Nothing's Shocking

Immediately turned off by the album cover. Do they think nude women on fire are edgy? Women have been sexualized and brutalized throughout history. This isn't nearly as original as they think it is. I'm not a fan of the grating noise or the singer's whiny voice, either. Pass.

Groovy jams and tribal drums add some spice but Perry's vocals and Navarro's endless noodling become tiresome. "Mountain Man's" bass driven intro is my favourite moment on this record and "Jane Says" is easily the stand out track. Essentially this album serves as a wonky bridge between the alt-funk and hair metal of the 80s and 90s alternative. ⭐⭐

Nobody knew what the hell was going on with this band as they were ahead of their peers shedding glam metal but still rocking hard pre-grunge. I feel bad for the folks who didn't hear this at its release in their or a friend's basement with their eyes wide and jaws dropped. It must have been like hearing The Beatles contemporaneously.

Jane Says, Apparently I should have listened to the entire album much sooner.

I cannot over emphasize the importance of this album. I wish I could say that I found it when it was released, because it really was at the beginning of the next wave of rock. A time in music that changed me, and my relationship with music.

Los Angeles’ Jane’s Addiction is to rock music what French impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is to painting: (w)hol(l)y dissolute, sordidly sacred, gloriously grotesque. Listening to Jane’s Addiction is like participating in a veneration of pus (pus being defined as a product of the immune system’s fight against invading bacterium.) Pus is, well, gross. But only because something much grosser has invaded your body in the first place. The body has to find some way to expel the infection, so out it spurts, and oozes. Likewise, Jane’s addiction knows how to spurt and ooze. And one can only imagine what/who has invaded singer and lyricist Perry Farrell’s system. Certainly, fundamentally, parental abandonment- ‘Had a Dad,’ the emphasis being on the word had. I know a thing or two myself about parental abandonment, and its unfortunate consequences: perceiving the world as threatening and fearful, lack of self-esteem, inability to trust and be trusted, difficulty in making healthy attachments to others, emotionally immature/stunted, prone to deceit, manipulation, control, etc. FUCKED UP! Smiley the bartender, a fella I once worked under years ago in Aspen, imparted some street wisdom to me one day when I tried to pull one over on him: ‘Son, you can’t bullshit a bullshitter.’ Perry, I’m afraid I know you. I am you. This is very difficult for me to write, to admit; but part of my own long recovery out of the hell similar to the one Perry was burning in when he composed these songs necessitates brutal honesty. And I’ve reason to believe that Perry is not the same man now as he once was, at least given some of the things I’ve heard him say and witnessed from his actions more recently. But in 1988? FUCKED UP. That said, in addition to some of his uglier expressions- ‘Sex is vio-lent (‘Ted, Just Admit It…’)’ and ‘C’mon, kiss you, motherfucker. Fuckin’, suckin’, take it. Forget the rule. Idiots rule. (‘Idiots Rule’)- he also possesses the gift of painting extraordinarily lush and quite beautiful images like ‘I wish I was ocean size… no talking, all action (‘Ocean Size).’ He desires to break, naturally, like a wave, quite the opposite of the other horrors in his life that have broken him in other unnatural ways. Or, on ‘Summertime Rolls’ describing his girlfriend with a nose ‘painted pepper-sunlight.’ It’s a lovely song in many ways, a rare glimpse of the more tender, loving side of Perry. Still, this ain’t no John Denver Annie love song. ‘Jane Says,’ of course- for those familiar with Jane’s Addiction- is the big hit off 'Nothing’s Shocking,' kind of their ‘Hey Jude’ or ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want.’ Perry, in four simple words, summarizes the tremendous power of addiction to pummel the victim’s sincere best intentions: ‘I’m gonna kick tomorrow.’ Anyone listening who has entered the ring with addiction for a round or two or ten or twenty will resonate with this on a deep level. Furthermore, Perry quotes the prostitute for whom the song and the band is named in one of the saddest lyrics I think I’ve ever heard: ‘Jane says, ‘I’ve never been in love, don’t know what it is.’ She only know if someone wants her.’ Like Toulouse-Lautrec, Perry knows his subjects, too, intimately. As far as the music is concerned, guitarist Dave Navarro is Jimmy Page to Perry’s Robert Plant. Navarro can shred on his electric one moment, and then softly fingerpick on his acoustic the next. The waves of his guitar thunderously break and then recede, non-stop all over this thing. Why he’s not recognized with the likes of Page and other greats, I don’t know. Perry’s vocals are outstanding, if an acquired taste, with unique phrasing, meter, and melodies (‘Summertime Rolls,’ i.e.) Not to get too technical, on ‘Jane Says,’ at the same time the chords are moving from a G major to an A major, he sings an A note down to an F sharp thus creating an unusual variant on the G major chord. It’s just this shy of dissonant, but not, and really adds to Jane’s Addiction’s interesting sound. Furthermore, the entire band understands the force of dynamics in music, the yin/yang of loud/quiet. The utter silence on ‘Ted, Just Admit It,’ right before Perry howls ‘… sex is violent’ takes the listener’s breath away. Totally unexpected. Shocking. Riveting. And then when the band rips into a rapid fire musical expression of the crazed, twisted mind of a psychopath like Ted Bundy… again, this is high art, evocative. In fact, to describe this LP as provocative (the cover art alone would probably cause most nice folks to pass it right over for a safer Taylor Swift LP instead) would be to completely misunderstand 'Nothing’s Shocking.' (I’d like to thank my good friend, David, for helping me understand the difference.) Hey, from a gentle soul who dearly loves the sacred chants of Russian Orthodox Christian hymns and the sweet innocence of the Mamas and the Pappas ‘California Dreamin’’ and the smooth as buttermilk vocals of Glen Campbell’s ‘Wichita Lineman,’ I also love to rock, and rock hard, as my friends and family know. And when I get the jones (are you hip?) to rock, I most certainly do not go to REO Speedwagon (I mean no disrespect). I go to Jane’s Addiction. One of the best hard rock bands I have ever had the good fortune to stumble upon back in the day. Perry, I know that your father’s leaving was the catalyst for your ‘… funny feeling (that) God is dead, he’s not there at all,’ but I want to thank the God I feel (beyond my rational understanding, and through and beyond my wounds, similar to yours) that your music is recorded for posterity; if for no one else, at least for me to listen to and learn from and love. 5/5 (and I’d give you 50 more if I could)

