Perry Farrell
Rev

THE REVIEW

Farrell, due to contractual obligations with Warner, released the collection Rev in 1999, his first solo release.

After marking the important chapter of Jane's Addiction between the late eighties and early nineties, and after launching the psychedelic Porno For Pyros, the singer released a best of containing two unreleased tracks and some pieces from the repertoire of both groups.

It was through Rev that I entered the perverse world of the drugged-up Jane, imagine my reaction after the first listen of Nothing's Shocking and Ritual De Lo Habitual.

I fell in love immediately with the powerful Mountain Song, featuring the guitar echoes Made In Navarro to the cavernous bass of Avery that welcomes you.

Their style is an unprecedented fusion of funk and hard rock, and above all, needs no introduction.

As for Porno For Pyros, our protagonist's second creation, the splendid Tonight and Kimberly Austin would be enough to demonstrate the project's validity. The piano of the former and the Unplugged atmosphere of the latter ensure that the blend with the harder rock episodes appears well accomplished.

As can be seen from the restless Stop (absent here is the Spanish intro), adrenaline flows abundantly, and even the self-titled unreleased track makes quite an impression. Tom Morello and John Frusciante are the guests of honor accompanying the vibrant frontman.

The second track consists of an entirely electronic cover of Whole Lotta Love that was originally supposed to belong to the Golabee project, later aborted.

Among the trademark songs is the remix version of Been Caught Stealing that had already appeared in Live And Rare a few years earlier.

It is interesting to find in the tracklist also the cover of Ripple by the Grateful Dead and the powerful Hard Charger (with Flea) which are counted among the absolute rarities (confirming the importance of this record).

I believe that Rev represents the case where the compilation shines in the artist's discography, not only due to the quality of the tracks (obviously) but also for the skill with which they were chosen and for the presence of some lesser-known pieces.

A great album and an odd cover somewhere between "Look, I'm a seasoned rockstar" and "Look, I'm mimicking a religious idol". Fairy Perry, it's impossible not to be fond of him.