Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
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Free Music Notes for Stadium Arcadium
Free Music Review: There comes a time when old is good
Hit: 5 Stars
This is Red Hot Chili Peppers at their finest. Seriously. If you could compare this album to any of their others, the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik would probably come up. But we're not here to compare are we?
Again this is produced by Rick Rubin (who produced Blood Sugar Sex Magik) and many other great albums. Although these guys produced 38 songs all together, they could only fit 28 of their finest on this 2-disk album. The Peppers first single off of this album is already well known, and the music video is astounding when it comes to tributes to the rock n' roll world. Yes, Dani California is a hit. Was it the song in general that made the hit? Yes, but the video added more spice to the mix. DANI CALIFORNIA is a great song, but i do have to say this, "Dani California is not the greatest song on the album." So, my first suggestion to all of you buyers reading this review is this: If you love Dani, then get this album, because i can name at least ten other songs that are better then it.
This album brings back the Peppers funky rythem that they kind of went away with starting with Californication. "Hump De Bump" that is on Stadium Arcadium could possibly be the best song on the album just for its trippyness, hip style, smooth rythem, and the use of a trumpet. It delivers with a kick, and gives loyal RHCP fans the satisfaction of the earlier music. This song is very imaginative, and I can now say that only the best of the best in the way of funk can pull this song off. The sound is amazing. Wunderbar!
This album also can deliver some of RHCP's well known 'new style' slow songs, like Snow (Hey Oh), and She's Only 18. This songs sound great, and listeners can really feel the lyrics flowing from anthony kiedis into them. These songs feature amaing guitar riffs, jam sessions, and heart stopping solos' (the one you heard in Dani California was nothing compared to the rest of the album).
Stadium Arcadium is starting to bring out Anthony's words and mix and match them together so the listener can clearly understand what he's getting to. This album stretches the lyrics out and glorifies everything in which Kiedis has to offer.
Probably the third best album from these guys falling short behind 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik', and 'Californiacation'. Some may argue though, that this album exceeds Californiacation, and could challenge for the top spot. A couple of songs that i picked that makes this album what it is are: Snow (Hey Oh), Tourture Me, Readymade, Especially in Michigan, and Hump De Bump. I love how these songs really bring the album together. When you hear Flea, and his bass kick in, you can't help but nod your head, or tap your feet to the beat, because its so amazing. This album is pure Red Hot Chili Peppers funk.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have hit a note so high, that no other band today can hit (there may be a few exceptions...radiohead.....). These guys put it out there, and you can obviously tell that Anthony's songwritting has improved. They're a unique sound, and any hard core Red Hot Chili Peppers fan would enjoy this album. Hell, even the RHCP poser fan would enjoy this, just because its good, and its new. Figures. But anyway, this album is a nessessity for any Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, or any rock fan in general that enjoys good riffs, solos, funk, and garage rock mixed into one. If you have any Red Hot Chili Peppers album in your collection today, then get this album as soon as you can. Seriously.
Free Music Review: their second best album
Hit: 5 Stars
I recently wrote a review for 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik', the Chilis 1991 masterpiece, mentioning in it about how I hoped this album would contain guitar solos that really sounded heavy - like a rock bands solos should, not like the largely acoustic disappointment which was 'By The Way'.....I was not disappointed. This album is amazing through and through, and although as an overall listening experience it will appeal more to the 'funk era' fans of the band, all Chilis fans should pick this up.
This is the Chilis second best album, after BSSM, and the major reason for it's success is the Chilis returning to either writing funky songs or just brilliant rocks songs. As other reviewers have mentioned, John Frusciante is all over this album. Nearly every track on both disc 1 (Jupiter) and disc 2 (Mars) features a guitar workout at the end, and John shows that when he lets rip, he can really play. He really hasn't let rip like this since BSSM, and the Chilis haven't written funky rock songs this great since then either, (check out my BSSM review to see what I'm talking about). Even though this will totally appeal to fans of BSSM and before, like me, it can also appeal to 'By The Way' fans if they give it a real chance. Every track is given the patented Rick Rubin studio polish; and touches like harmonized vocals, etc. that were dominant on 'By The Way' can also be found here. 'Stadium Arcadium' also has a few slow songs, but they don't grate in the same way as they did on 'By The Way' mostly because they nearly all feature a great guitar solo and are nearly always followed by a either funky number or a great rocker. The slower songs on `Stadium Arcadium' are also normally always better than the slow songs which were all over `By The Way'.
It seems to me that either 'By The Way' was a joke album, or a sell-out album, attempting to make as many sales as possible and create a mega-fanbase. This is a cynical view I know, but if it was the latter, then it certainly worked, as the Chilis are one of the biggest bands in the world right now, and on 'Stadium Arcadium' they're showing the world what kind of music they really want to make. As I mentioned in my review for it, BSSM is my favourite album ever by anyone, and right now, 'Stadium Arcadium' is roughly my 4th or 5th fave. I'm into a LOT of different music, ranging from classic Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin etc. through to modern bands such as Jamiroquai, the Chilis and then Interpol to Stereophonics. 'Stadium Arcadium' is seriously brilliant.
