Reviews (page 12 of 15)
bing dinga donga california! gotta gotta gotta get three stars now!
The cover of the album is so bad that the music feels worse because of it. How was this approved by the band? But away from badly designed covers and over to the Red Hot Chili Peppers legendary album 'Californication' which features the song of the same name and a couple of others Alt Rock and Funk Rock songs that give off the pure Summer California vibe that we all long for in the winter (well except me because I hate summer but let's ignore that for now). The album is pretty diverse both sonically but also with quality as there are some actual bangers as well as some dozy snoozers. The very funky 'Around the World' starts things off with one of the best songs on the album. It has a nice groove and the Rap verses just add to the playful and energetic song. It's just a really good song that's super fun to listen to and has a surprisingly good structure and chorus. I really like it and think that it's pretty much the essence of what makes the RHCP for so many people: early Rap Rock with a lot of groovy Funk, great bass lines and overall good made music that's easy to enjoy. And it is a really good song even if I think that some passages might not be the strongest, it still turns out to be a really well made track. It gets a little heavier and noisier on 'Parallel Universe' which seems to have some big influences of Post-Punk Revival in the chorus. It's a pretty good song but they could've done a little more with the song as it turns out a little bit washed and unfocused. The highlights are definitely there but one or two major problems arise in the verses mainly the vocal delivery which doesn't really fit at some points. But the lead guitar towards the end together with the fast bass is just crazy. Great song overall but with room for improvement. The heavy and raw energy is tuned back 'Scar Tissue' and replaced with some nice Pop Rock melodies. The detail work here is done really well: The guitars slight build up, the background vocals fit incredibly and the rythmn section's on point. It is a really enjoyable and just great written song which makes it overall just a really great track from start to finish. 'Otherside' keeps the Pop aspect but adds a more sentimental and dark twist to it. The song is just really beautiful in how it's written and performed. The vocals do not collide with the bass or the guitar rather they work together which is quite special on this album with how many raw and loud pieces are found here. It's another great maybe even incredible song and one of my personal favourites from the band. The Funk and Rap return right away on 'Get on Top' together with some Rap Metal which is really nice to hear right after the last song to get the mood up again. The song is pretty silly but it feels like they try to sound much more genuine then they turn out which does harm the song as this is a goofy song and not a genuine and deep song like how some parts are presented. It's still "good" but I just don't really like the presentation of how this "good" is set infront of you. It turns the song average and even annoying. 'Californication' is legendary and everyone's heard it but every time I hear it now I always think about how this is the same melody that Akira Yamaoka used on Promise for the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack which is like my 5th favourite album ever. But back to the song: You know it, the Psychedelic Pop Rock sound and the cute David Bowie reference, the chorus which everyone had stuck in their ears at least once. And yeah, the song is pretty good. Nothing crazy, nothing incredible. It's good but it should've been a little bolder with what it does. The little bits of Hard Rock on 'Easily' are quite nice but they don't save the song from being straight up bad. It's boring and when it isn't that boring it's annyoing. This is pretty much the worst thing music can be: forgettable and the things that aren't stuck in your mind as "not good". Straight up terrible music at least gets stuck and leaves with strong emotions of hate and opinions that you'll fight for. This just flows through one ear, scratches a litte, and leaves right through the other. The albums second half is started with something completely different. 'Porcelain' is dreamy and psychedelic Slowcore which is a pretty interesting touch and they perform this style pretty well considering that they normally are a loud Funk Rock band. It's quite the beautiful song and I really like how the guitar is used here. It's a really good song full of emotional moments and deliveries. They return to their usual style on 'Emit Remmus' which is pretty energetic and Punky with the chorus and the song is pretty alright as a whole but some of the structured moments do feel a little bit unfinished and not fully fleshed out. The track 'I Like Dirt' can be summarized with this meme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a02zyht8B0. No but seriously, the song is bad but it knows that and it doesn't try to be good. It just plays with the silly and downright stupid aspect of it and turns out to be much more enjoyable than some other Rap Rock songs on this album. It's genuinely a really funny track to listen to and I absolutely love it, it's really good. 'This Velvet Glove' is maybe quite well made and the background vocals are a nice touch but I am really uninterested by it. Nothing really grabs my attention and it just flies past me with neither positive nor negative thoughts about it. It's just an average and basic song. The exact same thing is happened with 'Savior', it just flies past me and I do not care for it. It isn't bad but... it isn't good either. Still, the chorus is pretty nice but not enough to make me care for the song especially when the bridge is just that unfocused in how it's presented. The Rap Rock is continued on 'Purple Stain'. The lyrical reference to their guitarist is hilarious and the chorus is really fun. It isn't the craziest song on this album but it's quite good, I like it even if it looses its focus after a while. 'Right on Time' is short but but energetic with some Dance-Punk influence which happens to work really well with the Funky Rap Rock. It's pretty decent but you can't really f*** up a song this short, so even if I am not overly impressed, I still enjoy it. The album closes on the more laid-back Acoustic Folk inspired song 'Road Trippin'' which is a nice ending to the album. It is another song with a switch up of genres and again, it works fine. It feels a lot like an Elliott Smith song which is a nice touch but it doesn't feel overly inventive or like they actually know what they are doing as lyrically, this isn't great or fitting and the guitar carries this whole song. It's still pretty enjoyable though. favourites: Otherside, Scar Tissue, Around the World, Porcelain least favourites: Easily, Get on Top, This Velvet Glove, Savior Rating: strong 6 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes
listened once months ago. didn’t want to revisit for this. chili peppers suck
Don't tell anyone...
A pretty good album, although I did love the lyrics or the singing. The guitar work is good. 3.5
Californication I really liked By The Way when it came out (and very much enjoyed them at V) and I subsequently listened to this a fair bit around that time. I haven’t listened to any RHCP since then so I was really looking forward to revisiting it. I don’t know whether I've changed or it hasn't aged well in the intervening years but overall I found this a bit of a struggle. There’s lots I should like; Frusciante’s guitar, Chad Smith’s drumming, Flea’s obvious skill as a bassist, and it's clear they can write some good catchy hooks as there are a few very good songs, Scar Tissue, Otherside and Road Trippin’, but there’s just something about the whole thing I couldn’t connect with. I found Kiedis’s voice tough going, in a way I didn’t 20 odd years ago, and while he can come up with the odd gem there is a lot of lyrical stupidity presented seriously. Also, I thought this sounded quite ropey - even on really good headphones it felt like I was listening on a portable FM radio from the 90s. It sounds like it’s all on one narrow band with no sense of depth, everything all bunched in the middle. The snare sound is also quite distracting. I do find Rick Rubin interesting, and he’s produced a lot of great records, but he does have quite a few bad sounding records in there too, this included. Overall it’s not that I disliked it, or I thought it was bad, or that they aren’t very skilled, I just found it hard going over the course of a few what felt like pretty long listens. Maybe it’s a result of the production, or Kiedis’s voice or that there is a distinct sameyness to their formula but I just felt like it’s not really for me, and doesn’t hold a great deal of interest beyond those few good songs. Somewhat with regret, as I was expecting more enjoyment, it's a 3, and an album I’m unlikely to come back to. 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Playlist submission: Otherside
This was too much Red Hot Chili Peppers at once; I prefer smaller doses of them. Also, the hits were miles better than the rest of the album. Stand-out: Road Trippin'
Bell’album, ringrazio Gemitaiz per avermelo fatto conoscere
play that funky music white boy
Had to restart this album several times cause I thought something was wrong with my streaming settings. Might have been a four if it didn’t sound so bad.
