Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way
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Free Music Notes for By the Way
Free Music Review: Chili Peppers Dazzle On By The Way
Hit: 5 Stars
I swore this band was dead after One Hot Minute and I was very glad when they came back with Californiacation which was a very good album but not my favorite. Then By The Way came out. I got it two years later then everyone else but that doesn't matter. This record shows they've matured a lot in the last few years, transforming them from gritty punk-funk rockers to sunny California-style rockers, and honestly there are few bands out there who sound like this.
The music is rich and textured, leaning more towards grooves and mid-tempo tracks rather than truly rocking out, though "By The Way", the radio staple "Can't Stop" and "Minor Thing" with its hard-hitting surprise rap verse show it's not because they can't anymore. But they are most effective on slower grooves like "Universally Speaking" and "Dosed" and when they stretch out musically on the Spanish guitar romp "Cabron", the string-laden, and somewhat haunting "Midnight" and the horn-tinged pleasant ballad "Tear".
This CD is so good that only a couple tracks can be considered filler but even they ("Throw Away Your Television", "Warm Tape", and maybe "On Mercury") are listenable, as the band has made sure each song has a well-written memorable chorus and some sort of hook, and give something to the album's overall cohesion.
They are still that gritty band from the LA streets (though they really only sound something like it on the two darkest tracks "This Is The Place" and "Don't Forget Me", which are both solid cuts) but now have evolved into something greater.
Sure, people might yell about how the cheery "Zephyr Song" and songs like "I Could Die For You" and "Universally Speaking" sound like attempts at just grabbing mainstream radio success, but that's not necessarily true. The songs may be appealing to that audience, but outside of this CD and maybe college radio, I've never heard them get airplay(only "By The Way" and "Can't Stop" get real airplay and now are being added to the dying world of FM radio's playlists a.k.a. List of Songs To Play Till They Die With Our Ever Diminishing Audience).
So all in all it's hard to argue that the RHCP haven't turned out a fantastic album that defies the idea that talent diminishes as bands grow older, rather that they have aged gracefully, wisely have put their wildest funk-rocking days of their youth behind them, and show it well here. The evolution that began on their comeback of sorts Californiacation continues on By The Way with euqally dazzling results.
Free Music Review: Chili Peppers never dissapoint
Hit: 5 Stars
Coming 3 years off the heels of 1999's smash comeback hit, Californication, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' new album, By the Way, fails to dissapoint both longtime fans and casual listeners. The best thing about the Chili Peppers, perhaps, is that their sentiments are never faked or forced. They've done what they wanted to their whole nearly 2 decades long career and done it well, whatever road they've taken. From their funk-metal-rap hybrid roots, they've been the forebearers of everything beat-driven and angsty that has topped the charts, be it Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Alien Ant Farm and the like, they all owe much to Kedis, Flea, Smith, and Frusciante. With seminal hit Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the Chili Peppers broke out from the barriers of this new-found "rap-rock" genre with the melodia of Under the Bridge, their chart-topper of 1992. But then, as I'm sure we've all seen their Behind the Music episode, they went through some personal troubles and replaced Frusciante with Dave Navarro. They released One Hot Minute but it was poorly recieved by both critics and fans alike, spawning only minor hits with Warped and Aeroplane. But the Chili Peppers would not be defeated, only to return with their best album, perhaps ever, Californication. With Frusciante back on board, they had no less than 4 hits off the album, with Scar Tissue, Around the World, Otherside and the title track. So now, at this creative high point, the Chili Peppers release By the Way. The title track is the first single off the album, and it flawlessly executes both the dreamy pop-rock that was discovered early but perfected with many tracks on Californication, and the crazy wacky funk that has been their signature for so, so long. But the rest of the album is mighty surprising, as it almost abandons their old sound completely, with only flashes of said funk roots at times. While looking past the changes may be a daunting task for some, once you get there, you realize that this is perhaps their best album to date, and while the funk is all but disappeared, they're as ecletic as ever, mixing in many other different styles. Kedis' lyrics are still at their best, and he can still actually sing, which was surprisingly uncovered on Californication. Flea and Frusciante have an amazing musical kinship, neither dominates the other but they support each other flawlessly, and Chad Smith more than adequately rounds out the quartet, making By the Way perhaps their finest album to date.Free Music Review: Brilliant.
Hit: 5 Stars
An album that stirred quite a controversy when it was released, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "By the Way" is quite a shift, particularly from their early work. In many ways, the band's entire career has been leading up to this album-- their development of ballads and melodic songs (starting as far back as "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan"), Flea's decision to abandon slap bass on "Blood Sugar Sex Magick", the move towards guitar-driven (as opposed to bass driven) rock with Dave Navarro on "One Hot Minute" and of course the return of John Frusciante on "Californication". It seemed as if that album was also beginning to embrace not just the sounds of L.A. punk and metal but also the pop of Brian Wilson and the stylings of Charles Mingus. The result is nothing short of stunning, and while many fans will let loose accusations of sellout, the album is shockingly brilliant. Shockingly different, yes, but it is in my assessment the band's masterpiece.
