Following the release of the band's self-titled live debut album in 1987, Jane's Addiction was already an underground club sensation. Despite not getting as much attention as the glam-metal bands of that era in Los Angeles, Jane's Addiction were still beloved in the L.A. music scene. Their club shows and debut album helped garner attention from labels as the band signed with Warner Brothers. Yet, the signing of a band like Jane's Addiction was unique even though the band wasn't really a traditional hard rock band. Due to their eclectic sound of Goth, art-rock, punk, psychedelic rock, and metal, the band was clearly different from all of the bands in Los Angeles. Yet, the band were all unique personalities that were as fiery and at times, chaotic which would eventually lead to their break-up in 1991. Still, the band pulled together to record their first studio album entitled Nothing's Shocking.

Written and performed by Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking is an album filled with hard-rocking songs with punk-like ferocity, Gothic melodies, and vibrant polyrhythms. Produced by the band's vocalist Perry Farrell and Dave Jerden, the album is filled with songs of angst, love, loneliness, and other themes provided by Farrell. Along with Dave Navarro's intricate, frenzied guitar playing; Eric Avery's melodic-driven bass lines; and Stephen Perkins rumbling, pulsating drums. It's an album that is unique in its versatility, diverse sounds, and intensity that is unlike any band before and since then. The result isn't just one of the best albums ever recorded but a testament to how different and ahead of their time Jane's Addiction were back in 1988.

The album begins with the instrumental opener Up The Beach with Eric Avery's sturdy, melodic bass lines as it flourishes through the song with a thundering beat, heavy power chords, and Perry Farrell's wailing, high-pitch, screeching vocals emerging to Avery's bass. The track slowly builds momentum as Stephen Perkins plays slow, pummeling beats with Dave Navarro's raging power chords as Farrell sings wailing notes to Navarro's heroic, crying guitar solo with Dave Jerden's hypnotic, atmospheric production in tact. An arpeggio, Mexican-style acoustic solo comes in with Farrell's swooning vocals as it serves as an intro to the hard-rocking Ocean Size with its raging, shimmering guitar riffs, Avery's heavy, melodic bass lines, and Perkins' smooth but upbeat drumming filled with unusual snare fills. With Navarro's wailing guitar solos and Farrell's wailing, angry vocals with his worldly, bombastic lyrics, it's a song that rocks to the fullest.

Had A Dad is a pummeling, rocker with pulsating, rollicking rhythms from Perkins' drumming and Avery's loopy bass lines, and Navarro's charging, metal-influenced guitars with frenetic guitar noodles in the solo. Farrell's screeching, intense vocals filled with lyrics of identity inspired by Avery's own experience realizing about his own biological father. The song goes all over the place in its performance with Jerden's crisp, lively production capturing all that goes from Navarro's wailing solos, Perkins vibrant drums, and Avery's melodic bass line that all drives Farrell's vocal performance.

Next is the seven-minute, twenty-two second Ted, Just Admit It... in reference to notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. With Stephen Perkins' smooth, hollow drum fills with percussive beats in the cowbells and such along with the album's crisp, atmospheric production. Then comes Eric Avery's swirling, melodic bass line as it plays smoothly to Farrell's mimicking vocals and Navarro's slow yet screeching guitar in this moody, yet eerie song. The song about the media's exploration into crime and mass murder along with Ted Bundy's actions. Its unique structure as it starts off as a melodic, moody ballad as it becomes this slow rocker with the famed line "sex is violent". With an instrumental break led by Navarro's wailing, hypnotic guitar and Perkins' smooth drumming, the song intensifies more and more until its coda with an attacking performance of guitars, bass, and drums with Farrell's vocals charging into this chaotic section of the song.