I've always enjoyed the instrumentals of RHCP, but the vocals can grate on me at times. There's something about the vocals that sound almost lazy, which might be on purpose, but I don't like it. Flea and John definitely carry the band in my eyes. Californication has some RHCP songs that I do genuinely like, such as Californication and Otherside, but I just don't think it is that great. I really hate the intro to Around the World as well, and all the poor attempts at rapping, if that's what it is meant to be.
Pretty good album. If I’m gonna be honest, I felt it was a bit too long - it dragged in parts and by the end I was waiting for it to be over. Not that it was a bad album, I enjoyed it quite a lot. There was some nice softer passages which I thought nicely complimented the harder/rockier/louder parts. Overall a really good album, I will need to listen to it again in hopes that it will grow on me a bit more. 6.5/10
DREAM OF CALIFORNICATION. this shit happened to me. around the world- 5 parallel universe- 4 scar tissue- 7. song i listen to when my wife leaves me cause im on a bender. otherside- HOW LONG HOW LOOOOONGGG. 6 kinda boring get on top- gorilla. 5 californication- DREAM OF CALIFORNICATIONNNN. the thing about this song is its not very good. 4 easily- 4 porcelain- 5 or 6 emit remmus- dont care 4 i like dirt- me too. 5 or 6 this velvet glove- 4 savior- 3 purple stain- 4 right on time- 5 or 6 road trippin- 3 or 4 mid
jo nervig aber au paar cooli lieder
ding ding dong dong ding ding dong dong ding ding 5.3/10 instagram reels carried me through this listen 😴
There are a lot of good songs on the album but this solidified for me that rhcp aren’t an album band - more anal bum band
Some catchy tunes but I'm extremely indifferent to the themes here. Very self-indulgent. The song "Porcelain" is downright cringey. Keidis' is no Freddie Mercury, let's just say that. Or T.S. Eliot. Flea and Chad Smith are a top-tier rhythm section (of course) and the harmonic interplay between Frusciante and Flea is compelling, and the thing that makes this an album not to miss before you are dead: in the ground or in an urn on your grandchild's mantlepiece, never really knowing whether you had an impact on others, never having the fulfillment of a life well lived. Perhaps your death will be a glorious one, say, fighting for the liberation of a righteous people whose only hope is to live autonomously, unburdened by interlopers, overlords, or autocrats. More likely though is that death will come to you through the inevitable and unremarkable disintegration of your physical being. If you heard this album before your imminent demise, well at least there's that. But like so many others, I wish Anthony Keidis was a better singer and they could think of something besides drugs, sex, and California to write about. There's nothing pulling me in on this.
Not a fan, but it was alright.
Funk rock fusion!
Its ok. Generic somewhat. Front loaded with the dingles
Chill funky 90s vibes.
I mean, def one of Chili's best, but I'm not chilis fan :/
Freshman year of college. Not their best.
kind of a fun listen, i can see why millennials like them so much
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
https://youtu.be/xAzwAoOihG0?si=iUZo5Cm9AjEtsdSH
I liked this much more than I expected to.
5 star singles though. Defined, imo, the last good rock era
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.
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.
3.5
Got some hits
Первая половина сильнее второй. Приличный, неровный альбом. Лучшая песня - Otherside.
Some really good songs, and some not so good.
Really enjoyed it, on second playing
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.
This is taylor made for Southern California. That’s the vibe
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.
Some good and unique tunes, but a lot of it just blends together in typical late RHCP style.
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
A nostalgic first half, a mediocre second. Although I did enjoy the last song Road Trippin, or at least the beginning of it.
Otherside is a 4.5, rest is decent at best
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
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)
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
Corny but catchy
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Some good stuff on here but ultimately too long and started sounding repetitious towards the end. This hasn’t aged very well
Un par de buenos temas que destacan, pero el resto no me vuelve loco.
Thought it was better than this from memory. Must have just remembered the bangers (they are bangers) and forgotten the not so good ones
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.
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
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
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.
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."
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.
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.
a lot rockier but also a lot more acoustic driven stuff. Still pretty good.
Enjoyed the young people singing
Rock, Rap, Punk, 1999 -> 3
A good album, I liked Californication, This Velvet Glove and Savior.
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.
Did not like this as much as I remember. Which is a little bit sad...
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.
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
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.
lots of good songs on here
Despite this being shorter I think I prefer Blood Sugar Sex Magik. This album is very front loaded.
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".
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.
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
Tiene temazos pero también tiene mierdas
puff pues bueno, tiene alguna canción que es un temazo, pero poco mas
okay dad rock
Two absolute bangers in Scar Tissue and Otherside. Californication is solid. The rest of the album is forgettable popified Nirvana without a single memorable guitar riff. Purple Stain had potential, but they butchered it with the lyrics and cadence. Around the World is a misguided foray into rap that has not stood the test of time.