Not this shitty band again. I gave them a generous 2 stars last time, but my generosity has run out. Yeah, they don't sound like any other band of that time, maybe there is a reason for that?

Seriously this album is sooooooooo...ZzzzzzzzzzzzZzzzzzzzzzzzZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZzzzzz😴😴😴😴😴💤💤💤💤💤 -1Star!

I became familiar with Jane's Addiction in the 90s, when they were mainstays on the radio. I was shocked when I found out that they were actually an 80s band. It must have been a shock (no pun intended) when Nothing's Shocking came out in 1988. Nothing sounded remotely like it at the time. The rhythm section is massive and thunderous. Dave Navarro's blazing leads ratchet up the energy to nosebleed levels on tunes like Standing In The Shower...Thinking and Had A Dad. And Perry Farrell, as irritating as he can be, has the voice needed to cut through it all. If that was all there was to Jane's Addiction, it would be enough, but they excel at atmospheric brooding as well. Jane Says is the most heartbreaking, truthful song about addiction I know of. Summertime Rolls is haunting. They even include a little bit of funk in Idiots Rule. And as varied as it is, Nothing's Shocking is remarkably consistent in quality. The only dog is the mercifully short Thank You Boys, a tongue in cheek lounge tune which quickly reveals the limits of these musicians. Other than that, Jane's Addiction take no prisoners. Given their obvious talent and passion, they should have had a long career (they self-destructed after Ritual De Lo Habitual), but at least they left us a near perfect album in Nothing's Shocking.

This was the first band in ages to which I struggled to find a derivative element. It seems wholly original. That feat alone would warrant praise, but the psychedelic nature, nonsensical yet thought-provoking lyrics and unique vocal delivery make it one of my new favorite albums. Fuck Yeah.

This album just flat out rocks. This was a bit of a game changer in the 90s and has some really great songs. Perry Farrell is such a weird guy, but has some really witty and catchy lyrics. I come back to this album from time to time and will likely continue to do so for years to come.

