Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.84 You Save: $7.14 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.98 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for By the Way
Free Music Review: A More Mellow CD
Hit: 5 Stars
Most RHCP fans know that Blood Sugar Sex Magik is an incredible album. Well, this CD doesn't even come close to it, however, it is their second best CD in my opinion. Definatly worth 5 stars. The CD is not like Blood Sugar Sex Magik, it continues down the road of the mediocre Californication, but it's much better. Californication had maybe 6 good songs. On By the Way, every song is good, here are my ratings.By the Way - A-
A good song, but tends to get old after a long time. It is the only song on the CD that comes close to capturing the BSSM attitude however with its funky bass and rap lines.
Universally Speaking - A-
Probably the one you will skip over, it would have been much better placed near the ending of the album, however, it is a very good song, and sounds fresh an original if you are in the right mood for it.
This is the Place - A+
One of my personal favorites, this song rocks pretty hard without any funky rap, in vein of maybe easily form califronication, but it also sounds very fresh and new, and the guitar near the end sounds very amazing yet simple.
Dosed - A+
One of RHCP's better slow songs, its no Under the Bridge of I Could Have Lied, but better than anything on Californication. It has a nice guitar and many layers making it sound very rich, and it has deep, powerful lyrics as well.
Don't Forget Me - B
This song is kind of slow, kind of fast, but I would call it a slow song. It doesn't sound very well to have a mediocre slow song right after an excellant one like Dosed, so you will probably be skipping it often, though I like the lyrics alot.
The Zepher Song - A+
Third slow song in a row, but it is way more upbeat than the previous ones. This is very poppy, but I would say it is better than Dosed, bascically a wide open song that will make you think of wide open things.
Can't Stop - A
This is another heavy fast song. It's almost rap, but definatly not the standard RHCP funk-rap. It is nice to hear ten experiment, as this and all the songs on this record sound very different, but not too different like OHM.
I Could Die For You - B+
Great slow song, but not as good as Zepher or Dosed, and not as good lyrics either.
Midnight - A+
Another hard rocker that is slow at times. This is another reminder of how much I love this CD. I escpecially like the orchestra at the beginning suddenly turing into a moddy guitar with wierd sound effects, its great.
Throw Away Your Television - C+
This is an ok song, but I dislike the techno influences. There is virtually no guitar, the lyrical tune pretty much sucks, but the drums and bass bring this song up just beyond average.
Cabron - A
I never knew John Fruciante was that good. It sure sounds hard to play. This song features a Led Zeppelin sounding guitar, with a Latino beat and very upbeat lyrics.
Tear - A+
Another slow song, its as good if not better than Dosed and Zepher. You will probably like it, not much more to say.
On Mercury - A-
This is interesting. It is not that badm but doesn't sound like something they would do. This is a ska song and I don't like ska - RHCP have an ability too make genres you don't really like likable, I don't like rap, punk or funk either, unless they do it.
Minor Thing - A+
A good song that completely rocks out the whole way through. I think it's about baseball. It is one of the best on the CD.
Warm Tape - B
I don't like this as much, the sound effect in beginning sounds like old nintendo music, but the chorus is pretty good sounding like classic rock, its not that bad of a song.
Venice Queen - This song is dark and moody and pretty good, a nice ending to the CD.
Overall, this CD is vey different for them, as they get progressively slower, mellower, cleaner and mature. Gone are the days of "Sex Rap" and Sir Phyco Sexy" but that's not necssassarly a bad thing. If you only like Blood Sugar Sex Magik and can't tolerate the slower songs they do don't get this, otehrwise, whether you like them, or you don't, buy this CD, you won't be disappionted.
Free Music Review: By The Way
Hit: 5 Stars
By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers *****
By The Way was the first Red Hot Chili Peppers album I ever bought, and it is still my favorite. Yes I do realize that's not saying much since it is their newest release and that it only came out a few years ago but I have since bought other Red Hot Chili Peppers albums. While many people will argue that BloodSugarSexMagik is the bands best album I do however dissagre because I think that that title belongs to this album. Many of the bands biggest hits find home in this album such as the title track, `The Zzephyr Song' and `Can't Stop.' This album seems more laid back and slower then most Red Hot Chili Peppers albums. Anthony Keidis' voice is the best it had ever sounded. Flea's bass playing is less prominant on this album but is still amazing and a very important factor to the bands sound. Chad Smith's drumming is great and works great. John Frushanti's guitar playing is as always amazing, and perfectly complements the other music.
