Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
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Free Music Notes for Californication
Free Music Review: The Best Album Since Nevermind and BSSM
Hit: 5 Stars
What a comeback. Somehow, John Frusciante (The virtuoso guitar player for the Chili Peppers who played on Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik and then quit because of drugs) quits his insane nearly decade long heroin addiction and reunites with the Chili Peppers who are on hiatus after a one album stint and sum touring with Dave Navarro. He comes back better than ever and regenerates the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is truly a blessing that he is even alive and still making music but it's great to have him back in the Chili Peppers.
1.Around The World-With a frenetically fast slap bass intro, this song starts off the album as one helluva ride. The song shifts pretty quickly and the listener is greeted with a classic Frusciante riff and Kiedis' trademark white boy rapping which sounds like a proclamation of a band coming back from hell.
2.Parralel Universe-A new-wavy bass line and hihat work intro this song which packs a punch with a soaring chorus and a great Frusciante solo near the end.
3.Scar Tissue-John Frusciante's one true showcase of guitar playing. The song is laced with multiple guitar interludes between chorus's and verses and builds up to a huge solo at the end. The song is the first single off of the album and was a huge #1 smash.
4.Otherside-The third single off of the album and a song that really yet again balances the tightrope between soft and hard and really manages to pack quite a punch.
5.Get On Top-One of I'd say 4 songs off of the album that really sound like the Chili Peppers of the 80's. Lotsa funky slap bass by Flea. This song has playful lyrics that can be quite funny if you actually figure out what's being said. Cool funky guitar playing by John in the bridge of the song.
6.Californication-This is probably the darkest song the band ever wrote besides perhaps Under The Bridge. This song seems to deal with suicide and the horrors that Hollywood bring about like say plastic surgery. Kurt Cobain is actually mentioned in the song. Excellent bass work in the backround by Flea and a concise solo by John.
7.Easily-I like this song a lot and it never seems to get old. The lyrics are really deep and paint a great picture. Great overall performance.
8.Porcelain-This song almost succeeds at bringing down the album with its crappiness. It just drags on and on very uneventfully for about 4 minutes of utter nothingness. Best had it been left off of this album and never ever released.
9.Emmit Remmus-Cool song that yet again bridges that gap between soft and hard and really manages to be a good song. Lyrically some parts are well bad such as "Summer time to talk and swear/Maybe later we could share some air" but still an overall great song.
10.I Like Dirt-The second old school Chili Peppers styled song with funky bass and guitar playing mixed in with just odd as hell off the wall lyrics that somehow work in the song.
11.This Velvet Glove-Acoustic based song that has a obvious prevailing anti drug message.
12.Savior-Somehow this song feels like it would fit in well in a western movie but maybe that's just because of how the chorus hits me. Yet again the Chili Peppers pull off a consistantly good song.
13.Purple Stain-The third old school styled Chili Peppers song with lyrics that you just have to read to believe. There's references to fingering everywhere and a proclamation that Chris Farley is an angel. It's cool how the last minute and a half just has the band jamming and has some cool drumwork by Chad Smith.
14.Right On Time-The fourth and final old school styled Chili Peppers song this song is splattered with pulsating slap bass by Flea and switches between the funky slap bass verses to the soft chorus. At barely two minutes long this song really rocks out.
15.Road Trippin'-A fitting acoustic end to the musical journey that is Californication. Featuring chamberlin organ and acoustic guitar this song really closes out the album well.
Overall-People should thank god that John Frusciante was even alive to make this album which never could've been done without him. This album breathed new life into the Chili Peppers as well as expanded their musical horizons. It is better crafted than anything from the last ten years and most of the 90s except perhaps Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Nirvana's Nevermind, and Metallica's "Black Album". That's just my two cents. Peace.
Free Music Review: Best Alblum of 1999
Hit: 5 Stars
This is definatly the best alblum the Chili Peppers have ever one, there isn't really any funk, and it is thier slowest alblum overall, but the quality of the music is far better than any of thier previous alblums, here is a list of all the songs and what I thought of them.Around The World-Excellent opening song, fast but not heavy, when I heard this, I knew I was about to listen to a great alblum.
Parallel Universe-Bautiful music, the lyrics didn't make alot of sense, but that really didn't take away from the song.
