Nothing's Shocking

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.

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. ⭐⭐

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.

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.

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.

His voice is so annoying.

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)

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?

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

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.

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

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!

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

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 that 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.

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

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

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

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

Now this was unexpected; this fucking RIPPED. And who knew Fairy Peril could sing in a tolerable manner? This was such a nice surprise. I'll have to apologize to Chris for slamming this band so hard after only having heard Ritual lmao.

Great

Holy crap, is this the best find so far on this thing? Producer from Alice in Chains Dirt, mad guitar metal sounds, this thing is soooo far head of its time. I'm hearing so much of my favourite 90s rock sounds in this. Wish I had it in my collection in teen years hahaha Reading more into it, this basically kicked off the alternative metal/rock sound of the 90s. I can trace so many of my favourite sounds back to this album. Definitely giving this another listen.

Released when I was in high school, dude at the record shop loved the band and convinced me to buy it. It seemed so different for the time but I loved it and I still do, only Janes album I'll listen to.

So this morning, I was standing in the shower thinking why I didn't enjoy Mudhoney much yesterday, and I think it's because so many of the early nineties US grunge/punk/rock/indie bands sounded almost identical, it was hard to tell them apart. Mudhoney just had that angry pissed off teenager in baggy pants 'sound'. Then this shows up on my playlist today and reinforces my prejudice. Jane's addiction are the exception that proves the rule, they have such a unique sound that it's easy to tell them apart, they've also a creative bent and variety that makes it much easier to tell their individual songs apart from one another. Perry Farrell was far less 'angry grumpy teenager' as he was 'furious psychotic adult'. Bloody love this album and it still sounds great today. Saw them live (on the rdlh tour) and they were bloody epic.

Saw the mockumentary “Gift” some years ago. It portrays the beautiful decadence in which Perry and his trope lived back in early 90s when Ritual de lo Habitual was just released. I remember one scene that when his then girlfriend Casey opened the door to receive the pizza order and the pizza boy saw the most gypsy bohemian unorganized living in the entire LA. Magazine scraps everywhere, drugs on the coffee table, low lights hanging from the ceiling, religious memorabilia, and, in the corner the sculpture of the naked siameses that Perry used for the cover of this album. The speechless guy said, “is this the Jane’s Addiction house?” the girl smiled. He also saw the sculpture to be used in Ritual, asked “is this for the new album?” She said: “you’ve seen too much!” Guy left and and girl went back to cook her thing. Many great songs are included in this album: “Pigs in Zen”, “Summertime Rolls”, the trippy “Up the beach” and the utterly famous “Jane says” and “Mountain song”. Even 30+ years after its release, the album still sounds solid and intriguing. Only true pieces of art can stand the test of time.

'Mountain Song' and 'Jane Says' are the stand out tracks for me, but the whole album was a very enjoyable listen.

In a way this album saved my life. At age 16 I felt like the biggest freak on the planet then along came this band that made being a freak the status quo.

The dynamic is less loud-quiet than fierce-tender and it helps to have a world-class frontman who goes all in on effort and who seems to have born with a pure rocker’s attitude (e.g., not faking/posing at all). “Mountain Song,” “Summertime Rolls,” “Standing In the Shower” and the theme song are all classic, and the balance all add value in their unique ways. One always liked the hot-burning energy and the fact they haven’t sullied their legacy with endless reunion and multiple final-final-farewell tours. Still smokin’ hot after all these years.

What can you say about this album that hasn't been cried out in ecstasy in the throws of passion, entwined entities connected not knowing where one person begins and other ends. A grand statement in the alternative scene with one of the most unique voices in music belting out a plethora of head banging ditties. Would listen to this album again and again. Favourite tracks Jane Says and Ocean Size.

Solid album. My introduction to alternative and without realizing it at the time. Huge guitars, great effects and tones in all the vocals and guitars. Nice mix of Pink Floyd, 80’s hair metal, and what was to come with the grunge era.

