To put it lightly, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are my favorite band (read: I’m obsessed with them). I’m a fan of both classic rock and pop music, and they really act as a mediator between the two genres. I saw them live a few years ago and fell in love at the concert. I’ve been nervous about the release of their newest album because I really liked their old sound, but I knew that the release of a new album also means a new RHCP tour in the near future (If you are Anthony Kiedis and you are reading this, then please come to Houston). In an effort to learn all the words to this album as soon as possible, I decided to review it.
As a RHCP fan who knows of the band's previous work, I would argue that this album is safe for them. It's a big move for them because this new sound diverges from their funk origins, but the album has a more accessible sound that is easy to listen to for non- or newer RHCP fans. It has a few great hits and adds some of their typical rock and rap influences, but doesn't pull at your heartstrings as much of some of their other albums do. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, like most artists, typically write their songs about what is going on in their lives at the moment. In earlier years they were writing about addiction, heartbreak, and their changing ideas of fame and Los Angeles (see: "Under the Bridge," "Californication"). These days they have a lot to be happy about and are all pretty chill and successful people, so the album reflects that. This isn't to say that it doesn't have gut-wrenching songs that make you want to cry or fun songs that make you want to cheer, but this album reflects a more grown-up sound.
My favorite songs on the album are "The Getaway," "Dark Necessities," "The Longest Wave," "Go Robot," and "The Hunter." "The Getaway" is the title track of the album, and sets the record off strong with a catchy tune. "Dark Necessities" has an accompanying music video that was directed by Olivia Wilde, and has a darker twist than "The Getaway." "The Longest Wave" is my favorite song off the album. It reminds me of hanging out on the beach, with a happy but melancholic lilt throughout the chorus, like waves bobbing a surfer up and down. "Go Robot" has a Daft Punk-esque sound, and samples some more modern sounds. "The Hunter" is a powerful and sad song, with imagery that stands out, including decaying strawberries.
Overall score: A-
When I first heard this album, I was shocked at how different the sound is from other albums. This album was produced by Danger Mouse, who uses more hip-hop and synth sounds than the Chili Peppers normally would. It gives the album a new techno/80s vibe, which is fairly different from the quintessential “funky-but-'90s-angsty” sound that the band usually has. So when I first attempted to give a grade to the album, I was expecting to give a B+, at best. But the more I listen to it, the more I hear the real RHCP shining through all the random sounds put in the album. (The RHCP have never had background singers until now.) I salute them for trying something a little different, but still being the weird and talented band that I love.
