Irresistible Force

[Pandemonium]

I'll kinda repeat what I said last weekend about IF.

Not really too thrilled with the track mainly because once again it doesn't sound like it's a band, it sounds like a pastiche of different musical bits awkwardly shoehorned together w/Pro tools. I really do like the first 50 seconds but then it goes off into 2nd rate Coldplay/U2 soft alt rock. I wouldn't know it's Janes without Perry's vox and even the vocals are so layered and processed it takes any quirky edge off his singing. The song does contain some of the better lyrics Perry has done in some time and in a more raw arrangement, I would probably really dig this tune.

Hopefully as the band figures out how to better play this song live, they'll stripe it down a bit, dump all the pre-recorded backing shit, emphasis Dave's guitar and give it more of an edge. As it stands, this is something I'd expect to hear on some tv drama like CSI in the final act as the hero solves the murder or finds his girlfriend.

[Japhy]

Perry looks pretty cool in those photos.

I thought that was the official video for the first 20 seconds or so...! On that note, a good video could really help this song... any ideas / info on the recent shoot?

[guysmiley]

I'll kinda repeat what I said last weekend about IF.

Not really too thrilled with the track mainly because once again it doesn't sound like it's a band, it sounds like a pastiche of different musical bits awkwardly shoehorned together w/Pro tools. I really do like the first 50 seconds but then it goes off into 2nd rate Coldplay/U2 soft alt rock. I wouldn't know it's Janes without Perry's vox and even the vocals are so layered and processed it takes any quirky edge off his singing. The song does contain some of the better lyrics Perry has done in some time and in a more raw arrangement, I would probably really dig this tune.

Hopefully as the band figures out how to better play this song live, they'll stripe it down a bit, dump all the pre-recorded backing shit, emphasis Dave's guitar and give it more of an edge. As it stands, this is something I'd expect to hear on some tv drama like CSI in the final act as the hero solves the murder or finds his girlfriend.

Kind of how I felt. I like parts. I like the sound of it, something isnt quite right. Hope its not the final mix. I really miss the bass presence up front.

[Tyler Durden]

I'll kinda repeat what I said last weekend about IF.

Not really too thrilled with the track mainly because once again it doesn't sound like it's a band, it sounds like a pastiche of different musical bits awkwardly shoehorned together w/Pro tools. I really do like the first 50 seconds but then it goes off into 2nd rate Coldplay/U2 soft alt rock. I wouldn't know it's Janes without Perry's vox and even the vocals are so layered and processed it takes any quirky edge off his singing. The song does contain some of the better lyrics Perry has done in some time and in a more raw arrangement, I would probably really dig this tune.

Hopefully as the band figures out how to better play this song live, they'll stripe it down a bit, dump all the pre-recorded backing shit, emphasis Dave's guitar and give it more of an edge. As it stands, this is something I'd expect to hear on some tv drama like CSI in the final act as the hero solves the murder or finds his girlfriend.

Totally agree.

I would go as far as to say that large majority of the music on The Panic Channel album was arranged better and sounded a lot more organic (and I'm not a fan of TPC).

[Japhy]

I really miss the bass presence up front.

This. Definitely agree.

[blackcoffee]

At the very end of the official lyrics video they get the title wrong for End to the Lies.

It says something like, new album coming also features End OF the Lies....how do people mess this stuff up?

[thoreau]

I really miss the bass presence up front.

This. Definitely agree.

I agree too. I remember, at the Tampa NINJA show, being blown away as to how powerful and pronounced Eric's bass actually was.

[AdmitI]

I like IF.... the bass line sounds like APC/TOOL. I do hear a bit of U2 in the song, but I don't get the comparisons to Cold Play (granted, I don't listen to CP). The lyrics are better than I expected too. Overall I would give it a 7/10

[ellis]

I really miss the bass presence up front.

This. Definitely agree.

I agree too. I remember, at the Tampa NINJA show, being blown away as to how powerful and pronounced Eric's bass actually was.

yup!

This is why anything without Eric will not hold up to the true Jane's sound. It doesn't mean that what they're doing sucks. It means they shouldn't label it as a Jane's Addiction product.

[Jasper]

A lot of people are disliking the verses, but I like it, at least in spots. The section with the lyrics about "big business" and "god is a real man" is really nice. The distorted bass sounds with the stereo effect are great, and Dave is playing some kind of really great atmospheric sounds. The mood isn't the same as the super-poppy writing and production of the chorus. It's more of a raw and mysterious sound, and I think it's more of what I'd like to hear from them. The last time Perry sings "God is a dad" and the word "dad" is kind of smeared and echoed away across the sonic sky, is a really nice moment.

It's interesting that Perk does, in fact, do some of the tribal rolling drums we love, but they kind of get overwhelmed by the glossiness of the chorus production, and the pop nature of it.

Someone mentioned that they didn't like the "Ahhh, ah, ahhhs" from Perry in the chorus, and I agree. It's basically the path of least resistance, and the easiest and most pop approach. I had that part going in my head, and I was thinking up all of these approaches to it which I think would have been a lot more engaging, and would have made the "The irresistible force, met the immovable object" parts come across a little less like a Coldplay anthem.

Ah well, things could be worse.

[bman]

The song is OK and the verses are pretty good. It does sound a bit Soft ALt Rock to me. What I dislike is Perryz polished vocals. I REALLY miss the sound of his voice on the first P4P record. Harsh! It's so fucking U2 to me. This song could be better. I REALLY hope there's some rockers on this record with a raw sound. I doubt it though.

