Reviews (page 11 of 16)
kind of a fun listen, i can see why millennials like them so much
Got a few tracks in and got busy but don’t really plan to start it up again. Not a Chilis guy
Not a bad record just not my thing
Vahva ykskauttaviis, ehkä kaikkien aikojen inhokkilevyni. (Toki jos Kiedis pitäisi suunsa kiinni niin Parallel Universe olis ihan kuunneltava biisi.)
i luv the peppers but they do have better albums overall. i like the stuff before this album much more
Classic Chillies.
The last great album that I enjoyed from RHCP was BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK released in 1991, so CALIFORNICATION is not one of my favorite Red Hot Chili Pepper albums. I didn't really enjoy any of the songs on this album. I remember not enjoying any of the singles when the album came out in 1999 and that hasn't changed with the passage of time. The mix and the production leaves a lot to be desired. This album doesn't bring any of the magic of BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK where it felt the band had discovered a new vibe. It feels like a cynical rehash of "Under the Bridge" from that album over and over and over intermixed with cringey lyrics like "do you smell like a girl when you smile?" I wish that the electronic producer path had worked out because I would have liked to have heard that album. I can imagine that being something that I had not already heard a billion times with RHCP. They would eventually take the path previously not taken with the release of BY THE WAY, so perhaps I am being too harsh. And perhaps Frusciante's reintegration into the band really did require doing an album of 15 songs that really doesn't move the band or their sound forward. But at the end of the day we are left with an album that is way too long and cannot maintain its vibrancy throughout. I couldn't even find the hits that are supposed to litter the first half of the album and I am someone who enjoys a lot of the RHCP catalog from the early eighties right up through BSSM. This was definitely NOT an album that everyone needs to hear before they die. Even Flea, as recently as 2023, thinks that BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK is their best album. That is the album that should be on here. I won't be listening to this album again.
Fantastic. Great vibe. Probably my favorite album from them
I'd call myself a RHCP fan, but I've never actually listened to a whole album. This was awesome. I never realized how varied their music was - rock, hip hop, ballads. It was a whole experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to the album twice.
I think life might have been a bit better if I hadn't gone back and listened to this album in my mid-40s. I saw this band on the tour for this album, and it was incredible (the Foo Fighters were on the same tour). The older I get, the less I like RHCP. The lyrics are...I guess stupid is the word. The music is fun, but I've heard enough of RHCP's influences to know that their sound is not particularly original, nor were they the best to do it. With that being said, I do like Scar Tissue. I don't think this is a bad album, but it is the type of album whose flaws are obvious to me when I'm asked to review it critically. The crazy thing is that a ton of these songs were successful singles, but I don't want to listen to any of them 3/5 It's not bad, but Anthony Kiedis should feel bad about how stupid his lyrics are
One of the best starts to an album. You know what you’re in for.
https://youtu.be/xAzwAoOihG0?si=iUZo5Cm9AjEtsdSH
Wasn’t sure where I was going to end up on this album. I’ve never owned it or actively played it, but I know every song from extreme overotation on the radio of the singles at the time. More so because it was one of 2-3 albums on constant repeat (the Fuggees/Lauren Hill might have been another 🙄) in a coffe shop in Sydney I was working in around the time it came out. So basically I was very fed up of it. However, a break is clearly a good thing in this case. I expected to still dislike it, but actually it’s hard to deny that it’s super catchy, not a bad song on there and just a really strong album. And yeah, I was singing along a bit. Bit of an unexpected turn up.
Much to my shock, really enjoyed this. Kind of written them of years ago but very strong start, more than just slappy base and cocks in socks. Parallel Universe is a awesome song. Tails of a little towards the end but still a pleasant surprise.
i mean its an incredible album. while it may not be my personal favorite album and i wish they would return to the in your face funk/punk. Still a top album from start to finish
While I don’t love the album. I can certainly see the appeal. It’s rock, with a twist. It is very funky. There are also some great, catchy songs. I could see them live and I’m sure it would be a great concert.
Chill rock. Fan of the energy.
Probably my favourite of the RHCP catalog. I'm not sure how well some of the goofier songs hold up. But some of the more brooding, emotional songs, still rip. Also great musicianship from most of the band. The best RHCP will get.
Californication and Scar Tissue get this to 2 stars or D+ but that is where it stops.
Flea. That is all. Liked songs added: - Around the World - Scar Tissue - Otherside
Liked it more than I thought I would. Love Road Trippin’
Around the World this album could Easily Get On Top of many people’s lists. Even in a Parallel Universe or the Otherside it is considered to be awesome not only when Road Trippin’! Right on Time another 5/5 on the 1001 list.
One of my all time favorites
Brilliant album
Watching the videoclip of Californication on DVD on a small tv with my friends in one of our childhood bedrooms is one of my most vivid memories of my youth. I love everything about this album and could listen to it literally any time. It gives me so much energy, all the musicians are so freaking good. Yes.
Great album, fills my heart with nostalgia. Had a few 'meh' moments keeping it from 5 stars
Very good, I like this.
the highs are really high and the rest are good to maybe mid songs! the album could be a bit shorter but overall an great red hot album. 4.5/5.0
I liked this much more than I expected to.
5 star singles though. Defined, imo, the last good rock era
this album pissed me off
Well, I'd not really listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers before, and I found this album really quite dull. Maybe back in 1999 I'd have had a different view. It's quite a tight album with solid songs but somehow doesn't engage me.
While an important listen, I feel modern pop borrows a lot from this, making it hard to enjoy
Enjoyed this a lot more when it came out, although listening back to it now. There's only a few tracks that really stand out
Very much an album of two halves. The first few songs are great and amongst the very best the Chilis have done (maybe with the exception of Get on Top, which is still quite fun). Songs like Parallel Universe diversify their sound a lot, while Scar Tissue and Otherside are two of their most emotionally raw performances. After the fantastic title track though, it all gets quite forgettable. I Like Dirt is another fun one, and Road Trippin’ is a gorgeous closer, but otherwise it really is lacking in that second half.
Love this album and group.
There are few bands as overplayed as RHCP. I would probably like them better is the major radio stations didn’t have them on hourly rotation, I didn’t hear them in grocery stores and I wasn’t inundated by their SoCal sound non-stop. But let’s be honest, they put lightning in a bottle with Sex Drugs Sugar Magic in 1991, and retained that formula all the way up to Stadium Arcadium, and then went back to it later. Rarely do I hear a RHCP song that doesn’t song like every other RHCP songs. To their credit, they produce it, someone else plays it, and they are making $ hand-over-fist. On this album I enjoyed hearing the non-radio songs like Get On Top, Right on Time and Savior. However, if I want to listen to them, I’ll just turn on the radio or go buy a cucumber and wait five minutes….
This is not the Uplift Mofo Party Peppers or even Sir Psycho Sexy Peppers, this is a darker and more stadium anthem Chili Peppers. I personally was introduced to the Chili Peppers via Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Over the last 40+ years (!!), the Chili Peppers have been new to each generation and I'm sure for many this was their RHCP entry point being it was their most commercially successful album. I know the hits from this one prior to this listening (Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication). I did enjoy the other tracks that I'm not familiar with such as Around the World and Parallel Universe. This album is a bit front loaded but did end with Road Trippin' which I really liked.