Scar Tissue-A very simple song musically, I didn't even like this song the first time I heard it, but it has since become one of my favorite songs. That's another reason that this is a great alblum: you go from a complex, almost epic sounding song to a slow, simple song, and it fits perfectly.
Otherside-I love this song, it's another one with beautiful music and lyrics that I really don't get the meaning of, actually, in this song, it's hard just to understand what he's saying at all, but somehow, his singing is still my favorite part of the song.
Get On Top-This is definatly an older style song for the Chili Peppers, just about the only even remotely hard rock song on the whole alblum. Beautiful instrumental piece toward the end of the song.
Californication-Almost a ballad, but not quite, at about 5 minutes and 10 seconds, it is the longest song on the alblum, Great road song, this is my favorite non-metal song to listen to while i'm driving.
Easily-My favorite song on the alblum, and possibly of all time, I usually don't like songs that repeat the same or similar lyrics alot, but I made an exception for this song. The simple but still great guitar work on this song is some of my favorite ever, and the lyrics are great, I don't know what they mean really, but they just sound great.
Porcelain-The slowest and shortest song on the whole alblum, starts off with very slow drums that almost sound muffled, as if you were listening to it from the other side of a wall, then some slow singing, and it finishes off with an equally slow guitar solo.
Emit Remmus-Just from the first 5 seconds it sounds like it is going to take place in a city, even though I like every song on the alblum, this is probably my least favorite, it just didn't have that same special quality as the rest of the alblum.
I Like Dirt-Interesting song, by the music alone I always picture a group of people working on a railroad or something, but maybe that's just me.
This Velvet Glove-This is the only song on the whole alblum that just sounds like it will be a sad song just the opening, I haven't figured out exactly figured out what he is singing about, by some lyrics i'm guessing its about Hillel Slovak (thier former guitar player, who died in 1988 from a herion overdose). It is my second favorite song on the alblum, next to "Easily".
Savior-Almost sonunds like two songs put together, it goes from a heavy,slow song to a light,faster song, and goes back a few times.
Purple Stain-An odd, almost goofy song, I almost get sick of this song, but the chorus saves it.
Right On Time-This is the only song on the alblum that sounds almost like it came straight out of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It has heavier and faster, almost rap lyrics, and for some reason, when you hear this song, you almost know the alblum is about to end.
Road Trippin'-Perfect closing song, just the way this song makes you feel like everything is coming to an end. When I heard this song I really felt as thought the last hour I spent listening to this alblum was not just a waste of time, which is not a feeling I get from most of today's music.
Free Music Review: Great End To The Millinium!
Hit: 5 Stars
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Californication *****
The largely anticipated Californication was released in 1999 and while that doesn't seem that long ago this album holds up very well. Like I said 1999 doesn't seem that far behind but when you think about it 1998-1999 was really the second coming of the late 1970's in the since that almost all of the music was not bearable. Californication was probably the best album to come out that year. The return of "THE" Red Hot Chili Peppers. Dave Navarro is a great guitar player but it doesn't seem right with out John. Hillel was amazing but it doesn't seem right with out John. The classic line up John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, and Flea came back together to create what I think will be a feature classic if it isn't already.