Any reviews that claim this would have been better had it been cut down to a single disc are simply wrong. Maybe there are 1 or 2 duffers, but not enough essential tracks to only warrant one disc. As far as double albums go, I reckon it's more consistently strong than the Beatles 'White Album'.....it is however beaten by Genesis 'Lamb Lies Down' and Floyds 'The Wall'. 'Stadium Arcadium' isn't perfect, that honour is reserved for BSSM, (lets ignore the last track on BSSM even exists!) but it's damn close. It would be really difficult to pick a favourite track, but if pushed I'd have to go for 'She's Only 18' on Jupiter, as it's got great funky verses, an incredible harmonized hard rocking anthemic chorus, and a guitar solo par-excellence. The brilliant thing is there are at least 12 other tracks across both discs which are nearly as good.
If you're a true Chilis fan, then you'll love 'Stadium Arcadium'. Simple as that.
Cheers for reading.
Free Music Review: One of their best efforts
Hit: 5 Stars
Stadium Arcadium is a double cd, and as such is subject to all the bad associations that these releases have. Luckily for all RHCP fans, the result is better than you could have hoped for. The cds, called "Mars" and "Jupiter", are both full of catchy, funky tracks. Newcomers to the band will be able to dive right in, while hardcore fans will find that some of the material harks right back to the early days of "Blood Sex Sugar Magik" and "Freakey Styley".
Disc One Songs:
Dani California: the lead single, very catchy. 4/5
Snow (Hey Oh): great melody here. Great slower song. 5/5
Charlie: excellent chorus. Kiedis in fine form here. 4/5
Stadium Arcadium: the title track is slow and melancholy. Great use of the choir just like on Dani California. 3.5/5
Hump de Bump: funky and fresh. Come have come straight off Freakey Styley. 3.5/5
She's Only 18: a bit slower again, some good work from John here. 3/5
Slow Cheetah: great melody, loses a bit at the chorus though. 3.5/5
Torture Me: rocking out guitars, really strong song. Kiedis sounds frenzied, and Flea's bassline backs him up. 4.5/5
Strip My Mind: starts off with some great chord arrangements from John. A bit too slow for my liking. 3/5
Especially in Michigan: great bassline again. Just think of all the words than rhyme with Michigan... 4/5
Warlocks: now I am convinced this is a Freakey Styley b-side kept for a few years...funky and exciting, even if the lyrics are a bit strange. 4/5
C'mon Girl: catchy chorus, another "spoken" sounding song in the Peppers unique style. 4/5
Wet Sand: I don't think this song knows quite where it wants to go... that said, its not bad, good use of different styles. 3/5
Hey: seems a bit like a filler song. The chorus is pretty unimaginative and pretty unmemorable. 2.5/5
Disc Two Songs:
Desecration Smile: good sing-a-long song. Memorable and fun. 4/5
Tell Me Baby: excellent song, starts funky then goes melodic. Love the lyrics too. 4.5/5
Hard To Concentrate: a wedding song from Anthony to John apparently. A bit slow, certainly a change from the old Chilis. 3.5/5
21st Century: bouncing bass, Flea at his best. 4/5
She Looks to Me: slower and memorable. Good lyrics too. 4/5
Readymade: rockier sound, chords all over the place! But it works. 4/5
If: predominantly acoustic song. Not really my thing but may appeal to some. 2.5/5
Make You Feel Better: in my opinion, the best track on the album. Simple chords, Kiedis spits out the lyrics wonderfully. Someone said that the chorus sounds kind of like a Friends theme.. if so, bring that show back. Love it. 5/5
Animal Bar: another great track, not quite sure what it's about..Simple guitar work but effective. 4.5/5
So Much I: John goes nuts here, and the results are great. Signature RHCPs. It goes from slow to fast effortlessly. 4.5/5
Storm in a Teacup: another old school track, fun and catchy. 4/5
We Believe: slower, background lyrics are good here. 3.5/5
Turn It Again: great chorus, another fun track. Long too, with some great solos near the end. 4/5
Death of a Martian: apparently about the death of a pet. Good track, nice melody and lyrics. 4/5
Disc two is slightly better in my opinion. Overall a very strong release, worth waiting for. If you like the Chili Peppers at all, and have a previous album, get this one. There is something for everyone here.
Free Music Review: Ambition, Creativity, Quality, Identity...RHCP's masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers since the mid-'90s when my older brother became obsessed with their cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" for a few months. I heard the song what seemed like thousands of times and I never got sick of it. I ended up buying "Californication" and "By the Way" for myself and found both to be intricate, emotional, wonderful albums. I like both the funky, rocking side of the Peppers and the more visceral, slinking balladeers. When I heard the first single from their new album "Stadium Arcadium" I was instantly in love. I watched the video for "Dani California" at least three times a day in the weeks leading up to the release of the album. I bought the album the day it came out. Here I am, three days later, having listened to this album all the way through 11 times.