Five. I'm done. Honestly, this is the gold standard. I wish everything could be so perfect. Dave Navarro, Perry Ferrell and heroin*. This played constantly when I was a sophomore in high school and have great memories listening to this cassette and being a teenager. Top to bottom each song kills, but "Ted, Just Admit It" kills hardest ;) I still listen to this album in 2021 and there's not a bad song on it. Ocean Size, Summertime Rolls, etc., they're all great. Even the little interlude Thank You Boys is awesome. Up the Beach is an album intro with no words! The intro to Summertime Rolls is so remedial and relaxing and then moves right into Mountain Song. It's is a shot of adrenaline. I appreciate the way the songs open up. Each one begins differently but kind of eases you in and then clobbers you with bass guitar and Navarro with PF and his illustrious screechy wails in the background. It's just and amazing mess of sound that consumes you. Love all of it. Five Stars. ___ *Actually, that's not true. From what I understand the heroin didn't start until the early 90's.

Nothing's shocking!? There are flame-headed naked Siamese twins on a cow background - how is that not shocking!? Why didn't I have this hidden under my mattress as a kid? What's that you say? It came out in 1988? Holy crap! I didn't really know what music (or breasts) were when I was 8. And that's a further indication that this was very ahead of its time. In that context, Jane's Addiction is more responsible for the coming decade of alternative rock than I had realized. Their sound, plus their role in starting Lollapalooza, helped to save us from the 80s. Perry Farrell's voice shouldn't work, but it does. This album is amazing. "Jane Says" is a top-tier, 11/10 song. Does anything more need to be said?

His voice is so annoying.

I'm not familiar with Jane's Addiction, but have heard of them. Interested to listen to an album of theirs all the way through. Honestly, pretty meh rock. Nothing really stands out here as being all that interesting. The album ended and I didn't even realize it. It really didn't grab my attention. 2/5

Jane says is good, but my god does the rest grate on as the album progresses.

Meh

Interesting to say the least. Perry Ferrell’s voice wasn’t exactly what I would listen to for 40ish minutes as a rule. But I plugged away at this album for the project. Unfortunately, outside of “Jane Says”, everything else blurred into each other. Everything was ADHD come to life, scattered noise, nothing really forming together to produce anything harmonious that I would have enjoyed listening to on my own accord. Kind of like this scattershot review

Have I mentioned that I hate drums drenched in reverb? Yeah? Ok. Well then. Joy of joys, it’s another Jane’s Addiction record. This one is decidedly more 80’s sounding than its follow up. Also not a a fan of the distorted guitar tone here, at least on the rhythm guitar, it lacks definition and it’s a little too thin and trebly for my taste. Or, maybe it’s because the reverb drenched drums are crowding the stereo field. Sounds like they recorded the drums in a cave or a silo or something. Anyway, like I said last time, these guys just kind of sound like a fancy (read: experimental) hair metal band. It’s worth noting that I’m in my forties, so, theoretically, I should have some type of reverence for these guys. Not so. I find them kind of a snooze and bordering on annoying, to be honest. Also, let’s just get this out of the way: Funk Metal is fucking lame. Funkadelic is probably the only band who ever made interesting heavy, distorted funk music. (Yes, I’m including Primus/the Red Hot Chili Peppers/Faith No More/Fishbone, etc in my assessment.) Without fail, it sounds really fucking dumb. While I’m serving up hot takes: “Jane Says” is just the riff from “Over the Hills and Far Away” by Led Zeppelin repurposed. I don’t know why I’m so much more critical of this record than I was with Ritual de lo Habitual. I must have been feeling charitable 8 days ago. I usually try to give a little leeway for bands who are “influential”, but I’m having a a hard time seeing what influence Jane’s Addiction had on music I like. Best I can say is that I appreciate Perry Farrell for starting Lollapalooza, which was cool in the early 90’s, but is a whole lot less interesting today… …kind of like the music of Jane’s Addiction.

I could barely stand Ritual De Lo Habitual, but this one was slightly better. Jane's Addiction is still not my bag but this could have been worse.

