"Ritual de lo Habitual", released on August 21, 1990, is the second studio album by American rock band Jane's Addiction. Produced by Dave Jerden, it was the band's final studio album before their initial break-up in 1991. The album features a mix of alternative rock and experimental elements and includes notable singles such as "Been Caught Stealing" and "Stop!"
The album was a commercial success, achieving 2× Platinum certification in the U.S. Within a month of its release in 1990, Ritual de lo Habitual had already sold 500,000 units. The album is celebrated for its innovative sound and is considered a seminal work in the alternative rock genre.
The album is structured into two distinct halves. The first half, consisting of tracks 1 through 5, features hard rock songs that are unrelated to each other.
The second half, covering tracks 6 through 9, serves as a tribute to singer Perry Farrell’s late girlfriend Xiola Blue, who passed away from a heroin overdose in 1987 at the age of 18. The songs in this section include "Three Days" and "Then She Did," both of which have a progressive rock influence, while "Of Course" incorporates klezmer elements, prominently featuring a violin. Eric Avery, the band's bassist, refused to play on "Of Course" due to frustration over being directed on other songs, so recording engineer and guitar tech Ronnie S. Champagne, who had observed Farrell’s tendency to dictate parts during recording, played bass on the track instead. Avery later expressed regret for not contributing to the song.
"Then She Did" also addresses the suicide of Farrell's mother when he was four years old. Guitarist Dave Navarro, who lost his mother to murder as a teenager, recalled that Farrell would dedicate performances of "Then She Did" to their mothers, saying it was a way to honor their memories. Farrell himself noted that such personal tragedies often lead people to try to find a way to create something positive from their experiences.
The track "Ain't No Right" starts with Farrell singing excerpts from Ian Dury and the Blockheads' "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," set against a dub reggae backdrop with a drum machine and synthesized bass. The intro features Farrell eventually transitioning into a profanity-laden rant before the main song begins.