Day 30 - July 1 Catchy? Yes. Do I still hate RHCP? Yes. 1/5
RHCP is the king of unbalanced albums. One half pop the other half funk.
Liked some of the songs but a very bloated album
Some great songs but a tad too long for an album. It’s a bit disjointed.
Classic, Always good. Still pedo singer
Very good
Catchy and full of hooks without it being power pop. Full of accents and creative flow
The first part of this album is really good. Amazing actually. They do a great job of building within their songs and there is a nice tension. The last part just didn't have the same impact to me. It felt flat.
Some good stuff. Can't deny the hits.
Annoying, irritating, an assault on the ear's. Probably the best things I can say about this. like U2 RHCP is way overhyped and because the audio is compressed to buggery this is tiring to listen to.
3.5
One of my top five albums of all time!! Love everything about it!!♡
Around the world my fave karaoke song 🙏
Got some hits
Thanks for including this album. It’s always been one of my favorites.
Первая половина сильнее второй. Приличный, неровный альбом. Лучшая песня - Otherside.
Some really good songs, and some not so good.
I agree that this album should be on the list. I remember singing Under the Bridge with my high school buddies. This is a case where I dislike Anthony Kiedis, so 1/5. +1 for Chad Smith and +2 for Flea.
I listened to this quite a bit back in the day. It was good - had some of the frenetic funk RHCP were known for mixed in with a few radio hits and a new melodic approach. "Scar Tissue" was everywhere for a while. It's a good album, definitely one of the band's greatest, but probably not a 'must hear'. Takes me back though. 4.0
It’s such a solid album on the front end but could have been cut down to a 10-12 song album
Fruktansvärt strak A-sida. Bra balans på den punk/funk de haft tidigare och den poppigare framtoning de kom att få i framtiden.
My favorite band, this isn't my favorite album by them but still top of the line for me. Frusicante is an absolute wizard, Flea is of course amazing, and I don't care what anyone says I love Kiedis' lyrics and voice. Such an awesome album
Jazzy 4 at least. a very listenable bop.
Really enjoyed it, on second playing
One of the worst bands to ever exist.
I was ready to dislike this but it's quite good. The Chili Peppers meant the most to me in the late 80s and early 90s and I know they hit a dull patch in the early 90s. But on Californication they got Frusciante back and they got their groove back. This feels like the Chili Peppers at their peak, writing dirty but emotional songs about California.
Another RHCP album and another 5 star rating.
Brilliant. Love the unique sound Red Hot Chili Peppers produce. The guitar, the bass and the vocals all come together perfectly. Fab ❤️
Adole vibes
great album. forgot how many hits it had. RHCB are not my favorite band, but this is definitely their best album.
I feel nostalgic when I listen to this album. It's a classic Red Hot Chili Peppers album, with several songs that have been hits for years. I never tire of this music! 🎶🎵
Variety of sounds, pop, funk and rap.
I was prepared to hate this because I loathed the last album we had by the peps, but the singles on this are really solid. The back half was forgettable but a much better experience this time with the RHCPs.
i have such mixed feelings on RHCP. they put out a lot of real stinkers but a few diamonds in the rough, and this album stays true to form. unfortunately the diamonds all pretty much hit back-to-back out of the gate (except get on top, more like get outta here, am I right???). of course, that means the remaining two-thirds of the album is the musical equivalent of wading waist-deep through lukewarm porridge. there's just nothing going on of any interest or value between tracks 7 and 14. it at least ends on a decent track with road trippin' but that song kind of reiterates just how stupid the lyrics and themes have been the whole time. this is like a 3.5 but the bangers are iconic, especially the title track, so I'll be generous this time. don't make me regret my show of good faith, RHCP. favorites: around the world, parallel universe, scar tissue, otherside, californication, road trippin
This is taylor made for Southern California. That’s the vibe
I think I’ll never be a rhcp guy but this seems like as good as they could get
Scar Tissue Otherside Californication Easily Road Trippin'
Great album, a bit long winded but the last track is great. 4
This was too much Chili Peppers for one sitting. I enjoyed the hits, though.
Plenty of familiar RHCP songs, but lots of stuff on there that I wasn't interested in.
One of my favorite albums. Amazing bass lines. Also, a tornado almost hit my parking lot at work. Coincidence? Probably.
4.0 about 5 songs too long
it’s all about california for some reason xdd
Some good and unique tunes, but a lot of it just blends together in typical late RHCP style.
a classic <3
So this is my second RHCP album in this challenge and though I do like this one better than the other one (Blood Sugar Sex Magik), I feel that this album suffers from the same thing that put me off the other one. The length. The first half of this album is really really good. In fact, the album was just tracks 1-8 and 15, I would rate this five stars. But the problem is, tracks 9-14 exist. To me, they serve as nothing more than filler. That is a shame because the first half of the album is excellent, but since I really don't like half the album, I can really only give 3 stars at most. The musicianship is very good. I really like Flea's bass playing in this album, sounding very melodic. The surprising highlight for me in the album is 'Porcelain', a soft ballad with nice production and harmonies. Potentially an all timer album ruined by filler and length. FAVORITE SONGS - Porcelain - Californication - Otherside - Scar Tissue - Road Trippin' 3.5/5
.....
Some songs were not complete garbage.
I love this album but ooh ohh the mixing.
You gotta listen to the deluxe edition with Quixoticelixer. Also bumped this one as a baby and thru my life, I think my dad had it on cassette or CD. Goated album.
Around The World Parallel Universe Scar Tissue Otherside Californication Porcelain Right On Time Road Trippin'
Funky.
Just not that good
Classic. Already loved this one. Have seen them in concert 3 times!
7 / 10 un clásico de los 90 con alguna canción de 10.
Brings me back to my youth, enjoyed this album a lot, they have a fun sound and could listen on repeat.
A nostalgic first half, a mediocre second. Although I did enjoy the last song Road Trippin, or at least the beginning of it.
awesome album. kicking off with Around the World, to just absolutely punch you in the teeth before we get into some heavy rocking with parallel universe and some really beautiful melodies on Scar Tissue and Otherside. The album then really sticks into its powerful rock sound, which was a pretty stark departure from One Hot Minute (previous album with DAve Navarro). i think this rock sound is what really really solidified them as such a force in the mid 2000's. that said, i will always prefer the RHCP's funkier stuff. my favorite songs on this album are going to be Around the World, Right on Time, Purple Stain, and I Like Dirt. those are the most fun, in my opinion, and really give Frusciante/Flea/Chad their chances to shine. great album, but as far as the Peppers go, I don't think this is in the top 3 for me... sorry to ruin the streak of all 5's in this group, but this is going to be a four for me. give me the funk.
A bit different than I expected, but it grew on me.. I'll probably listen again.