This album realized the natural transition from the glam metal scene to 90s alt rock. We start off with the instrumental "Up the Beach" which has an arena metal sound characteristic of bands like Def Leppard or GnR, but has a much more unsettling distorted sound. It's a useful opener, exciting the audience in anticipation for the rest of the album. "Ocean Size" starts the record off strongly with everything that makes this album unique. Between Farrell's manic vocals, the punk-like breaks using the acoustics, and the flashy proto-grunge guitar solos, it sets the standards for what countless 90s bands would aim to replicate and fail. "Ted Just Admit It" is one of my favorite tracks, a really complex song full of a ton of really cool parts and an epic finale. I love the grooveline and percussion that remind me of the tribal psybient work of Sphongle. "Summertime Rolls" is another favorite ambient track, groovy and psychedelic. They know how to end a song. Then we have their two most iconic hits, "Mountain Song" and "Jane Says" with memorable riffs and catchy hooks. And of course you have the hollow drums, the distorted reverb wailing guitar (holy shit that solo on "Mountain Song"), and a controlled cool vocalist not to afraid to scat and show personality. I love the subtle things like the distant steel drums in "Jane Says" that's comes out of the shadows at the end. Despite not mentioning their other songs, I did think they were all strong and unique. Not a single song I didn't enjoy. I thought "Thank You Boys" was a funny addition and way to anticipate the ending. The songs were paced well, with an awesome opener and closer, the experimental tracks at the beginning when you're paying attention the most, and the more energetic tracks near the end to keep you going.

Such a phenomenally good album. Between the Glam of the 80's and the Grunge of the 90's was a small period with hard rocking alternative music like Sonic Youth, the Pixies and these guys, Jane's Addiction. And they were reinventing music as they went along. This album just rocks. The lyrics are clever and fun, Navarro's guitar solo's are the best he's ever recorded (before the heroin knocked it a bit out of him). Just a straight up classic in the genre, and in music history.

I like the transitional feel it has like right between hair metal and grunge like right at a time where people didnt have expectations of a genre lol idk anyway it's good

This is a phenomenal album!! I cannot believe Jane's Addiction is a late 80's band. They definately don't sound it! I would assume mid 90's, so they were definate trend setters with the alternative rock movement. They also had a hand in starting Lollapalooza in the states (a yearly celebration of alternative rock). I just recently listened to a podcast about it. The guitar playing is so hard, sludgy, and fast. Their guitarist is definately a hidden gem as far as guitar virtuosos go. Perry Marshall's voice is so recognizable with its gravelly nature, and unique delivery. The bass and drumming throughout are phenomenal. Songs on this record covered some SHOCKING topics such as: abandonment, drug use, Ted Bundy... but I think my favourite lyrics come from a song about shower thoughts: "The water is so fucking hot, it beats on my neck, and I'm pissing on myself, standing in the shower... thinking" Overall, I loved this album. Right up my alley music-wise. Don't know why I didn't delve into Jane's Addiction sooner. Favourite songs: Mountain Song, Jane Says, Pigs in Zen, Ocean Size, "Ted, Just Admit It...", Standing in the Shower... Thinking Least favourite song: Summertime Rolls 5/5

Perhaps the best Jane's Addition album - it is the most consistent one for sure. In any case, the first three JA albums are all 5 star.

Old rock is almost always better than newer rock and that’s def the case here. The progression of this album as in song intensities is near perfect. My favorite progression is that among a bell curve and this is just like that, it starts pretty relaxed and then everything crashes. The outro is very encore vibes which I also love. I have never heard of Perry Ferrell (the singer) before today and I absolutely love his unorthodox sound. These are some of the most insane guitar rifs I’ve heard and I’m obsessed. Like I said it’s hard for me to judge rock but there was never a dull moment, no skips. 9/10 THIS IS ROCK, THIS IS A CLASSIC