The album starts off with `Around The World' which was a hit for the band and is still played on the radio regularly. It's loud, fast, and at times in your face, and its one hell of a way to open the album. Then we jump right into `Parallel Universe' which is a song that really speaks for it's self. It must be heard to appreciate because it is really all over the place and it is a really great song. Anthony's vocals are fantastic. Next is the song that got me as well as many other fans into the band. Its my all time favorite Chili Peppers song, `Scar Tissue.' The whole thing is magical. This song came along when I was starting to play guitar and John's solo on this song couldn't have been better or more inspirational. Anthony's vocals and lyrics make this song irresistible. Chad Smith's and Flea held back bass lines drumming compliment perfectly. The backing vocals give me chills, no other word comes to mind other then perfection. Dark and scary are really the only way I can describe `Otherside.' The first time I heard this song was at two in the morning and the haunting backing music to Anthony's dark lyrics just scared the hell out of me, and I loved every minute of it. This is truly one of the best songs the band has ever made, and maybe that they will ever make. `Get On Top' is very cool very BloodSugarSexMagik, very Mothers Milk. Next is the title track, The ingenious `Californication' which has the coolest and most mind blowing premise for a song ever! Smiths drumming and Fleas bass lay down a rhythm section fit for kings. John's guitar riffs and solo bring this song to life. Kiedis' vocals are the most amazing he has ever written and in my opinion the best and most creative he will ever write, he is a genius. `Easily' isn't my favorite song on album but it is still a very good song and not one you want to skip. `Porcelain' is one of the most beautiful song the Peppers have ever recorded. `Emit Remmus' is a cool song and very heavy for the Chili Peppers. One of my favorites on the album. `I Like Dirt' aside from being sort of strange is very good and contains some great Hendrix inspired guitar playing by John which really makes the song if you ask me, killer solo. Finally the acoustic ballad. I live for the Peppers' slow acoustic songs they do them perfect and `This Velvet Glove' is no exception. It starts out slow and acoustic only to build to a climactic electric end. Great song. `Savior' is wild. It's all over the place. It's up its down, its fast its slow, it's also one great song. `Purple Stain' is a great song, one of the best on the album. This is one you can tell that came very easy to them it's very simple and yet so good. This is one song I think everyone would like. `Right On Time' is nice because it's half early Chili Peppers and half current Chili Peppers. I think This would have been better on BloodSugarSexMagik but it fits in nice here too. The album comes to a end with a acoustic `Road Trippin' which is a fantastic way to end the album nice and easy. It was a sign of things to come as By The Way as a whole sounds much like this song. What a great end to a great album
So to say that Californication is the greatest Red Hot Chili Peppers album would be incorrect. Close but no cigar. It is however a wonderful album with many things to offer even the most stubborn of listeners and for that it does deserve an applause. The Peppers ended the millennium the right way, on top. So to everyone reading this, I highly recommend it.
Free Music Review: One of the great pop/rock albums
Hit: 5 Stars
This was the first Red Hot Chilli Peppers albums I bought, many years ago now. I relistened to it last night because I've been wanting to put up a review of this great album for a while now.
I tend to nominate albums as "Great" if they have a few really good tracks [like Midnight Oil's classic "10-1" or a lot of good songs, like Midnight Oil's "Diesel and dust" or Metallica's Reload]. Californication gets a nod as a great album for being in the second category.
There are two tracks that I count as very good in this album: Around The World, and the title track. The first has a fast and furious guitar assault and then slows down with some guitar picking. It has some near rap style vocals and a very nice scat vocal section. A highly energetic song.
The title track is more laid back, with some poetic lyrics concerning the influence of Hollywood and the Hollywood lifestyle.
When I first got this album, these were the two songs I repeatedly listened to, and were what probably tipped me into buying the album, having heard them on the radio, and hearing some other nice songs from the album.
As a whole, the album can be described as funky, ryhme laiden, alliterative lyrics, bass prominent music. I suppose that the best of the album is from tracks 1-7. I had heard track 3, Scar Tissue, and it is a nice song, though not the kind of song to compel you to buy this album. Still, it's very pretty, and there a few similarly laid back and mellow songs on the album like this-Otherside, Californication and Road Trippin'.
Get On Top didn't really strike me as a good song first listen, though I did really like the cool guitar sound that it had. Last night, I still liked that guitar sound, but maybe the song is better than I gave it credit for.
Perhaps Porcelain was initially my least favourite song on the album. It's not a very good pop song-not really catchy at all, BUT, I think if you treat it like a lullaby, it maybe not so bad after all.
Some of the songs have nice, overlapping vocals weaving in and out, like Otherside and Saviour. The latter strikes me as having a Beach Boys flavour-it's a little bit experimental sounding.
Speaking of influences, Purple Stain, whilst not a particulary good song, has the guitar riff out of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love included. And Right On Time features a Beatle-esque backward lyric vocal outro.
Probably my favourite "Easter-egg" song on this album is Emit Remmus. It's not a lyrically complex song, but its simplicity and catchy chorus is a winner: "What could be wetter than, English girl, American man. London in the summertime...". Really cool song, and I'm surprised that this is one of the FEW songs on this album which did NOT get radio airplay...it definitely deserved to. Perhaps this song has a touch of The Clash in it.
Other tracks feature nice choruses that you can sing along to, like Parallel Universe, Scar Tissue, Easily, Road Trippin'.