We start of with the title track and the albums lead single as well as biggest hit. `By The Way' is an amazingly up beat yet laid back song with maybe Flea's all time best bass line. One hell of a way to lead of the album. `Universally Speaking' is one of my favorite songs on the album. The music and the vocals just flow so well through each other, and the lyrics are great. It's very catchy and easy to get into which is what you want in a song. `This Is The Place' is my favorite song on the album for the simple fact that the lyrics are some of the best that Keidis ever wrote. The Chorus is my all time favorite by the band. His vocals on this song are just so amazing. I also really like the bridge to the song, it works perfect where many other bridges in songs take away from the over all track. `Dosed' is a really beautiful song. Really laid back and almost soothing I guess. The vocals once again are nice, and the chorus is really pretty. `Don't Forget Me' is one of the coolest songs the band has ever recorded. The production behind the song is amazing. The lyrics are killer! Just simply stunning. This is one of those songs that musicians such as myself strive to write and create. `The Zephyr Song' was another hit single when the band released it. It's a nice Ska-ish, Jamican vibe filled song. There is not much you can say to describe this song because everyone knows the song. The point is it's a really nice song. The next song is one of my favorites. `Can't Stop' is a really cool song, and it is really the reason why I bought the album. The guitar riff in the song is John Frushanti's second best of all time (`Under The Bridge' being first). This has one of the coolest guitar parts ever, I learned the second I bought the album. This is the kind of song I think of when I think of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The rest of the album isn't quite as good as the first that's why I only gave this four stars. The rest isn't bad but only a few shining moments here and there. `I Could Die For You' and `Midnight' both really nice slow songs but don't offer anything really new. `Throw Away Your Television' is a pretty good song, and I guess I would say it is one of my favorite on the album but even it gets somewhat old after a while. `Cabron' is a good listen every once in a while but it does grow old. `Tear' is nice. The lyrics are nice and the piano in the background adds for a nice new sound on the album, but once again it seems like nothing way to special. `In Mercury' is a cool Ska song. Very upbeat and catchy. `Minor Thing' is a really cool song. It's one of my five favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers songs ever. `Warm Tape' is a cool song but I do feel the album could have done just a well with out the song on the album. `Venice Queen' is awesome. The absolute best track to close the record. This is a really awesome song is really all you can say about it.
By The Way to me is the best you can get from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. BloodSugarSexMagik and Californication are both good but your best bet is to stick with By The Way.
Free Music Review: The peppers create a beautiful and emotional masterpiece!!
Hit: 5 Stars
It's been 3 years, 1 month and 1 day since the peppers released their biggest seling album, Californication and finally after a year of messing around in the studio, album delays, emotional breakdowns, vacations, various personal demons, health problems, fake internet rumors, rumored troubles with the band's founding members...BY THE WAY IS HERE AND THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS ARE BACK! By now most people have heard the first single, By The Way and at this very moment the radio is playing it non-stop and it's climbing up the singles charts and topping a few of them as well. The video still hasn't made it into heavy rotation on mtv or vh-1 but neither play videos anymore anyways. After hearing the first single many people are getting into the Peppers once again but i'm sure there will be alot of very confused people out there when they finally buy the album...and alot of letdown people as well. By the Way is the Peppers version of Pet Sounds or Revolver and is so different from anything they've released before but to call them a sell-out would be wrong and would easily point out that you don't know the band at all. The sounds and different musical genres found on this album are what the Peppers grew up with and have been into for years and anyone who thinks they are just into rap, funk, punk and rock are missled and missinformed.