What if RHCP had better musicians but their vocalist was even more shit and punchable? Yes, they would be pretty fucking terrible. I'll tell you what's shocking, the quality of '80s LA bands

5 I have a few complaints to lodge towards this list about the number of times some artists have made it on (while others I have yet to see at all), but including both of Jane’s Addiction main studio albums is such a W decision that I’m almost willing to forgive the fact I’ve listened to Neil Young five times. I mean, come on, this album rips - it’s just banger after banger after banger. Like, forget all the cheesy hair metal stuff out there, this is the exact kind of thing that makes me fantasize about being up on stage rocking out. It kicks off immediately with an absolutely epic opener in Up the Beach (which is how they open their live shows as well), before transitioning to Ocean Size, a fantastic track that never fails to hype me up. The way the song slows down with its acoustic strums just to have Perry’s wail cue the rest of the band back in at full force - crack to my ears every time (the kicking in of the drums on Summertime Rolls also has a similar effect). And for the most part, the album never slows down from there. I swear, I go back and forth on my favorite song from the album all the time - one day it’s Ocean Size, the next it’s Mountain Song, the next it’s Summertime Rolls, the next it’s Ted, Just Admit It…, all proof that this album is loaded with highs, though Ted in particular is one that only somewhat recently won me over after having seen it live. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it many times again - fucking incredible live band, even still now (or at least in 2023 when I saw them). In fact, I can’t help but visualize the performance every time I listen to Ted now, what with all the lights, pyrotechnics, and dancers coming on in conjunction with the buildup of the song. Honestly, it’s one of the greatest live experiences I’ve ever had, and while I know it’s a pretty messed up song topically, I can’t help but adore it. Sex is violence! That all out of the way, I can’t go on without mentioning Jane Says. For as much as my favorite song here changes, at the end of the day, I have to admit it’s the band’s finest moment. It’s a very simple song in concept, but it’s catchy and charming as all hell in execution, especially the lyrics. “Jane says, ‘I've never been in love’/No, she don't know what it is/She only knows if someone wants her” is probably my favorite from the song, but also, it’s so incredibly hard to resist screaming out “SHE CAN’T HIT” along with Perry. That all to say, I’ve actually gone on to appreciate the live version just a bit more, but no matter how you want to slice the song, I truly think it’s the band’s masterpiece and quite possibly one of the greatest songs ever written (at the very least, it’s the single greatest use of steel drum). Now, if you’ve followed my past reviews (if you’re still reading this, I assume you’re a loyal fan), you may have noticed I previously mentioned in my Ritual de lo Habitual review that I would consider this album a 4.5, and the reason I meant that at the time was largely because of the songs Standing in the Shower…Thinking and Idiots Rule. Well, truthfully, I still don’t love the songs (I particularly hate the lyric “The water hits my neck and I'm pissing on myself”), but listening to the album now, I ultimately don't think they detract from the overall greatness in any way, and they’ve certainly never stopped me from putting it on. I mean, they’re not songs I’ll probably ever seek out to play on their own, but in the grand scheme of this album, I think they fit in fine. Though I’ll say this - I do think Idiots Rule grew on me just a bit with this re-visit (fun fact - Flea plays trumpet on the song). Always a blast listening to this one - truly an alternative rock masterpiece in my opinion, and the fact that I found myself so excited to listen and then kept listening to it after I had all of my thoughts written down is proof in my mind that it’s deserving of the full 5. I’m so glad it made it on this list, but now I’m annoyed I have to wait around for them to come back to LA.

Well, guess I should have listened to this many years ago instead of only hearing Jane Says on the radio. Great album and will be listening to it more than just today. Standout songs for me include Had a Dad, Mountain Song, Pigs in Zen are all rockers in addition to Jane Says. Summertime Rolls is ok to slow things down a bit, but not my favorite. This is where I wish I had more granularity to the scale. I enjoy it more than albums I gave a 4, but not as good as my other 5's. Screw it, 4.6/5.0.

the voice is marmite but cant argue with the tunes

Well this is timely with all the news around Farrell fighting with bandmates on stage during their reunion shows... I've never had any motivation to reach beyond Jane's Addiction's radio hits, but that ends today. The best thing to say about Farrell's voice is that it is "distinctive." Perhaps overdosing Offspring in my youth has conditioned me for the whiny falsetto, but I really don't mind it. This album was more entertaining than I had any right to expect. Latent punk with a hair/glam-metal sheen that's been bundled up into something we now call alt-rock. There's plenty of delicious guitar work here and the drums help to enbiggen the songs. This also had more variety in tone than I expected. Had a Dad sounds just like an Offspring song (Me and My Old Lady). Some weird funk exploration on Idiots Rule. Country-twanged psych rock on Summertime Rolls. Then there's the bright acoustic Jane Says complete with steel drum (obvious single treatment -- this plays a few dB higher than the rest). All said, I really did enjoy this one and will be back again. Solid 4 / 5

