Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the Way
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Free Music Notes for By the Way
Free Music Review: Approaches genius
Hit: 5 Stars
Okay, first of all, I have to admit that on first listen, I wish the song had a few more "grinding" songs, a la OTHERSIDE or SUCK MY KISS or GIVE IT AWAY. I mean, those are some of the great RHCP songs!!!But once I got over that disappointment, I realized that what we've got here is 12 great songs, 1 pretty good song, 1 weird song and 2 that the album could have done without.
I WOULD DIE FOR YOU and MIDNIGHT are the two I always skip. Just a bit unimaginative a monotonous. The weird one is WARM TAPE. Sometimes I hear it and it sounds cheesy, and other times it's almost sexy. Certainly the lyric "Shiver for me girl" is a good one! I can't describe the song though. You've got to hear it for yourself.
The pretty good song is THE ZEPHYR SONG, which is getting a lot of airplay. It's okay, kinda breezy, but just doesn't evoke any strong feelings.
The rest of the album is absolutely top notch. These guys can really write the tunes now. CALIFORNICATION (which is brilliant too) served as a kind of bridge from their rougher, earlier stuff to these textured, complex melodies. The hit single BY THE WAY, which kicks off the album is INSTANTLY, INSTANTLY, INSTANTLY catchy. I was ready to sing along halfway through the song on the first listen. Other standouts include the driving CAN'T STOP, the delightful UNIVERSALLY SPEAKING and the latin-flavored CABRON.
Lyrically, the songs are often difficult to grasp. Don't look for linear meaning. They evoke moods, feelings and random images. But Anthony Kiedis sings with real feeling, and the musicianship is first rate all the way through. They all do their best work as musicians and songwriters, ever.
Two tips: 1) The final song VENICE QUEEN (which is really a two part song) is the secret high point of the album. It builds with a gorgeous, quiet riff and grows in power. It could almost have been on Californication, with its West-Coast centric imagery, but I find it a bracing conclusion to this album. 2) Listen to the album with headphones...there is SO much subtlety that you easily miss otherwise, especially some of the grace notes and such that guitarist John Frusciante throws in.
It's a great album, and one that should please RHCP fans and draw in folks who've shyed away from some of their "rougher" stuff before.
Free Music Review: I Like the Music
Hit: 5 Stars
"By the Way" is, undeniably, a stellar album, representing yet another tremendous offering from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It easily equates its predecessor, "Californication", in terms of its accessibility and the consistency with which it displays quality musicianship and meaningful lyrics. As always, Anthony Keidis' wonderfully unique vocals are complemented expertly by Flea's mastery of the bass guitar, Fruisciante's great guitar performances and Chad Smith's rhythmic drum beats. It is understandable, then, that, in a similar vein to "Californication", all 16 of the album's tracks are excellent, and are not let down by any pointless `filler' tracks. However, the Chili Peppers appear to have significantly stretched their musical boundaries since "Californication", as "By the Way" manages to encapsulate an earnestness and emotiveness that the band has rarely revealed to its legion of fans. While the album retains the band's raw edge, especially through hard-hitting songs such as catchy first single "By the Way" and the bittersweet funk tune "Can't Stop", it also introduces a wealth of songs based around beautiful vocal harmonies and soaring melodies. Moving ballad "I Could Die For You" illustrates this point perfectly, as it stands as among the most beautiful three minutes in the Chili Peppers' recording history. Thankfully, the band has definitely not transformed into a soppy, dull, Train-esque rock act. Even the album's most tender moments either maintain a degree of intensity or are balanced out by more unrefined moments, such as those involving rapping and chanting. For instance, the juxtaposition of Keidis' aggressive rapping with moving vocal harmonies in "Minor Thing" culminates in an aurally appealing contrast.
All in all, after careful consideration of the album's 16 superb songs, I would have to say that "Midnight" is my personal favourite. It is a rocking, lyrically-rich, orchestral monster of a song that is home to one of the Chili Peppers' most powerful, uplifting choruses to date. The album attains five stars from me for this song alone; its fellow 15 stand-out tracks make this album worthy of much more than just five stars.