The Hard Times (a satire punk news poster on social media) posted once "Babbling 18-Month-Old Sued By Red Hot Chili Peppers for Plagiarism". I think of this every time I hear "Around The World" and Kiedis sings "Ding ding, dong dong, ding ding, dong dong, ding ding". He lyrics and singing blurs the lines between singing and rapping, and not in a good way. RHCP is maddening. For every song that has some sentiment and you think "Ok, that's pretty decent" like in "Scar Tissue" you get dumb songs like "Get On Top". Any rocker like "Parallel Universe" that's like "whoa that's kicking some ass" comes with "I Like Dirt". So there's probably about half an album that's good, an half album that's just stupid. Good and stupid don't really mix for me. Top songs: "Parallel Universe," "Otherside," "Scar Tissue"
some hits and some stinkers but overall a funky good time with the chili peppers
I'm listening to this just two days after another Peppers album - Blood Sugar Sex Magik - and my opinion of the band has remained very much the same, despite 8 years of discrepancy between the albums' releases. The vocals are largely misses rather than hits, often being a kind of half-spoken-half-sung thing that definitely isn't appealing. The riffs and overall rhythm section tend to make up for it, especially in the opening few tracks; the band is very well-practiced and in sync with one another, making for a great sonic basis for some good tracks. However, by the latter half of the album (excluding Road Trippin'), it's pretty clear that the Peppers are padding runtime for the sake of composing a (second) "masterpiece". I have some respect for the fact that this album was (and still is) wildly popular. However, it doesn't cover any particularly new ground or invent anything interesting. It just exists, as decent, aggressively inoffensive rock that's a microcosm of its time. Like the Eagles, but two decades later. (Eh...) Key tracks: Otherwise, Californication
Yes, it has a lot of hit singles and garnered critical acclaim, as well as being the RHCP’s best-selling album, but ‘Californication’ just doesn’t have the same brashness, edginess, sense of danger, or general sense of energy and fun (and funk) that ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ does. Yes, they were older and went for a more mature rock statement and sound, but they sacrificed a fair bit of their funkiness in the process, and frankly, for me, that’s when the RHCP’s are generally at their best.
ja whatever
Ok
Probably my second favorite RHCP album after Stadium Arcadium, and probably the first one of theirs I listened to. I think it contains some of their best songs with the least duds of any of their albums (although it does have some duds like “I Like Dirt”). Probably their most consistently good album.
Even if it only offered the single best riff RHCP ever recorded on “Scar Tissue,” this record would be worth a listen. It’s next-level musical and lyrical maturity for the whole crew, and it deserved the recognition it received from fans and newcomers.
Great production and execution, you can tell everyone was in tune with the vibe of the album. Never been a huge RHCP fan but can see why they're praised. Good album. Would rate 3.5 if I could.
3.5 Preferred the first half compared to the end. Still a good album
3.
The first 6 songs are pretty great. And then you realize how stupid the lyrics and vocals are of every RHCP song.
(Mai ascoltato prima) Conoscevo già alcune canzoni, ci sono alcuni pezzi molto forti, altri un po’ neutri.
This has always been my thing with most Chili Peppers songs: - On the first listen, I think "this song slaps". - On the fifth listen, I think "yeah, this is alright". - On the tenth listen, I think, "I'm not so sure anymore". The Chili Peppers were always a band that I enjoyed whenever their songs played on the radio, but not enough to actually go buy their CD. I've heard this album quite a few times. "Scar Tissue" and "Road Trippin'" are awesome (plus, the video for "Scar Tissue" is legendary). But I'm mostly indifferent to the rest. It's good music, but I don't love it. And this might be an unpopular opinion: I've never really rated Anthony Kiedis as singer. He grates on me after a while. This album is a 3/5 by the most 3/5 band ever. 👍👍
Now here's a divisive one. Red Hot Chili Peppers is another example of a very love it or hate it band. Some people love them while others find them annoying. As for me, I can see aspects of both in my opinion, though I do lean more towards the former. Californication is a pretty solid album. I like the sound. I think John Frusciante's guitar playing is nice and there's a good reason why Flea is one of the only examples of a band's bassist being the most popular member. I don't love Anthony Kiedis's vocals though. They work on songs like the title track, but other songs like the opener "Around The World" aren't my thing as far as vocals go. The writing is also a bit hit or miss. Some songs are very introspective and really come from personal experiences that warrant writing songs about them. Others aren't quite at that level. I will say that the first half is quite a bit better than the second half. Overall, a good album with some good songs, but I can see why people dislike this band and album, even if I myself have a mostly positive opinion of it. High 3/5.
Both better and worse than I expected. It rocks harder and the grooves are nastier than I remembered, but the skeeziness is less effective too. It also gets repetitive. This is a long album and it feels like it. AK's flow and cadence get repetitive. "Take It On the Other Side" still slaps. "Around the World" hasn't aged as well. "Californication" and "Scar Tissue" hold up reasonably well. First time hearing "This Velvet Glove" and "Paralell Universe," and both are pleasant surprises. Solid album cuts. Found myself grooving to "Right on Time" I'm thinking strong 3 to a weak 4 for this one. Probably 3.5 as I'm not itching to hear it again.
Felt like it was long but this is also not my main genre of music and I see why it could easily get a 5. Fav song off one listen was porcelain
First 10 songs and it could’ve been the greatest set list ever, but they had to keep on yapping about who the fuck cares It was a nice introduction into punk rock until they realized that they can’t write and started spewing bullshit, the instrumentals are always great the writing has it moments but if it weren’t for songs like the other side and Californication it would be a 2, So close to a 4 and yet… 3.9/5
Playful, melodic, and a little repetitive. Not the best thing ever. Pretty enjoyable though
Not as good as I remember, and definitely not their best album.
Ambivalence. Some aspects of RHCP I really admire. Sometimes I think they are almost unintentional self-parody. Great moments but then it gets so samey.
Nostalgic when it came to the singles off this album. Everything else was fine. Good album.
Honestly? Some stuff I really like. But a lot of other stuff that hasn’t aged so well. 3/5
This band makes me think of being in junior high when their earlier album blood sugar etc was hugely popular. This album is fine. It kind of became omnipresent wallpaper during its height.
it's not the album's fault, i had my listening experience ruined at the end because my friend told me about something with someone's autobiography and statutory R-word... and yeah
Hate but also nostalgia
They're generally pretty good songs by a good band, but they kind of sound exactly like all the songs on the previous records. If I didn't know that, I would rate it higher, I guess. There are a couple of nice exceptions, though.
The singles are great aka the first 6 tracks. The rest is the long slide to the mopey, heroin-y RHCP that is known today. Goodbye good time skater pop punks with lots of funky influences. Hello sad boys with lots of personnel changes, heroin, stocktaking, and hopefully some rehab. It is like RCHP's music eventually became a thin gruel version of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. 3.3 stars rounded down because after track 6, this album is a slog.
"Tone, Tone mate - are you ever going to change these stupid place-holder lyrics? We're in the studio tomorrow!" "Ding dong deng deng dong."
I was dreading going into this, but was positively surprised. I truly can't stand RHCPs hits, and there are a lot of them. However, I have always wondered why I don't like them — I am after all a metalhead that went funkier and poppier the older I got. Listening to this whole album made me realize that there are some things that I really like. Basically, the heavier, funkier or sentimental these guys get, the more I like them. Sadly, its too little of all those things and to many zeitgeist hits.
It's not uncommon for their to be an act with singles that I like a lot, but the albums don't hold up. RHCP are kinda the opposite of that I think? Both BSSM & this one were way better than I expected, given that I'm not a huge fan of the singles from either project. 3.5/5
The RHCP haven’t aged well for me. Musically they’re awesome. Anthony Kiedas as a singer and lyricist is just not my thing. He brings it all down most of the time. This album and Blood Sugar Sex Magik are both still good though.