Stone cold classics all the way through
One of those albums that I immediately celebrated seeing show up on the randomizer. Red Hot Chili Peppers are S tier 90s rock. They revolutionized the genre and created a style that couldn't really be copied. My favorite aspect is their heavy use of funky base riffs. Californication is filled with so many classics that have stood the test of time. One could argue that there are a few too many filler tracks making this album lengthier than it needs to be. But honestly, I like the filler tracks too so I'm not even mad about it.
This whole album is meh. I like Scar Tissue but everything else just doesn't even register including the other hits (Californication, Around the World and Otherside). It's like if AI wrote a Red Hot Chili Peppers album. Plus, it's a double album which is hard to pull off. You better have everything pulled together because that is a lot of songs to have to get right.
Some great songs, less rapping than in Blood Sugar (thank god). I think the hooks were really nice
Otherside is a 4.5, rest is decent at best
Lot of songs that still get steady play on the radio. The deeper cuts don't do anything for me. I don't think it's their best work, musically or lyrically, and I'm not much of a fan to start.
Interesting album, that fast frenetic songs, Some. slow tempo songs, some that I would characterize as experimental. Flea’s Guitar work is Impressive. Would’ve rated it higher if there were a few songs that didn’t seem to match the brilliance of the better ones
Not a big RHCP fan, so no surprises here in regards to my thoughts… The hits from this album were extremely well done - so “Scar Tissue”, “Other Side”, and “Californication”, but other than that there’s really nothing special here IMO… I tend to enjoy more complex compositions, and a lot of what is on here is pretty meat-and-potatoes as far as I am concerned – which is fine… Musically, all the songs were well-done, so I guess it was the vocals that dragged it down for me… And I’m definitely NOT a fan of Anthony Kiedis “scat rap” crap that he seems to think he’s good at (i.e. most of it is just nonsense that happens to rhyme, but that’s just me…). I know it’s hard to find a decent vocalist and frontman, but he is sort of the weak link in the band for me, as the guitars, bass, and drums were all excellent… “Porcelain” sucked total ass – so not sure what that was doing on this album, and it seemed like there were a couple of short songs that really would have been awesome as instrumentals/// Unfortunately, it seems that Mr. Kiedis felt he needed to be involved on every track – which basically ruined some of those for me… The one that really stuck out was “I Like Dirt” – and I was trying to imagine it as a jam – which would have been very interesting, but Mr. Kiedis’ 3rd rate sexual inuendo lyrics that litter the track just really ruined a good thing for me… Would probably give it a 2.50 if I was being critical, but I enjoyed the musicianship – especially John Frusciante’s guitar work, and the hits were really well done, so I’ll be generous and bump it up to a 3…
Classic album that is hard to rate lover than 5 stars, so impactful and just nostalgic in a right way
See Queen. One of my most deeply held convictions is that RHCP are the most overrated band of all time, and luckily, I'm right again. Why dose the dreadful man shout over everything. Some of the songs (e.g. Around The World) might be in the running for the most obnoxious noise on the planet). Strangely, when he sings, like on Scar Tissue and Porcelain, you then notice that the rest of the band are pretty good (and yes, in Flea's case incredible). They should tell him that and maybe he'll stop ruining everything.
Kinda shocked how much of this album was burned into my brain. Listened to it a lot in high school but it’s never one I’ve revisited at all. A couple undeniable bangers but nothing incredibly exciting!
Wow this was nostalgic. There was a place and time for the RHCP. Enjoyed Californiacation and Otherside…but oh the scat…it’s so bad..seriously….
Perfectly decent album… had to come to terms with why this doesn’t click with me quite as much as some other funk rock bands, which I think has to do with the fact that 1) it’s just kinda boring save for a few all-time classic bangers, and 2) I’m realizing it’s probably funk metal that I actually like …… the real question is …. Do they have songs that they need to be doing all that for (wearing socks on their weiners)
One of the premiere Uncool bands. First half of this really had me thinking I was gonna become a RHCP convert, then it just kept going.
Was really excited for this & expected to love it but I unfortunately did not find the music particularly fun or interesting
The sheer amount of well known songs off this album makes its place on the list undeniable. Less wild and crude than some of their earlier work, this is RHCP fully realizing their potential.
Odd that the slower songs that are hits are the highlights, when they try to inject some excitement it falls flat. The first two songs in particular are discouraging I almost gave up but the trio of slower hits are very good. The second half of the album seems lost and never finds the gravitas that works earlier in the album.
It's mid.
Talk about an album that fizzles... The first half is pure fire, but the last half lingers way too long.
cool
This album shouldn't be as good as it is. The production is garbage, but pretty much everything else about the album is superb. Monster classics around every corner, and strong deep cuts. John Fruciante's guitar work is also insane, Anthony Kedis also writes some of his best songs here, and Flea and Chad Smith do what they do best
One of the better RHCP albums.
Corny but catchy
Did not listen as I have heard this album far, far too many times. As a grown-ass woman, I have finally decided that the RHCP are not for me. They are one of those bands that everyone around me loves, so I grooved along. I think I may have even rated them highly earlier in my 1001 Albums journey simply because I thought I was supposed to, I guess. No more. I'm done. Trite, simple, gimicky, and dull.
The first six songs on this album are funky and relentlessly catchy. Unfortunately, after the song "Californication" they paint themselves in a bit. They redeem a bit on the last song Road Trippin', which is a nice closing track. 2.8/5 -> 3/5.
8.5/10
Great
The first song reminds me of the OG Mario Brothers TV Show. The second reminds me of Evil by Interpol at times. Do you guys think these guys like California? Certain parts of Purple Stain remind me of Stayin' Alive.
Great album with some truly integral and game changing rock songs. However, there are definitely some clear duds on the track list so it can’t get a 5 from me
rhcp goated
The quintessential post grunge alt rock album. Flea is one of the best of all time
My favorite RHCP album, it hit at a crucial point in my life as a graduating high school senior. Love every song, especially road tripping.
Love this one.
I ended up singing along with alot more than I thought thus it's getting a 4, however I like dirt and purple stain are a real blemish on that album
Their best album by far. As soon as I saw the pick, I hit play on my phone, turned on the bluetooth speaker, and just basked in its greatness!
A return to the classis Blood Sugar Sex Magik lineup, and the Chili Peppers are locked in a groove alright, but outside of the 4 or 5 singles this thing spawned the rest is kinda middling. RHCP are good as a "greatest hits" band, you loved the radio friendly songs you've heard a lot of, but any deep cuts are just not hitting the same.
Absolute Bangers: Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication Bangers: Around the World, Easily, Savior, Road Trippin’ Still Really Good: everything else Love RHCP. So many good guitar and bass riffs. Also love the singing style.
That’s how you freakin start an album! There’s nothing I love more than album that grabs you right away with an amazing guitar hook and just sets the tone for the rest of the album. We got this album on the perfect day of our road trip. We were off roading in gods country Utah which just adds to legend of how cool it was and will be an experience I’ll never forget. Especially with songs I Like Dirt and Road Trippin on here. Bless you flea, chad smith, and the other guys who I don’t know their names. Bless you.