Californication was either loved or bashed by long time fans. Alot of people were mad that the funk was hardly there but if you want a band that is repetitive and keeps making the same stuff over and over the Peppers aren't you're band. It's been 11 years since the band released their last all-funk album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik and they have gone through alot since then and on the last 2 albums (One Hot Minute and Californication)and this one they have made the songs alot more personal and emotional. With this one alot of the Peppers faithful knew what they were getting and we knew from Anthony that the funk was on a holiday and that By the Way would be the most personal and emotional Peppers album to date...and it is.
The Peppers have never been a band to follow a certain trend and became legends by doing what they wanted on their own terms and for the past 19 1/2 years have followed their hearts. Alot of people may be turned off by the slower songs on this album and that I think should somewhat be expected but to anyone who puts this album down because it's not what you wanted or it doesn't sound like Blood Sugar or the EMI albums from the 80's...stop listening to what MTV and radio tells you too and open your mind and ears. This band will never sell-out because unlike almost every other mainstream band they haven't let fame go to their heads and they listen to their hearts and souls. They love what they do, they love each other and they love the fans that support them. Anthony has spilled his heart and soul out on this album and for the first time...the funk isn't needed and wouldn't fit on By The Way and the album is better without alot of rocking funky tunes.
I've been a devoted and diehard Red Hot Chili Peppers fan for over 11 years now. I've spent hours and hours posting on message boards and websites about the band I love so much and they continue to give me and all their fans throughout the world top notch music that doesn't cut corners, that isn't overproduced or forced out, that isn't watered down, that isn't out to make millions. The Peppers have given this world so much in their 19+ years together and once again with By The Way they have outdone their previous works and remained the top band in the world and still with 3 members nearing the age of 40 later this years (Anthony, Flea, and Chad) and John in his mid-30's they have shown no signs of letting anyone down or giving it all up because they are a family and they love everything about what they do and i'd challenge anyone out there to tell me a band that is the same way as the Red Hot Chili Peppers!
Another beautiful landmark album by the most original band out there that is worth every penny you spend on it!
Free Music Review: Too good to be true
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is amazing, i just bought it at 10 o'clock this morning, and i bet i will not be able to stop listening forever....the chili peppers are the best, i don't give 5 stars often but this album definantely deserves it, you can tell the chili peppers put so much effort into making this album enjoyable...my favorite reviews are the ones that go through all the songs, so here's the tracks one by one and what i think of them:1.) By the Way: You've probably heard this one by now, but this songs cannot be overplayed, john's funk guitar, and flea's nice slap bassline complete the song over anthony's rapping and soul singing
2.) Universally Speaking: A nice little ballad with smooth vocals and rythamic guitar and bass
3.) This is the Place:...an awesome output by the chili peppers, as flea plays one bass line through the whole song, all the other peppers are playing off it with sweet effect and smooth backround vocals by john, a masterpiece
4.) Dosed: Nice double guitar work here, a very catchy tune that will be stuck in your head (in a good way)
5.) Don't Forget Me: Beautiful chords, great vocals, and a nice job done on the rythem side by chad and flea, i love the drums in this song!
6.) The Zephyr Song: I love how diverse the chili's can get, this almost has a latin hip hop flavor to it..but then it changes and john's vocals come in, and it's amazing!
7.) Can't Stop: My absolute favorite song on this cd, john's playing a bass line!, or it sounds like that, then flea takes over with it later in the song, and how do they make john's ohhhhh ahhhh's sound good over funk?, i don't get it, but it's great, and then the chorus comes in, unexpected, and it's amazing, i hope they release this song, because everyone deserves to listen to this song
8.) I Could die for you:...A nice intro in this song, and then it starts up, and a nice, a very full sound for a slow song, which makes it very enjoyable
9.) Midnight: As the orchestra starts, you think...wait?, what happened, but it works with the song, who ever's idea this was...i like it, and another wonderful song comes out of it...rock on chili's
10.) Thrown Away Your Television: You hear the bass line and you and the chili's go tribal style, but stay themselves, a foot tapping song that you can't just stop playing, very very very very catchy
11.) Cabron: We go latin again, as kiedes roll's his r's on cabrrron, and john's guitar is awesome, nice 1-5-8, bass line, but there are play-off on it which is nice, and chad bangs away on a samba style drum beat
12.) Tear: My second favorite song on the cd, pretty close to can't stop, it's a complete masterpiece, so many things happen in this song, you wonder what happened in the begginnging, when it started, and beautiful backround vocals too
13.) On Mercury: Wow, what a change from the last song, you're all sad after 'tear' then a ska sort of song, it's great, too great, it's sooooo awesome, omg, this song it up there with can't stop, haha, i can't decide
14.) Minor Thing: Good song, nice bridge in this song, with oohhhhhh goin on in the backround which completes it, wow,,, too many good songs here. haha
15.) Warm Tape: Interesting intro in this song, but i love it still....haha, and then it goes into the acoustic chorus which perfects it
16.) Venice Queen: How could the cd end any better? A beautifully arranged song, everything is perfect, the balance, the riffs, it's so complete
Buy this cd, or you will be deprived, this cd is worth 100 bucks, every song is awesome, just take my word for it, from the first reviewer, amazing!
