Jane's Addiction
Kettle whistle

All the great Jane's Addiction albums have received excellent reviews here, so I have left to write about "Kettle Whistle," the work that bridged the two lives of Jane. The first, an inimitable epic that culminated with Lollapalooza, and the second, occurring after peace was made between Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro, primarily to regain visibility that was somewhat lacking in their solo careers and with groups like Porno for Pyros and RHCP.

"Kettle Whistle" was released in 1997, after the first live reunion, and it is evident how Farrell was trying to piece the band back together: in place of bassist Eric Avery, Flea is present here, at the time a bandmate of Navarro in the Peppers.
It's an album with a bit of everything. Live tracks from their most significant period (90-91), outtakes, original versions of classics like "Ocean Size" and "Been Caught Stealing", and some brand new unreleased tracks, recorded with the new lineup. These very episodes are certainly the most appealing for fans.

"Kettle Whistle" and "So What" carry the classic Jane's trademark: zeppelin-like impetus mixed with visionary and psychedelic narcosis. The other three unreleased tracks, however, are older. "Slow Divers" is even retrieved from the live performance at the Roxy in 1986, which would have been immortalized in Jane's first, self-titled album for XXX records. This episode is fantastic: an acoustic ballad, full of exotic suggestions, that connects to the content of the second side of that record, of pure minimalist poetry. "City Song" is a tribute to Los Angeles and its freak dimension, while "My Cat's Name Is Maceo" is a curious jazz divertissement.

The live versions of "Kettle Whistle" are also appreciated: notoriously Jane's Addiction live was a force of nature, and here it is immediately apparent with powerful versions of "Stop" and "Ain't No Right", while the super classic "Three Days" is rendered in an even more dreamlike version, thanks to delightful keyboards accompanying Navarro's solipsistic moments, while Perkins' drumming is as always devastating. Excellent is also "Jane Says", a song that Jane performed live perfectly (I do not particularly appreciate the version on "Nothing's Shocking," a bit too elaborate).

In short, a great album that would have deserved more if it weren't for a couple of alternate takes like that of "Been Caught Stealing" that really offer nothing. The original versions of "Ocean Size" and "Had a Dad" are interesting, and they showcase the very 80s character of the early productions, especially with Navarro's exaggerated solos: it would later be up to Farrell and Dave Jerden during production to soften the edges and find a bit of conciseness, to create one of the key sounds of the last 20 years.