The Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium finally hits stores today, I believe. Since the group was pretty angry that the album was leaked, let’s just say I went and got it at a midnight sale and squeezed a week’s worth of listening to it into twelve hours.
Some reviews have said it’s their magnum opus, even a step over Blood Sugar Sex Magik. That’s saying a whole lot, but I could see how someone would say that. If you like your RHCP with more melody and pop sensibility, then this record might be better. If you’re a funkateer and like that sound, then BSSM is the way for you to go. Being a funk fan, I still take BSSM over this one. But this one’s fire.
It’s best appreciated as a career retrospective. It’s mammoth in size–approaching 30 tracks–but fairly limited in scope, largely because there ain’t much that Anthony Kiedis can do with his voice or lyrics. But he is a helluva frontman, so he does his job. It doesn’t really cover lots of thematic ground, but it’s a great blend of the sounds of Californication, By The Way and BSSM. If someone has never heard RHCP, you can give them this record (after you beat them profusely for living under a rock) and they can see what those boys have done for the last fifteen years.
The best part–John Fruschiante, one of my all-time favorite guitarists. Why? Because of all the world’s Hendrix disciples, he picked up on the fact that Jimi’s greatest talent was playing these dreamy solos without abandoning the structure of the song. Fruschiante and Hendrix didn’t quite do solos, really. They did thematic extensions of the existing melodies. Sounds a lot less like showing off, and that’s a good thing.
But I say all that to get us into allmusic.com’s review of the record. I don’t agree with much of it–mostly the knock on Rubin, who’s skill is stripping records down and flattening them out enough to make outlandish sounds accessible–but an interesting point was raised.
In fact, like how Blood Sugar was the tipping point when the LPs ceded ground to CDs, Stadium Arcadium could be seen as the point when albums were seen a collection of digital playlists. Yes, it’s pressed up as a two-disc set — including an extravagant but pointless special edition housed in a clunky box that includes a make-yer-own-spinning-top — but this is an album that’s designed for you to mix and match, create your own playlist, rip and burn on your own. It’s designed for you to sequence its 28 songs in some kind of cohesive manner, since the band sure didn’t take the time to do that here; it’s the first major album by a major band that makes as much sense on random as it does in its proper sequencing.
That’s a really interesting point. Is the album dead? If it is, what does that mean?
I’ve long said that the album was pop music’s most important technological advance. Instead of treating songs as one-off entities made to be sold individually, the album allowed artists to indulge interesting sonic and intellectual interests and put them together to make broad yet individual statements. Instead of writing essays, musicians began writing books. They were able to try new things, but also able to put them in frameworks that made them easier to appreciate, analyze and understand. I love the ebbs and flows of a well-sequenced album, and it’s the one thing I missed when I got all digital (and before it became so easy to download albums in their entirety instead of having to get each track individually and then sequence the songs).
The most famous example of a group’s allegiance to the album would probably be “Stairway to Heaven,” which Zeppelin refused to release as a single because they said it couldn’t be appreciated outside the fabric of IV. In a way, they’re right. It hits even harder when it comes behind “The Battle of Evermore,” and the same can be said about how “When the Levee Breaks” hits following “Going to California.”
But when I listen to Stadium Arcadium, I do sorta see what the above reviewer said. I’ve listened to this record in sequence and on random, and it didn’t feel seriously different. It was no more or less enjoyable, but it surely wasn’t different.
Is this where music is going? Are we going to reach the point where the album becomes irrelevant and, in an interesting bit of anachronism, we go back to jumbles of songs? And is that a good thing? That’s going to be something I think about.
For the record, I don’t think this RHCP record is a hodgepodge of stuff, and I don’t find it to be too repetitive. Again, it’s Kiedis. I know I’m not going to get a lot of thematic variance from him. And that’s just fine with me because that’s what he does. I listen to RHCP for that incredible band, and they’re incredible here.
But if the album dies, I’m not sure how I’ll feel about that. No matter what, this has been a great year for music, IMO. Already gotten five albums I’ll be listening to for a while–Tip’s, Juve’s, E-40’s (never thought I’d say that), Ghosface’s, and now this RHCP.
And Kast drops in June!
If you can only buy one new CD this week which would it be? RHCP or Gnarls Barkley?
Probably no easy answer to that…widly different albums.
I’m actually going to buy RHCP’s album after hearing it through ‘alternative’ means, which says a WHOLE lot about how much I like this album.
To Sea Bass:
There’s no easy answer to that, but I’ll try anyway.
Basically if you liked Gorillaz you’ll probably like Gnarls Barkley. ‘Crazy’ is far and away the best song on the album though. Don’t expect too much from this album and you won’t get dissapointed.
As for RHCP, I can’t really describe it any better than Bomani did. It’s a perfect mix of all their previous albums (From BSSM onwards). If you’ve never really cared for RHCP then this album isn’t going to change your mind. If you love RHCP’s sound (as I do) then you’ll love this album (as I do).
All in all, I say RHCP, but you’re better off hearing them both from ‘alternative sources’ and making your own mind up.
Haven’t heard the new record, but am definitely a fan of funkier Chili Pepper’s, so BSSM, is an all time favorite of mine (it’s a winner on title alone). I love an album with a theme that flows throughout, and in the absence of a theme, an album that at the very least, is sequenced to convey a feeling throughout. My problem with a lot of mixtapes, is that hodgepodge “everything but the kitchen sink” quality. Inherent in the “jumble of songs” approach, is the notion of disposibility, which makes me more than a little uncomfortable. Would be interested to know that, if in your opinion, the last 4 albums you mentioned, function as albums or as mere “jumbles of songs”.
