With Californication, they're red hot once again
By Geoffrey Rahie
The happiest moments in life usually take place after long periods of pain, suffering and confusion. After seven years of drug abuse and disillusionment, guitarist John Frusciante finally cleaned up his act and rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers — a group he abandoned at the peak of its popularity. The reunited foursome stormed back onto the airwaves this summer with their new album Californication, but is there any sugar or "magik" left?
"Around the World" is a funky track that opens the record, giving a hint that the boys have some of their old tricks left over. The song is classic Chili Pepper material: Flea's bouncing bass, Chad Smith's expert drumming, Frusciante's rhythm funk guitar and Anthony Kiedis' rap vocals. However, the next song "Parallel Universe" sounds nothing like the old days. The trippy unison guitar and bass lines show the direction that the album headed.
In addition to "Around the World," there are a few other titles that resemble the funk days of the Chili Peppers. "Get On Top," "I Like Dirt" and "Purple Stain" are all nice efforts that don't disrupt the continuity of the record. The vocals on "Top" get a little annoying, but the music is grade A.
The bulk of the tracks on Californication concentrate more on song craftsmanship rather than individual solos. Missing this time around are the long bass jams and hard guitar solos. Flea opts to blend in with the rest of the band and Frusciante's solos are pure pop as exemplified by the ending to "Easily." The new style on the album almost feels like an experimental trip-hop jam session.
Kiedis' vocals are indeed the fourth instrument, fitting perfectly on the beautiful "Otherside" and "This Velvet Glove." It seems as though he has taken singing lessons, because his voice has never been stronger.
The lyrics on "Californication" are more mature than past Chili Peppers records. There is still the occasional unnecessary sexual reference, but for the most part the words are meaningful and appropriate. The title track paints a California where everyone ends up miserable, and "This Velvet Glove" deals with redemption — possibly Frusciante's.
Despite the strengths of "Californication," there are a few bleak moments. "Porcelain" and "Emit Remmus" come back-to-back in the middle of the record and they might actually be the two worst songs ever released on a Chili Peppers record. The band has written some great slow, depressing songs such as "Under the Bridge" and "Scar Tissue" which dealt with inner turmoil and demise. "Porcelain," a song about a fading movie star, is a horrible attempt to regain the sentiment found in other Peppers classics. Everything that could go wrong on "Emit Remmus," did. An annoying bass line followed by an even more annoying electric guitar feedback leads the way to Kiedis' stupid words: "The California animal is a bear."
It has been a while since the world has experienced a Chili Peppers record and Californication is well worth the wait. The band is older, perhaps wiser and even sounds a little different. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
**** (Best out of five stars)
All Scene Stories for Tuesday, August 31, 1999
