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Album Description: 2002 album. Amazon.com: When the Red Hot Chili Peppers first appeared smeared in neon body paint with socks dangling precariously from their wieners, even the most faithful funk-metal convert couldn't have conceived they would be around some 20 years later, carrying on in much the same fashion. Despite a long history of tragedies and personnel upheavals, the California quartet's eighth album is mostly business as usual--and business, as usual, is quite good. The title track, "By the Way," is a powerful, bruised piece of slap-bass and intermediary white-boy rapping. "Universally Speaking" pays sweaty, soulful tribute to singer Anthony Kiedis's hometown of Detroit. And "Lemon Trees on Mercury" sounds eerily like it could have been lifted from 1984's Freaky Styley. The band's reliable eclectic side, meanwhile, surfaces on the Latin-flavored "Cabron" and moody "Venice Queen." But the biggest surprise is "Tear," a masterful homage to the Beach Boys that suggests the Chili Peppers' perpetual state of arrested development may someday lift. --Aidin Vaziri Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-10
close to flawless album
Some reviewers said they lost their passion and energy during this album. I'd like to state clearly that they certainly did not, but they definitely redirected it into a somewhat slower-paced but more introspective group of songs. I see this album as so much more of a reflection on what the group had done as a whole, the obstacles they overcame, the people they lost along the way (Hillel is def. referenced), and a great bunch of somber-type love songs. The California sun-drenched melodies permeate through the entire album and although it ends up feeling bittersweet, the mix of emotions through the whole CD are a perfect blend. I especially like Warm Tape and Venice Queen as songs that took some time to grow on me, but after a few years of loving this album, these two have come back into my favor. Venice Queen is such a great epic song how it goes into an acoustic transition at the end, but still keeps it's energy. It's more poppy of an album as a whole, but it makes it much more listenable than their early funk stuff and what it might lack in musicianship, it makes up for with very, very catch songwriting. To me musicianship is a misnomer for playing incredibly fast and intricate stuff. But as a guitar player myself and really "listening" to John's work, musicianship is also about playing what "fits" the song or sometimes when not to play. It's having that clever taste and writing "music", not shred or super funk. Frusciante is at his finest in the studio, layering his Brian Wilson-type vocals with incredible precision. I think as a production piece, this one is definitely the Chili's finest by far. It's such a THICK album and that's what I love about it - all the textures. It's fully playable from beginning to end, no need to skip songs, but I'd say my favorite is 'Don't Forget Me'. That song is so haunting and powerful and to any reviewers who said they lost their energy on this album, I suggest viewing the Slane Castle live version of this song, then try to tell me they put more passion into their wildly ridiculous funk from the early 80's and 90's. Not to take anything away from their older stuff, but they have matured into songwriters as opposed to untamed virtuosos back then. And even now on Stadium Arcadium, they've found a happy medium of both. Still, any Chili's fan should have this album and I think many of you sincerely love it as much as I do. Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-28
What happened to the intensity?
Man, what happened to the Chili peppers? I love the vocal harmonies, but the passion and intensity are nowhere to be found on this CD. It bored the hell out of me. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-21
my favorite band,my favorite album
this is by far the best rhcp album ever.i listen to every track of this cd.each track is filled with awsomeness.people diss this beacause ''its not like the chili peppers to make this kind of album'' it is awsome.i highly recomend. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-09
Much better than it's singles
Some may diss this album and say that it is not as good as BSSM or Californication but the exact opposite is true. This cd is awesome because it showcases John Frusciante's talent as a guitarist and a vocalist. This album is just beautiful and its highlights for me include Don't Forget Me, Cabron, Tear, and Minor Thing. I love this album it is my personal favorite but I think that RHCP get progressively better with each album. This cd definately should have won many awards.
BOTTOM LINE: DON'T OVERLOOK THIS ALBUM! Rating:
Date: 2008-02-26
A great finish to a great book
Yeah, so this record was the last one I picked up (with the exception of Stadium Arcadium) as a result of reading the Anthony Kiedis autobiography 'Scar Tissue'. I actually started my little Chili Peppers kick about halfway through the book, and listened through the albums (starting with the original 1984 self-titled release and then into the excellent 'Mother's Milk') as the band was writing and recording them in the story. It DEFINITELY added a new dynamic to each of them, and this particular record is the one the band is working on at the end of the book. I have been listening to 'By the Way' for many weeks following my completion of the book, and actually have enjoyed this one the most. No disrespect to the others -they are all great, but this album is just 'sticking'. I highly recommend this record, and for a deeper appreciation for the entire Red Hot Chili Peppers catalog, the book to go along with it. |
