PacManY2J's Full Review: By the Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers
From VH1’s special on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, I learned that Anthony Keidis was hesitant to tell the rest of the band about Under the Bridge. He was afraid it was too mellow for the Chili Peppers. But they gave it a try, and lo and behold it turned into their biggest hit. It also turned out that slower songs would work for them from then on as evidenced by Breaking the Girl, My Friends, and Scar Tissue.
With their latest album, By the Way, the Peppers are using that style not just on select songs but on the entire album. If you thought Californication was softer than usual, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. This album contains almost none of the crazy, funky, rapping rock that made them famous. Instead they are shooting for straight-up, medium-paced rock. While I am a bit disappointed in the lack of funk, I must say that they pull this style off well and have made one heck of an album.
The first single, By the Way, oscillates between the two styles of slow singing and fast rapping. The catchy blend of the two styles is a good way to attract attention for fans while preparing them for something different. Another song with a more familiar style is Can’t Stop, which has a not-quite-rapping-not-quite-singing style that somewhat reminds me of that of Deep Kick, only not as frantic.
They also delve into some Spanish beats with a couple songs. One of those, Cabron, is by far the most fun song on the album – I can’t get it out of my head. If you don’t know Spanish, I suggest you look up the title of this song. When I first heard the song, I had to quote pro wrestler Booker T: “Tell me they did not just say that!”
Other than that, most of the songs are fairly mellow. I think if you are a fan of Otherside and songs like that, you will love this album. Don’t get me wrong, though. Just because these songs are slow and not very funky does not mean they are boring or not fun. It took a couple listens to get into the album, but now I love it because despite its softer nature, the songs are excellent. Universally Speaking, Don’t Forget Me, and The Zephyr Song are all works of beauty. Keidis’ voice has not lost a step, and the rest of the band is great as always. However, I would have liked heavier songs mainly to hear Flea’s impeccable bass-playing come across stronger.
Lyrically, the Peppers remain powerfully emotional and, at times, humorous. Some of the lyrics are a bit cryptic, but some are more straightforward with uplifting messages such as “This life is more than just a read-through.” Some of my favorite lines come from Throw Away Your Television, which urges everyone to reinvigorate their minds instead of wasting their time on repeats. Ever since I heard this song, I’ve been thinking twice before reaching for the remote. Wow. I should do public service announcements: “I’ve read more books this summer than I did all through high school. Thanks Red Hot Chili Peppers!”
Overall, this is another great effort from the Chili Peppers. I don’t think it’s as good as Californication, but I’ll probably listen to this one more since I doubt there’s any songs that will get overplayed like the past album’s hits. By the Way could have been trimmed by a couple songs, but it’s still an enjoyable listen throughout and one more album the Peppers can be proud of.
Now that I’m done writing this, I think I’ll watch some telev… never mind.
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