Review Summary: It's interesting to hear previously unexplored dimensions of the band's sound, yet one strains to hear the Peppers signature vivacity on this 1995 release. All in all, not a bad album, but hardly one of their best.
One strains to hear the Peppers signature vivacity on this 1995 release, as it is seemingly drowned out by singer Anthony Kiedis' drug abuse. The introduction of axeman Dave Navarro hardly helps, as his predecessor John Frusciante had been so essential in defining the classic RHCP sound.
Re-introducing heavy metal riffs, and featuring grungey psychedelia not unlike that peddled by Stone Temple Pilots or Jane's Addiction (of which Navarro was a key member), album opener 'Warped' is an upbeat hard rocker, yet does not deliver the depth and sensuality that has since made the Chili's such a musical powerhouse. The funky 'Aeroplane' follows, and whilst it's certainly pleasing to the ear, the unimaginative lyrics render the track sluggish in comparison to much of their previous output. The spoken word intro of 'Deep Kick', whilst backed by pleasant psychedelic fretwork, comes across as pretentious, before the track morphs into a Peppers-by-numbers punk-funk mirage, and whereas the lyrics and vocals may intend to imply youthfulness, they simply strike one as infantile. The relative highlight, the slow, semi-acoustic 'My Friends' is one of the better tracks of the album, yet still does not hold a candle to the likes of 'Soul to Squeeze' or 'I Could Have Lied', analogous tracks from the Blood Sugar Sex Magik sessions.
It's interesting to hear previously unexplored dimensions of the bands sound, courtesy of Navarro, yet in comparison to many of their other releases, the band fails to match the standard established by 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik. All in all, not a bad album, but hardly one of their best.
