The Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Can’t Stop”) are back with a new album called “Unlimited Love,” and though it was released on April 1, there is no joke. The Chili Peppers have come out swinging after reuniting with guitarist John Frusciante who left the band in 2009 but returned in 2019. The reunion has more than just the band members themselves getting emotional, though. “Black Summer,” the first single which was released on Feb. 4, has over 26 million views on YouTube and thousands of comments expressing praise and delight at the return of the band’s original lead guitarist.
Their signature mix of grunge and psychedelic rock has not waned in popularity in the slightest, as the song became the Chili Peppers’ 14th number-one single on the Billboard charts, according to Billboard. The “Californication” group sounds stronger than ever in the song as frontman Anthony Kiedis sings “Been a long time since I’ve made a new friend/Waiting on another Black Summer to end.”
Of course, that is not the only standout track on this stellar album. With 17 songs, it clocks in at a whopping 73 minutes. “Here Ever After” is catchy, upbeat and totally shreds, reminding us that the band has been around since 1983. “It’s Only Natural” is the longest track at five and a half minutes, showing the band’s more sensual side with slower and more distorted guitar. The instrumental work on this track in particular is phenomenal, as each chord reveals the musical mastery Frusciante possesses.
Let us not forget about Flea on bass guitar, who continues to shine as a musician adding body and depth to every song the Chili Peppers put out. Drummer Chad Smith deserves praise as well for his precision and great control of rhythm, especially on “Poster Child,” which has a music video that truly harkens back to the early days of the Chili Peppers. Its colorful spray paint animation matches perfectly the winding sounds of the guitar and the staccato of Kiedis’s voice.
The tracks on the album feature some interesting titles, true to the Chili Peppers’ style and nature. “Aquatic Mouth Dance” has a funk-rock sound to match its name, very slightly incorporating some disco vibes as the chorus comes in but leaning more towards jazz towards the end. It is the kind of song that will make your mom look at you funny if it comes on the radio, until she remembers who the Chili Peppers are.
It should be mentioned that the band is still in touch with its roots lyrically as well as musically. The song “These Are The Ways” jabs at the underbelly of America, its accompanying video depicting a man robbing a small store of its canned soup to feed himself and his pregnant wife. A police chase ensues, but so does a party with the band playing as the entertainment. As a shirtless, and incredibly ripped, Anthony Kiedis sprints from the officers, the lyrics sing “I just wanna thrive/ and there’s gonna be hysteria.”
Whether you have been a fan since childhood or if you only recognize their name, The Red Hot Chili Peppers have proved with this album that they are still that band drawing thousands of fans into stadiums. Some songs on this album are intense where others are less so and meant for jamming out. Whichever your taste, they have got something for you. This album is exquisite and deserves an hour of your time, and then some.
Image from Red Hot Chili Peppers via YouTube
