Review Summary: "There is nothing missing from life..."
Too often throughout the course of history have bands emerged, only to expose uninspired and meaningless music for the purpose of paying the bills and reaching the airwaves. Then on the other hand, you get those bands that try to be so much more; attempting to be ground-breaking and legendary, but ultimately coming off as overly pretentious and ambitious. In the case of John Frusciante; he is neither of those things. Frusciante is indeed one of those rare types that is so consumed in his solo work that it becomes eerie for the listener. While differing greatly in terms of sound, Frusciante’s solo albums all share a profound sense of inspiration and sincerity. John is never holding anything back, pouring out his soul whether he is depressed, misunderstood, or satisfied. His passion is conveyed in such a way that it becomes personal, whether it is his imperfect vocals, his moved lyrics, or his emotive guitar playing. Ultimately, it is John’s love of music that skyrockets him head and shoulders above his peers.
In “The Will to Death’s” opener, John hints, “It would be sad to blow through time.” Given the circumstances, this is only fitting for the year of 2004. In this day and age, releases in back-to-back years is unheard of, so it is virtually impossible to fathom the fact that John recorded five albums in a year’s time. With that said, it would be easy for him to put out half-assed work with the excuse that his last record would make up for it. John’s first two records of 2004 spoke to the contrary however, for both “Shadows Collide With People” and “Inside of Emptiness” were elaborately developed and powerful. The third of these albums, “The Will to Death” articulates the consistency and prowess of a man who is not afraid to show his true colors.
While “Inside of Emptiness” relied on John’s marvelous guitar playing and versatile vocals, “The Will to Death” delivers its blows with impeccable songwriting. In examining Frusciante’s work, it wouldn’t be implausible to believe that he has a bit of an infatuation with time. The concept of time is so ever present in his music; Shadows’
Time Goes Back, indicating that we “belong at two times at once,” and
A Doubt signifying the harsh reality that there is no return. There is plenty of that sprinkled throughout “The Will to Death,” although the record is not entirely restricted to this theme. Despite the fact that Frusciante appears to have conquered his heroin addiction and is in a much warmer place,
The Days Have Turned is evidence that the memory is still very much alive. In just over two minutes in a heart-wrenching lament, John is powerfully unleashing the idea of how wrong he had been at the time, and alluding to the fact that he had lost his identity. “When I feel I’ve got problems, how wrong I am. I’m awaiting life as another man.”
“The Will to Death” has a much more subdued edge than its predecessors, with the addition of piano ballads and the lack of poppy tracks such as “Inside of Emptiness’”
Interior Two (with the exception of maybe
Wishing). His emotion seems much more prevalent here, whether John is screaming “I can’t wait for life” or frantically wailing in his guitar on
A Doubt. I find myself hanging on his every word; his critically “flawed” vocals perfectly suited for the music and honestly truly wonderful.
“The will to death is what keeps me alive, it's one step away, step away. Limitations are set, only then can we go all the way, all the way and have you seen how the cars when they pass. They come your way, then they're speeding away. Coming to you and then going away, but for them nothing’s changed, for them nothing’s changed.”
“The Will to Death” is essentially a testament to all that Frusciante brings to the table. Poignant, haunting, poetic, and personal; the record is crafted with the musicianship and lyricism that Frusciante has so consistency demonstrated throughout his solo career. As the third release of 2004 for John, “The Will to Death” signified nothing less than a continuation of consistency for a musician who showed no signs of slowing down. Luckily for us, this has remained true in the present day.
Recommended Tracks:
A Doubt
Loss
A Loop
Wishing
The Days Have Turned
The Will to Death