3.5 basicon todo el disco pero los ultimos 5 temas lo hacen cerrar de gran manera
Had potential to be a 4 but just slightly too samey for me. Lots of good songs though
Porcelain is a calm banger. Scar Tissue is an ultimate classic. This Velvet Glove is great. Otherside is nostalgic. 3/5 ranking
Listened Before? Yes This was one of the earliest albums I ever bought for myself. Remember being hooked in by the music video for Californication that looked like a video game. My 8 year old mind was absolutely blown. Around the World is a classic funky entry from RHCP. Unfortunately, right from the jump, the production fucking blows.Drums sound supper tinny and the rest of the instrumental is super condensed. Song sort of rips and still gets me hype even though the lyrics during the back half are fucking stoopid. But hey, who really turns to RHCP for lyrical depth? Similar production woes on Parallel Universe, but its a fine enough jam. Scar Tissue is one of their more popular hits off of this album, finding RHCP in tender territory. Solid sing-along track which receives solid entries from Frusciante, and the production works a bit better here. Nicely layered vocals with crisp guitar tones and mellow bass. The drums are still tinny, but they are much less prominent here. This is probably the most front-loaded album I've listened to in a while. With the exception of Get on Top, 5 of the first 6 tracks got significant radio play. After that, the album wanders into obscurity for about 30 minutes before coming back to Road Trippin'. Get on Top is a detour back into funky influences with a rather obnoxiously repeated chorus "Get on Top!" Still, its a fun little bop that sounds like straight doo doo (I really can't get over how fucking garbage this mix is). Californication is a solid enough song that taps into a similar writing ability found on Under the Bridge. Strong vocals from Kiedis pair well against Flea's skittering bass line. Just a solid single. Porcelain is a weird one that should have been cut in editorial review. RHCP ditch high energy and loudness in favor of a stripped down ballad that seems better fit for a cafe. Weirdly sequenced against Emit Remmus, which brings back that funk-hop groove. Always has been one of my favorites from this album. I Like Dirt is more proof that RHCP don't really need lyrics. This is an incredibly stupid song, but the groove is real and largely held together by Flea's unrelenting work on the bass and Fruschiante's oscillation between scratching funk groove to blistering solo. Purple Stain is another over-sexed funked up number with asinine lyrics. Has no right to be as entertaining as it is. Perhaps some of that is nostalgia popping up. So there is definitely some nostalgia tied up in here, and in a lot of ways I think this album was critical to the legacy that RHCP have cultured. This was the first major (and successful) album released by the band after their breakout Blood Sugar Sex Magic in 1991. This paved the way for their maintained relevancy into the early 2000s that was only boosted by the release of By the Way and Stadium Arcadium. I used to listen to the shit out of this album when I was a kid, and to this day I think there is plenty to enjoy. Unfortunately, the production really takes a lot of edge out of this one for me and makes it a tough listen (side note: fuck Rick Rubin). Some bangers to be sure, but I also wish they would have condensed about 4 of the songs into something better written. While a 2 seems too harsh, a 3 seems generous. I'm in a bit of a spot. I'll give it a 3 because I admittedly enjoyed most of the listen. Songs added to playlists: - Around the World (Skate Mix) - Otherside (Sunny-vibes)
I don't really vibe with Anthony Kiedis' singing or his penchant for statutory rape. That said, I have good memories of a lot of these songs, and they are still fun to listen to.
It was....okay, I guess. The songs that everyone knows are the best ones. Nothing else jumped out at me. I still don't really get why people love RHCP so much.
I opened this album thinking I’d give it a 2, but in the end I’m giving it a 3. That’s something, I guess.
Nice, but tired of those ballads The best songs sounds like their older stuff (thats good)
Great album but personally listening to the chilli's for longer than 20 minutes gives me listener fatigue and this album fits that category for me.
Some very pleasant, and some explicit rap
Pretty good for RHCP, some classics, some skips
Good Album, I like some of the songs three stars
obviously very different from the beastie boys, but again this record brings back lots of memories with my dad again. however i prefer red hot chili peppers over the beastie boys. that doesn't mean i'm a fan however, i still am not too fond of them. i was really not in the mood for this today, so i got halfway through. standout song: californication. the popular songs on the album were the best opposed to the b side tracks.
Meh, I remember listening to them in the 90s. Handful of really good songs but most of them all sounds the same and are extremely over played
Not bad
Get On Top y Right On Time temazooos!🗣️ Por lo demás, he de decir que no me encanta Red Hot y se me hace como que muy repetitivo este disco, pero tiene temazos, no vamos a negar lo evidente.
me gusta mucho aunque creo que no es el disco de ellos que más he disfrutado (unpopular opinion probablemente). lo volvería a escuchar. 7/10. canción fav: scar tissue
бля, чет прям грустно... в моих воспоминаниях это была имба, на деле же становится скучно и чет кроме синглов даже выделить толком нельзя (с изили и фэт дэнс разве что подразъебался)
It was ok
Meh
when the singles are good and catchy they are very that. but i dont really want to hear this Entire album. also it actually sounds really bad, like this mix is really awful
I loved RHCP growing up, but now I can’t stand Anthony Kiedis’ voice. This band has written some iconic hits in this album but on the whole it is enjoyable due to the tight interlock between Flea and Chad Smith.
Californication (song) is ok, but the rest is just meh.
Oddly, this is an album where I mostly enjoyed the hits...Otherside, Californication. It wanders all over the place, some good, some...meh.
I quite liked the Chilli's back in the day, and I liked this album, back in the day. Fast forward 20+ years... and listening to this album again... well I found it to be 15 tracks, but 13 of them are just repetitive variations of Otherside or Californication. This is still an album I would listen to, but it's just lost that point in time edge of really good enjoyment.
Honestly not my favorite. Has some classics but overall feels messy and a little more grungy than i would want
mag ich nicht
Certainly some bangers on this, but a lot of filler too
It’s RHCP, they are what they are. Does anyone else really sounds like them? I guess I like it but it’s a sound I’ve heard so much it didn’t do much for me.
