Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stadium Arcadium

THE REVIEW

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are no longer an alternative rock band at least since Californication. This needs to be said because reviewing an album by repeatedly asking, "Where are the old RHCP?" makes no sense.
The Chilis have changed style, or rather, they have changed the purpose for which they make music.

If in the past music was a way to free them from their problems and nightmares (Hillel Slovak died in '88), now it is nothing more than a job. But this isn't news. Since '91, the RHCP haven't made proper funk and have had a strong commercial attitude. Anyone who talks about "By the Way" as their commercial turning point shows incompetence and misinformation. Now, arriving at "Stadium Arcadium," one cannot deny that the Peppers have put a lot on their plate. If "Californication" was a swing between pleasant tracks and others that were a bit artificial and forced, "Stadium Arcadium" ("By the Way" I don't even consider because it's musically irrelevant) presents itself as a great carousel where you never descend too low, but you don't touch the sky either.

It is a sort of breviary of the Red Hot. Surely there are the pop ballads like "Strip My Mind", "Hey", "Desecration Smile" and "She Looks To Me". Nonetheless, it is noted that in this album even the most trivial songs are lifted, at least in part, by the splendid guitar of John Frusciante. In fact, in the previous record many tracks, besides being boring, were musically monotonous. In this work, instead, the guitar always or almost always manages to enliven everything, and in any case, there are no completely useless songs. Other less successful examples are "If", "We Believe" and "Animal Bar" which are really too sugary and redundant. Alongside these typical songs of the group's latest course are other funk-style pieces, absolutely cleaned up and not very sincere, but still funk with irresistible rhythms.
"Hump De Bump" is one of the best funk songs of their last decade, with its cheerful and decisive rhythm and the really strong percussive interlude; "She’s Only 18" boasts John's superb wah-ha guitar; "Warlocks" is simply a good piece, not bad but not too original either; "So Much I" is perhaps a bit forced, but also catchy and quite adrenaline-pumping, "21st Century" is a convincing, beautiful piece, yet another meeting point between the driving rhythms of the past and the sweetness of the present; "Turn It Again" is yet another piece enhanced by the guitar, here soft and fast, until it becomes sharp and very dynamic. Here you notice a greater commitment to repropose (especially for long-time fans) their typical style. Certainly, they are not as sincere songs as those from the first five CDs, but still truly commendable and also catchy.

But it's not over; the Peppers don't miss anything, whether it's a sign of self-indulgence or creativity, and they fill the double with rock-pop pieces, fairly simple and not at all excellent; the first single "Dani California" only hints at their style, "Tell Me Baby" is practically the update of "Can’t Stop", "Make You Feel Better" is really too naive. I think this is their worst side, a fairly insignificant pop-rock. Incredibly, there are also songs inspired by hard rock; "Torture Me" is a nice song, quite fast, excellent bass riff and pressing drums, with the brass giving a touch of originality and irony; "Readymade" has a powerful bass riff and a solo on the verge of metal, explosive, but relaxed in the refrain; "Storm in a Teacup", one of the most successful tracks, resembles a lot of hard rock from "One Hot Minute", fun and self-ironic, with the guitar as irresistible as ever.
There are also some experiments, the carefree ballads like "Slow Cheetah" and "Hard To Concentrate" are new, or almost. Delicate, but decisive, with a strong bitter aftertaste, they differ from the others for their intimacy and bring with them personal emotions. There is a strong influence of Frusciante, with his vaguely psychic rock (not psychedelic); "Stadium Arcadium" and "Especially In Michigan" are examples; the former very airy and evocative with delicate sounds and soft echoes, without losing rhythm, is a very good result, the latter dense and rich in electric guitar inlays (with the help of Omar Rodriguez).

But the most beautiful songs are found when RHCP don't think about what they are doing and play as they are inspired. "Snow" is a pop ditty, with a fast guitar arpeggio that wins you over within a few listens. Perfect in the crescendo and in changing tone subtly. "Charlie" is a piece that travels parallel to any musical genre. Indescribable and beautiful. It is a piece of absolute excellence. Well-paced, fun but also languid. "Wet Sand" is perhaps the best piece of the double album. A ballad, sweet like the breeze, but also scorching like the summer sun. It is a manifesto for the group; the culmination of a search that started in '99. The perfect synthesis of the new Frusciantesque course; his guitar in the final solo, it seems to scream, desperate and happy, under a summer rain. "Death Of a Martian" is a small requiem; it has a painful and angry sound, in its sweetness. With its time changes and the final speech, it is the perfect conclusion for the CD.

In conclusion, a decent work. The group decided to embark on a new path in '99, and this album is simply a consequence of that. There are no horrendous tracks, but there are also few truly stunning pieces. Rather, they opt for a medium standard, where the guitar reigns supreme, the refrains are always catchy (too much sometimes) and they never risk disturbing or breaking the balance, something that the group often did in the past. But an album should be evaluated in its context. I evaluate it as a more than sufficient, indeed decent album. Of course, if you want to hear one of their masterpieces, look elsewhere, but the fact remains that "Stadium Arcadium" is a well-sounding album that demonstrates the group's commitment and for a band of forty-somethings, it is not a bad result at all. Rating: 6.5/10