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Review Summary: Adonis frontman Anthony Kiedis' overdriven libido forcefully ejaculates on the proverbial lyrical sheet as the Californian rockers bare their soul (to squeeze) on their collective sleeve with their amalgam of funk, rock, punk and psychedelic flavours. Featuring incidental noise and a 'rawer' feel than their previous (and for the most part forgotten) funk-metal works, Blood Sugar Sex Magik is highly typical of Rick Rubin's production wizardry, producing a body of work that is simultaneously fun, energetic and unabashedly honest. Songs merge effortlessly into each other, as the Californian rockers bare their soul (to squeeze) on their collective sleeve with their amalgam of funk, rock, punk and psychedelic flavours, pausing briefly for moments of precious sentimentality as tattooed adonis frontman Anthony Kiedis spills his guts regarding love, addiction and sex. The latter lyrical ingredient forms a basis for much of the album, as the singer's overdriven libido forcefully ejaculates on the proverbial lyrical sheet, and even the bass and guitar work of Flea and John Frusciante (respectively) appears to mimic blissful, writhing coitus, especially on the penultimate psychedelic epic 'Sir Psycho Sexy'.
Opening with 'Power of Equality', BSSM showcases a more accessible brand of the Red Hots punk-funk, a more minimalistic rhythmic rhinoceros of unrestrained warmth and understated intensity. The record effortlessly steers into 'If You Have To Ask', another groove drenched acid-funker before the acoustic guitars emerge for the semi-balladic 'Breaking the Girl', hinting at the soulful alternative rock the band would later play, as Kiedis eschews the rapping that permeates the majority of this long player for a softer singing style. The formula of stripped down libido driven funk-rock writhes its way throughout the majority of the album, although true highlights reveal themselves by the name of 'I Could Have Lied', a soft acoustic number featuring a lovesick Kiedis tell the listener of an ill-fated romance (with Sinead O'Connor no less) and 'Under the Bridge', the band's now definitive track, which details the pitfalls of loneliness and drug addiction, to the backdrop of some of Frusciante's finest guitar work.
What's truly captivating about the record is the cohesion of the players involved; each member fills his respective niche effortlessly, the instrumental and vocal work as relaxed as it is exact, resulting in a sound so naturalistic it's as if the listener's witnessing a jam session jam packed with passion and punch, such is the unselfconscious musical cohesion featured on this LP. This being the first album in which RHCP began to exercise standard song structure, the foundations were set for the success of future albums such as 'Californication', wherein emotive alternative is married with ground-shaking groove acrobatics to produce unforgettable rock classics. A definitive record of the 1990's (BSSM was released in 1991), BSSM sits proudly in the Peppers canon as a statement of unrivaled raw musical expression.
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Album Rating: 4.0
Thank you. I tend to withhold higher ratings for albums that I feel are truly outstanding.
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Haven't heard this in a while, years ago this was one of my most played albums. Need to check this one again
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I see your reasoning, so if it puts things into perspective I'd give 'Californication' a 4.5 and 'By The Way' a 5.0. This is a truly incredible album, it's just RHCP have really set the bar high for themselves.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Fuck every piece of shit that doesnt 5 this. Especially the cocksuckers that think "By The Way"
deserves a 5, then rates this a 4.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Oh most people do. I've got a couple of friends who are into completely different types of music and we all agree that BTW is arguably the best album ever made by any band. Ever.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I'll have to peruse the BTW reviews then. Fair enough, Californication is fantastic. Their most balanced record by far.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
'Fuck every piece of shit that doesnt 5 this. Especially the cocksuckers that think "By The Way"
deserves a 5, then rates this a 4.'
Ouch! Right in the feelings.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Really think this album has aged badly. :/
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Really? Fair enough, what's your reasoning behind that?
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Give it away is awesome
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Wow how can you get all that from the record yet still give it a 4? Your review has a 5 written all over it. It's seem you "get it" with the record so I don't say any reason why you shouldn't 5 it.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Californication is only 3rd best for me behind this (1st) and the album that got me into music (By The Way)
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
The album's a 4 for him, and albums that make you feel a lot of things can still be 4s. You know, a 4 is a really impressive score.
You guys act like albums rated 4 are immensely flawed!
And nice review, man. You really have a finesse for writing, and I'd like to see more from you.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Not exactly, I just think that a 4 really underrates the album quite a bit. Maybe I rate my 4s too highly?
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
Maybe I'm not one to talk, because I'm really generous with my scores. But I just rate what I feel // what I want to rate, and it results in me giving a lot of albums the benefit of the doubt. Even if there are a couple of meh songs on an album, the emotions I get from the other songs kinda iron out the kinks.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
Same here, although I am generally mean when it comes to handing out 4.5 and 5s. Any album with massive potential and a handful of brilliant songs but still with about 3 skippable tracks, gets a 4 from me.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I only ever give an album a 5 it's really, truly timeless. To give every great album a 5 would be to discredit those which truly stand out.
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like freaky styley
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
'And nice review, man. You really have a finesse for writing, and I'd like to see more from you.'
Thanks Omaha, feel free to read my other reviews, I should have some more coming too.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
Nice review.
@pissbore: Freaky Styley has it's moments, but suffers from weak
songwriting imo.
And the last album was utter shit.
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