Lots of variety in song intensity, and has plenty of catchy riffs. Second half does kinda just feel like noise though bumping it down from 4 to 3
Red Hot Chili Peppers has this weird thing were they have a few bangers, and those bangers are really good! The rest of their songs are just not good… they are some kind of off in their non-banger songs
Track 1. Changes in tempo throughout song were abit strange, however chorus was decent 6/10 Track 2. Good song, not much to say 7/10 Track 3. More of a laidback vibe to this one, decent yet again 7/10 Track 4. Catchy chorus, good instrumental 8/10 Track 5. Aggressive, almost hip-hop vibe to the track not a fan, reminds me of nu-metal bands like limp biskit. 5/10 Track 6. Effective critique on the dark side of hollywood aswell as a decent song 7.5/10 Track 7. not much to say, decent 6/10 Track 8. Another slower song with a decent melody 7/10 Track 9. Strange lyrics and title. 5/10 Track 10. Nothing special 5/10 Track 11. Bit better, bit of a lul in the album. Song ended strong though 6/10 Track 12. Again, alright song but not really much to say 6.5/10 Track 13. Nice slow finish to the album, ending on a good note 7/10.
It’s not their best.
They are OK. But not my vibe
You know, I never listened to this whole album before. I knew all the radio releases but never sought it out. Overall it's ok but to me nothing special. The radio releases will make it into a playlist but not the whole album.
Production is bad. Songs are OK as are the performances. What listeners should realize is that this album is where the band became its own genre. Previous Red Hot Chili Peppers records represented the bands unique mix of its influences: hip hop, funk, jazz, blues-rock. Californication is dad rock for guys born in the 1980s. The last song sounds like Elliott Smith.
1. around the uuorld - 2 2. parallel univerze - 2 3. zcar tizzue - 2 4. otherzide - 2.5 5. get on top - 1 6. californication - 2.5 7. eazily - 1 8. porcelain - 1.5 9. emit remuz - 1 10. i like dirt - 1 11. thiz velvet glove - 1.5 12. zavior - 1.5 13. purple ztain - 1 14. right on time - 0 15. road trippin - 1.5 16. fat dance - 0 17. over funk - 0 18. quizotic - 1
# 128 : This was good, better than I expected. some good songs on here - well at least the first side, then it Kind of went monotonous... I wouldn't buy this, but I'd probably listen to it again if it came up. Favourite Track : Otherside Listened : 11/12/2023
Aaaah ma review s'est effacée !! J'avais la flemme au début mais finalement j'ai préféré à nirvana Je sais plus ce que j'avais dit d'autres 2.5 mais azy je met 3 étoiles pour varier un peu
3,5 ⭐
C'est bien, mais pas mon style de musique. Ça me donne envie de l'écouter dans le salon tranquille dans le canapé avec ma mère.
3.0/5
Honestly was hyped for this album but it didn't really deliver up to expectations.
Mid
My third Favourite of Them
John Frusciante's return definitely marked a change in the Chili Peppers' sound. But songs such as "Scar Tissue", "Otherside", "Road Trippin'" and even the big hit, "Californication" all sound very similar. It reminds me of the Aerosmith record that had "Crazy", "Amazing", and "Crying" -- they basically sounded like the same song; SNL even spoofed it. The Peppers aren't quite so bad, but the songs are still slow and too similar (not that there's anything wrong with the slower sound, but when the songs sound a lot a like, the slowness just makes them even more boring). I think it makes sense to have RHCP in the 1001 project, and I realize this was their biggest selling album, but I think Blood Sugar Sex Magick would have sufficed. I might give this 3.5 stars, but definitely no more, and maybe even less, so I'm rounding down. I don't think many people who didn't grow up with this would love it.
this albums feels like stale pizza in the best way possible. it's mediocre in the sense that there's nothing new or wowing about it but nevertheless it's a v solid album. i own a rhcp tshirt and tee is cooler than this but still decent listen. wouldn't come back to it as an entire project but maybe a few songs.
Some hits, mostly misses for me. I guess I'm not the biggest fan
The five singles in the first half kind of feel like poor sequencing (or premature ejaculation, if you want a sexual analogy). We all know these songs, they are fine songs, but not great songs. The remaining ten songs are decent enough, no real clunkers, they just lack the hooks of the singles. Guitar and bass playing is top notch throughout, singing is alright, lyrics are generally bad. Like the Hollywood culture this is aiming to criticize, the album is mostly vapid.
I used to listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers quite a bit when I was in high school and college, but this is my first time listening to this album from start to finish. I remember this album being a pretty big deal when it came out, since it marked John Frusciante's return to the band. Twenty four years later though, I think this album is pretty middle of the road. The Chili Peppers tried to go in a more serious direction lyrically and a more melodic direction musically, and in my opinion, the results are pretty mixed. The shift in tone and melody have some small wins in "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," and "Californication," but even those wins are deflated some by some nonsensical lyrics and Anthony Kiedis's vocals. My favorite songs were when the band didn't take themselves too seriously, like on "Around the World," "Get on Top," and "Right on Time." The best thing that this album has going for it is the return of Frusciante's guitar playing, coupled with Flea's funky bass licks. I don't know if it's because I've been so inundated with their music for most of my life, or if because this album is just objectively 'meh,' but Californication just fell flat with me.
Who hasn't heard of the Red Hot Chili Peppers? To be honest, I grew up listening to this record, when I was a young skater punk.. I haven't given RHCP a serious listen in awhile, but after revisiting this album and listening to Anthony's lyrics man.. There are some amazing songs in this album. I won't go too into detail over this album, or the next few reviews I do, as I have been out of town the past few days and need to catch up BUT I really loved 'Parallel Universe' was just this plucky funky lil diddy that I just loved, 'Get on Top' had this fun manic punk sound and was all about fucking, obviously 'Californication' holds up and the lyrics are still so good but I think my personal favorite track on this album has to be 'Easily' I just loved the sound and feel of this song. Overall: 3.3/5
Undeniably iconic with a few great songs on it. I was tired of it by the last few tracks, the style feels dated (duh). I was also a bit surprised that I still remembered most of the songs, I think this was one of the first albums I had on my iTouch back in the day. I'd be curious to know how I'd like it now if this was the first time I'd ever heard it.
Soft-rock-funk. Meh! Don't see what all the fuss is about.
Ding, dang, dong, dong, deng, deng, dong, dong, ding, dang
I don't like rap sorry
Hresst, gott sound og flottir hittarar. Þetta er pop rock og frekar gott. Anthony Kiedis er auðvitað óþolandi til lengdar, en það er margt mjög flott hjá þeim á þessarri plötu, sem er þeirra besta að undanskilinni Blood Sugar Sex Magic sem var auðvitað brautryðjandi í pop funkinu á sínum tíma. Road trippin' endar plötuna fallega og er það að mínu mati besta lagið. Emmit remus og I like dirt draga NÆSTUM plötuna niður í þrjár stjörnur en þetta rétt svo hangir í 3.5 sem við rúnum upp í 4.
