Stairway2Drew's Full Review: Ritual De Lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction
Hitler's syphilis-ridden dreams almost came true.
How could it happen? By taking control of the media.
It seems Perry Farrell was pretty worked up about something. And with good reason, too---the band he fronted, Jane's Addiction, released a monumental achievement in 1990 with Ritual de lo Habitual, but many retailers refused to stock it due to the cover art. Said cover art was a nude sculpture depicting Perry Farrell, girlfriend Casey Niccoli, and friend Xiola Bleu. Slapped with a parental advisory sticker AND a banned cover, Jane's Addiction were, for all intents and purposes, screwed.
Try and restrict our freedoms and we will fight even harder to preserve them.
Forced to change Ritual de lo Habitual's cover art, the quick-thinking Farrell designed a simple alternate cover for the band's second major-label album---the background, stark white, the band's name, and the album's name.
Oh, and the first amendment.
While he was at it, Farrell added a rant about Hitler's "syphilis-ridden dreams," a snippet of which begins this review, to the back cover of the album, and a lengthy letter written to "the Mosquitoes" in the liner notes. In retrospect, Jane's Addiction didn't take the blow lying down---true rock artists in every sense of the word, they fought back.
Jane's Addiction. Funk-rock pioneers in the vein of Faith No More or the Red Hot Chili Peppers, this L.A.-based foursome proved, within the span of two major-label albums, one indie LP, and a rarities collection, that they stood high above any of their alt-rock competition. The music is impossible to categorize, marked by Dave Navarro's funky, scruffy guitar rhythms---it's funky, it's occasionally dark, it's occasionally jazzy. The lyrics? Perry Farrell is a pretention poet, much like the late Jim Morrison---he doesn't have Morrison's low, gruff voice; it's higher, even nasal at times, but always interesting. Farrell's lyrics deal with the dark side of humanity, with drug addiction, censorship, and the like---yet, they always show the warm glow at the end of the dark tunnel, the faintest glimmer of hope. It's not happiness and fluffy bunnies, you understand, but it's good stuff.
Sadly, Jane's Addiction broke up after the moderate success of Ritual de lo Habitual. They released a self-titled indie album---recorded live and featuring an early version of their semi-hit "Jane Says" as well as Rolling Stones and Lou Reed covers---and 1988's major-label debut, Nothing's Shocking. 1991's Ritual was the last true album by the band---in 1997, Kettle Whistle was released, featuring live takes, rarities, and two new tracks.
From what I've heard of this amazing band, Ritual de lo Habitual was their most remarkable achievement. It's not hard for a band with only three actual albums to its name to have one that stands tall above the others, but not only is Ritual Jane's Addiction's best work, it's one of the best musical works of the 1990's as a whole. Barring U2's Achtung Baby, it may well be THE best album of the 1990's.
First of all, the band is talented. Immensely talented. Perry Farrell, as mentioned before, writes his lyrics like a modern Jim Morrison---they're weird, occasionally pretentious, usually free-flowing. They tell dark, yet hopeful stories of humanity. The tapestries Farrell weaves with his lyrics are beautiful ones, and the instrumentalists, all three of them incredibly adept at their respective instruments, only help to make these songs that much better. Dave Navarro is a modern guitar wizard, coming up with so many different chord combos and guitar tones that anybody who plugs in and plays in his room will be jealous. Eric Avery is the 1990's answer to Flea, a funky, intricate bassist extraordinaire.
save the complaints for party conversations
the world is loaded, it's lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop
no way! gonna stop, now; go!
"Stop!" was the song that initially broke the band. The video received a fair amount of MTV airplay, although not as much as their biggest hit "Been Caught Stealing." Jane's Addiction's versatile nature is displayed on this wonderful track---the song moves from fast hard rock to a slower, more reflective section, to a raging guitar solo, to an accapella secion, of all things. As you'll realize after getting deeper into Ritual de lo Habitual, Jane's Addiction has a penchant for putting their songs through various tempo, mood, and stylistic changes within the span of the track.
my sister and her boyfriend slept in the park
she had to leave home 'cause he was dark
now they parade around New York with a baby boy
he's gorgeous!
I'm not sure if this is autobiographical---I don't know enough about Perry's childhood to say---but "No One's Leaving" is a moving anti-racism tune, that not only finds Perry longing for racial equality, but admiring the lifestyle of those of different color: "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."
it makes me try, and that ain't wrong
I'll tell you why, there ain't no right
ain't no wrong now, ain't no right
ain't no wrong now, ain't no right
there's only pleasure and pain
Perry Farrell includes a dig at random drug testing tacked on to the beginning of "Ain't No Right"---it's not even part of the song, or related to it apart from the drug references, but a weird, percussive, spoken-word piece. Perry speaks in an accent, no less, saying that his "sex and my drugs and my rock and roll... are the only things that keep me here." He then continues to say that his sex, drugs, and rock and roll are his own business, and demands to have the "p*ss cup" taken out of his face. The track itself is one of the strongest on Ritual, a fast rocker that seems to be about drug use---the whole "pleasure and pain" thing, notably. I've come to associate the lines "ain't no wrong now, ain't no right" about the ever-conflicting opinions about drug use---is it morally wrong, is it everyone's own business, should drugs be legal?