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Jane's Addiction because I had a roommate who was early to the party with them. Jason Jorgensen was the only person I know who had this album when it came out, and he played it constantly. The dude was obsessed with this album, to the point that he'd answer the phone by saying, "Jason Says". My grade here is surely sized up because of how ingrained "Mountain Song" and "Jane Says" are in my system. If I'm being honest, those are the only two tracks I love from this album. But damn if Jason didn't quote "Pigs In Zen" and "Idiots Rule" every chance he could. Jane's Addiction, or at least Perry Farrell, is considered one of those "on the bubble" Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame candidates, which means they'll likely get in one day via a "side category". But Farrell created Lalapalooza from the ashes of a Jane's Addiction farewell tour. And between that and the great Jane's songs that still hold up, they deserve to be in the Rock Hall.

I really enjoyed the sound and atmosphere of this album. I'm not sure what else to say about it except that it's good. My favourite songs were probably Thank You Boys and Summertime Rolls, but it's kind of hard to choose.

Never actually listened to this album before. Of course I know "Jane Says". Solid album. This band has always had 80's metal, and 70's psychedelic rock vibes to me. You can hear the transition from 80's hair metal into alternative with this album.

One of those albums that made me find a song I had heard a million times but never knew the name. So Jane Says is that song for me.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I had generally associated these dudes with a lot of bands and 'sounds' I hated growing up but I think I outgrew that. Good stuff

Performed like a bunch of little brothers who just learned about sex and cursing. The band is talented - I get Primus vibes at times - but the lyrics and vocals are intolerable.

meh just didnt like it, the vocals are really grating Significant 38/118 Liked 17/118 Added 4/118 YNN

Simon, I think you’ll deduce the source of this description of Jane’s Addiction without needing any help: \"I've never heard Rush, but that's exactly what I'd imagine Rush to sound like." Perry Farrell’s voice is distinctive, probably a big influence on many later singers who also irritate my ears. This has the dynamics of great hard rock, but not the melodies or riffs, and sounds thin, probably the result of modish production decisions that I will never bother to understand. The cover art is impressively crap and fair to the lyrical content: this does what it says on the tin, tilting towards transgression but finding its nose in a puddle, delivering fiery instrumental work that goes nowhere, unless you count inspiring The Spin Doctors as achievement.

College for me. These melodic rocking songs that sounded like nothing before or after. Killer debut album.

Weird cover

40/1001. Another "yes I've had it for the last 35 years" albums. So what did this listening reveal? That at least the spotify version had extra song(s?) which just made the whole worse? Let's just ignore that. I got introduced to Jabe's Addiction in LA during my exchange year, but didn't manage to see any of their shows. Either they were sold out or at 18+ places. But they were happening there back then. And for some reason (drugs? Artistic disagreements?) they also lost it quite fast after Ritual de lo Habitual, which in 1990-91 was constantly on my turntable. But slowly this album has grown past it I think, hard to say, they are both great. They really know how to make more delicate and fragile sounding, slowly growing songs. But also the rock-funk-groove and energy is there, with a sound like no other. And after 30-35 years it still sounds fresh as fuck.

Yet another of rock's greatest debuts. 5

Amazing record.

A classic, back when Jane's were really good.

One of the greats.

poor Jane I wonder what she was addicted to :(

Cool riffs, interesting lyrics, great drums, high energy - what's not to like? Definitely belongs on this list too because this album really changed the direction of alternative music for the next decade.

Flashback!

30 years of blasting this one out. No need to listen to give the 5

A classic!!!

Lotsa echo and Perry Farrell wailing, so good

Definitely my vibe

Always been in the background of stuff I was listening to and I always meant to give them a listen. Really enjoyed it. Will listen to more of their stuff.