I've seen most people think Nirvana killed glam, but this seems like the more obvious link to me. It's got the tones and fun of glam, but it's much more... dangerous. There's like a druggy, unnerving edge to this. Dave Navarro's guitars are great, the rhythm section puts in so much work, and Perry Farrell makes for an electrifying performer. It's like glam metal meets Aerosmith, with the heroin sensibilities of grunge. Favorite tracks: "Ted, Just Admit It...", "Mountain Song", "Jane Says", "Oceansize"

Classic but couldn't give it a proper listen today I was too busy

Incredibly enjoyable. Love the multi layered production of the atmospheric sections (like Sleepwalker calmed down by a dose of Bark Psy) and the horn laden funk slaps just as hard. Stand out - Summertime Rolls us a delight and slams into Mountain so noice

I'm gonna have to recalibrate my 5 stars ...

I was ready to give this a poor rating and then I actually listened to the album. Another band I've heard of but missed at the time (I was into other genres) but for once it's pretty decent. I like the sound from the first few notes and it gets better and better. It really resonates with me now. There's a LOT of 80's and 90's bands in this chart and I'm not too sure why? This is an exception and it deserves it's place in the chart. It's pretty interesting to read this was their first studio album and only 2nd overall and yet it sounds so confident and assured. Nicely paced and varied it paves the way for a lot of the 90's sound and beyond. Outstanding.

Lollapalooza August 23, 1991

I’ve long loved this one but haven’t listened to it in years. Great reminder, especially of more obscure songs like “Pigs in Zen.”

Love the energy

Cool, effortlessly inventive alt-rock.

What an absolute classic. I got into Janes Addiction when they were gearing up for their comeback album in 2003. I remember I had purchased the Spin Magazine they were on the cover of, and the bands I love (RHCP, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden) all had stories about how Janes Addiction shaped their careers. I’ve been trying to figure out now how I was listening to Janes Addiction as I just had my MP3 CD player at that time so uneless I had purchased one of their albums, I likely would have been reading about Janes Addiction for a while before listening to them. It’s crazy to thing how now a band you hadn’t heard you could pull up on Spotify or Apple Music and listen to everything from them. This was still the age when there was some ceremony to having new music, whether you downloaded on your PC or got the CD from a store. But then again, I realize I’m talking nearly 20 years ago. It is wild how this album now sounds about 2 decades ahead of its time. Listening to some other 80s albums through this list they’re all so much of a time and place. Nothing’s Shocking is so different from everything else popular at the time, and it’s apparent why it doesn’t place in the 80s, as every alternative band writes songs like them and every album is produced like this one is. Ocean Size, Mountain Song and Standing in the Shower Thinking are all so massive. Summertime Rolls though is my favourite on this album. Probably because I discovered this band while on a family holiday I have so much nostalgia in this one. I’m listening to this one in February during the worst snowfall in like 10 years and this song sort of is giving the same vibe. I’m really going to have to put this one on again come June.

This is a seriously cool album. Like the Pixies, about three years ahead of their time. I never really listened to Jane's Addiction because all I heard before was Been Caught Stealing and Jane Says, both of which kind of annoyed me (mostly because of Perry Farrell's voice). It didn't help when I learned what a dick Farrell was to his bandmates about publishing rights. But none of that can change how cool this album is. The whole band is fantastic. I was a fan of Dave Navarro's work with RHCP and I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know he was part of Jane's Addiction. A great album that I missed out on because I didn't like their popular songs. Great stuff. Favorite tracks: Up the Beach (yeah, I thought this was awesome right from the start), Ocean Size, Ted Just Admit It, Mountain Song, Pigs in Zen.

I've owned this album and listened to it so many times since the 90s. Any listener would need to appreciate frontman Perry Farrell, otherwise... you probably won't enjoy it as much. Musically, it's great. Combine those two elements together and this is the result.

Epic, life changing magic!

I don't know what to say

Really good. Love mountain song and Jane says, the rest helped flesh out the sound