Whilst there are many good songs on this album, the album has depth enough to be interesting, even when there are songs that are sub-good. I didn't make any notes last night for I Like Dirt and This Velvet Glove, indicating that they're not particularly interesting to me, though I suppose you could say that some may find I Like Dirt catchy.
So, all in all, a highly listenable album, which is rare, I think. Many good songs, many interesting if not good songs. And a couple of really terrific songs.
My only complaint? The album suffers from 'snap, crackle and pop', which you can hear if you listen on good quality headphones, like I do. For that reason, I'd give the sound quality on this album 2 out of 5.
Great album.
P.S. I've also reviewed "One hot minute" by this band at this site.
I rate this band as being in the same league as the more pop/rock [as opposed to pop/rock/funk of the Peppers] Midnight Oil. I make an equivalence between the Oils "10,...,1" and "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik" and "Diesel and dust" and "Californication". I give the Oils the edge over the Peppers though.
Free Music Review: Their best album and my personal favorite ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
This album more than any other chili peppers album does not let down anywhere from start to finish. Besides that, it just has some truly incredible songs. I now have every one of their albums, but still this one is the best by far, even better than BSSM. That is because the guitar on this album is the most innovative thing john has ever done. For Californication, frusciante does not really seem influenced by any other guitarists. I mean, of course the influence is there, but the guitar work is the most original here of any other album. No other guitarist writes the simple beautiful melodic patterns that make up most songs on this album. This is where they reached a melodic peak, before it got a little too simple on By the Way. Oh, and although usually BSSM and Cali are considered the two best chili albums by fans, with BSSM being more popular, it is almost always agreed that the lyrics here are the best. Song by song:Around the World: Best opening track you could ask for. Each instrument is introduced one at a time, and a simple funky verse leads perfectly into a melodic chorus. The lightest track on the album, closes with prolonged chord strumming, something found on several songs on this album.
Parallel Universe: This is a great rock song. Pretty different from anything else they have done because of the real fuzzy distortion on the chorus. Ends with another chord strum, this time with something of a solo over it.
Scar Tissue: Probably the most melodic song they have ever and will ever make, this is the prime example of johns melodic riffs. The musical interludes or solos are also perfect note choice solos.
Otherside: Likely the best song on the best album. The vocals here are haunting, the riff again is beautiful, and the lyrics are incredibly visual and symbolic but visceral. It also has an insane and hectic bridge (think 21st century schizoid man by king crimson) before going back to the chorus.
Get on Top: The funk on Californication is so clearly different from any other upbeat sound they have. Its funky, but with a very melancholy tone, highlighted by the bridge of this song.
Californication: The title track is the second best song on the album. The riff here may be the best sound on the whole album, it just draws you in. The lyrics here are incredibly deep and sadly funny.
Easily: A song that sort of stands out on this album because its just rock all the way. Still, it has great lyrics and a nice solo with several guitars at the end.
Porcelain: One of the most hated songs by fans, but also loved by a smaller camp. I am one of the people who thinks this song is great. Really soft, a slow rhythm with a melodic guitar following the words.
Emit Remmus: An awesome song. The guitar here is just a couple of searing notes for the verse, as most of the sound is the drums here. All of the choruses on the album are great, and the one in this song is no exception.
I Like Dirt: This is a weird minor key funk that has a good solo, but the solo is very different from everything else on the album. It sounds a lot more like their older sound. In fact, that contrast works here perfectly, but still overall the song is weaker than the rest.
This Velvet Glove: Back to the great songs. This song has more terrific lyrics, another great riff that manages to still be completely original and different from the others, and a great chorus. No matter how the could play this song it would be sad.
Savior: Song pretty clearly written about john rejoining the band. The lyrics here are quite different, fewer symbols and images, more straightforward ones. This song has a stranger more experimental guitar sound, great outro solo.
Purple Stain: The lyrics here aren't as great as the rest of the album, but they are still smart and this song just rocks up until the closing strums.
Right on Time: A pretty light hearted song as far as this album goes. Still very good smart lyrics. One of the weaker songs on the album, but it flows well into the last song.
Road Trippin': An acoustic song that surprisingly works very well as a close. Great lyrics, and a nice simple organ part to keep it fresh.