Amazing. I was never into RHCP when I was younger and I’m not sure why. I think I was turned off by the lead singer’s voice for whatever reason. On my listen through of the album, I felt the complete opposite. The rapping and singing was excellent. The overall sound is really just it though. A lot of the albums on the list so far have had decent music, but they haven’t been infectious like this album. The sound is consistent and executed well throughout, like the Rage album. It feels like a whole album. Definitely frontloaded with hits, but as I was on the last couple of songs I was sad that it was ending. This is different than a lot of other albums on the list, where I’m kind of waiting for them to end.
What is there to say? This album is fantastic. It’s got some of RHCP’s most well-known songs and it’s something that you can either put on for background music or actively listen to and jam out. Everyone obviously loves the hits, but the B-Sides also have a lot to offer. It was a five before I re-listened to it, and it’ll stay a five. Also, it took about 100 albums, but we finally got an album from a band I’ve gotten to see live, so that was cool.
5 songs off this album are on the RHCP greatest hits collection. 4 of them are within the first 6 songs. Talk about a strong start and a very front loaded album. I like to think that they recorded these songs in order. By the time they got to "Californication" they were on top of the world thinking they could do no wrong. Just keep writing songs because it's hit after hit. Then they started to quickly run out of steam and wrote songs about liking dirt. If they cut out five songs from the back half of this album (Emit Remmus, I Like Dirt, Savior, Purple Stain, and Right On Time), it would be perfect for me! The lackluster finish brings this down to a 4 though.
They got too popular.
I didn't think I would enjoy it this much
This album rocks, loved it.
the gator rocks in less than 60 seconds
Really love the singles/first half but the back-end is less interesting
Hard to review this like the other albums as I'm already so familiar with it, mostly through hearing other people play it. I can feel the teenage angst of not wanting to like this as I wanted to be out there finding interesting music that not everyone liked, but there is some great pop music on here. Then you listen a bit closer, its like they're trying to say something but the message is lost in also desperately wanting to make commercially successful music. It has all this energy saying "This is Californication, commercialism is rampant and has a knock on effect that has a huge cost to society" but also "catchy choruses are great, be sure to come back for the deluxe edition". And then, like a shifting tide, it becomes like an album full of b sides.
Some good songs, but perhaps went on a bit too long and the second half was definitely not as good as the first. Decent album.
Maybe the most 90s record ever.
Pol vibe. Couple of hits but bit dergy
Awful album and awful band. I have nothing to say about this!!
The rhythm section is so tight and really defined the sound of the album for me. Parallel Universe is a perfect example. Scar Tissue is the first radio hit off the record, and I didn't realize how good the solos are. The title track is hard to contextualize here as I've heard it so much. Unfortunately after this a lot of tracks go by that aren't clicking for me. This Velvet Glove is a nice slow builder though. As an album I found it top heavy, too long, and not outstanding overall but glad to have discovered Parallel Universe.
This album is solid. First half is really good and although the second half is weaker, it still has some great tracks. Would recommend and would probably listen to again.
Suffers from being overplayed to death, but it was for a decent reason, it's good, not great. A lot of similar sounding style, but not a bad listen. 3.5/5
they really seemed to lean into the rock over funk aspects of their songs on this one but some of their best tracks are on here. This band has tended to be a "Greatest Hits" band for me usually. They're sound is undeniably iconic and their best songs, on this album especially (scar tissue, californication, parallel universe and otherside) all have great staying power. However, at times the riffing/funkiness/vocals can be grating. That being said, the deeper cuts (around the world, i like dirt, porcelain) were cooler than I expected. Emit Remmus, Get on Top and Road Trippin are tracks that I didn't think work very well for me. Definitely worth a listen regardless and maybe my favorite full album experience from them.
Probably a 3 but man's a ?nonce
Might be the first album I ever bought. Second half isn't quite as strong but there are only maybe two tracks here I don't like that much. High 4.something.
Fantastic album
The album is really fun, cohesive, while also being hugely varied and efficient. The only reason I haven't put 5 stars, is because it was my bestie's favorite band, and she's such a bitch...
This has quite a few good songs on it.
I loved this when it came out. Not so sure I still do. First half of the album is great, but the last half is a complete waste of time.
Surprisingly good. The singles I was already familiar with, but there were some nice album tracks in there as well. The album tracks did fall off in the second half though.
Very good album. Starts very strong but overstays it's welcome just a bit
This album and band haven't aged well. The musicians are skilled but the funkiness of earlier albums sound flat here. The lyrics are nonsensical even when they're trying to be deep. This album also brings back some not so great memories as the late 90s weren't the best time for me.
Some good stuff on here but ultimately too long and started sounding repetitious towards the end. This hasn’t aged very well
RHCP are just not a band I've clicked with. They have written some great songs but also a LOT of tripe. They are overrated and this album proves it
Un par de buenos temas que destacan, pero el resto no me vuelve loco.
16 year old me would've given this a 5
Everything fits together here, the musical style, the vocals that complement the songs very well, a strong voice that doesn't get lost. A varied album with inspiring pieces, a joy to listen to.
The backside of this album is lighter and not as good as the front half, but man, the first 8 songs are really great. I like that RHCP expanded their sound a bit on this album, including more harmony vocals and acoustic instrumentation. This album gets a rap for being too compressed, which is probably true, but after One Hot Minute this is a welcome comeback. It was the start of the more mature RHCP and it was lucrative, as well as really a good album. I didn't take to this album when it was released but time has shown me how good it is.
Bangers, nostalgie, très bon album intemporel pour moi. Californication, Scar Tissue, Otherside.
To cool for school
Thought it was better than this from memory. Must have just remembered the bangers (they are bangers) and forgotten the not so good ones
Classic album! One song better than another one Every time I listen to it it's like the first time. It makes me excited! .....it can't be less than 5/5
The Chili Peppers have been around for a long time, and they have perfected their style of radio-friendly pop-funk. Some clunkers here, but some timeless gems as well.
Goatd
Gaar.
Music for moms
The last good Chilis album!
Maybe because I have been listening to it on repeat it’s grown on me slowly
Ngl, very hesitant about this album because i kinda see the chili peppers as this redditor millennial band but this really managed to surprise me, the album’s reputation is deserved there are some true hits. At least, the first half. The second half really falls off. If it was just side a this would approach a 5 but as it stands i have to give the whole thing a 3
A slog to get through, I really, really, *really* don't like RHCP as a whole.
Really solid album overall. Lots of recognizable hits and I enjoyed listening to most of the songs. Some of the songs towards the end were a miss, but the album was a good listen nonetheless.
They do a good job of having a full sound with only a few instruments. Also they do have an original sound, even if it gets bland quickly.
Banger of an album
This album is literally what introduced back to the Chili Peppers back in 2022 and it such a great introduction. The energy and passion from everyone shows and it shows how much love they have for making songs and it also made me inspired to pick up guitar because these songs gave me that energy that they had as well to write songs. Although since listening to more of their work I personally like Blood Sugar Sex Magik more, this is still a great album that people should still hear.
