By Peter Stroczkowski
‘Monarchy of Roses’, the opening track from ‘I’m With You,’ the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ tenth studio album, begins uncharacteristically with feedback-drenched guitar squawking, tribal drumming, and the filter-heavy vocals of Anthony Kiedis.
Moments before the listener begins to doubt the avant-garde direction taken by the band, the song gracefully transitions into a head-bob worthy, bass-propelled verse (anchored by the fleet-fingered Flea, unsurprisingly in top form throughout the album). The track from this point on alternates between the aforementioned noisy section and the funky verse until an atonal and atmospheric solo pierces the mix, courtesy of newest member Josh Klinghoffer.
Klinghoffer replaced longtime axe-slinger John Frusciante (who left the band amicably in 2009 to pursue his solo career). This is Klinghoffer’s first album with the band, and he doesn’t disappoint, filling his predecessor’s shoes and then-some. He provides all of the songs with both an understated, ambient gentleness as well as a pugilistic, funky and psychedelic bliss when called for.
Admittedly, the Chili Peppers’ albums haven’t been idiomatic examples of artistic change and advancement since the band hit their stride with 1999’s ‘Californication’.
‘I’m with You,’ however, strikes a balance between the band doing what they do best – quirky, funky rock with incessantly rhymed vocals ready for mainstream radio – and showcasing new sonic ideas – the pseudo- folk ballad ‘Brendan’s Death Song’ – as well as the nearly post-rock influenced break in ‘Goodbye Hooray.’
Some new elements however, seem insincere and alien to the band’s style. Most memorably, the saloon piano of ‘Even You Brutus?’ which is reminiscent of a Cold War Kids single. However, the phenomenally dance-y, blissful closer ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ ranks among the band’s best work.
‘I’m with You’ is divided into three parts: the standard Chili Peppers funk-rock fare, familiar-sounding songs augmented by the incorporation of brand new sounds and styles and the rest of the album, which inevitably blends together and remains forgettable, even for die-hard fans.
The greatest strength of ‘I’m With You’ as an album is the display of a band unafraid to mix up the formulas that have worked for them, even now, almost three decades into their career.
