Perry Farrell's "Pet" Project
by
PacManY2J
,
in Music at Epinions.com
,
May 15, 2009
Pros:
"Pets," a couple energetic tracks, nice laid back groove
Cons:
too much unmemorable material
The Bottom Line:
Porno For Pyros' debut album is good but doesn't leave you with much to remember.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
They weren't one of the best or most famous bands of the 1990s, but there's no way you can forget a name like Porno For Pyros. Following the initial breakup of the legendary and highly influential Jane's Addiction, singer Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins wasted no time in launching their next project. Though not nearly as good as their previous output, Porno For Pyros gave us some fun music that proved to be a successful and memorable followup to the Jane's Addiction heyday. Unfortunately, in the case of their first album, the music is not quite as memorable as the band itself.
The first of the band's two albums was a 1993 self-titled effort. It was bolstered by a big modern rock hit called "Pets," a happy, groovy song with an innocent, lilting refrain of "We'll make great pets," referencing our status in the future after Earth has been overtaken by aliens. Another highlight is the uninhibited title track, which has an upbeat chorus and verses about a man pleasuring himself to a report of a fire on the evening news. "Cursed Male" is another fun rock track that boosts the album's energy level.
Despite a few standouts, there's not a lot on this album that really grabs you by the ears. Most of the album is fairly laid back - due mainly to Farrell's crooning - with some energetic bursts of electric noodling spicing up the sound. The album's production is pretty weak (it's hard to believe by listening to this album that it was made by people who've been in a successful rock band), but even a crisper sound wouldn't do much without any barnburners in the vein of "Mountain Song" or "Been Caught Stealing." Sadly, too many tracks get lost in spaciness, and the large dearth of hooks doesn't help either. Even the album's closer "Orgasm" is - unfittingly - anti-climactic.
Porno For Pyros is an enjoyable album throughout, a good one to throw on when you're in an easygoing mood but still want a little bit of rock. It's certainly worth picking up if you're a lover of early '90s alternative. But once the album ends, you'll find yourself thinking "What did I just listen to besides 'Pets'?" That's why I would recommend it mostly to die-hard fans of Perry Farrell and '90s nostalgia. Everyone else can download a couple tracks and be satisfied.
