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In their tenth studio album, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have once again reinvented themselves without compromising their alternative rock integrity.
The result is I’m With You, an edgy, original album that is the band’s first since the departure of lead guitarist John Frusciante who left the band in 2009 after nearly two decades of on-and-off work, which included some of the groups most critically praised material from albums such as Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication and By the Way.
New guitarist Josh Klinghoffer handles the burden of taking over Frusciante’s place exceptionally well, establishing himself as a presence next to the band’s long-time bassist Flea in some of the earlier tracks, “Monarchy of Roses,” Factory of Faith,” and “Look Around.”
The beauty of I’m With You is the band’s ability to remain fresh sounding and completely innovative despite the nearly three decades worth of work they’ve done coupled with a five year hiatus since the 2006 album Stadium Arcadium.
In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Anthony Kiedis, the band’s long-time lead singer, said that “there is no question—this a beginning [for us].”
Similarly, the band’s drummer, Chad Smith, agreed stating, “This is a new band. Same name, but it’s a new band.”
If that’s the case, then I’m With You may be the strongest first attempt for a reborn band in the history of rock and roll.
Not many bands can survive as many changes as the Red Hot Chili Peppers have since their debut in 1983; however, the band has resurrected over and over again thanks in large part to Kiedis and Flea, who have remained friends throughout the band’s entire life.
Despite the installation of eight different guitarists and three drummers, Kiedis and Flea have once more forged a new band and this one seems to be capable of producing some of the groups best work to date while continuing to thrive in the band’s unique sound.
Fans hoping to hear some classic Chili Peppers funk should not lose any hope in the band’s newness. Tracks such as “Ethiopia,” “Goodbye Hooray” and the albums first single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” provide the psychedelic punk rock punch that has come to be expected amongst Chili Pepper listeners over the year.
More importantly to the new album success is the band’s continued embrace of larger themes, in particular life and death.
According to an article in Spin magazine, Flea noted that, “life and death is a major theme of the album.”
That can be heard on some of the album’s better tracks, which include “Brendan’s Death Song,” “Annie Wants a Baby,” “Happiness Loves Company” and “Police Station” and “Meet Me at the Corner.”
“Brendan’s Death Song” is the most potent of the fourteen tracks. It’s the bands dedication track toward club promoter and autobiographer Brendan Mullen, who passed away in the fall of 2009 from a stroke while celebrating his 60th birthday.
A friend to the band before they were even established, Mullen met the band in 1983 and booked them to play at Club Lingerie in Hollywood, giving Kiedis and Flea arguably their biggest break in the early stage of their careers.
The track starts with vocals a melancholic vocal that builds with the intrusion of an acoustic guitar and continues to grow emotionally on the listener until it reaches the albums most tragic lyrics—”The nights are long/But the years are short when you’re alive/Way back when would never be again/It was a time/It’s gonna catch you/So glad I met you/To walk the line.”
The song doesn’t finish there, increasing in volume to the point it becomes a storm of emotional confession, where Kiedis cries out, “Let me live, so when it’s time to die, even the reaper cries. Let me die, so when it’s time to live, another sign will rise.”
Throughout the years of struggle and reshaping, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have continued to mature as a band. I’m With You is arguably their most adult work yet; and luckily for fans, their work together has just begun.