Ok, RHCP are some damn good musicians, thats established. But why dont nobody give them their props for consistently having the best videos? I know the video directors be doing their thing, but these cats make the videos
The video for “Dani California” is off the squeaky hinges. They spoofed everyone from Danzig to G-Clint (that Morrissey bit had me down).
Ok, RHCP are some damn good musicians, thats established. But why dont nobody give them their props for consistently having the best videos? I know the video directors be doing their thing, but these cats make the videos
The video for “Dani California” is off the squeaky hinges. They spoofed everyone from Danzig to G-Clint (that Morrissey bit had me down).
Mother’s Milk is still my favorite Pepper’s album. Stevie’s Higher Ground reborn as a punk/funk tune was excellent. L.A. Lakers, Taste the Pain, Sexy Mexican Maid, Subway to Venus… Man! Anyway, that said, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was, well, magikal as well!
The thing I love most about RHCP is John Fruschiante too. This guy had a foot in the grave in the mid-90s from his heroin addiction. To pull himself out of it, clean out, and to come back and essentially save the musical legacy of RHCP (by Anthony’s own admission) with his contribution to Californication is a great story of redemption.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw them. Hillel Slovak had died and they replaced him with some kid guitarist who was just a fan, not even a bona fide musician. Well, that turned out to be John. He changed my mind after that concert. It was also my first time to experience this thing called a “mosh pit.” By the end I was left with just my pants and one shoe. That was it… Also, my friend and I were so STOKED to have been spit on by Flea! Aaaah, to be in my 20s again. Don’t think I’d have that reaction now.
As for the album concept, I know what you mean. My favorite all time concept album, or at least album that acted as one thematic concept, was Pink Floyd’s Animals. Check it out if you haven’t.
Great post Bo!
Mother’s Milk is still my favorite Pepper’s album. Stevie’s Higher Ground reborn as a punk/funk tune was excellent. L.A. Lakers, Taste the Pain, Sexy Mexican Maid, Subway to Venus… Man! Anyway, that said, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was, well, magikal as well!
The thing I love most about RHCP is John Fruschiante too. This guy had a foot in the grave in the mid-90s from his heroin addiction. To pull himself out of it, clean out, and to come back and essentially save the musical legacy of RHCP (by Anthony’s own admission) with his contribution to Californication is a great story of redemption.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw them. Hillel Slovak had died and they replaced him with some kid guitarist who was just a fan, not even a bona fide musician. Well, that turned out to be John. He changed my mind after that concert. It was also my first time to experience this thing called a “mosh pit.” By the end I was left with just my pants and one shoe. That was it… Also, my friend and I were so STOKED to have been spit on by Flea! Aaaah, to be in my 20s again. Don’t think I’d have that reaction now.
As for the album concept, I know what you mean. My favorite all time concept album, or at least album that acted as one thematic concept, was Pink Floyd’s Animals. Check it out if you haven’t.
Great post Bo!
The album concept is threatened by increased corporatization, marketing, mass media, the short attention spans of modern music listeners, the disposability of popular culture, and computer technology.
As for RHCP, I rarely listen to their music, and haven’t heard any of their albums since One Hot Minute (I think the last song I heard from them was th)
…the self-titled joint from Californication. My girl is heavy into them, though. You all have convinced me to spend the weekend catching up on their music.
…the self-titled joint from Californication. My girl is heavy into them, though. You all have convinced me to spend the weekend catching up on their music.
Rex is right, Mother’s Milk is a comparable album to BSSM, and probably a bit underrated.
The last couple albums they’ve put out have just felt too…poppy…to me. Plus, Kiedis is starting to get on my nerves for some reason. Like, BAD.
The new one is an improvement, but from what I’ve heard so far, not a return to their heyday.
Modern audiences are not the only ones to blame. Check out the homogenization (er… codification) of any older “pop” music like Doo-Wop, or early “rock & roll” into bite-sized 1.5-2.5 minute radio nuggets of delivered expectations. As for RHCP, the only album I have is Mother’s Milk and the manage to work with the vocals and cover a variety of sounds throughout, hitting hard rock (if only in a couple of songs and interludes), east bay funk, punk rock, hip-hop, afro-beat, latin groove, rnb. Mutch of this is a testament to the versatility of drummer Chad Smith. He makes all of the different idoms sound convincing and solid (although careful inspection of the Mother’s Milk credits reveals Jon Fishman et. al. filling in on a couple of tracks, he goes it alone live). I like the “poppy” stuff too and they manage to get away with some “weird” stuff like the arpeggios that make up the basis “Zephyr Song”. It’s all good.
eauhellzgnaw, One Hot Minute was the “Dave Navarro as their guitarist” album. Many considered him to have been a failed experiment with the rest. Converting his Jane’s Addiction style rock to RHCP funk didn’t mix well. It was almost the last hurrah for them… Then John came back and Californication was born…
I’m doing my first listen of Stadium Arcadium and was definitely looking forward to something reminiscent of BSSM or their work with George Clinton, this doesn’t disappoint. No question each album has been part of their evolution and I’m definitely liking the mix of older style/ideas and new techniques. Rubin gets current rock music to actually sound like rock without having to resort to imitation of old sounds.
You can be a new rock band without ripping off the Stooges and RCHP is showing that you can keep going and still be a solid and evolving band.
Gnarls Barkley’s “St. Elsewhere” killing me on the first play through like Speakerboxxx/The Love Below did in 03. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
Evan
Funny, at Tower Records yesterday where I bought the RHCP CD, It was on the display right next to Gnarls Barkley.