Open Web Player
I don't write reviews....ever. I simply needed to let people know how amazing this album is. I am a self designated amateur musicologist, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. I've been a hard core music fan for 31+ years, creating my own music for the last 8 and have seen over a thousand live concerts. I am only stating this so you understand the following review has truly received both intense critical measurement and repeated listens (dozens of plays) of I'm With You. This is not a song by song review but a bit of a message to some of the folks who might have previously been into the Chili's and wandered. I gained the notion to write this after letting a few folks who thought they weren't really into the Chilis that much anymore a listen to the new disc. Their positive response spoke volumes and I wondered how many folks out there might not immediately go out and listen to or buy this album.
OK, let's begin...
Along with most of the fans I know I was hesitant to think the Red Hot Chili Peppers could actually pull it all off without John Frusciante in the ranks. Many of you will remember the One Hot Minute album with Jane's Addiction's talented Dave Navarro on guitar. The Chilis are a great band, Daves a great guitarist...it should have resulted in a really great album. Unfortunately, though it had it's bright spots and a hit single, One Hot Minute was clearly not as well received as the releases preceeding it. I personally really enjoy it as a stand alone album but the public was a bit more fickle and a bit let down. The friendly exit of Navarro and later return of Frusciante was page one music news. We knew what we could expect from this lineup and carried high expectations. The resulting 3 albums they crafted together proved it was nothing short of rock and roll magic when these 4 guys decided to make music as a band.
Flash forward to John deciding to again make an exit and news of some relatively unknown, yet not so inexperienced, guitarist planning to join the fray. OK, this should be interesting I remember thinking while my expectations were admittedly low. I just didn't see how they could go from such a prolific player like John that had proved his hit making ability at the Grammy level to somebody... well... new. I'll admit now that I truly would have been content with WHOEVER it was as long as they released a quasi-decent album every 4-5 years or so as the Chilis, playing the Summer shed outdoor venue circuit once a year and aging gracefully, satisfied and most importantly, together.
I wonder now how I could have ever been anything but optimistic with the Chilis. What I received in the mail was an AMAZING disc of instantly classic songs full of intricate musicianship, thoughtful lyrics, platinum bass hooks and killer layered harmonies. Not only did the Chilis release what I personally consider (opinion) to be the second greatest album of their career (wedged between 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magic and 1999's Californication) but in the process they also delivered to the public a new guitarist that will clearly become one of the true greats, that guitarist Ladies and Gentlemen is Mr. Josh Klinghoffer. He has an incredibly unique playing style that ranges from the perhaps unconscious scatter jazz funk influence of his long time pal Frusciante to widely experimental solos, runs and chords that recall some of guitar's true sonic pioneers such as Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. On first listen there is a good chance you might think Josh's playing is a bit too controlled or subtle for the funky bombastic songs of the Chilis and perhaps set a bit too low in the overall album mix. However, on repeat listens you will start to hear the intricate chords, warm harmonies, funky and experimental leads and Josh's great vocals that all blend and flow seamlessly in and out of the Chilis melodies. Quite literally every time I listen to the album I hear something new in Josh's playing. As a guitarist myself it's refreshing to know Josh did not go in with his guns blazing focused on trying to be exactly what people might have expected of him. Klinghoffer has clearly contributed in a big way to the band as an artist while taking huge personal and artistic risks. The resulting sound is both warmly familiar and excitingly new at the same time. It turns out that Josh is the perfect artist to help lead the band into new musical territories while respecting the legacy of the bands much loved sound.
The rest of the band plays like they were a new band trying to get noticed for the first time. They've really put their hearts and souls into this one. Flea has cited early Rolling Stones as one influence for his playing on this album but I felt his memorable disco funk playing honored the hit making hooks of Chic's Bernard Edwards, circa '76-'80. Here comes a bold statement... ready for it? The bass lines on this Chilis album are more memorable than any Flea has recorded before. There I said it. I don't state that lightly folks, after all this is Flea we are talking about here! Flea recently hit the books to study music for his own fulfillment and that effort has allowed one of the most respected masters of bass guitar to push his throne even further out of reach from fellow bassists. If Geddy Lee listened to this album he'd comment on it's amazing bass lines.
Chad's drumming, as ALWAYS, is just plain rock solid. Tricky, yet highly melodic, syncopated North African counter rhythms add a touch of a world beat feel to the songs where they are present. On I'm With You Chad is accompanied by impressive Latin percussion that is tightly integrated with his drum lines. His lightning fast rolls drive the songs forward surging the tracks into dramatic changes and his thunderous fills give evidence of a slightly more hard rock leaning than alternative or funk; perhaps influenced by his recent work with the hard rock super-group Chickenfoot. At any rate, the drums also seem turned up a bit louder in the mix giving the faster moving songs the power to incite random fits of listener air drumming.
Musicians are amazing. It's not easy folks. However, I would argue being a vocalist is potentially a greater challenge. You not only have to master the ability to sing but you are also quite literally the instrument. On top of that if you are going to write your own lyrics, well... if that's the case now you'll have to master your own mind too. On top of all this you need to maintain physical health. All things that fall to a lesser importance when you can pick up an instrument. This is a lead singers crowning moment as an artist. Anthony has really outdone himself on I'm With You, perhaps more so than any of the other individual Chilis. While I love the last 2 albums the Chili Peppers released I had started to notice that Anthony's smooth stream of consciousness lyrics, while working very well aurally within the framework of the songs, just did not seem as emotionally close or personally important to me as those on some of his earlier albums. The lyrics sounded great together when he sang them but I couldn't seem to internalize them as much as the lyrics on albums like Blood Sugar Sex Magic, Mother's Milk or Californication. I do think Stadium Arcadium is an outstanding album with it's own peak attractions but it didn't touch my life in that other worldly spiritual way the way the previously mentioned classics I've cited did. Police Station is a great example of Anthony Kiedis's gold medal vocal victory. The visualized stories and imagery created by Anthony's lyrics and delivery really pull you into the song. On Factory of Faith and Look Around the lyrics create an emotion inside the listener. Factory of Faith casting an instantly uplifting sense of hope and new beginning (how fitting) and Look Around providing an inner sense of flight and movement with an overtone of laid back carelessness. Every song on this album has lyrics that are plainly honest, highly witty, phonetically musical and incredibly artistic. Kiedis sings so confidently and clearly that you almost feel his voice is travelling in a separate audio track across the music making the whole mix sound incredible and far better than a listener could expect for such dynamic and sometimes dense music (many thanks to Rick Rubin). How Kiedis could have lived the roller coaster of a life he has had, going through so much personal turmoil, only to be able to create something of this critical weight is astonishing.
So that's my honest take on the album boys and girls. If you took the time to read this diatribe I can only hope you took one thing away from it: that you do not want to miss this classic album. It is a must have for any serious music fan's collection and a great choice if you're a casual fan too.
Add Prime
to get Fast, Free delivery
$17.63 with 13 percent savings
Typical price: $20.36 
The Typical Price is determined using the 90-day median price paid by customers for the product in the Amazon store. We exclude prices paid by customers for the product during limited time promotions and prices paid in the Amazon Haul store
Learn more
Learn more
Frequently bought together
This item: I'm with You
$17.63
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 25
Only 8 left in stock - order soon.
+
$14.62
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 25
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
+
$9.52
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 26
Only 14 left in stock - order soon.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2011
- Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2011
Top reviews from other countries
-
-
-
- TV DadReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2013
Can't stop - listening to this!