The opening title track catches attention immediately, starting with the clean toned chorus and then bursting into the funk/punk verses. The choruses build vocal harmonies each time they're repeated until it's a total wash of harmony. By the end of the piece, it's clear something changed. As the album develops, it proves surprisingly eclectic, seemlessly tackling pop (the superb "Dosed" with Frusciante and Kiedis trading lines on the chorus), funky metal ("Can't Stop"), Latin rock ("Cabron") and the Beach Boys (unnervingly brilliant "Tear"-- check out Frusciante's falsetto). Along there's an alt-rock masterpiece ("Don't Forget Me"), analt-pop gem ("Universally Speaking"), an achingly beautiful ballad that should have been a single ("I Would Die For You"), a straight L.A. rock song ("Minor Thing"), one betraying a folky influence ("Warm Tap") and a closing suite that manages to somehow summarize the entire album and be pretty much the best piece on the record ("Venice Queen").
So with this much variation, it would seem there should be a lot of room for failure, but the truth is, the whole record is fantastic, start to finish. I'm not normally one to gush endlessly about an album, but three years since its release, "By the Way" still captures my attention, is still the Chili Peppers album I most often reach for, and still stands up as singular and unique. Newcomers should start with this one, it really is far and away the best thing the band's ever done. Highly recommended.
Free Music Review: Nice album indeed!
Hit: 5 Stars
As a massive chili peppers fan of ten years, i was so eagerly waiting for this album to come out. It was such an occasion when californication was released, and this latest release was much the same. It is virtually nothing like my personal favourite chili's album (and favourite album by anyone really,) which is blood sugar sex magik, but this in no way means it is not a fantastic album. This is in effect "californication II". Opener 'by the way' is a brilliant single, and has got everything u would expect. 'Universally speaking' is a chilled out acoustic number, while 'this is the place' is a powerful yet peaceful song. 'Dosed' follows as a beautiful love song, before 'dont forget me' just explodes into a massive wall of sound when it gets to the chorus. 'The zephyr song' is another happy sing along song, a possible candidate for the second single. 'Cant stop' comes next, and is as close to blood sugar sex magik as you get on this album. A brilliant funk driven song, with Kiedis shout-rapping meaningful nonsense at his best. The next 2, 'i could die for you' and 'midnight' are probably the weakest on the album, but in no way bad songs. 'Throw away your television' is an upbeat number, with flea's fingers working overtime. 'Cabron' follows, with fast acoustic folky guitars, a complete shift from their usual sound. 'Tear' is another nice sounding chill song, before 'on mercury' comes on, sounding like chili peppers at a ska festival, but a damn fine song, very upbeat. 'Minor thing' is an excellent uptempo song, with a nice funk feel to it in places. 'Worm tape' is the penultimate song, and has very strange sounds in the chorus, while the guitar in the chorus sounds not too dissimilar to the shadows! 'Venice Queen' wraps up the album, and is in effect 2 songs, both being excellent. A great end to a great album. Throughout the album, it is evident that they have put a lot of emotion in to both the music and the lyrics, while not losing their playful side. Also, the vocal harmonies, which are in every single song, are beautiful, with Kiedis using John Frusciante's voice perfectly to compliment his own, which he has now developed into a great singing voice, not just a rapper anymore. On the whole, a heartily recommended album, whether you are new to the chili's or are familiar with their old stuff, and are unsure about their new sound. Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.Free Music Review: New Sound for the Chili Peppers
Hit: 5 Stars
When the Red Hot Chili Peppers released Californication in 1999, many people said how they had changed and they were no longer the band that they were...well they were right, and By the Way basically seals the deal. They are no longer the immature funk band that gave such albums as The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, they are now a middle aged rock band, with their focus on vocal harmonies and playing for the song and not to impress, now i'm by no means saying that they dumbed down their playing for this album, because their music is still impossible to emulate, they just have a different style of playing. The album opens with the title track and first single, By the Way, sounds like an outtake off of Californication, figures why it would be the first single. This album holds many differnt styles such as the 60's pop sounding Universally Speaking, the acoustic Don't Forget Me, and the ballads I Could Die for You and Midnight, the latter being one of the strongest songs on the album. They also have some funk inspired songs such as Can't Stop which is great and Throw Away Your Television which is not so great, probably the weakest song on the album. For the most part the band is more mellow and moody now then they ever were, songs like Warm Tape and Doesd show this. Dosed also features guitarist John Frusciante singing as well as Anthony Kiedis, which gives the song a great effect. The harmonies on this album are definately some of the best i've heard in my life. They also have the psychadelic pop of The Zephyr Song which is also the latest single and one of the best songs on the album as well as the ska influenced Lemon Trees On Mercury, and the Californication inspired Minor Thing which is one of the best rock songs i've ever heard. The album closes with Venice Queen which is a total masterpiece, definately don't overlook this song because it starts slow. This album in my opinion is the perfect showcase for where the Chili Peppers are at right now, Anthony Kiedis' vocals are more powerful then they've ever been, John's guitar playing is amazing as usual, but im tempted to say better than ever, also tempted to say that this is his album, Flea's bass playing is great, not that i needed to say that, and Chad's drums are very powerful and compliment the songs very well, this is definately a must own album, from one of the greatest bands of our time.