Rap rock that honestly wasn't cringy, I liked how funky it sounded and there were a good amount of feel-good songs I'd want to come back to. Favorite song: Californication Least favorite song: Right on Time
It's as bad as Blood, Sugar, Sex Magic and for the same reasons so I'll just copy and paste the same review. Chad Smith is amazing. Flea is great. They get two stars. Frusciante is technically accomplished. But he's one of the legion of guitar players who utterly lack musicality. He sounds lost most of the time; like his brain - fingers and not his ears - heart are driving his contributions. Kiedis sounds developmentally disabled; regardless of whether he's singing, shouting, or doing that cringe-inducing rap thing. Lyrically, he's like a 13 year old trying to convince someone he's a man. And together it's so disjointed - just a total mess to these ears.
The hot streak continues with Californication. Initially i didn't think too much of it but as i kept listening, it really began to grow on me. The guitar work was great for what it was, as was the singing and the other instruments. The songs also held a good pace so i didn't really get bored listening to them. It is one great album that i can see why many people do love it. Best Song: Parallel Universe Worst Song: I Like Dirt (Side note: I also love the video for Californication, it had that really cool video game aesthetic)
Can't stand the singer but this still has plenty of earworms.
back to form with Frusciante after One Hot Minute was disappointing. This album has a little bit of everything from their usual punk/funk to pop songs.
The most talented group of musicians putting out the least great music I could ever think of. Way too much filler on this one.
Love it or hate it, this is a pure distilation of Red Hot Chili Peppers...pure capsaicin.
A more mature album than usual from the Peppers. Some bangers and more reflective tunes
Absolutely love this album - such a unique band and some banging tunes. Whenever I’ve tried to sing like Anthony Kiedis, I sound more like Vic Reeves, club singer!!
Listened to the album on Friday and it announced the weekend with ooompf
Has some really good moments, but also kinda dies towards the end. Everything between “Emit Remus” and “Road Trippin” feels superfluous. But the rest of the album is great.
The first half has a bunch of fun, oldhead radio hits which is a good listen. If only it could've stopped there. No, instead we have like 8 songs in a row which don't really excite me all that much. If they had cut the fat from this, maybe had 12 songs instead of 15 I could've invested myself in the deep cuts. Fav songs: - Around the World - Scar Tissue - Otherside - Californication
peak late 90s radio alt rock. they don’t have much to say but at least they’re funky with it. 3.4.
Easily eats
Classic peppers goed album
Outside of "Road Trippin'" this takes a sheer plunge off a cliff after the title track but I'm not go and front and act like this doesn't have some bops nor will I try to hide my nostalgia for all the singles as they were alt rock radio STAPLES growing up, like trying to make it through 24 hours without hearing the title track or "Otherside" or even "Scar Tissue" over the lengths was and still is nigh impossible. And honestly I still have a lot of love for those songs, "Parallel Universe" had me low key geeking earlier, the chili peppers are permanently corny, but at least the hits were good songs. That being said listening to this on even a half-decent pair of headphones is a painful experience, gonna agree with everyone here begging for a remastered version. Also they [i]really really[/i] should have cut the gas and not Anthony Kiedis cook when he started pulling out the "ding dong dang dong" bullshit ruining what should be a perfectly fine funk rock song on "Around The World."
I have always considered this album to by favourite 🌶 album. Im not a huge fan of them though. To me, Anthony Keidis is a huge part of what RHCP is. Especially with how they sound, considering how his voice is so recognizable and strictly RHCP. That being said, I think he is the worst part about RHCP. Often times, his additions to the songs are the most annoying parts. His lyrics are very hit and miss. I enjoy the funk elements but I think if they could strip it down a bit, they'd write better songs. I'm happy that they're still writing music. Even if their new stuff is sub par. Anyways, this record is pretty damn good. Some nuances from Keidis leaves me thinking it's only a 4/5. I honestly don't think I can give them a perfect 5. Even though they have many 5/5 songs. But each album, including this one, there is a garbage song that should've just be scrapped.
this was a fun one
I forgot how great this record is.
2.5 - Everything that wasn't Scar Tissue was kinda boring. Some of the songs had parts that would bring me back, but there is a lot of nothing in here.
A band that gets progressively worse with every album they release. Pretty bored of them now.
You should be embarrassed and ashamed if you listen to this and enjoy it.
I was surprised to learn that these guys hail from California. One of the first CDs that I ever owned. I blew this thing out in elementary school. Over and over and over again from start to finish. It shaped me in so many ways. I can understand the hate for these guys, but it has never swayed the esteem that I hold them in. Their music is magical. The first 6 songs are just a nonstop cataclysm of expression. Pure energy and musicianship. Then they fit fucking Otherside into it… one the breakdown hits at 3 minutes you get peak RHCP, a steamy baseline, a powerful drum, rapping lyrics, and just the most absolutely mesmerizing Frusciante experience with soaring guitars and angelic harmonization. It’s the pinnacle of rock in my opinion. This Velvet Glove might just be my favorite Chili pepper song of all time. The only gripe I have with this album is that it does not end on a banger, otherwise it still remains my favorite album of all time, by my favorite band of all time. This album is far from perfect, the mix alone leaves a lot to be desired. However, this music is intended not for critical listening, it is intended to accompany your drive, your party, your hangout. It catches your ear and it makes you groove, and when you finally dive into the complexity of the layering you are faced with a cosmos of creativity. The album is a delight from start to finish and has shaped my music tastes ever since I first dived in.
Good music with utter lyrical nonsense.
