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Rating: That the four (former) chili peppers are one of the most controversial bands in the world, I think is well known. So, a full five years after the last disappointing "Stadium Arcadium", what could a band of nearly fifty-year-olds, who have been selling out for the past ten years, possibly convey to us? Well, maybe they wanted to show off how good the new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is, who on this album plays in the footsteps of the eternal ex John Frusciante; or maybe they wanted to show that the good old Flea, besides knowing how to play the bass (even though here he doesn’t use the beloved slap, and his bass lines are more normal and less wild) has been dabbling with the piano all this time; behind the drums, dear Chad Smith proves he still has it, like in the old days of "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"; or Anthony Kiedis wants to entertain us in the afternoons with his voice that's more of a mystery of Fatima, as in these recent efforts he bleats, howls, and is a lousy whine, nothing compared to when he had twenty fewer years and twenty more kilos of heroin flowing through his body.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's take the album for what it is: a whine. It doesn't matter if the cover was designed by the famous artist Damien Hirst, it doesn't matter if the four presented the album in cinemas around the world, the verdict is unanimous: the peppers are now pickled cucumbers. Perhaps the only positive notes can be the rhythmic guarantee offered by the Chad & Flea firm, or the acid test of the new guitarist (test nevertheless passed with success).
There's not much to say about the album: it starts and after two songs you already hope it ends. Yes, because all the songs are the same, all of that pop-rock genre the band has embraced for many, too many years; and someone needs to explain to Kiedis that he is unable to sing ballads and slow pieces. There's not a shred of originality in the songs, they all have the same structure, so I won’t struggle to mention this or that one, but I will name only one: do you know the single "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie"? Well, the entire album is on the same wavelength.
Alas, I have a special bond with the Red Hot, because "Californication" was my first original album purchased when in 1999 I was only 7 years old, and after 12 years I am forced to say goodbye forever to the Red Hot that were.
Au revoir...
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Other reviews
By Ronky23
In the end, what matters is the music, and this group has composed absolutely valid tracks even in the first decade of this century.
Klinghoffer doesn’t look out of place at all, and while he is similar to his friend and illustrious predecessor, he has a personal imprint.
By antonio982
"Josh makes himself heard and shows he is not a clone of Frusciante, avoiding excessive virtuosity and instead using sharp, at times psychedelic riffs."
"Some songs aren’t suited to [Anthony's] vocal range and it will be quite evident live."
By Workhorse
RHCP continue to offer us what they have been offering for fifteen years without substantial variations in quality.
Not beautiful but pleasant, not bad but avoidable.
By rdegioann452
"Now that that pain in the neck, John Frusciante, has stepped aside, Anthony, Flea, Chad, and the new wonderful Josh can create their alternative mix of rock, funk, and pop without hindrance."
"A milestone that cannot be missing in the collection of a true fan."
