102 replies to this topic

[Iva]

I do, too, Fenix. Just had a listen and...yup, you're right! It does, to a certain extent.

I put Monarchy Of Roses on my Xperia...the rest is gathering dust, together with other stuff I am not really into...like The Decemberists, Neutral Milk Hotel, Rasputina and TV On The Radio.

[Blank]

im totally into the new album, think there's a hell of a lot of room for the next effort (should there be one) to be something really good. i think the important thing for me was to let go of what it was with john and see the current chili's as a new animal. once i did that and released any preconceptions and opinions i was left with an album i can listen to at length and many times.. (not so much into the tracks after goodbye hooray though). Saw them at london KOKO about a month ago and thought they caned it. met JK afterwards too! ...interestingly enough he was so painfully shy.. sang 'Communique' to him which raised a big smile from him. got an autograph anywho:

[Mike D.]

brummieapril, on 31 August 2011 - 12:14 PM, said:

Mike D., on 31 August 2011 - 01:55 AM, said:

To come out on his first album with them, guns blazing and cocksure, would most likely have drawn as much--or more--criticism than his subdued approach has. In other words, he is damned if do or don't, and I am sure he was fully aware of this when he agreed to step in as guitarist, when they were writing the material for the album, and when they were in the studio. I don't know if Klinghoffer is capable of the same sort of blazing guitar playing as Frusciante produced, but that is no matter because neither does anyone else. If he isn't that is okay with me--he is a very capable player and songwriter, regardless.

I enjoyed your review Mike.
I haven't listened to the record yet so I can't comment on it. Before I ask you this question though, let me be clear that I'm not hating on anyone, least of all Josh. I'm a music fan at the end of the day. One who rates John's music very highly, but not to the exclusion of anyone else. Just wanted to make that clear!
This sentence of yours struck me though. I'm hearing lots of good things about Josh's contribution to the record - his parts on Raindance Maggie being almost the only thing I enjoyed about that song - but that it's been put very low in the mix and Flea's bass and Kiedis' vocals are high in the mix. For all that the Chili Peppers have spouted about it always being about the music and them being true to themselves, playing what they want with no mind to the commercial aspect, don't you think that what they have done with this record, particularly relegating Josh to the back benches, goes against this so-called work ethic? Shouldn't Josh have "served the song" and played what he thought was right for it rather than thinking, as you seem to suggest, "best stay in the background"? If the song called for him to come out "guns blazing and cocksure", shouldn't he have done this with no mind as to what people might think of him? Also, I could've predicted that Flea's bass would be the dominating factor on the record, as "old school" fans of the band have been calling for for a long time (oh, Frusciante's taken over, poor Flea, we want more slap etc etc), and this seems to be the case from what I've read. Do you think this was done to appease fans (my definition of selling-out) or because they didn't have enough confidence in Klinghoffer's playing?

As I say, I haven't heard the album yet and I'm only going on other people's views so maybe I'm way off the mark, but I would be interested in your views.

Thanks for the kind words. Sorry to respond so long after the fact, but I have been incredibly busy and have only signed in today to read the threads.

I see your point, and thought about it myself during my first listens to the new album. Did they bury Josh as either (a) a newbie, or ( a new man stepping into John's shadow? Was his parts "hidden?" In this vein of questioning, I would have to say no. I also noticed a lot more bass here; but go back and listen to STADIUM ARCADIUM--many songs start with bass, or are carried by bass-dominated riffs. Is it commercial? Of course it is; but so were the albums John were on, more or less. But I don't see it as a sell-out, at all.