Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Getaway

Written by: PP on 22/06/2016 22:19:43

Fourteen years separated from their last truly great album, "By The Way", Red Hot Chili Peppers push out another attempt at regaining former glory in the form of their eleventh studio album "The Getaway". It's been five years since I'm With You", a surprisingly well-formed album that echoed their late 90s output, but which had virtually no staying power at all beyond its initial release. A natural phenomenon, given how dated (albeit beloved) the soundscape came across back then.

Perhaps that is the reason why the Chilis have elected for a dramatically different sound on "The Getaway". Although funk is still the underlying basis for the sound, the expression has shifted noticeably away from stadium-sized rock anthems towards free-form experimentalism and a minimalistic approach to the songs. The title track, which opens the album, demonstrates that change straight away. Anthony Kiedis' vocals are unique as always, but subdued, never reaching the heights of the "Californication" days even when you'd expect a climaxing moment to arrive. "Dark Necessities" is perhaps the closest to old Chili Peppers this album is going to get with Flea's funk-driven bass lines and Kiedis' unmistakable rhythmic delivery. But here, too, classical piano keeps the song grounded, and classy female backing choir ensures the song is suitable for dinner party background music without offending anyone. "We Turn Red" is a classic RHCP ballad with squeaking guitars and sudden tempo changes, driven by funk rock vocals, but a far cry from their best work. Fortunately, "The Longest Wave" offers the best glimpse of their songwriting at its best with soothing vocals and a memorable melody, despite the chorus sounding a little like Oasis and Coldplay combined.

And so the album continues, intentionally devoid of energy in favor of a quieter and more simplistic expression. In that sense, it parallels Incubus' "If Not Now, When?", which also saw the band make some questionable songwriting choices in this direction. And much like that record, "The Getaway"'s problem isn't tasteful musicianship. It is a very mature audience type of a record. Inoffensive, jazzy, smooth. Its problem is that it is a boring record.

6

Download: Dark Necessities, We Turn Red, The Longest Wave
For the fans of: Incubus, Coldplay
Listen: Facebook

Release date 17.06.2016
Warner Bros

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.