Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'The Getaway' ALBUM REVIEW

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Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'The Getaway'

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I’m going to throw this right off the bat here: Kiedis and company have been off their game for quite a while now. Since Stadium Arcadium ten years ago and the departure of guitarist John Frusciante, the band has suffered from a lack of mojo and direction.

Their 2011 record I’m With You, whilst an attempt to branch out their sound, suffered from a lack of fresh ideas. But while I’m With You might’ve been seen as a step back for the Peppers, The Getaway is a step forward. With this record, the band rediscovers their sound and style, and while it still doesn’t much new to the table, it delivers a much more gratifying experience.

The highlight for the record is without a doubt ‘Dark Necessities’, a track which takes the positives of I’m With You, and combines it with the most Frusciante-influenced guitar work to produce a damn funky track. Flea is without a doubt the star of this record, with his bass work adding so much to the mix in terms of swagger, style and sexiness. But, as with I’m With You, this record has moments of severe overproduction. A great example is ‘Go Robot’, where a really interesting tune and solid percussion is almost smothered by the use of synthesisers, even though lyrically, that electronic element in important in the context of the song.

But it’s the second half of the album where the production becomes a little raspier and rougher that wins me over the most. A highlight of this section is ‘Detroit’, which is easily the rawest track on the album. Additionally, ‘Encore’ stands out for its simpler style, where the percussion takes a backseat and allows Flea to really let loose on the bass. The track broods with quiet intensity, almost reminding me a little bit of ‘Road Trippin’.’

This record doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But it is damn funky, sexy and enjoyable. It’s good to hear the RHCP sound like themselves again, which hopefully is a sign that they might be about rediscover that refreshing, creative spark.

4/5

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Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'Dark Necessities'

Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'We Turn Red'

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