The new double-album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium, really rocks. People were raving about it, and I liked the single I heard on the radio (Dani California) , so I splurged and bought an actual physical CD – made of atoms no less. None of them ephemeral DRM encrypted bits for the Peppers!
This is a great summer rock and roll album filled with screaming guitar, power chords, great harmonies, narrative lyrics, and danceable dance rhythms. It’s outrageous how much fun you can hear in the music. They are just rockin’ out the whole hour and twenty-two minutes.
After four listens I notice there are half a dozen styles on the work. Rock, disco, rap, hip-hop, funk, ballad. Maybe more. Very diverse, held together by the drive. A brief review of the lyrics indicates that at least some of the songs are related to a major breakdown of some sort. I’ve never listened to the Chili Peppers before, so I don’t know the history. Very well-composed music though. Great piece of work.
July 3, 2006