I don't know you
I don't even want to
but you just keep on looking at me down low
digging something up...
and you make it so obvious
"Obvious" has a rather creepy, swirling feeling to it---it slowly fades in among a flurry of percussion and piano, the latter lending an invaluable layer to this incredible song. In fact, I believe "Obvious" may well be my favorite song on Ritual de lo Habitual. The lyrics here are probably the easiest to interpret if you're into that sort of thing. (Besides "Been Caught Stealing," of course, but that one's sort of literal---not a lot of interpretation to be done.) Dave Navarro's majestic guitar tone in his solos between verses is an integral part of the amazing sound "Obvious" has. And I haven't even mentioned Perry's vocals---incredible. Overall, minute for minute, the best song on this album.
when I want something, I don't wanna pay for it
I walk right through the door, walk right through the door
hey all right, if I get by, it's mine
"Been Caught Stealing" isn't a commercial-sounding song---but, compared to the rest of the album, it sounds like it has a more commercial appeal to it. It actually seems to follow a sort of pattern, rather than having a song built around free-flowing verses, so it's the closest thing to your classic popular song structure that can be found on Ritual de lo Habitual. And it's actually quite the hilarious song, so it's not too hard to see why this one was Jane's Addiction's most popular song.
Of course, "Been Caught Stealing" isn't your typical pop song. Not by a long shot. It advocates---or rather, SEEMS to advocate---STEALING, of all things! Hell, I'm surprised MTV didn't get up in arms about it and decide to play the video only once at midnight on the 30th day of every leap year or something like that. Unorthodox jazz chords form the basis of Dave Navarro's guitar playing on this recording. And there are the ever-present sound effects---barking dogs pervade the song here and there. Ultimately, although radio and MTV embraced it, "Been Caught Stealing" is a really great song---even one of the best on Ritual de lo Habitual.
three days was the morning
my focus three days old
my head, it landed to the sounds of cricket bows
I am a proud man anyway
covered now by three days
"Three Days" is Ritual de lo Habitual's opus. This song is such an amazing accomplishment, it has to be heard to be believed. You've heard various songs described as "Stairway To Heaven" for the 90's, right? If you're looking for one of those, you've found it in "Three Days". It starts out fairly calm, mid-tempo, and progresses into an absolutely BLISTERING solo section. Let me reiterate, for the record: THIS IS A REALLY GREAT SONG. If anything should persuade you to buy Ritual de lo Habitual, this should be it. It sounds like the second coming or something.
now her paints are dry
and I looked outside
at the corner boys
ayh, oh, where did you go? I don't know
This art-rocker is, after "Three Days," the longest song on the album, clocking in at over eight minutes. "Then She Did..." is a strummed, art-rock ode to... well, it's hard to say exactly what. I suppose those more familiar with Jane's Addiction history and trivia than I would know just what "Then She Did..." is describing, but as for myself, I just enjoy listening to the song.
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
"Of Course" is really hard to get into. It has a distinctively middle-eastern/world-music feel to it, a direction Perry Farrell would explore more with his solo LP, Song Yet To Be Sung. "Of Course" has, as per usual, wonderful lyrics, but the music is tough to actively get into, making it probably the least accessible track on Ritual. It's STILL a strong tune, but probably the least best (I find it difficult to use the term "worst" when describing an album like this) found here.
they may say, "those were the days"
but in a way, you know for us these are the days
yes, for us these are the days
and you know you're my girl
such a classic girl
This soft, sweet ode to Perry's girlfriend Casey Niccoli, closes out the album, ending it on a REALLY HIGH NOTE. Not a literal high note, like that one Ed Kowalczyk hits right before the guitar solo on Live's "Run To The Water," but a high note as in a great way to close out the album. "Classic Girl" is the closest Jane's Addiction has ever come to writing a ballad, and what a great one it is. Wait a few seconds after the track ends, and you'll hear Perry Farrell whisper "good-night" before one final guitar chord is strummed and the album is over.
I'm not sure what to think about the length of Ritual de lo Habitual. I mean, sure, I wish it were longer---but if it WERE longer, then would some of the extra songs suck, or at least not live up to the standard set by these nine tracks, thus rendering Ritual less of an incredible album than it is now? As is, though, Ritual de lo Habitual is a marvelous piece of art, one I cannot possibly recommend high enough. It's definitely among my favorite albums of all time, and it's just an unspeakably wonderful work... do yourself a favor. CHECK OUT JANE'S ADDICTION. If you're a musician, a casual music fan, a die-hard rock and roll lover, whatever, you'll love it. The versatility and songcraft of this band will amaze you. Ritual de lo Habitual is a must---an album that every rock fan really should own.
Or just an album that EVERYONE should own, period. Hey, why split hairs? Spread the peace, the love, the Jane's. You'll love yourself for it. Or, at the very least, you'll love me. Which I'm cool with.
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