At the time Nothing's Shocking was released in the late 80s, there was nothing like it. Musically, vocally, content-wise, even the cover art of completely unique. The closest analog to them was the Velvet Underground, especially the songs about the dark underbelly of urban culture. Therein lies the problem with Nothing's Shocking and Jane's Addiction overall. Like the Velvet Underground two decades before, you either loved Jane's Addiction or you hated them. Very few people had a take it or leave it attitude toward the band and their debut album. Ultimately, this is one of the albums that kicks off the Alt Rock movement that came to dominate the 90s. Songs such as Idiots Rule, Standing in the Shower... Thinking, and Jane Said became staples of Alt Rock radio. It's easy to forget that, when these songs were released, only college radio would play them and no one over 30 listened to them. That is until Jane's Addicition help launch Lollapalooza. Then everyone knew them. Now, they're classics.

Quintessential Jawn

This is probably my favorite Jane's Addiction album. Especially love the bass playing on this album. Up the Beach is just an awesome piece to open the album. Ocean Size is great. Ted, Just Admit it... is a weird song but I like it. It takes 3 minutes for it to start to kick in. And then at 5 minutes they take up another level and end up rocking this out so hard! Standing in the Shower... so funky. Mountain Song, probably my favorite song by this band. Idiots Rule (horns! Yes! no political commentary needed). Jane Says... I played this song in a 90's alternative cover band. I'm a little too familiar with this one but yes, it's one of their best. Love the steel drums with the acoustic. Pigs in Zen... just some really great guitar riffs. Awesome album!

It's hard to communicate to younger people how influential Janes Addiction was. This album and The Pixies Doolittle were the foundational building blocks of 90's alternative rock.

Loved it

I was a big fan of what turns out to be Ted, Just Admin It.. that was called Sex Is Violent on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and I still found it chilling on this album. Jane Says is pretty epic and overall I found this album enjoyable enough for 5 stars.

An easy 5 for this one - it was in pretty heavy rotation during my uni days, and that was 10 years after it came out - must have been a revelation to hear it in '88! Love the different moods it rolls through, and the general air of inscrutability. Fave tracks - on these playthroughs, let's say "Ted, Just Admit It..." and "Pigs in Zen", but really any of the other tracks could take the title depending on my mood...

As kinetic as can be and dyanmic AF. Listening 30 years on, it’s not hard to recall how (or why) PF was easily the coolest man in rock and roll for more than a quarter as 80s became 90s. Nobody better blended punk edges and attitudes with more traditional/classic rock tropes and hooks. The key was the energy. And PF’s all-in commitment (vocal and otherwise). A few timeless tracks – the opener, which is surprising in its setting of the tone, "Summertime Rolls," "Mountain Song" and the hits, too (as much as one wants to hate on "Jane Says" for overexposure – and in a decently wide range, too. Awfully close to Ritual in terms of quality and staying power.

This album seems to act as a bit of a bridge between the over the top hair metal and glam of the 80's and the heavier rock of 90's alternative and grunge. It's a good mix. The opening one-two of 'Up The Beach' and 'Ocean Size' is really good and sets the album up nicely. The guitar work throughout the album is brilliant and my favourite thing about the record. Great riffs like on 'Mountain Song', blistering solos like on 'Standing In The Shower... Thinking'. The vocals from Perry Farrell are brilliant. Powerful and over the top, though I feel like they are slightly pushed back in the mix and almost sound slightly not real at times? Maybe they're just that good. Really enjoyed this dark, raw and rough album.

Wow! I loved it. Rocked my face off

This is a great listen.

wowzer is that... le ex military opening!?!?!? im feeling a light 8 to a strong 7 on this one bros... (heh, just a bit of music enjoyer humor..) Naa this album was pretty sweet. I wasn't really sure what to expect from an album for which my knowledge was they were sampled by Death Grips but I didn't expect it to be as much of a pure, practically dumb fun experience as this. I was a bit mixed initially on where to grade this for some of the parts where it reared into its neighbouring Hair/Glam metal territory in some of the ways that annoy me for that genre, but something this consistently enjoyable deserves praise

Despite what my profile might say I Love hard rock, it's just got to be good or else most of the time it sounds milquetoast and bland. This album reminds me of brand new's devil and God not in Genre but in how it has perfected the fundamentals of a genre while keeping it fresh. 1988 for this albums release is crazy. Years before the gunge of the 90s so much so this album isn't characterised as Grunge even though it undeniably is And even further before the hard rock revival of the 2000s with foo fighters and Queens of the stoneage. 9/10 Fav tracks - All of 'em

