ALBUM OF THE WEEK #160 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - CALIFORNICATION (1999)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: Yes

Album: Californication

Released: June 8, 1999

Producer: Rick Rubin

Best Single: Parallel Universe

Best Album Cut: This Velvet Glove and Savior (I just can't pick one, they are both that good)

Additional Hidden Gems: Easily/Porcelain/Emit Remmus/Purple Stain

Filler: Right On Time

Lyric Of The Week: "It's such a waste to be wasted in the first place, I want to taste the taste of being face to face with common grace/To meditate on the warmest dream, and when I walk alone I listen to our secret theme/Your solar eyes are like nothing I have ever seen, somebody close that can see right through/I'd take a fall and you know that I'd do anything, I will for you" - this Velvet Glove

Still in the 90's, this week's offering is Californication by The Red Hot Chili Peppers.  One thing you can say about RHCP's is that no other band sounds like them in the least.  Their style is definitely not typical for a classic rock band.  They use many elements in their music including hip-hop, funk, soul, rap and rock.  I would imagine most folks have straight up opinions on this band, either you like 'em or you don't.  Either way, I think you should give this album a chance.  It's terrific if you ask me.  Here are a few tidbits regarding the album.

• Californication reached number 3 on the U.S. album chart.
• It is certified 5 X Platinum by the RIAA.
• The album spawned two Top 40 hits in the U.S. (Scar Tissue # 9 and Otherside # 14).
• Chad Smith's drumming on this is very groovy.
• Flea is a tremendous bass player.
• John Frusciante's guitar style is all his own, and he's probably quite underated.  I love his work on Emit Remmus in particular, but also on This Velvet Glove (listen to the acoustic work).

1. Around The World *

2. Parallel Universe *

3. ScarTissue * (U.S. #9)

4. Otherside * (U.S. #14)

5. Get On Top

6. Californication *

7. Easily

8. Porcelain

9. Emit Remmus

10. I Like Dirt

11. This Velvet Glove

12. Savior

13. Purple Stain

14. Right On Time

15. Road Trippin' *

[Jon]

This album has always been "eh" to me. Quite a letdown compared to the previous two albums (I'm probably one of the very few who like "One Hot Minute") especially since it's a very mellow album.  

[Scott]

RARHOF Members = Yes?  Seriously?

[Jon]

2012. It's because Stephen Spielberg pushed the RARHOF into inducting the Pepper's due to Flea's outstanding acting chops in Back To The Future II & III.

[Scott]

I knew it couldn't have been for their music

[Niels (Mod)]

This album is way better than OHM, which was a big dissapointment. So much, that when this album was released, I wouldn't buy it, and didn't pay any attention to it. I did buy it though, probably 6 month's after it was released, and it contains some of the best RHCP-songs, but also filler. Overall it's not as good as "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic" though, which is the best RHCP-album ever.

If I ever have to buy a new album by them again, it has to be almost as good, as this one or perhaps better, because the last two albums, they have released, were about as "good" as OHM. 

[Jon]

Well....it's still kinda "eh" to me. One of the problem is that it seems like the album will never, ever end. I like long albums as long as they keep my interest, but this one fades in and out to me. BSSM was a long album, but I never found myself getting bored with it. It was nice to revisit this again after all these years, but it still doesn't grab me in it's totality.

[Scott]

So far here is what I've learned while re-listening to 90's music...

• 90's is the decade of the way too long CD
• 80's bands that tried to fit in, couldn't
• Scott Weiland is by far the best vocalist to emerge in the 90's
• I miss geetar solos!

What I learned from listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Flea plays fast, but that's not always a good thing.  A frantic pace gets old after a while especially when the CD never ends
• The vocals are weaker than I remember, its out of place to me.  His style is repeated over and over on each song, its starts to get annoying.
• Chad Smith is good!  But the production/sound of his drums suffer on this disc
• The actual music (sans vocals) can be really good at times.  I like some of the funk I hear in the beats.  Kind of feels like I'm watching The Mod Squad again
• The rhyming is annoying, it was too soon to hear Californication again for example, that one still doesn't work for me
• Where is the riffage?
• Im not a RHCP fan...