Þessi plata kom mér skemmtilega á óvart. Átti von á fillerum með smellunum en öll lögin eru eiginlega góð. Californication er frábært lag. Frábær riff og bassinn hjá Flea geggjaður. Gallinn á RHCP finnst mér eiginlega vera söngurinn hjá Kiedis. Hann er leiðigjarn. Eftir 3 hlustanir var ég kominn með hausverk og gat ekki meir. Bara hægt að renna þessari plötu í gegn endrum og sinnum. Þegar við bætast heymskulegir textar þá segi ég 3 stjörnur.
Red hot chili peppers would be so much better if literally anyone else was the lead singer. Flea, john, and chad are all arguable GOATs of their respective instruments.
Rick Rubin will burn in hell for what he did to audio recording standards. Some great pop songs and performances on this one, aside from the lead vocals Aside from the hits, Porcelain and Emit Remmus are standouts. 3.5 stars
Repetitive, a bit boring. Was overplayed on MTV when it was released.
AJ: when it first came out I loved it. Wrote lyrics in my notebook and everything. They’ve lost some shine in my life but some of their songs mean a lot to me. Including a few on here.
divertido, mucho bass pero en la 15ava cancion ya es como estar escuchando all the same.
mmm ta okei 6/10 no me gusta los "antonio y los mas picantes" xd
Some okay music. Didn't hear the lyrics much. No new gems were revealed from this full album listening. The best stuff is played endlessly on the radio already. I guess the lead singer is hot. And I like the bass lines a lot.
Some absolute classics, but some rubbish on here as well.
not bad
3/5 Good for it’s fine but I’ve hard so much it’s tough to get through it
Surprised by how may songs I knew off this album, having never listening to it in full before. Overall, the album is okay, some of the songs I have never heard before were not the best, and the bands struggle to keep its funk roots alive while also making pop music is prevalent. Some lyrics are weird, or even nonsensical, but the album is fun and light. 3/5 Might listen to the hits again
De bekende nummers zijn heel goed, de rest van het album net niet helemaal mijn stijl, iets te veel (harde) gitaar.
It was probably the timing of this album being right in line with my adolescence, but I've always found this to be the most listenable RHCP album out there. It's a bit long, perhaps a bit formulaic, but I think there's a nice variety of songs. Unfortunately it seems to suffer from a lack of depth - this is the peak of commercial Peppers.
Great album, kinda felt like I was just listening to one long song tho.
Too busy. Heard so many times, doesn't inspire me anymore.
Too many annoying songs, I do not like dirt.
think this where the Chili Peppers started the slide into dad rock/adult contemporary. The funky song to ballad ratio is off compared to other albums, like they fell into the Under the Bridge aesthetic. The singles are damn catchy though. And I recognize that we all mellow as we age; God knows I have. But this is not the dangerous Peppers of earlier days
Eh it's a good album but red hot is not my favorite in general. One of there better ones though.
Hyped, but not my taste
I'm getting a little bored with this site. Some picks aren't even good albums but compilations of good artists. Some others are just very popular albums that aged poorly. I think this is just the case. (I don't like numeric ratings, I give 3 to anyone)
Not bad. Didnt know they had that softer side.
This album is very good and an interesting snapshot of some musical trends from California in the last years of the nineties. This is the best lineup of the band, without qualification and the most vital and tight thing they produced together. John Frusciante is the perfect partner for Flea -- the heart of the band on bass -- to the point where it's often difficult to tell their parts from one another. They are capable of such utter fluidity together as to justify the worth of rock and roll entirely. Chad Smith is a great compliment and support to them on drums, filling out any style they flit to, even briefly. Never obtrusive; always solid. In a band with wild flights of goofy fancy, Smith remains a stable platform from which the others can launch. And then there's lead singer and lyricist, Anthony Kiedis. I'll paraphrase Lester Bangs for this: Anthony Kiedis is a drunken buffoon posing as a poet. Songs like Californication and Scar Tissue are genuine contributions to the modern canon, but his unseriousness as a musician, his frequently silly but uninteresting lyrical choices and his generally lackadaisical affect all hold back not only him but the entire group. The frustrating part about Kiedis is that the great songs suggest there is so much more there. Worth a listen or ten, but this isn't the best music produced in the 90s.
Did you know these guys are from California?
This started off hit after hit and then kinda just faded.
I was familiar with a lot of these songs, so I was looking forward to hearing it. I liked the mix and it was nice to hear the tiny imprecision of people actually playing their instruments. By the end of the album though I was ready to move on. Some lyrics don't age well for me in 2023. A lot of hits on this album though.
Top Songs: 1) Californication 2) Around the World 3) Otherside 4) Savior
First album, but seemed like a good amount of stylistic variety
Meh, some classics but dull album trakvs
It was pretty good. I won't seek it out, but if it is on, I won't shut it off.
Too long and the singles are markedly better than the rest. Still, can’t beat those California vibes.
Some classic singles and a lot of filler.
This whole record was conflicting to me, because there were so many elements I either hated, or liked. For what I liked, it was mostly thanks to Flea and Chad Smith. Together these two make for a hell of a rhythm section, Flea especially and it was fun as heck to really listen to how good he is for an entire album considering I rarely listened to RHCP prior to this. Some songs were highlights, Californication is a classic, loved the energy and vibe Get on Top had, and the cool laid back nature of Road Trippin was also quite enjoyable. On the flip side, I thought a lot of these songs kinda felt like B-sides in a way, especially some of the album tracks. I did not really care for a lot of Anthony Kiedis' vocals throughout, his singing style is just not something I really like at all. But the worst thing for me might have been the production, which felt like all of the elements of each song were just amplified too much to where it felt distracting, similar to the problem of specific albums and the loudness war. I think I enjoyed enough to give this a three.
Quite a few iconic songs on this. Didn’t really love the rest, but did enjoy the song Road Trippin.
This album is overrated. Songs are just ok, very similar, nothing groundbreaking.
3 good songs A few dings were hard to get through. Lots of crazy weird hi pitched guitar sounds.
Aah, zo'n band die super bekend zo en niet eens zo oud. Ik vind het bas werk van Flea iconisch, al is daar op dit album niet super veel van te merken. Ik vind de stem van Anthony Kiedis super fijn, maar vooral als hij normaal zingt, en niet als hij allerlei rare stemmetjes of intonaties doet. Al met al is mijn mening een beetje rommelig, wat iconische hits, maar ook wat zeer saaie nummers. Al met al is het album best dynamisch, met zeer verschillende intensiteit in de nummers. Favorieten: Parallel Universe, Californication, Road Trippin
Some albums, even some great albums, from the 90s sound like they are definitely from the 90s. This is more timeless.
