Like many rock stars who survived the hedonism of the late 80s, Perry Farrell now worships life with the enthusiasm of a born-again Christian. If Porno for Pyros was his breaking away from the chaos of Jane's Addiction, and solo album Song Yet To Be Sung was proofhe had found his spiritual side, then Ultra Payloaded with new band Satellite Party is Farrell at his most centred, celebratory and earnest.
That's not to say former friend Dave Navarro won't be cranking it in envy. Farrell's new compadres - guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, drummer Kevin Figueiredo, bass player Carl Restivo and his wife, Etty Lau Farrell on backing vocals - make Satellite Party almost as thrilling as the riff-heavy tracks on Jane's' last album, Strays. Especially Wish Upon a Dog Star where Farrell sings of making dreams come true to big, sonic guitars, and the album's stand-out punk track, Insanity Rains.
There's also evidence of another hard-living band of that era in Hard Life Easy, where John Frusciante and Flea bring the unmistakable funk fire of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But Payloaded is more than just a good time. Backed by a 30-piece orchestra, and guest starring Peter Hook, Fergie and Thievery Corporation, it's an ambitious, texturally diverse effort, touching on psychedelic chill-out, disco, new wave and electro-rock.
On one such mellow track, The Solutionists, Farrell shows his humanitarian side, singing of the "paradox of poverty".
He has also donated the spooky closing track, Woman in the Window with vocals by Jim Morrison, to a global-warming campaign.
Not all of it works. Awesome, written about the birth of his son, could have come off a Tenacious D record. And some of the party tracks border on the superficial, particularly his tribute to Rare Earth on Only Love, Let's Celebrate.
But mostly, Farrell evokes a feeling that life could be one big party if we could just unlock our inhibitions.
"Whatever's in your closet, set it free," he intones on Kinky.
You might not find inner peace but you're bound to have fun trying.
Label: SonyBMG
Verdict: Uncle Perry finds happiness with hip new band