Really good, the camper rock sound it's really fresh. The summer atmosphere given to some songs really match the concept and aesthetic of the project as a whole, specially the title track Favorite song: Parallel Universe But I also like: Around The World Scar Tissue Otherside Californication Easily Emit Remmus This Velvet Glove Road Trippin'
AROUND THE WORLD 8/10 Amazing start Guitar lick in verses is amazing Anthony Kiedis provides great vocals Ding Dang Dong Ding Ding Dang Chorus has great backing vocals Bridge has great chord progression PARALLEL UNIVERSE 7/10 Chord progression is a bit basic Surprisingly, the lyrics are about California Flea's bassline in second half is really nice The ending is quite chaotic which i fw Mixing on chorus isn't great SCAR TISSUE 9/10 John Frusciante in his prime (That riff tho) Sounds even better in the context of the album Lyrics are minimalistic and catchy Solos are infectious Guitar tone is rich and crunchy yet clean OTHERSIDE 7/10 Guitar riff is unique Lyrics really grab your attention Great minor to major switch up Guitar riff gets boring after a while Production is annoying and jarring GET ON TOP 8/10 Instantly funky Great hook Chad Smith and Flea take centre stage here Lyrics are meaningless Switch up is mid Production is once again a bit scratchy Wah Pedal makes this song good A really fun experience all the same CALIFORNICATION 8/10 Lyrics are actually really good Guitar riff is iconic Chorus is quite good Production still hurts my head A bit boring but possibly my bad EASILY 6/10 I'm bored Lyrics suck Chorus is unique Frusciante is great on the chorus Drums sound awful Seriously, who tf produced this??? PORCELAIN 8/10 Smashing Pumpkins influence I like how different this is from the rest of the album I hate these lyrics Guitar and bass are dreamy Kiedis actually has some nice vocals EMIT REMMUS 7/10 Hugely better production Frusciante sounds great Flea's bassline is awesome These lyrics make me want to die. Nice switch up I LIKE DIRT 6/10 Obnoxious lyrics I like the funky though Chad Smith actually sounds pretty good Shouldn't exist THIS VELVET GLOVE 7/10 I kinda want the album to be over at this point I like the acoustic guitar Savior 8/10 I kind of like the guitar tone Switch up is actually really nice Some nice sounds Backing vocals are great Purple Stain 8/10 I hate these lyrics Guitar riff is funky RIGHT ON TIME 7/10 More funky Great backing vocals Bassline is unique Production is still HORRIBLE ROADTRIPPIN' 9/10 Acoustic guitar riff is pleasing Enjoyable lyrics Strings sound really nice Harmonies are brilliant The strings make this song good Most enjoyable song on the album Overall: Some good songs with terrible, terrible production that sounds more compressed than any other album I've ever heard. Rick Rubin did NOT cook. Lots of these songs are kind of nostalgic for me, but in the way that i already feel a bit bored of them. Nice effort though.
Yikes, some very enjoyable tracks, some of it becomes a little too much.
great band with a bad singer. the title track is iconic, and had higher expectations for the rest, but the singing and lyrics are rough and the second half of the album really falls off. thought it would be getting a 3 until the second half devolved into mostly noise
awesome album. 4.7/5
good
a lot rockier but also a lot more acoustic driven stuff. Still pretty good.
there's a reason why they have like 30 million listeners on spotify
The first half of the album is unreal and second half wasn’t bad but doesn’t maintain the level of the first half. I liked this one more than Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Rating: 4.5
Pierwsza połowa pełna singli. O dziwo nie wszystkie z nich to Californication. Druga część już mniej charakterystyczna. Bardzo poprawne, jednak bezpieczne. 4/5
This sounds so bad. I used to love these songs. You can hear the audio clipping. It's insane. Too bad. Could have been the best Chili Peppers album. Maybe. But Idk it's pretty bloated and I can't really stand it anyway.
Can any album truly claim to be ruined by a terrible *master,* other than Californication? I can’t think of one. I think this is a famous example, but I’ve never heard it before so I didn’t know if I should expect something quite subtle that’s been overblown by audio nerds such as myself. No! It’s unlistenable! Everything sounds AWFUL. That’s pretty harsh. It’s just unfortunate. The music sounds like a a bug that's been smooshed against the glass window of a moving car. For absolutely no good reason! It’s oppressive. They didn’t need to suck the life out of it like that. These are musicians, producers, engineers who spent years of their life on their craft, on tone, on the art of recording. For it to come to this?? “Scar Tissue,” that’s a pretty good song, I just can’t listen to it now that I’ve heard the master. Can’t un-hear. I feel like my ears are getting chopped off by a kitchen knife. Some tracks (“Get On Top”) I can literally hear the digital clipping. There’s only one moment on the entire album that doesn’t sound destroyed by a mastering engineer: the first minute of “Californication.” I can actually hear… drums! And maybe “Porcelain,” as well. The insane compression sounds like kind of a choice on a quieter, jazz-brushed ballad. Ah, now I get it. *this* is the tipping point, whose swift reactions lead to analog-vs-digital, vinyl fetishism, audiophile USB cables. I can see the original sin that set off the chain reaction of nonsense. I am, happily, no audiophile. I have done the double blind test between uncompressed files and 128kbps mp3, and, with a couple exceptions, performed slightly better than random. But I feel like I have a pretty good ear for tone. And the tone of this album is… so bad. So maybe that’s why on this list? Historically significant for its audio awful-ness? I read about this being a bad master, ugh, years ago, I thought those people were just old men yelling at clouds. Old man, look at my life, I’m a lot like you... 2/5 (Open to re-reviewing if this is ever remastered)
Sometimes not so heavy
Partly heard before Saved 5/15 Top track: Californication
Vintage RHCP, what's not to like?
Enjoyed the young people singing
Are Gibley, one of their best albums and deeply memorable for my Jenn
Modern classic 5 stars.
Years ago a dear friend of mine said something dismissive and cutting about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I never minded them on the radio, so I asked her for more specifics. She couldn't elucidate what she meant, but after listening to this full album I totally get it. The singles on this will be on Southern California radio for the rest of time, but as an album this just doesn't really come together.
I don't dislike the Chillis. The title track on this album is my favourite mainly, I think, because its a traditional rock track. but they put funk into rock music and, as a hybrid, are a suceess.
It starts off so well then it just drags in the latter half so hard.
Revisiting Californication was a great way to dig up some 90s nostalgia. It was one of the first really musically complex albums I listened to and it mostly holds up to what I remember. It does tend to lag in the back half starting to sound a lot samey but ends on a nice note.
It's OK, some good tracks, but not something I'd listen to much
Rock, Rap, Punk, 1999 -> 3
Just an awesome album, so many big hits on here. And they're accompanied by really good surrounding tracks as well to come up with a cohesive project. RHCP will never struggle to come up with hits, but it's the rest of the tracks that define whether or not an album is great or a Best Hits one. Favorite track: Otherside
One of my first ever albums so I didn't need to listen to know this would be a 5, but was glad for an excuse to re-listen!
I don’t understand how anyone could enjoy this.
So so so good
Goated album
I've yet to sample the entire RHCP ouvere, but for the time being, hot damn, this is my favorite album of theirs. Even when I do get around to sampling the rest of them, I doubt any of them will have just that right mix for me of their typical funk jams, alt rock doodlings and Kledis's weird-ass lyrics about sex, California or both. And they **are** weird lyrics, believe you me—let's not even touch those lines at the front of "Purple Stain". Big ol' bonus for me, too, that I can't hear any of the loudness war stuff I hear people talk about, so I don't got any points for that. I'm still docking for it's **length** of course, and that's the closest reason I can articulate why this is a 4 instead of a 5 (and even then that's not really an issue for me here), but at least I've never heard what clipping sounds like. Oh, and those lines at the top of "Purple Stain". Those dock points, too.
Despite its' issues with the loudness clipping and it having the Long CD Album problem of the 90s, this is still peak RHCP.
I mean, they really blew their load in the first 7 tracks here, huh? This is a fantastic album that goes on just a little too long for its own good; those first 7 tracks could stand up with any 7-track stretch on any album like this, and I'll stand by that. The energy and the luster of the sound really started to fade away by Tracks 9 and 10, and it felt especially bad by Tracks 13 and 14 where it just felt like they were rehashing stuff from earlier in the album. Road Trippin’ is a great closer, but I think that stretch of Tracks 9-14 where the energy starts to fade and the album simply loses its steam is gonna drop this down to a 4 for me. It’s a 4.5 that I just can’t bring myself to round up all the way; it could hit a 5 if one or two of those tracks in the back half of the album click for me better, but it’s a really strong album that’s worth listening to regardless. Think of it this way; it’s a 9/10 for me.
