Many don't realize that Jani was working on an interesting project with Dito Godwin in the early 90's called Jabberwocky. A completed version of these songs was pressed, but never released since Jani reconvened with Warrant. Anyways, I thought it served as a reminder that he was unappreciated for his lyrics & sense of melodies. So take the journey with me & remember just how talented John Kennedy Oswald was...
All You Had To Say - What a wonderful mid-tempo feel to this tune. The verse melody elicits the dichotomy of uplifting, yet melancholy. Considering this was written in the mid 90's, one can draw a comparison to many top 40 songs of that period. I've always been a fan of Jani's mellow vocal side and this song fits in that pocket perfectly.
Private Blue World - My favorite of the unreleased Jani catalogue. Just listen to the sentiment of that chorus: "Stand in line and be the next heart that she breaks..." Masterful. This song, along with Stronger Now, epitomizes the legacy of Jani Lane: great lyrics, memorable melody, heartfelt delivery. This one never gets skipped when it comes on...
One More For The Road - Love the bridge on this tune. Mostly unfinished, but the mood is there.
Unrealistic - Another classic "story" song in the vein of "Bed of Roses". Features the 90's double snare staple. Obviously an early demo, but there's some left to flesh out. Many Beatles elements present in this, from the solo section to the melody.
Washington Square - Amazing melody throughout. For me there's just something about Jani's vocal phrasing that hits my ear the right way. Just listen to the flow of those verses.
Comfortable With Sad - If you listen close, you can hear his personal struggles played out in the songs. Analyzing the more introspective Jani Lane compositions, the signs were there that he struggled with acceptance and realizing he was appreciated.
This Town - RUN this song to some country artist and you have your next hit. Just a perfect slice of mid tempo pop excellence.
Pretty On The Inside - Obviously not in the Warrant vein, but upon inspection Jani always wrote outside of the rock world, just fitting songs into that genre. This song has a real Matchbox 20 groove to it.
The Deeper End - Love the acoustic/electric opening. I'm having trouble understanding where this song would fit musically; maybe adult contemporary.
Stained - I like how the beginning creates such tension, just waiting for the release in the bridge. "The first time I don't have any stains..." shows you where his head was at.
House Of Cards - Just listen to that verse melody! Just a moving groove. Very underappreciated talent for vocal phrasing.
Changes - Impressive mid tempo rocker, with a great melodic verse section. I know he was doing a lot of writing for other artists. Unfortunately, he died before many of those connections could be realized, but there's a good deal of songs here that would be worthy of another look.
I Can't Help Myself - Probably top 2 of my favorite unreleased Jani demos. From the verse to the bridge to the chorus, there's so many wonderfully melodic moments. This song, along with a very select few, really deserve to be heard on a larger scale. It really captures his unique songwriting abilities.
Yeah… SO much more than the "Cherry Pie Guy". I miss him...