I listened to this as I walked to coop and it was okay --an album that I ahve never really connected to, but there were a few songs that I really enjoyed! Some awful cheap rhymes tho hahahah
So many singles, I forget about tracks like Road Trippin and I Like Dirt
Favorite Tracks: Around the World, Parallel Universe, Scar Tissue, Otherside, Get On Top, Californication, Easily, Porcelain, This Velvet Grove, Road Trippin'
There were some smash hits on this one for sure. I don’t find they added much to the sound they had years earlier on Blood Sugar…
They are a really good band (besides kiedis) but idk it just doesn’t do much for me. It gets a little boring/annoying at times. So much better than a lot of stuff on this list
Just such an average album that seems to lack any real spark.
Såen ca det gennemsnitlige
Not their best, but a few classics make it a strong album
Listened to this loads when it came out. Relistening now, I'm still enjoying the music - lyrics are as cliché as ever. First half is funky good, second half meh. 3.5
it all kinda blurs together after a while
Rating based on the album quality and not Kiedis-creep level.
Listened Before? Y Half of this album is unlistenable for me. It is not the Chili Pepps' fault, though. It's mainstream rock radio playing all the singles from this one directly into the ground, and then playing them some more. If I have to hear the title track one more time my head may explode! That being said, it's a good album and I'll rate it fairly. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Around the World
good instrumentation, annoying voice and vocals
Just ok
Kindle mid but its definitely not bad so 3/5
They have a sound and it’s unique to them. I like the basics - and the sound and bass/lead interplay are great. It’s just overall it kind of repeats itself. Has some great tunes but not the whole deal.
weak 3. i like dirt best song.
a lot of good songs, but way too tonally inconsistent
I should like this more but I don't. Great pieces of music though
лучше чем я боялась (переслушав рхчп в тот один день двадцать лет назад)
I was pretty bored with this album. I feel very neutral about it but I definitely know I won't be seeking it out.
Classic
B-puoli notkahtaa pahasti, kun hitit on syydetty alkuun, miksauksessa/tuotannossa on jotain vikaa kun levy kuulostaa muhjuiselta ja hiljaiselta. Mutta ne hitit! Hyviä.
Bändi seilaa sellaisilla melodisilla vesillä, jotka eivät ole itselleni kaikista tyydyttävimpiä. A-puoli on silti melkoinen saavutus - kuuntele vaikka Otherside, jos muistikuvasi MTV-ajoista ovat jo hieman hatarat.
I like the guitar and bass work, pretty boppy in places. But I don't care for the lyrics or vocalese.
I don't like saying this but it was actually kinda good. but they have a habit of adding really stupid elements to the songs which drag it down
Disappointed with it, I love John, flea and Chet but that band as a whole I don’t like, the songs are not that interesting one the whole rap rock thing is not that great here
My first album on this list was a RHCP album and shortly after that was an offspring album. Knowing what I do now and what comprises most of this list I will say I underrated both album. This is the RHCP redemption album. In this list and in their actual discography. Californication is a much more chill/poppy album that still delivers hits and deeper cuts. I enjoyed this album quite a bit and would revisit most of the songs. RHCP weren’t as cool in the 00s as they were in the 90s but I feel they are still a solid band that have made some memorable and important music over the years. 7.2/10
Leuke muziek om naar te luisteren. Beetje ska en hip-hop invloeden, maar bovenal pop/rock muziek. Uiteindelijk niet mijn favoriete artiest, maar ze hebben wel leuke nummers. Dit album heeft op zich wel een goede balans, maar komt niet voor in mijn persoonlijke lijst. ***
I think almost every dude had a phase where they were really into this album. Well, almost every dude. I never could quite get with it much. Like, it has a buncha "good tracks" but they all feel a bit lackluster in the end, it could be something really great but they wanted to stay a bit too safe and commercial. So, it's just average for me.
Great hits, boring deep tracks. I usually don't like the songs where Kiedis raps instead of singing.
Mostly good, but loses a point for round the world
It seems kind of uncool to give this album a good review but it's hard to deny that it sounds unique and has some pretty catchy songs, particularly the singles. It really does seem like it's captures a time and place (California/America just before the turn of the century) perfectly. I might not seek this one out myself but definitely wouldn't mind listening to it again.
RHCP is one of those bands that I feel like I should have gotten into in middle school or high school, but that's not to say that they're a juvenile or amateur band. I really have no problems with this album, other than a complete lack of personal connection to it. There's a lot of good grooves on here and the sound is pretty tight, but to me, this is just a bunch of middle of the road funky alternative rock. Hoping to one day understand what the hype is all about. Worth listening again? I don't see why not Initial rating: 3/5 (I like it)
Definitely had some timeless summery songs, but odd lyrics and out of place tracks hold the album back
I've had an odd on-and-off, hot-and-cold response to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' music over the decades. At times, I don't like the sound overall and find the rap-style delivery of the lyrics by Anthony Kiedis to grate on me. Other times, I hear incredible musicianship in the performances. John Frusciante is an amazing guitarist to my ear, blending so many influences and styles into his own sound, and Flea and Chad Smith groove superbly well. All I can say is this leads me to the same places I usually find myself when it comes to experiencing any art in any form; that is, much as my human mind has its tendency to want to categorize things, label them as "good" or "bad", and so on, I don't have to. I'll experience their music, this album, and any art as I experience it, and there is an infinite universe of possibilities in that act alone. Plenty for this clumsy bumbling human to work with. Today, I enjoyed most of the tracks. I hear such strong musical performances. At times, it got a little too intense for me, but that's all mood-dependent and I know at other times I've welcomed the high energy of some of the songs. And, yeah, at times I've had to pause it for a bit because Kiedis' vocal delivery was a bit much. Overall, though, some really solid music here.
Flere klassiske låter.
RHCP are a favorite. Flea is supreme on bass. Lyrics are thoughtful. 3 stars. Good but not great.
Favorite song: “Otherside”. Overall, it was better than I expected, even though the occasional rapping really didn’t work.
Overinflated score for childhood nostalgia
I honestly don’t get the hype around this album. The funk tones of the bass is good, Anthony Keidis’ voice is okay, but nothing really stood out to me. Despite saying that, the rhythm section was fire. Favorite songs: Scar Tissue, Californication, Porcelain, and Savior.
It gets good and slips into not so good. Never bad, as such. Just very unspecial. I like the sound musically. But there’s just something about it that isn’t right. I want to give it a 2.5, right down the middle
I'm not much of a Chili Peppers fan. This was certainly better than most of the punk stuff earlier in my list, but not worth another listen.
a couple good songs, a couple bad songs, and a lot of okay songs. i didn’t like when everything was super distorted
look, the funk tracks on this album are detractors, sometimes they work, but often its just abrupt between cool riff indie adjacent guitar rock. flea gonna flea. his basslines work well in smart alt rock format as well as slappity doo da daying on their funk shit. the drummer has it. he drives frusciantes guitar and keeps a menacing pace and energy. however, it just feels overloaded with tracks that dont belong. kiedis lyrics are as dumb as ever “look at my spoken word gobbledeegook, im smart” nonsense. but thats what hes known for. so you get what you pay for. this is their album for a new generation and it mosty works. good for them.