An important band to lie about having listened to before listening to death grips to impress fellow wankers. In all seriousness, before sitting down for this I had heard Up The Beach and Stop! in high school and thought they were pretty groovy, would later become more familiar with them as previously mentioned. To be honest, I thought there would be a good reason that I had only ever heard 2 songs by Jane’s Addiction. Turns out the reason is I’m actually really fucking stupid. I had a big stupid grin on my face listening to this. I fell off this project a little bit and had to drag myself through listening to the sex pistols and their talentless bullshit, and it was SO refreshing to listen to listen to something played with grit and talent. All the moving parts here are in sync. The album is a full-on assault from Up The Beach to Standing in the Shower…Thinking. It knows when to slow down and give you time to recuperate. The second half of the album doesn’t have the same high energy as the first half but it shows that the band isn’t just noise and aggression. Also the choice of instruments gets interesting along the way, huge shoutout to the horns on Idiots Rule and the STEEL DRUM on Jane Says. In the best possible way, this albums reminds me of what it felt like to play Postal 2 when I was 16. This album is fun as fuck. Highlights: the whole thing

It's cliche to say that a band was ahead of its time, but it's amazingly apt in this case. This album was a minor hit when released, but in the 90's it came into its own. Everyone listened. Every shitty cover band had a Jane's cover in their set. Listening to these songs you can hear the influence on other bands. For example listen to Up The Beach and you can hear Tool. Similarly Idiots Rule is a blueprint for Offspring. This album was ahead of its time and helped usher in the alt movement of the 90's and beyond.

Didn't think I'd like it but it was great.

This sounded really really good. Lead singers voice was quite irritating but shit slapped. I don’t know any music that sounded like this in the late 80s. Maybe I’ll regret this but I just want to keep listening over and over again 4.51/5

Metal and Punk Fusion.

An all time favourite of mine. Heyday of Jane’s Addiction. Varied sounds and songs throughout. A real art project.

Well this ones definitely going to get a 5 from me. Mainly for nostalgic reasons. But it is a great album. Today I learned Had a Dad ,was sampled in NINs Ringer finger. I had no idea. John told me. Nice piece of trivia there.

Another of my all time favorite albums. Jane Says, Ocean Size, Mountain Song, etc. This album was a few years too early for the world to totally respect it, but it’s still great 36 years later.

This shit rocks man, the sonics on this entire album are just incredible. The opener kinda threw me off with how slow burning it felt but hearing it all come together was amazing. One of the best melodic, visceral, and thrashing hard rock albums I've ever heard. Best - Up The Beach, Ocean Size (MPF), Had a Dad, Standing in the Shower... Thinking, Summertime Rolls, and Jane Says Worst - NONE 4.75/5

I heard “Jane Says” for the first time sometime while I was in high school, around 2002 or so. At the time I was just exploring a wider range of music after growing up in a very conservative Christian household, and Jane Says is one of those songs that just stopped me in my tracks. It was obviously a song about addiction, which I was just learning about, and everything about it blew me away from the steel drums to the implicitly sad lyrics. It’s far from the only good song on Nothing’s Shocking. Every track is good to great, and it’s a rare “alternative” album that sounds cohesive throughout. Mountain Sound in particular is a jam. It’s Jane Addiction’s masterpiece and one of the best rock albums of the late 80’s.

Dit was awesome

Not their best but still a 5 star album

Jane's Addiction regressed! This is way more arresting and interesting than Ritual de lo Habitual! Brilliant!

Great noisy rock album, really liked this one.

I actually had never heard of this band, and honestly, what the heck? How is Jane's Addiction not more popular? (They freaking slap!) The first thing that really stood out was the clear, rockstarry guitar sound. Sounds like a combination of Brian May and Jimmy Page – notably, two all-time greats – with just a touch of psychedelic distortion. The guitar playing here is insanely good. Big shoutout to Dave Navarro. The bass and drums are also really solid, playing tightly and packing a big punch. The mixing is really clear, allowing all of these instruments to shine. And Perry Ferrell does his classic-rock screaming over that, merging some pretty hilarious lyrics with a weird multitrack semi-melodic gig that sometimes works in the band's favour. But the multitracked vocals can also bea little distracting; they make Ferrell sound a little messy and it can be hard to make out the lyrics. But who cares, really? It's (alt)-rock-n-roll, bro. In fact, what impressed me the most was just how many excellent tracks there are here. The songwriting is nearly off the charts, falling just a little short in terms of melody but making up for it with thick, complex rock textures that keep the listener engaged and guessing. Also, the band gets away with lengthy tracks like Ted Just Admit It and Summertime Rolls. I hardly even noticed the length, really. I was enraptured. Addicted. Haters might even call me Jane. 5/5 Key tracks: Up the Beach, Ocean Size, Had a Dad, Ted Just Admit It, Standing in the Shower Thinking, Summertime Rolls, Mountain Song