Skulle gärna spola tillbaka tiden till 2009 och lyssna på hela albumet på CD
First 6 tracks are bona fide classics, and I love the deluxe track Quixoticelixer. Rest is just alright, but when you have Scar Tissue and Otherside back to back (the latter being one of my all time favorite songs), you can't go below 4 stars.
One of my favs
Really great rock album. Closer to 4 than 5 and closer to 4 than 3.
A good album, I liked Californication, This Velvet Glove and Savior.
among gods greatest gifts
60/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
The best album the club has turned up thus far.
Love the first half of this album, then I feel it runs out of steam. Still a lot to like.
I was excited to get this album because I have such fond memories of listening to these songs back when it released (many of which I still hear quite frequently). For the first half of the album, I was not disappointed. So many huge hits on here- "Scar Tissue", "Otherside", and "Californication" are obvious highlights. Easy 5/5. But then the second half just kind of drags, you start to notice the poor mix quality (I'm listening to it now on with a much better sound setup than when I was jamming out to it in college), and there's no memorable songs to be had. Drags the whole experience down, but I still have to give it a 4/5 for the bangers on the front end along with the nostalgia kick.
don't forget to listen to the b-sides
Hot damn mess is the best way. Obviously a 5 star album. Incendiary guitar and funky ass bass. Good shit.
Eigenlijk 9/10 maar naar beneden afgerond dan maar :/
An interesting stylistic turn for the band and this album is the best of this augmented sound.
Yeah, I know half the lyrics of this record. And they're not usually that profound - but the rotation it earns is heavy enough that I can't help it!
I hadn't listened to this album the whole way through in a while, but today it sounded so good, particularly compared to their last two albums since Frusciantes return. This album made those two albums sounds so much worse, in Cali you have a Frusciante who is close to the top of his game, whereas now, its just not the same. The first side of this album is ridiculous in terms of bangers. Get on Top is the only song on the first side that isn't of the level, but its still good. The opener is incredible, Parallel Universe is a great song with a bass/lead combo that sounds so different that the rest of the album, Scar Tissue is a classic, Otherside is a classic, Californation (although not as good as the other singles) is great, Easily is probably the best non single track. Then the second half is great, the songs aren't as famous, but there are still great songs on it. Velvet Glove is probably the highlight of the second half and Road Trippin is a beautiful ending. I've soured on the band generally, and this album is probably their 3rd best after By the Way and Blood Sugar, but it's a classic. I am going to have to say 5.
pause this si amazin wait this is one of the best albums i've ever listened to in my entire life oh my god
"Californication" supuso la resurrección en 1999 de Red Hot Chili Peppers tras un álbum para el olvido y la reincorporación al grupo de John Frusciante tras dejar atrás sus problemas con las drogas. Su música alternativa en la que van mezclando casi todo con funk es aquí extraordinaria... desde el punk-funk de "Around the World", "I Like Dirt" y "Parallel Universe", a los temas más pop como "Scar Tissue", "Otherside", "Easily" y "Purple Stain". Personalmente me gusta mucho la canción que da título al disco, "Californication", un compendio de todo lo bueno los RHCP que nos habla de lado oscuro de Hollywood como una metáfora del deterioro de la opulenta sociedad occidental.
I know folks love these guys. I love certain moments by these guys. This album more brought me back to where I was when it was released than reminded me of the strength of the music. Certainly some real strengths, of course, and I remember the big deal when the album came out. But the unremarkable songs seem to cast a giant shadow. Probably just me.
Yksi kaikkien aikojen eniten läpisoitettu levy meikäläisen historiassa. Ennen tätä levyä olin jo jotain bändistä kuullut, mutta Woodstock esiintyminen (varsinkin Right on Time) ja tämän levyn julkaisu avasi oman sydämen näille herroille. Ehkä tästäkin levystä olisi varaa heivata pari biisiä pois parantaakseen kokonaisuutta, mutta aito timantti myös näin.
Tätä on usein tykitetty. Yksi kovimmista RHCP-levyistä
Amazing album. Almost every song is great. 5
This album proved 3 things to me: 1. The '90s were a decade of excess that ultimately harmed American society in ways that can still be felt today. This album is an excellent example. While this critique isn't really the album's fault directly, it's still a clear product of its time that can be used as a clear sign of trouble to come. 2. The Loudness Wars ruined music, but at least they started out with the worst offender first and got it out of the way. When the levels clip, these songs become almost unlistenable, even at a low volume. Why is the bass rattling? Why are soft guitar licks mind-numbing? Why do the cymbals sound like static? A remaster would fix this a lot, but then we'd still be faced with Point 3. 3. RHCP are burdened by the Prog Rock Band Dilemma™️. They're so talented that they struggle to hold it together 90% of the time. Like a gym rat who can't help but flex his arms when he's flirting with a girl at the bar while talking about the Joe Rogen Podcast – your muscles won't cover up your gross personality, no matter how impressive they are. Also like a gym bro, the RHCP are sexiest when they're just sitting there looking pretty. The ✨soft✨ songs like "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," "Californication," and "Porcelain" all stand the test of time, and while they do have small moments where you see through the sweetness and get the obnoxious musical jerk-offs, it's nowhere near as mind-numbingly insufferable to sit through as "Parallel Universe," "Get on Top," "I Like Dirt," or "Purple Stain." Normally, the juxtaposition of the annoying noodling songs with the pop crossover cuts would annoy me, but here, the latter serve as a much-needed breath of fresh air, especially on an album so long and exhausting. Hell, this album starts to overstay its welcome the instant Kiedis sings, "Ding, dang, dong, dong, deng, deng, dong, dong, ding, dang," with full sincerity. In fact, Kiedis sings some of the most stupid, inane lyrics I've ever heard. His lyrics are almost more annoying than the flashy playing, honestly. This album is maybe the beginning of the end for rock music as popular culture. I think it should be included in the book not because it's essential listening, but because it's a sign of the end. Sure, it was insanely popular at the time, but that popularity is a Faustian curse. Few other pure rock albums since have gone on to achieve Californication's level of success, and all the other examples I can think of are more niche, or equally braindead. In a way, this was the future RHCP's vision of music always predicted, adding too much rock to soul/funk and adding too much groove to rock to the point where neither sound reflected its point of origin when they played it. When you do that, you essentially kill the genre you're trying to actually exist within. And while RHCP aren't the only suspects in the murder of the genre (U2, Coldplay, even Gorillaz and the White Stripes, or arguably Arctic Monkeys and Imagine Dragons today, who are both trying to raise Rockism from its hospice care deathbed), this album encapsulates all the red flags into one time capsule. Californication is mostly a so-chaotic-it's-forgettable slog of tracks freshened up by a handful of decent gold nuggets of moderate value. But this is not the gold rush, it's the bottom of the barrel, and the only reason we're holding onto the nuggets here as a culture is because they're some of the last ones we'll ever see.