Pretty shallow stuff, but it has its moments. Catchy, too. Standout Tracks: Parallel Universe, Scar Tissue, Purple Stain
This was pretty good.
Californication is the seventh album by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and is the band's most commercially successful - being certified 7x platinum in the US. This alternative rock album was softer and more melodic than their previous albums, showing an evolution of the band. The album's singles - especially its title track - were part of the reason behind the explosion in popularity because they were played so much on the radio. This is an awesome alt-rock album that marked a comeback for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's even a little nostalgic for me since the album came out during my childhood. Great music, band, and album. The RHCP need to release another album like this!
The first part is full of hits but the second is just not as good. But it’s still some good stuff.
Surprisingly didn't hate it. I'm not gonna buy it, but it wasn't offensive. I could go the rest of my life without hearing Get on Top and Californication ever again though. Clearly, they had stepped firmly into their elder classic rock statesman role at this point.
Absolute filth
Despite being a ‘hard rockin band’, RHCP best songs are the soft ones. Sot Parallel universe Scar tissue Otherside Californication Porcelain Road trippin 3.5/5
There was a time when I would have given this a 4, and maybe even a 5. But I've grown to find the sound of Anthony Kiedis' voice difficult to handle, especially when the lyrics it's conveying are at the level they are at. That said, RHCP will always be sorta fun. The musicianship is pretty fantastic, and I've gotta appreciate a mainstream funk act. This album is front-loaded with a lot of singles and other popular cuts, but I think "Scar Tissue" and the closer "Road Trippin'" are the only two songs I can still enjoy without rolling my eyes just a little bit. Don't get me wrong, it's still one of their better albums -- top 5 for sure. But the good stuff here has been overplayed.
Hoo boy, another pile of OK. Not to mention another instance of reflecting on teenager me and inquiring to him "what was wrong with you?" While yes, there are still a couple of songs on this outing that I enjoy (namely "Scar Tissue" and "Otherside"), and recognize that Frusciante, Flea, and Chad Smith are talented musicians, Anthony Kiedis is the anti-X factor. Bluntly put, I cannot stand his herky-jerky brand of talk-singing, especially for over 50 minutes. Californication is absurdly uneven in quality, and it unloads mostly all of the choice numbers into the first half and seems to go on forever, with the passable closer "Road Trippin'" signifying the end. I didn't particularly enjoy listening to this for the first time in full since the early college days. Didn't loathe it either. I'd give it 2.5 stars if possible, but rounding up for the musicianship.
Better than the other chili peppers album...but bailed about half way through. Just a lot of the same sound
The lyrics are really indirect. I always assumed i knew what Californication was about, and that it was painfully obvious. Some of these songs might not mean anything but create a vibe. They're certainly about something. The mixture of rapping and singing does feel very 90s california. Like the melodies themselves are part of speech. Some good grooves in here. I like Easily and Scar Tissue best. These are just rock bops. Easy to jam to. Driving and moving forward. Some fun bass stuff in here. None of the lyrical imagery grabs me well. So many lines feel unhinged from the line before them. They're not taking the time to build a scene or story. They create a feeling or a sense of what the song is about.
One of the biggest albums of my teenage years. Didn’t like it much then, don’t like it much now either.
I had to listen to this three times to solidify my rating. I was never into the Chili Peppers, but this exceeded my expectations, which was admittedly not very high, however, that's beside the point. I was this close to giving it a 4, but it really didn't impress me that much and it kind of fell off towards the end. And the only songs I'll probably come back to are 'Scar Tissue' and 'Otherside', so the lack of nuance there should speak for itself.
Favorite songs were Scar Tissue and Quixoticelixer, get why daniel likes RHCP but not my favorite thing I’ve ever listened to, also I Like Dirt is a crazy thesis statement for a song to have and honestly I respect that
Bing-a-bong-a-bong-a-bong Burbank Gigga gigga, gigga gigga-Glendale
Never been able to get into the peppers. I find their swings between quasi-rap and super mellow to be disorienting. Clearly talented musicians and capable of writing good songs, but other than the hits there’s very little in this album that I’d like to revisit. High 3.
This is an album with a bit of an identity crisis. Musically it is less freewheeling and energetic than RHCPs earlier albums, but you can also see how the band is trying to mature into a more refined sound. When it works, it's fire. Like the first half, which boasts several exceptional singles. The rest of the album meanders a bit and is uneven in quality and tone. The lyrics range from surprisingly introspective and honest to inanely horny. For such a vibrant and talented group of musicians, I would have hoped to see a stronger album from them at this point in their career. Fave Songs: Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, This Velvet Glove, Easily
I heard it enough as a teenager. Didn't need to relive.
That was a show
A couple of fantastic singles but not consistently outstanding
Le rythme des chansons est bon mais elles sont parfois trop répétitives... shout out a Californication et Otherside
Strong tracks. Muddy mix.
good and nostalgic but v long
I knew should be brillian and all, but I find it quite boring.
A few good songs here. Not amazing. Just a perfect 3/5, nothing more or less.
For all the new bands and music this project has given me, it has also taught me that some of the music I used to like isn't quite as great as I remember. The hits on Californication still hit but otherwise the album is merely fine, or honestly markedly less than fine in places. Extra star for nostalgia value.
I only like RHCP in small doses and they get repetitive *really* quickly, so Californication has a tough job to tread a fine line and make me like it more than tolerate it. Kiedis' voice and delivery is irritating but it works selectively; Scar Tissue, the title track, Easily, and not really all that often. The back half of the album is poor, the first half holds it up just enough to get a 3 but they're really a marmite sort of band.
First half of this album is really really good (although part of that is probably nostalgia from when I listened to it a lot as a teenager). It's so catchy, mix of some classic indie and more funky stuff, very easy to listen to. Unfortunately, the second half of the album really brings it down; there's nothing there really worth listening to after track 7 (out of 15), which brings my rating down to a 3.
Musically it's pretty great, but that voice and those lyrics really bring the whole thing down.
Big hits. Admittedly, the first half (minus Get on Top) is great, but the album takes a DEEP nosedive after the title track. The Red Hot are just incapable of making an album that is good from beginning to end. This isn't an exception. Great singles though.
Few hits help them gain their popularity, but does good singles make a ''album you got to hear before you die''..
I know, I know for sure Ding, dang, dong, dong, deng, deng, dong, dong, ding, dang