Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You (08/09/2011)
On the eve of the 20th Anniversary of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released their latest album, I’m With You. This album is the first to feature Josh Klinghoffer on guitar after the second departure of signature guitarist, John Frusciante.
It would be fair to say that fans have nervously been waiting for this release. It’s been five years since their last album and two years since Frusciante departed the band. The cobwebs and the general populous really need to be blown away, but is it possible?
Some might say that it’s a natural progression from Stadium Arcadium to I’m With You. A softer funk, a gentler Peppers, honing in on their skills as well oiled musicians. Unfortunately the realisation is, it’s just not. The album lacks emotion, depth and definitely the balls an album produced by Rick Rubin should. Admittedly though, the band have been going downhill since Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
I’m With You opens with Monarchy Of Roses. It doesn’t seem to quite gel. Some nonchalant parts but as a whole, just doesn’t fit together. It’s like they’ve tried to blend some of Ladyhawke’s rolling bass and beats with watered down 70’s funk. If anything it’s a b-side and definitely doesn’t have the strength and hype of an album opener.
Factory Of Faith is next up. It features a funkier Flea bass line and a blend of old school Anthony Kiedis rapping vocals. High-end wah-wah and spaced out guitars make an appearance but it sorely misses hitting the mark as it drops into the watered down chorus.
As I’m listening and taking notes I feel it necessary to update Facebook. “Like a soggy old bread stick to the heart... Was I expecting too much?” Brendan’s Death Song was like a nail in the coffin. There’s a mental image… RHCP singing this live on American Idol. They’d be told“Sing it like you mean it! Put some emotion into it!”
There were a few moments through the next eight songs that I dug a riff or a break here and there but most often I wanted to turn it off in disbelief that it had finally come to this; I was skipping some tracks on the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album. It’s easy to see why they chose to release Rain Dance Maggie first. It’s the catchiest track and easily the most memorable yet it still doesn’t save the album as a whole.
A positive note is that the Chili Peppers generally always have an amazing use of stereo on their releases. This is especially evident when listening through earphones. Chad Smith’s drumming was possibly a high light at times compared to the others but he’s still had a bigger sound previously. When John started he sounded a lot like Hillel until the second album he worked on. I’m left wondering with Josh in the same situation (sound and position) to John, if it will be the same.
Some parts of I’m With You are catchy in the way that if you heard a song at the traffic lights it’d maybe get your head bopping and passing the time. That is of course until you realised what it was and changed the station. Generally the album comes across disconnected, a lack of emotion.
Standing only metres from John and Josh playing on stage together last tour was breathtaking. I really wanted to love this but just couldn’t. There’s no strength and power to it. Kiedis almost seems bored at times with his own singing and Flea’s bass just doesn’t pop. It’s a real pity as I’m a long standing fan of the band. They’re amazing musicians who have come a long way to overcome some really terrible things in their lives. Pity I now have to try and overcome this.
Anthony Moore
It would be fair to say that fans have nervously been waiting for this release. It’s been five years since their last album and two years since Frusciante departed the band. The cobwebs and the general populous really need to be blown away, but is it possible?
Some might say that it’s a natural progression from Stadium Arcadium to I’m With You. A softer funk, a gentler Peppers, honing in on their skills as well oiled musicians. Unfortunately the realisation is, it’s just not. The album lacks emotion, depth and definitely the balls an album produced by Rick Rubin should. Admittedly though, the band have been going downhill since Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
I’m With You opens with Monarchy Of Roses. It doesn’t seem to quite gel. Some nonchalant parts but as a whole, just doesn’t fit together. It’s like they’ve tried to blend some of Ladyhawke’s rolling bass and beats with watered down 70’s funk. If anything it’s a b-side and definitely doesn’t have the strength and hype of an album opener.
Factory Of Faith is next up. It features a funkier Flea bass line and a blend of old school Anthony Kiedis rapping vocals. High-end wah-wah and spaced out guitars make an appearance but it sorely misses hitting the mark as it drops into the watered down chorus.
As I’m listening and taking notes I feel it necessary to update Facebook. “Like a soggy old bread stick to the heart... Was I expecting too much?” Brendan’s Death Song was like a nail in the coffin. There’s a mental image… RHCP singing this live on American Idol. They’d be told“Sing it like you mean it! Put some emotion into it!”
There were a few moments through the next eight songs that I dug a riff or a break here and there but most often I wanted to turn it off in disbelief that it had finally come to this; I was skipping some tracks on the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album. It’s easy to see why they chose to release Rain Dance Maggie first. It’s the catchiest track and easily the most memorable yet it still doesn’t save the album as a whole.
A positive note is that the Chili Peppers generally always have an amazing use of stereo on their releases. This is especially evident when listening through earphones. Chad Smith’s drumming was possibly a high light at times compared to the others but he’s still had a bigger sound previously. When John started he sounded a lot like Hillel until the second album he worked on. I’m left wondering with Josh in the same situation (sound and position) to John, if it will be the same.
Some parts of I’m With You are catchy in the way that if you heard a song at the traffic lights it’d maybe get your head bopping and passing the time. That is of course until you realised what it was and changed the station. Generally the album comes across disconnected, a lack of emotion.
Standing only metres from John and Josh playing on stage together last tour was breathtaking. I really wanted to love this but just couldn’t. There’s no strength and power to it. Kiedis almost seems bored at times with his own singing and Flea’s bass just doesn’t pop. It’s a real pity as I’m a long standing fan of the band. They’re amazing musicians who have come a long way to overcome some really terrible things in their lives. Pity I now have to try and overcome this.
Anthony Moore