Free Music Review: A Technically Astounding Album
Hit: 5 Stars
I bought this album with blind faith that it would be good after previously purchasing many of its predocessing albums. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have received mixed reviews on this album, some saying that it lacks soul and the edge of the old Chili Peppers. What I say is that this is the best example of a band's evolution through different styles, in an attempt to explore their own potential and give their fans the most. Yes, this is still one of their best pieces of work, even after over 20 years.Kiedis' vocals are ever unique and expressive, as Flea has produced some of the most high impact bass-lines as shown in the song that everyone will have heard by now, 'By The Way', showing that his bass-prowess. Frusciante's lead guitar emitts some of the best riffs showing that he is undoubtably one of the best guitarists around, and proves that he is the better guitarist out of himself and the greatest ex-Chili Peppers riff-merchant, Dave Navarro. This is demonstrated in such tracks as the outstanding 'Universally Speaking' and the 'different' and Spanish 'Cabron', where he plays his acoustic guitar with great conviction. 'Can't Stop' shows that the Chili Peppers DO still have exactly what has established them as one of the greatest bands of all times, mixing sweet harmony, with the rap vocals expressed so well in the likes of 'Around the World'. That said, although this album carries a more melodic style, it still oozes with variety, from the punky 'By the Way' to the acoustic 'Cabron' to the sweet 'I Could Die For You'.
This album is undoubtably one of the best around, and must be purchased by anyone who is intrigued by this review, and all Chili Peppers fans. Fans like myself should appreciate the evolution of this band into what is still a fine state, something mirrored by such bands as 'Incubus'.
I gave this album 5 stars, and I believe it is fully diserving of each of these. This album is technically astounding as it is played by a band who mix great lyrics, with wonderful scores. Because, yes, unlike 'Slipknot', these guys can actually produce some of the best 'MUSIC' around, as they have done for so long now.
Free Music Review: Continued mellow direction, but still great!
Hit: 5 Stars
For some of my favorite rock acts that date back to the 1980s, I am a bit hard on them when they become too mellow in the modern day compared to their hard rocking roots. In some of those cases, it doesn't feel that they are being totally true to themselves musically. However, I don't at all get that feeling when I listen to this album by the Red Hot Chili Pepers. After all, they are not following any trend but simply putting out the music they want to. Who else out there sounds similar to them? No one that I can think of.Like the amazing "Californication", the sound on this album is mellower and more melodic and the obscenities are minimal. The vocals are better than ever, and the bass still cranks--even on the mellowest of the tracks.
The lead title track, also the first single released, is a great melodic catchy track with some "funk" still present in the song. "Universally Speaking" is kind of a mid-temp track that is very melodic. "This Is The Place" retains a little of the old funk element and has an exceptional bass line (even for these guys). "The Zephyr Song" is a very pretty mid-tempo track with an unforgetable melodic chorus, while "Can't Stop" is very catchy and perhaps the funkiest song on the album. "I Could Die For You" and "Midnight" are other melodic hightlights, "Throw Away Your Television" is another funky highlight, "Cabron" is very different with its Spanish sound and nice melodies, and "Tear" is an outstanding slow track. The closing track "Venice Queen" is interesting and mellow overall as well.
I was also a fan of the Chili Pepers in the more hard core days of the legendary "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" album, but this current direction they have gone in is to me equally as good. Don't think for a moment that these guys can't still rock. They have simply added a diversity to their music and toned it down a bit over time. The results are continued musical excellence. I think that any RHCP fan should appreciate this album, but definitely buy if your favorite previous album by them is "Californication".
Free Music Review: Won't change the universe but definately helps to keep it up
Hit: 5 Stars
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been famous for shocking people with their albums. There's no reason why they should stop it and they know it. First you hear similarities to 'Californication' but after the first listen you realize it's totally different. The songs on 'By The Way' were created by God and every musician nowadays would be proud of them. This album consists of 16 songs and each is a beautiful experience for itself.The opener 'By The Way' is a good song to start the album with. It sums up a bit what the Peppers have done before and guides your ears into a new territory. The next highlight is 'This Is The Place', this one could be also on 'Californication' but it really shows how much Kiedis' vocals have improved since then. 'Don't Forget Me' could easily be on a Peppers' best of CD while 'The Zephyr Song' is one of the most obvious Frusciante songs here- with a drum machine in the background like in John's latest solo album.
'Can't Stop' is a welcomed change- like 'By The Way' it reflects the old days and creates place for something new, in this case John's backing vocals that are a brand mark for the whole album. The most curious song title is 'I Could Die For You' cause I never expected it from the Peppers- I wonder Anthony did the lyrics after the breakoff with his girlfriend. Everybody say 'Tear' is Beach Boys-style but I don't mind cause it's a good song. 'Lemon Trees On Mercury' has a nice melody and you can dance to it too. Another favorite of mine is 'Minor Thing' that sounds similar to 'My Lovely Man'. My only complaint is that I'd like to hear more ...[Flea]- someone already noticed he sounded deadly on the live gigs cause you could hear the bass loudly. I hope it's his and Chad's turn on the next album but we'll see.
I recommend 'By The Way' to ALL music fans, I think this record won't change the universe like Blood Sugar Sex Magik did but it will definately help us to keep it up.