This album is incredible. Absolutely, no-holds-barred transcendent in every sense of the word. I can understand why so many fans of the '80s incarnation of the Peppers are angry, I guess. I just don't agree with them. This band has proven time and time again over the last ten years that they are much more than the rockers who recorded "Freakey Styley" almost twenty years ago. "Stadium Arcadium" presents every side of Anthony, Flea, John and Chad that they have yet discovered. It is playful one minute, rife with pain the next. It is experimental. In the grand tradition of classic double albums, it stretches the band to their limits, while never forgetting about the hook.
Both the "Jupiter" first disc and the "Mars" second disc are tens on their own. Every song has its own atmosphere--whether it is that brilliant opening single "Dani California", the funky "Charlie", the nocturnal "Slow Cheetah" or the rambunctious "Torture Me"--these songs all deliver in every way you hope they might. The fact that the band has written 28 classics, all potential singles in my mind, while most of their contemporaries are struggling to come up with one good single, is staggering. I always knew that the Red Hot Chili Peppers were one of the last great hopes of rock 'n' roll, but "Stadium Arcadium" has proven that they are currently one of the greatest bands on the face of the earth.
I was going to end this review by pointing out my favorite songs on the album, but I really don't think I can because as I look at the back of my copy...I really want to list every single name I read. I mean, "Stadium Arcadium"? "Wet Sand"? "Tell Me Baby"? "Readymade"? "So Much I"? "Turn It Again"? These songs are SO GOOD. I haven't been able to listen to anything else since Tuesday. Every time I put in a different album, I can't help but think things like "I wish I was listening to Desecration Smile right now" and this album goes right back into the stereo.
In summary, do yourself a favor and buy a copy of "Stadium Arcadium" right NOW. Some might say that the band is being pretentious by releasing such a long album--but I could never blame them. I'd want everyone to hear all of these songs too...And please buy the actual album and don't download it, if not for the sound quality then for the absolutely gorgeous packaging. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have just released an album that is in competition with Radiohead's "Kid A" as the best album of this decade. You'd be a fool to deprive yourself of such an incredible experience.
Free Music Review: one of, if not the best in 2006
Hit: 5 Stars
Its been a long wait for the follow up to by the way, but its finally here, and i've had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with it. Stadium Arcadium is not as good as By The Way or Californication, nor is it as good as the band may have led us to believe with their comments preceeding the album's release. There is nothing as good as "californication" or "otherside" and nothing as melodic as "tear", but the band does a nice job of mixing up their styles. "Dani california" is catchy rock at its best and then "Snow (hey oh)" takes us back to the more melodic side of the spectrum. It's true that the album does have too many mid tempo tracks in a row, especially on "Jupiter", so the balladry of the title track, and rockers like "Torture me" provide refreshing twists. The first disc doesnt hit its peak until "especially in michigan" starts. Perhaps the catchiest song on either disc, the song rocks and is still as melodic as any other track on the album. Kiedis turns in an especially good vocal performence. It has been said that the lyrics on this track are nonsense, and its true most of it doesnt make much sense, even to a michiganian such as myself, but i do appreciate the reference to two of the states sports teams (lions and tigers). "C'mon girl" is the worst song on the entire album, with a chorus that shows no intelligence, talent, or innovation, however, the remainder of "Jupiter" is great, from the hooks of "warlocks",the slow building of "Wet sand" into a powerful climax, and the cool jazzy undertones on "Hey", one of the best songs ever to close out a chili peppers disc.
In my opinion, "Jupiter" is the better disc, but "mars" definately has its moments, and is probably more consistant than jupiter, with less mid tempo tracks. "21st century" rocks hard, but "Hard to concentrate" is one of the slowest songs the chili peppers have ever done, a ballad about marriage with great melodies. "Animal Bar" sounds great, with the verses and bridge sounding like something off of "By the way" and the chorus rocking out. Perhaps my favorite moment on "Mars" comes in "So Much I", a rocker. I love the chorus, which features some of the best vocal harmonies of the past decade (please dont turn away again/please dont turn me into them). Frusciante contributed a lot of such harmonies to the disc, but this one is the best, and definately makes this track the best from a singer's point of view. The rest of the disc is great, from the dark rock of "We believe" to the great lyrics and awesome spoken conclusion to "Death of a martian" another one of the best closers in the peppers' discography.
So is the album as good as "By the way" or "Californication"? No, and even though that means its the worst chili peppers album since "One Hot Minute" its still one of the best in their whole catalog. As is true with most double albums, this could have been condensed into one completely amazing disc, but unlike lesser bands (smashing pumpkins, i'm talking about you here) the chili peppers actually have the songs to merit a double album release...and yes its far better than the foo fighters double album a year ago. Everyone is bound to have at least one song they wont like, but they should just enjoy the fact that they just got 28 songs from the red hot chili peppers for the price of 12-14. Amazing album, and perhaps the best so far this year.