Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mother's Milk

THE REVIEW

After the sad departure of Hillel Slovak, the Red Hot Chili Peppers did not succumb to fate and found a new, young guitarist; John Frusciante, a huge fan of theirs.

The first album of this new lineup is perhaps the most exuberant of the group, the most energetic; certainly, John's grating guitar was necessary for this shift towards more powerful, yet less unique sounds. This is how fun pieces of funk-punk with strong metal features were born; the raw riff of “Good Time Boys” is what most closely resembles that genre. Even the punk aesthetic takes over, “Punk Rock Classic” is an example, “Magic Johnson” is a funny hardcore sketch combined with the strong humor and impetuosity of the four; the distorted and very fast chaos of “Nobody Weird Like Me” and the crazy riff of “Stone Cold Bush” are among the tracks that come closest to punk in the group’s entire career. The latter will turn out to be a gem live, with its bass and guitar solo supported by the moans of a sexual act.

In between, we find “Fire,” one of the most beautiful covers ever done. Pure madness, frantic rhythm, and hysterical singing. Pure fun. However, not all the songs have this punk-rock edge; we also find the tribal dance of “Taste The Pain” and the funk anthem of “Higher Ground,” two songs in pure Peppers style that nevertheless stand out in their repertoire for their impetuosity and communicative urgency. The Chilis don’t beat around the bush, they are aware of their abilities, and they bring out every resource they have; thus, they create extraordinary and original songs like “Subway To Venus”; crazy rhythm, outstanding brass, and a multiform singing give life to one of the group's best pieces. “Knock Me Down” is a novelty for the group, considering it falls into the vein of intimate electric ballads; it talks about how one should not necessarily push past limits (the reference is to Hillel) and sounds at least dissonant, considering the colorful and quite immature (not necessarily a flaw) outputs of the group.

Two other excellent tracks are “Sexy Mexican Maid,” a tropical, rarefied, and absolutely delicate ballad, although it boasts guitar solos and tireless rhythms and even sax at the end. Truly superb. “Johnny, Kick a Hole In The Sky” is the long final ride; rap loaded with pathos, dense atmosphere, harsh tones, and a crescendo ending. Finally, the sweet instrumental ballad “Pretty Little Ditty,” a forerunner of the group's future melodic hits, should be mentioned.

In short, “Mother's Milk” is a direct, spontaneous, and inhomogeneous work. All things considered, it can be understood that the group, freshly reformed, finds itself immersed in various influences and, although the result is very good, is still unable to chart its own course. This album remains a cauldron of energy and fun, a construction site for future developments.