Free Music Review: 'By The Way' - Album of the year
Hit: 5 Stars
By discarding the sock-adorned genitalia gimmick, and slap-bass heavy funk obsessions, and then discovered mellow harmonised music, Red Hot Chili Peppers have now made in my opinion their greatest album to date, reflected in the fact that they are enjoying arguably their highest level of popularity to date.1. By The Way
One of those songs that sounds anonymous the first 2 or 3 times, then suddenly becomes brilliant. Some might say a typical Chilis song, but the harmonised verse and shotgun delivery of the lightning rap interludes seperate this from the rap/rock guff.
A definite *****
2. Universally Speaking
A great bouncing rhythm right through this track, you cannot help but nod ya head (no black suits comin'). Fairly generic verses, but Kiedis comes into his own on the chorus.
****
3. This Is The Place
A more slower tempo for this one, it is almost like a follow-up to Under the Bridge. Another strong chorus makes this a distinctive track, together with Flea's consistently brilliant bass.
****
4. Dosed
Not a favourite among the more rap/funk centralised Chilis fans, this is one of the highlights of the album. Showing how love has mellowed his outlooked, Anthony Kiedis' vocals are beutifully matched by the melodic, swooping guitar play by John Frusciante
*****
5. Don't Forget Me
One of the more anonymous tracks on the album, that is not to detract from the track, more a reflection in the overall album.
***
6. The Zephyr Song
The second single to be lifted, a more upbeat song, with an almost rap-like sung verse, and another melodic chorus. The middle eight makes the song stand out however. Bear in mind, the lyrics make no sense however. Brilliant gibberish
****
7. Can't Stop
The second typical Chili song, with a fantastic start, building up to a heavy crescendo, before the shotgun rapping kicks in, interspersed by the sung chorus. Reminiscent of Around the World in structure, and that is no bad thing.
****
8. I Could Die For You
Like Don't Forget Me, another of the more inconspicuous tracks, maybe a little slow for it's position on the album.
**
9. Midnight
A strings-heavy song, with a soaring chorus. The harmonising between Kiedis and Frusciante really brings home the influences of bands such as the Mamas and the Papas.
***
10. Throw Away Your Television
Another of the more funk orientated tracks, this may please the more old-school fans, but I found it quite unremarkable.
**
11. Cabron
A definite break from the norm, and one of the songs that defines this past summer for me. It is a definite highlight, as a bright and breezy flamenco vibe makes this one of the best tracks on the album
****
12. Tear
A fantastic song, simply put. The melancholic verse leading into the powerful chorus, in a song reminiscent of the beach boys. One of the best pieces of music they have ever made.
*****
13. On Mercury
A more ska-punk song that wouldn't be out of place on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. As such, it doesn't seem to really fit with the rest of the album. Still top class though.
***
14. Minor Thing
The last great song on the album, it just kicks into life in a second, and is underway. A great verse and chorus, interspersed with an unintrusive rap bridge.
****
15. Warm Tape
16. Venice Queen
Both of these songs are not really too memorable, hence stuck at the end of the album. Although decent tracks, they kind of fall back into the shadows when compared to the rest of the album.
** each