The Great Escape Artist is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, released October 18, 2011 on Capitol Records.

[5] The album was the band's first since its 2003 release Strays and features TV on the Radio's multi-instrumentalist Dave Sitek contributing bass guitar alongside Chris Chaney.

"[9] Describing the album's overall aesthetic, Farrell noted: "it's a strange mixture of that post-punk goth darkness that Jane's had, with what's going on today with groups like Muse and Radiohead.

"[9] Following the album's completion, producer Rich Costey stated, "This was a real Jane's Addiction record.

"[11] Navarro noted: "We've been longtime friends, we've played together in a lot of the same scenarios, we're from the same time, the same city, the same scene to a degree.

"[12] Upon joining, McKagan phoned former bassist Eric Avery: "I just wanted to let him know that I really respected everything he had done, and that I wasn't in there trying to take his place.

[13] Sitek, however, has not joined the band on a permanent basis, with Farrell noting: "He's like a pretty girl that I'm sleeping with but don't have to marry.

"[13] Initially, both Navarro and Sitek split bass guitar duties during the writing and recording process.

"[14] Navarro later stated, "it's strange to write with a guy who, by all accounts, is a member of the team, yet has very little investment in the project following the release.

"[15] Perry Farrell recorded his vocal parts at his home studio, sending audio files by email to Navarro, Perkins and Sitek.

He's the only bassist that's recorded a full-length album with us, and is truly a member of the Jane's Addiction family, besides Avery, especially on the road.

"[14] Vocalist Perry Farrell commented on the writing process, stating that it was "very different" to how the material on their previous albums had been conceived: "We have options now to make music through technology and we're taking advantage of it; we're not afraid of it.

"[17] Guitarist Dave Navarro stated: "We're utilizing other instrumentation and new technologies, but our mental approach has remained wide open.

"[12] Describing his guitar contributions to The Great Escape Artist, Navarro noted that his "approach has become more melodic and simplistic.

"[18] In an interview with Rolling Stone Farrell noted that the band has "enough material for three albums" and that he wants the tracks to "have a groove impact and hit you like an atom bomb.

"[9] Three of Duff McKagan's collaborations with the band appeared on the album ("Broken People," "Words Right Out of My Mouth" and "Ultimate Reason").

[19] McKagan commented on his writing contributions stating: "My biggest concern was that if I was going to be involved, it had to be darker, and heavier, and more vicious than they've ever been before.

"[11] The Great Escape Artist received "mixed or average" reviews based on 26 critics, according to Metacritic.

Club was among the most critical, lambasting the album as "a bold, erratic, pathetic attempt to recontextualize Jane’s for the 21st century".

[21] Stuart Berman of Pitchfork Media described the album as "mired in the not-quite-rock/not-quite-ballad purgatory that defines so much post-grunge alt-radio" and lacking "Jane's Addiction's sense of playfulness, absurdity, and rhythmic verve.

"[2] However, the album did win praise from some corners, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic describing The Great Escape Artist as "often touching upon the dark, boundless exotica of Nothing's Shocking yet managing to avoid desperation; instead of re-creating sounds, they've recaptured the vibe".

All songs written and composed by Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins, and David Sitek, except where noted.