[Leto]

From Spin:
"We are taking great risks and writing in ways that we have never written before," Farrell recently told SPIN. "[The Great Escape Artist] is a really amazing piece of art, an amazing piece of music. It will make people say, 'This is strangely beautiful.'"

"It will make people say, 'This is strangely beautiful.'"
Sounds like the Perry we used to know.

Not much else in the rest of the article.
http://www.spin.com/articles/listen-jan ... new-single

[AdmitI]

from Rollinstone.com

This single — from The Great Escape Artist, Jane's Addiction's first album in eight years, due September 27th — comes on like an art-metal freak show set on some distant planet. It opens with Perry Farrell sounding like Carl Sagan in an episode of Cosmos, musing ominously about the stars and some sort of big bang. Co-producer Dave Sitek (of TV on the Radio) adds his signature drone funk, as the band backs Farrell's ponderings with a rubbery bass line and some clattering percussion. But then Farrell unleashes that familiar majestic bray of his, asks whether we wonder what the band looks like naked (uh, that horse has left the barn, dude) and announces, "God is a real man." Or is it "God isn't real, man"? Whatever: Giant guitar swarms from Sitek and Dave Navarro soon blow away Farrell's philosophizing.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/songr ... e-20110803

[Leto]

From Stereogum:

Perry Farrell described the album as “a strange mixture of that post-punk goth darkness that Jane’s had with what’s going on today with groups like Muse and Radiohead."

http://stereogum.com/775391/janes-addic ... orce/mp3s/

I don't know about this. I think Costey brings the Muse type sensibilities and Sitek brings The Banshees, Bauhaus and The Bunnymen. Unfortunately, I think Jane's might err on the Muse side betraying their real gothic/post punk roots which helped shape the original Jane's sound that set the world afire back in the late eighties/early nineties.

[Deconstruction]

One thing I've noticed is the lyric "We've become a big business" just doesn't sound right, it doesn't fit the melody. It feels more like a statement than a song lyric.

[nestos]

not that good, neither bad
can't find the energy
when you become a old whore, you replace freshness by technic : that how i feel about this song
but it's 1000 time better than any shit out of TPC

[Leto]

Cringe worthy lyrics.

Prefix Review:
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/janes-ad ... rce/55051/

[Tyler Durden]

He's the third most known dude from TV on the Radio.

[Jasper]

Cringe worthy lyrics.

Prefix Review:
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/janes-ad ... rce/55051/

What the fuck is Prefix? Say what you will about the song, but it's gotten very strong reviews from major outlets like Spin and Rolling Stone. I doubt something like Pitchfork would be very generous, but that's not really their target market. Most hipster types probably wouldn't even go for old-school Jane's.

[Leto]

What the fuck is Prefix?

Prefix is just another music news outlet similar to the style of Pitchfork.

Say what you will about the song, but it's gotten very strong reviews from major outlets like Spin and Rolling Stone.

I don't put much stock in Spin or Rolling Stone and not in spite of them being major outlets either. I think your review of the song and mine had similar points. Although, one of the things I don't like about the song are some of the "cringe worthy" lyrics which was similar to this review. I think this view is shared by quite a few members of this board that's why I pointed it out.

I doubt something like Pitchfork would be very generous, but that's not really their target market. Most hipster types probably wouldn't even go for old-school Jane's.

True.

Most hipster types don't even know that they are hipsters.

[Jasper]

What the fuck is Prefix?

Prefix is just another music news outlet similar to the style of Pitchfork.

Say what you will about the song, but it's gotten very strong reviews from major outlets like Spin and Rolling Stone.

I don't put much stock in Spin or Rolling Stone and not in spite of them being major outlets either. I think your review of the song and mine had similar points. Although, one of the things I don't like about the song are some of the "cringe worthy" lyrics which was similar to this review. I think this view is shared by quite a few members of this board that's why I pointed it out.

I doubt something like Pitchfork would be very generous, but that's not really their target market. Most hipster types probably wouldn't even go for old-school Jane's.

True.

Most hipster types don't even know that they are hipsters.

To be clear, I don't put ANY stock in Spin or Rolling Stone - they just have wide-spread mainstream recognition. I'm really talking about the success of this thing in the marketplace, rather than the actual quality of the song.

P.S. Do I know who you are? Memory may be failing me...again.

[Essence_Smith]

The song isn't bad...the production style is very slick, but its 2011...lyrics are ok, not his worst...already beats Superhero, Wrong Girl & a bunch of stuff on Strays imo...but of course...none of this is saying anything...it wouldn't get my attention if it wasn't Jane's & as someone said it does feel like a TV theme song...

[Hokahey]

Lyrics and subject matter are very important to me. I think thats the main reason new janes doesnt do much for me. If Perry had something interesting or inspiring to say I could dig these songs more. True Nature and Just Because are more likable for me for this reason as far as recent janes goes.

[ant]

Lyrics and subject matter are very important to me. I think thats the main reason new janes doesnt do much for me. If Perry had something interesting or inspiring to say I could dig these songs more. True Nature and Just Because are more likable for me for this reason as far as recent janes goes.

I like these two new tracks more than most of Strays but I totally agree about True Nature and for me The Riches as well. I'm digging IF but the more I listen to it the lyrics are coming off a little bit Satellite Party, just a little.

[phenobarb_bambalam]

I've spent the last hour and a bit listening to it (on a loop) and can't say I dislike it. It's certainly more listenable than anything I would have given them credit for. Despite the Strays-like sheen (something about it makes me think 'To Match the Sun'), there are parts of it I really like...enough to let me make it through Linkin Park moments.

Perk and Dave both sound good, and I can even listen to The Artist Formerly Known as Perry without cringing. In 2011, that's more than I would have thought could be possible.