I got my weekly "music hotlist" today from miss lambchops herself, and I was rather surprised to see this little gem as being listed as not reviewed.

It's rare that a band like the Red Hot Chili Peppers releases a single nowadays, but back in 1993, when this song appeared on store shelves as an alternative to shelling out $15 for the Coneheads Soundtrack. 1993 was such a great year for music, it was just so powerful, energetic and pure. Artistry in music hasn't really matched that point since. But I digress...

Soul to Squeeze is probably the Chili Peppers best known non album track. It got huge radio airplay during 1993 and 1994 and it was all that was given to sate hungry fans in between 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magic and 1995's One Hot Minute.

The song is in many ways, a hint of where the band would be going with their two most recent albums. John Frusciante left the band shortly after this song was released and they recruited Jane's Addiction axeman Dave Navarro to replace him for OHM, but he didn't last much longer. Frusciante regrouped with the band and they have soared artistically since.

Flea's fluid bass line and the solid melodic guitar work of Frusciante really help this song soar. But it is lead singer Anthony Kiedis who gives the MVP performance here. His voice sounds amazing on this track, and you can almost feel his pain with each word he etches out of his soul.

Where I go I just don't know
I got to got to gotta take it slow
When I find my piece of mind
I'm gonna give you some of my good time

There is also a non album track live b-side to this single, and it's entitled Nobody Weird Like Me. It's a decent enough song, full of the frenetic energy that made the early Chili Peppers stuff so popular with diehard fans. It's also perhaps a last kiss off to that style of music, as the Chili Peppers have mellowed out and matured in recent years, both as musicians and songwriters.

If you can find this little dity on half.com, it's well worth the cheap price you'd probably get it for. Soul to Squeeze is a fabulous song, and Nobody Weird Like Me is one of those b-sides that easily could have been an early A side for the group.

Recommended: Yes