The upbeat yet eccentric Standing In The Shower... Thinking is a hilarious song with washy, acoustic accompaniments, rollicking beats, swift bass lines, and shimmering guitar riffs as Farrell sings a song about a guy questioning his masculinity in the shower. With Perkins' unconventional, pummeling beats, Avery's wobbly bass, and Navarro's guitar, it's a song that is filled with humorous lyrics with Farrell's intense vocals as it's a song that plays like a frenetic jam in its instrumental break with Navarro's wailing guitar solo. The smooth, atmospheric ballad Summertime Rolls is led by Eric Avery's simple, melodic-swirling bass line along with its soothing production as it features Navarro's droning, atmospheric guitar, Perkins's slow, vibrant drums, and Farrell's high-pitch, crooning vocals. The song's imagery-laden vocals with esoteric stories as it features sitar-like guitar lines, crying solos, and an elegant production that is truly unique. With Avery accompanying Farrell on vocals, it's an enchanting song that becomes a full-on, mid-tempo song with Perkins' slow, thumping drums and a soft, piano accompaniment along with Navarro's wailing guitar.

Next is the thunderous rocker Mountain Song is led by Eric Avery's sturdy, flourishing bass lines with Dave Navarro's charging guitar shimmers, and Stephen Perkins' smooth yet thunderous drums. With Farrell's wailing vocals filled with angry lyrics of opinions and cashing in. It's the band's most triumphant song with its superb production and Perkins' pummeling, vibrant beats that crash and hit with such power that it plays well to Avery's bass, Farrell's vocals, and Navarro's guitar that includes a waling, heroic guitar solo that screeches through the song. The upbeat, vibrant Idiots Rule featuring Fishbone's Angelo Moore and Christopher Dowd on horns along with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea on trumpet is a song that features Perkins' thumping, unconventional snare hits with Avery's loopy bass line and Navarro's shimmering guitar. The song's humorous, angst-ridden lyrics and Farrell's screeching vocals with Navarro's metallic, wailing guitar solos along with Perkins' conga-like percussive breaks is a jam that is frenetic and unpredictable that includes an amazing trumpet solo from Flea that blazes through.

The island-flavored, acoustic song Jane Says with washy, melodic acoustic guitars from Navarro and Avery along with a calypso-like steel-drum track from Perkins is a wonderful song filled with lyrics of loneliness and desperation is one of the band's highlights. With Farrell's raspy, high-pitch vocals, it's a song that is melancholic yet melodic in its sense of adventure and an atmosphere in its production and presentation that is insatiable. Next is a one-minute, five-second instrumental of sorts called Thank You Boys which plays as a cocktail jazz feel with smooth, jazzy rhythms, melodic pianos from Farrell, Avery's thumping bass lines, and Navarro's washy guitars as it's a playful tune that encompasses the band's versatility. The album closer is the upbeat, rocking Pigs In Zen with Avery's thumping bass lines, Perkins crashing, pummeling drums, and Navarro's charging guitar tracks. With Farrell's screeching vocals and angry lyrics at authority, it's a song that is a simple rocker with Navarro's metal-laden guitar solos, Perkins' rumbling drums, Avery's thumping bass, and Farrell's ranting near the coda as it's a rocker that closes the album perfectly.

Released in August of 1988, the album received great reviews from critics as it also received controversy over its album cover along with its music video for Mountain Song that contained nudity. Yet, the album sold well around the 250,000 mark making it an underground hit while the band also received a Grammy nomination for the first Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Grammy that unfortunately, was won by Jethro Tull. Despite the acclaim and rising success for the band, tensions were running high due to personality clashes and royalty disputes. While the record would eventually go gold and is widely considered to be the band's best album. Jane's Addiction clearly were just getting started despite the turmoil that was going on within the band.

Nothing's Shocking is an all-out, rocking, vibrant, haunting, and versatile masterpiece from Jane's Addiction. Thanks in part to the production work of Dave Jerden and Perry Farrell along with the kinetic, intense performance from the band. It's an album that remains timeless more than 20 years since its release. Audiences new to the band and wanting a great place start should find this as the perfect record to start with. It's their most accessible, eclectic, and defining album of their career. It's got rock songs, haunting ballads, funny songs, and everything else that shows their eclectic side which makes them a band that's hard to define in terms of musical styles. In the end, for an album that rocks, soars, and swoons in every mood and form. Nothing's Shocking is the album to get from Jane's Addiction.

Jane's Addiction Reviews: Jane's Addiction (live album) - Ritual de lo Habitual - Kettle Whistle - Strays - NINJA 2009 Tour Sampler EP - A Cabinet of Curiosities - NIN/Jane's Addiction/Street Sweeper Social Club-5/10/09, Atlanta, GA-Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheater

Recommended: Yes

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