Wish I was ocean size they cannot move you no one tries no one pulls you out from your hole like a tooth aching a jawbone I was made with a heart of stone to be broken with one hard blow I've seen the ocean break on the shore come together with no harm done It ain't easy living I want to be as deep as the ocean mother ocean Some people tell me home is in the sky in the sky lives a spy I want to be more like the ocean no talking all action Yeah, this is an amazing album. 5/5

Fantastic record. Perry Ferrell is an acquired taste I'll admit, but once your in. This is innovative for 93 let alone 88

One of the easiest 5*s for me in this list.

An all time favorite....AND they just started making music again :)

Every time I hear some Jane's, I think to myself that I really need to make a point and see live. This album no exception. Right from the start with Up The Beach, I vision this is the opening to a concert that just rocks your world. I already have about half this album downloaded so very familiar with this album and it does not disappoint, if you're a fan. And I'm becoming a bigger fan with every listen. I rocked out to Jane's all weekend, drinking beers in my redneck pool. Great sound and great energy. My favorite tune is Pigs in Zen, but this album contains a number of songs that are just great listens. Personal goal is to see these guys live in 2024. I went back in forth with my rating, but after downloading most of this album and spending the weekend listening to these guys, I'm giving this album, this band a solid 5. Hell, after listening to the next couple albums, I went to and rocked to Jane the rest of of work day today too. See you somewhere in 2024........... 5

Wow, what a great album, they really have a unique sound and so much aggression on this album.

Truly unique and dynamic. And some of these tracks rock tremendously.

Perry Farrell's vocals and Dave Navarro's guitar are perfect together. Perry's voice lends a unique sound in the late 80s to the landscape of what was the pop/rock scene then. Truly the fathers of modern alternative music. Loved it when it came out, love it now.

Imagine Red hot Chili peppers with a crappier Guitarist, bassist, and drummer but somehow the music is still better.

Listened 3/10/24. Had this one pretty much since it came out. Great album at the time and still holds up.

In the spirit of 70s hard rock. Jane's Addiction combined driving rhythms and shredding guitar. What they brought uniquely to the table was their enigmatic lead singer. Prompted that Nothing's Shocking, we listen to songs that bounce between shocking and not. The contrast carries until the end balancing Jane Says against Pigs in Zen. They intended to shock and intended to calm. While heavy handed at times, the music is stellar. Mountain Song pushes a wonderful Zeppelin esque bass line through epic swells. The album is Oceansized , As Perry wishes. Full/deep and interesting.

A masterpiece. A weird album made by weird artists for weird kids, somehow became a classic. Party Farrell gave us a timeless masterpiece that sounds as good today as when I discovered it in the early 90s. Not a bad song in the bunch. 5/5 stars all day, every day.

One of the best albums ever recorded.

I went back in time listening to Nothing's Shocking. I love everything about this album.

A very pleasant surprise. I didn’t have high hopes, I know the name and guess I had some preconceptions about what they would sound like, but it’s pretty bad-ass. Somewhere between Guns and Roses and Nirvana. Like a fun and clean type of grunge? A little bit Chilli Peppers funky at times. Fuck it 5 stars

9 albums in and this is the 3rd album I had already listened to before. Love this album and Jane's Addiction has always been a band I've meant to check out more of. 5 stars.

great album, need to listen to it more

Pretty good. At first I thought it was a 4, but then I realized I’m gonna be listening to this album a lot, something I can’t say about most albums on here.

very cool

A brilliant and timeless album that I still listen to today, love it!

Really cool album. Such a great sounds and it really felt like I could hear both its influences as well as bands that it has influenced while listening to it.

This is such a great album, it’s giving freedom, Southern California vibes, youth and hedonism. Love it to pieces, especially “Ocean Size” and “Up the Beach”

Outstanding, always.loved this album.

Great energy, guitar work and drums throughout, already loved this album so review maybe a touch biased