry Farrell's singing, the unconventional scales and time signatures, the strings, the riff-driven breakdowns, and so many other elements. Also, similar to many Led Zeppelin records, this album is extremely eclectic in terms of tone and genre, but still feels coherent as a single work. The first few songs kind of run the gamut, jumping between hard rock, funk, metal, grunge, and I'm sure many other rock genres that I'm less familiar with. "Been Caught Stealing" is one of the most 90s-sounding things I've ever heard; something about that swing, that bass groove, and that reverb carbon dates it nearly to the month. But that song's somehow on the same album as "Of Course", which is a Klezmer song? And all of it is followed by "Classic Girl", which is a perfect beautiful comedown after our frenetic tour de force. It's a testament to the talent in the band that they are able to chisel an original and cohesive sound out of so many distinct influences.

If you weren't around when JA put out their albums, then you may not be aware about how ground-breaking and genre-defying this band was. This album was as powerful as Nothing Shocking, but JA didn't just copy themselves to please a fanbase.

Like a more post-punk version of Alice in Chains

Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane’s Addiction (1990) Here is an album that excels on so many levels. Singer/lyricist Perry Farrell has a deeply poetic sense of lyric clarity, powerful vocal delivery, and thematic boldness. Guitarist Dave Navarro displays modal versatility, technical virtuosity, and power enough to shake the stadium. And, grounded by the dynamic percussion of Stephen Perkins and melodic bass lines of Eric Avery, Jane’s Addiction had all the tools for alt/prog rock success. As a boomer, I came late to the party, but I made it just in time. (Thanks, Mark!) If you’re not familiar with this album, I recommend that you (loudly!) play the first track, then hit the pause button, and think for a few minutes. Really think. Are you ready to brave some serious profanity and blasphemy to hear what these early GenX culture shapers are saying (and how they’re saying it)? Or, would you prefer to set it aside? Do you want to engage them on their own terms, or do you want to turn a blind eye? Is your attitude toward the next generation incarnational or Pharisaical? (“I object, Your Honor, counsel is leading the witness!” “Objection overruled.“) The first track “Stop” is (1) a warning (in grammatically incorrect Spanish: “We have more influence over your children than you do. But we [unlike you?] want them”), and (2) a prophetic declaration that the coming Deluge is both inevitable and inescapable. Turn away if you must, you parents; ban the obscene album cover art offending your sensibilities, you record store owners; ignore the monumental explanatory power of this message and music, you teachers and preachers. But the End is coming like a Flood. The parallel with the message of Noah, the “herald of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) is unmistakable. “Save the complaints for party conversation. The world is loaded. It’s lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop. The water will run. And we will run.” Those last three words can be read as hopeful and redemptive. These guys are not nihilists. They may need to have their Gnostic utopianism tempered by life experience, but their hearts are good. We’ve had it, Jane’s Addiction contends, with racial division (“No One’s Leaving”) that continues to diminish our common human dignity: “My sister and her boyfriend slept in the park; she had to leave home 'cause he was dark. Now they parade around in New York with a baby boy... He's gorgeous!” “Blacks call each other 'brother and sis'—Count me in 'cause I been missed. I've seen color changed by a kiss—ask my brother and my sister.” Baby-making doubling as Affirmative Action—what a concept! A post-structuralist challenge to inherited binary oppositions (like wrong/right) find expression in “Ain’t No Right”, with its retreat into a quasi-Epicureanism of the raw hedonistic sort: “There’s no wrong and no right, only pleasure and pain” (introducing, by internal contradiction, a binary opposition of its own, the sadist/masochist dichotomy, but see below). The diatribe (“Obvious”) against those who would judge rather than listen will obviously be lost on those who have already judged by this point that the album is not worth listening to. Rather self-evident, no? And the wildly entertaining celebration and ‘justification’ of shoplifting (“Been Caught Stealing”) is an overstated Leninist (i.e., Marxist with running shoes on) critique of the capitalist conception of ownership. So, take that! (No, wait a minute . . . ) Now these prophetic/political/philosophical stances are characteristically full of blind spots, internal contradictions, and hypocritical flaws. But they are graphically set forth and honestly held by those we should be engaging instead of ignoring. But the highest art on this album is in the dark and disturbing side two, starting with “Three Days”, brooding poetry giving autobiographical voice to memories of lovemaking (of a forbidden sort—see the cover art) involving one who is now tragically gone (drug overdose). The musical settings contain gliding minor key chord changes washing over each other, launching into an abrupt shift in tempo and meter at 3:02 that progresses steadily through a celebration of base passion, with soaring guitar solo, blistering percussion section, building to a central metaphor and musical climax (7:34) that is too much even for irreverent me. And just when you think it’s over (8:31), it pounds away to three more climactic highs (Be careful you don’t blow your speakers), before collapsing, breathless and exhausted, at 10:45. Ravel would have been proud. This is followed by the slow and deeply melancholy “Then She Did…”, reflecting on ones now gone, in this case, Farrell’s lover by overdose (see above) and his own mother by suicide (“Will you [in death] say hello to my mom? … She was an artist, just as you were. … She was unhappy, just as you were”) with fulsome string orchestrations, dissonant piano flourishes, and powerful pulsing rhythms. And in “Of Course”, of course, reflecting on what we learn from older siblings who tormented us with the ‘Quit hitting yourself!’ game, we’re gratifyingly introduced to the danger, violence, and brutality of natural life, “red in tooth and claw” (Alfred Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H. [1850]), We hear, “One must eat the other who runs free before him—put them right into his mouth, while fantasizing the beauty of his movements—a sensation not unlike slapping yourself in the face…”. Our common lot is grim indeed. In 3/4 time, no less. In the closing track “Classic Girl”, ownership of the moment is in no doubt as we hear: “They may say, ‘Those were the days’, but for us, ‘These are the days’”. This gives a Boomer staring down a GenXer something to think about. The days are theirs, and will continue to be. For a while, at least. One my favorite albums, this one is for listening to when trying to figure out (and/or rage about) why interpersonal relations and intergenerational tensions don’t make sense. And when trying being content with the reasonableness of unreasonableness, loving those kiddos anyway. Be fruitful and multiply. 5/5

Good

This is awesome

Another classic, but a softer jammier album than it was in my memory

Classic rock album. "Been Caught Stealing" was a proper hit on MTV at the time - still think it is very catchy. These days there seems to be quite a bit of controversy around the real-life story behind "Three Days", but without this context the song still sounds as epic as ever. Five stars (just like their previous two albums and despite its typical early 90s sound/production).

One of the greatest albums of the 90’s