Has it really been thirteen years since Ritual de lo Habitual was released and Jane's Addiction was sympathizing with the underbelly of L.A., with songs about drugs, prostitutes, shoplifting, and standing in the shower thinking? Epics like "Three Days," Ted Just Admit It" and "Pigs in Zen" blossomed over an orgy of psychedelic metal and groove that was exciting, loud, raw and mind expanding. Later an album called Nevermind from a Seattle band was released, and lead singer Perry Farrell formed Porno For Pyros, leaving Jane's Addiction dissolved at the top of its game, probably never to come back.
Strays reunites three-fourths of the original lineup: Farrell, Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins, and newcomer Chris Chaney into an album that is anti-climatic from beginning to end. From the cheesy cover spread with the four band members striking GQ-ish poses over a backdrop of an American back road, setting the entire tone for the album – out of place. Jane’s Addiction who set the standard for alternative rock in its late 80’s/early 90’s coming of age hey day, are held to a higher standard and unfortunately in this case, time is not of the essence. Farrell, now a youthful 44, sounds as good as ever, with his high mannered voice simmering like no one else can, while Dave Navarro rips forth perhaps some of the most inventive guitar lines in recent memory. But put everything together and the chemistry is just not mysterious, artsy and foreboding as their jeweled prior releases, which is part of the Jane's Addiction mystique.
The first four songs grow where Ritual left off, between the energy of "Strays" and "Just Because," that dominates with Navarro’s buzzing, growling, creeping, and perfectly toned guitar leads and fills. "Price I Pay" perhaps the album’s strongest number thunders between psychedelic ocean groove and offbeat rock. The rest of the album as a whole feels like mass marketed generic rock, in the vain of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s 1995 mishap – By the Way. Anyone remember "My Friends"? Listening to Farrell sing, "I’m happy that the sky is blue and that the earth is trees/And that there is lots of fresh clean air, in "The Riches," is just plain nauseating. "Superhero" falls as a loser due to Farrell’s cliché overblown lyrics, sinking Navarro’s inventive guitar lines in the background. It's now when one realizes, it might be better when you have no idea what Farrell is singing about. Any fans of "radio metal", will find Strays to be triumphant, but for those who grew up on "Nothing's Shocking" and "Ritual De Lo Habitual" might discover a void, which might be original bassist Eric Avery, as newcomer Chaney fails to leave any dent on the four string. Or it could just be a twist of Jane's Addiction not falling under the bridge of the dark side of Southern California anymore. The musicianship is tight, but Jane's was always about an emotional, unnerving sound, and "Strays" remains distant.
