I'm With You by Red Hot Chili Peppers

I’m With You. (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Is it the right time for them to call it a day? 

Album Rating: **1/2 (2.5/5)

Red Hot Chili Peppers never had it easy. From drug addiction, death of a guitarist to numerous band line-up changes, they always managed to prove the masses wrong by staging comebacks time after time. On the outside, it might seem that after a torrid time things have finally returned to normalcy in the Peppers camp but it’s far from that, musically. They have hit an all-time low in their career and this time around (thankfully) it’s not something that is bringing them closer to their physical death, just could spell doom to their band relevance.

“Stadium Arcadium”, the last official release by the Chilis (6 years back) was a worldwide hit with the album and the singles topping the charts all around the world. It had propelled them into a higher strata of commercial and critical success, and rightfully so. The major driving force for such a global expansion was their star guitarist, John Frusciante. Many songs were built around his guitar patches or melody and when you have a person of that stature leave the band, expect the record to be filled with gaping differences and incompetency a.k.a. “I’m With You” 

Frusciante’s departure was rather amicable and not based on anger and personal differences which were the reasons he left last time around.  Enter, Josh Klinghoffer.  A session musician who has toured with several artists ranging from PJ Harvey to Gnarls Barkley. It wasn’t tough for him to fit in the scheme of things as he performed additional guitars and keyboards for the band on their last tour. It was an easy and rather the only choice for them if they wanted to record another album. A decision that they should have pondered more upon.

Unlike the record, the album opens with an impressive track called “Monarchy of Roses”, a chaotic yet vibrant song with random drum fills and great guitar feedback in patches. It also features sleek disco-rock bass riffs by none other than Flea, who has recently worked with Thom Yorke in Atoms for Peace and is a constant architecture of rhythm section for majority of the songs, more so for the next one, “Factory of Faith”. This one is completely dominated by him with some muscular input from Chad although except the catchy bass, the entire song seems forgetful with minimal efforts from Kiedis or Josh.

What follows next is the most beautiful moment of this album, perhaps one of the most brilliant songs they have ever recorded, “Brendan’s Death Song”. Penned for a late friend, Brendan Muller, this song also features Anthony Kiedis excellent song writing, not something he is known for, (“Like I said, you know I'm almost dead/ you know I'm almost gone/ when drummer drums, he's gonna play my song/ you I'm almost gone”). Starting off with an acoustic and a general built up, it reaches a crescendo with an uplifting bass over a heart-aching voice of Anthony and gently fades away. Moments like these are few and in rarity on this album.

Next song, “Ethopia” showcases the major drawback of the Peppers right from their starting days, the lyrics and song writing. Rhyming “Eei-eei-oh-eei-eei-ee-aay” with “away”, it goes downhill from there with double-stop guitar solo from Klinghoffer. He and Kiedis are the major culprits for making this song completely blunt, if not unbearable. Equally unimpressive is “Annie Wants A Baby” with abysmal rhythm and sloppy work from all, the less said about the composition, the better.

The misery ceases to stop with “Look Around” whose last minute is a shameless rip-off of their own song “By The Way”. If you come to think of it, that portion of the song is relatively better than the rest so it is easy to imagine how it would sound. Relief comes in the form of “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”, the lead single from the album and a wise decision none the less. This track has a funky, groovy and infectious bass line which forms the basis with fills from Josh which is highly infectious. They play off each other quite well with rather remarkable vocals and drums, a chapter taken from one of their successful jams it seems. With “Did I Let You Know”, it starts with a catchy riff from Josh (that’s a first) on a repeated loop and a saxophone breakout, which was a completely unnecessary addition as the song consequentially fails to leave any mark on the listener.  

The record reaches an appalling state with “Goodbye Hooray” and “Happiness Loves Company”, the former being nothing of a song with sudden outburst of instruments before diving into a relaxing interval and the rubbish starts all over again. This term can also be used for the latter as Anthony becomes highly irritating to the point that listening to the rest of the album seems like a brave decision. 

The only saving grace comes in the form of “Police Station”, another highlight of the record with the reminiscence of some of their previous works with sublime and echo guitars, an atmospheric work highly similar to Pink Floyd.  The ballad features crackling drums from Smith and majestic keyboard breaks from Josh (surprise, surprise!). "What happened to the funny papers/ smiling was your money maker", declares Kiedis as this song seems to be ideal cut-out as the next single.

As the album starts drawing closer after the long, wearing and tearing listen there is a little respite but with “Even You Brutus?” the rap kicks in which seems uncalled for with the rhythm section potentially making the song listenable and to some extent likeable.  Somewhat notable and intense is “Meet Me At The Corner” with Jazzy influences and inventive drumming from Chad.  Josh is at his very best on this song with some vital country references as well.  It all ends with “Dance, Dance, Dance” a song that shouldn’t have made it due to the sheer inadequacy barring a playful drum pattern and effective chorus.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have survived for a massive time and entered fourth decade with their fans, “I’m With You” will be a hard pill to swallow for the loyals who have been accustomed to hooky guitar riffs, if not the most meaningful lyrics.  Failing to thrive at this point of their carrier may prove fatal and being in a similar situation before, they will fight it out to come out of this.

Will they succeed?  Only time will tell.  But as the dawn approaches, you cannot help but wonder, Has the time come for them to hang up their boots?

 
Key Songs: Brendan's Death Song, Police Station, The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie. 

Track Listing:

1. Monarchy Of Roses (4:11)
2. Factory Of Faith (4:20)
3. Brendan's Death Song (5:38)
4. Ethopia (3:50)
5. Annie Wants A Baby (3:40)
6. Look Around (3:20)
7. The Adventure Of Rain Dance Maggie (4:42)
8. Did I Let You Know (4:21)
9. Goodbye Hooray (3:52)
10. Happiness Loves Company (3:33)
11. Police Station (5:35)
12. Even You Brutus (4:01)
13. Meet Me At The Corner (4:21)
14. Dance, Dance, Dance (3:45)

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