Did not like this as much as I remember. Which is a little bit sad...
One of the Albums I identify with good Alternative Rock.
Oh. This one. Okay. Like anyone who was a self-respecting teenager when Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out, I have a fair bit of RHCP residue in my system. Over time though, it caused me to develop an intolerance to their music. And looking back, it may have been Californication, my absolut last point of contact with anything this band has done, that did most of this. I liked it a lot when I came out, but it's like its age unveiled a crass caricature: I put this on a few years ago and literally sat there with my mouth open being stunned by the nails on chalkboard experience. How much of it is due to the pain- and godawful mix or Kiedis kiedising I don't know, but bottom line: while there's some great song writing in here (Parallel Universe and This Velvet Glove have always been my favs), I simply can't listen to this anymore.
Ah, I knew there had to be a 90’s band that was good. Finally, this one RHCP for the win!
Really wish they mixed this better, sounds like rocks on a decent set up. Classic songs though great rock. 3.5
I don‘t like their Music as much as I liked to like it. But here most of the songs go different ways than just being this juvenile crossover funk rock. My personal/biografical bias brings some extra point to the table.
The album is an absolute classic. It's got some truly great songs on there.
I listened to this on my good speakers that I set up for my turntable, and the first song sounds like Flea is blowing out his amp. Yikes. And is Porcelain supposed to sound staticky?? The whole album is super compressed—peak loudness wars on display. I vaguely remember having this album in high school (and by having, I mean burning it from someone, which is probably why I didn't realize how awful the mp3s sounded) but somehow I have zero memory of any of the non-single songs. I'm not upset about that. I also remember being so sick of Scar Tissue and Otherside being everywhere all the time—the radio, TRL, you name it, they were on. The music isn't terrible. A lot of it is good. Flea's one of the best bassists there is, and Frusciante's guitar is usually great. I've always kind of liked how they incorporate funk into their sound. But over 15 tracks, you start to notice a lot of repetition, and it wears out its welcome. The lyrics, though. I don't know if it's worse not being able to understand half of what Anthony says or being able to understand half of it. I don't hate his voice as much as a lot of people do (though it's not great by any means), but wow, most of these lyrics are dumb. The rap rock delivery is especially cringey. I somehow forgot about the bizarre Asian (?) impersonation on the opening track, but sheesh that's bad. I definitely would not seek this album out, and I'd probably turn the singles off 3/5 times if they came on. 3/5 for the musicianship and a couple decent songs
I'm not a huge RHCP fan, but this is my favourite of their albums. Like most albums since the advent of CDs, it is too long. The quality clearly drops off over the last few tracks, but there are enough good ones in the first half to make this a great album.
Is funky, it was a very fresh sound when it was first released (yup I’m old). That said, within itself the songs start to feel a bit repetitive. So not quite a 5 but a good listen!
Ну этих мы знаем. Качовые ребята с солнечного побережья. Хорошее начало рабочей недельки, погнали покатили невыспавшимися ушками по раскалённым чили-перцам ) Каждая песня родная и знакомая, бальзам на душу. Кайф, чистый кайф.
First try - I stopped after the first song, just wasn't feeling it. Second try, made it through. There is some good stuff on this, but there's more NOT good stuff. So - glad to have listened, but ...
The first few tracks on this had me feeling very nostalgic for when I was 10 years old and discovered RHCP. But looking back now, this record is so front loaded, and has an awful lot of filler. 3/5 for the singles and the nostalgia.
4-
Great album and one of my favourites of that time.
If you want the best song ever written about fingering a woman while she's on her period, you've come to the right place. They get John Fruschante back for this album -- to little effect. Sure, you've got Flea's bouncy bass and songs about how great California is and how sex is awesome, and look at us we used to wear socks on our cocks but now we're grown up and do deep songs like "Get on Top." The hits are all frontloaded here. I forgot how ubiquitous the Peppers were there for awhile -- but if they're going to feed us a RHCP album, why not at least Blood Sugar Sex Magik instead of this overproduced mess. Scar Tissue is still one of the best songs they've written, tho.
this album is full of nostalgia for me. porcelain is one of the most heartbreaking songs i've ever listened to.
Great stuff
This was a struggle - Emit Remmus may be the worst song I've heard as part of the project
A little long. Good singles. Used to be my favorite if theirs.
- many hits.. idc what people say i enjoy some rhcp
Amazing album. Great change in style by the band. While it contains great hits and a strong start, it tends to fizzle out by the end.
lots of good songs on here
Who doesn't love the stuff that was popular when they were in high school? RHCP are funky and the music sounds so nice. I knew this album coming in and I still really enjoy it, particularly Scar Tissue, I Like Dirt, and Savior. It's a boppin ride the whole way through, though the production value is actually not that great. Still loved it.
I understand this album was made in 1999, but the compression here is god awful. For how much Chad uses the cymbals, it should be so much better. Instead it sounds like he's using tiny little finger cymbals the entire album. It comes off as super cheap. Other than that, it's groovy, it's the chili peppers, it's pretty good. Favorites were Scar Tissue and Purple Stain.
Despite this being shorter I think I prefer Blood Sugar Sex Magik. This album is very front loaded.
Admittedly I did come into this album with a bias of hating Red Hot Chili Peppers, but this album did nothing to change my mind. I don't hate everything about Red Hot Chili Peppers! I think the music is fun and interesting at times. I like Flea as a bassist a lot. But I don't like Anthony Kiedis's voice, and I think the lyrics are stupid to the point of distraction on every single song. I will probably regret rating this album as low as I am, because I didn't HATE it, but at the end of the album runtime my patience was almost gone.
First half is strong, but unfortunately it’s just too long so that knocks it down a star.
Such a complicating album for me. On the one hand, you've got an album full of catchy songs with a distinct personality. On the other hand, none of it evokes even a single emotion in me, and it all ends up sounding too much like 'people pleasing music' to deliver any actual punches. In the end, I guess all I can I do is look at this album and say "yep, that sure is an album a lot of other people like".
Sooo viele Erinnerungen
Some undeniable bangers, like "Californication" and "Otherside", which are among the very few radio hits that I'm still not tired of, even after hearing them a trillion times. RHCP always make their albums super bloated for no reason though. And yeah, Anthony Kiedis is a douchebag. Probably their best? Ten times better than "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", that's for certain.
Classic
Not as good as Stadium Arcadium but probably their second best album.
Until now, I have not listened to a full RHCP album. I am surprised at how good it was.
Not much to say, Californication is just good.
I remember thinking this album was great when I was much younger, but nowadays it just doesn't quite work for me. The general vibe of the album feels very dated, and while some songs are decent, many others seem to fall flat.
Some of the songs hit but some actually give me a headache idk
Great album with lots of amazing songs on it. Not quite as good as by the way or stadium arcadium but solid nonetheless