Before we even get started on the technicality of Californication as album, I would like to add as a precursor that I have an emotional attachment to RHCP and I am aware I have some bias opinions. (I am also aware that Anthony Kiedis is a piece of shit). That being said, this album has always and will always be a top 10 for me. Longevity in rock music I find is very rare, more so in current rock bands then back in RHCP prime. This album has without a doubt withstood the test of time musically (technically), John Frusciante is undoubtedly a much better fit for the band then Dave Navarro ever was. John Frusciante brings an excess of real emotions with his guitar, he effortlessly switches from the funky "I Like Dirt" to the sculpted feedback of "Emit Remmus" to the beautifully lovely "Porcelain" to the clever, stadium- worthy solos. The biggest obstacle of enjoying RHCP is unquestionably Kiedis' stupidly absurdly horny (but unsexy) lyrics, e.g "To fingerpaint is not a sin/ I put my middle finger in," etc. Alas, diving further into the the Californication of it all, to fully understand this album is to understand the shallow, sunny, fun, and tragic world of L.A (I do not). I feel I have gotten off track, I love this album, the end. - HF 4.85/5 Talk about all killer no filler, opening track for this album we're introduced to the all familiar damn right filthy bass riff of the legendary Flea. Everything about this album fits together so well, Fleas popping basslines play off so well with John Frusciante mixture of mellow clean and harsh distorted tones, all held together with Chad Smith's funky, tight drums. The first half the album is definitely the stronger half of the album with more well known tunes like Scar Tissue, Around the World and of course the title track. However this doesn't take away from tracks like I Like Dirt and This Velvet Glove. Overall, one of my favourite RHCP albums and an easy listen for a Monday - MTW 4.2/5

Wow - What an album. Shout out to MTW who has told me for 10+ years I would like Pink Floyd. The track list is long but worth it - less is more for all members of the band. Maybe this is a new start...

Whilst the album title track is definitely the outstanding track on the album, it's The Who, one of the grandfathers of rock n roll, a mixture of popping classic rock, bluesy tunes and even a few slower acoustic tracks. Easily one of the most influential albums of its time - MTW Personally, I do think all MODS are pretentious and the music follows suit. However, a very iconic album that I did in fact NOT hate. Objectively too long but some okay tracks in there - HF x

This is definitely not an album lacking in bangers, Walk This Way, It's Tricky, Hit it Run but at the same time not every tracks save worthy and some I was just waiting for the track to finish 3/5 - MTW I really do fuck with this album so heavily. 80's hip hop was 80's hip hopping. Peter Piper is the epitome of opening with a bang, you can deffo still hear some of their influence in more modern H-Hip. Not every single song a banger but a solid 80%. Big fan 3.8/5 - HF x The good thing about formative hip hop is that so many lyrics and bars hadn’t been used yet. It’s the poetic equivalent of when roots rock ‘n’ roll musicians got to fuck about with chord progressions before there were thousands of tunes using E-A-D in thousands of different ways. Also fascinating to hear black men with a platform and how they are using it in the 1980s, when even though the civil rights movement had succeeded 2 decades prior, it was still the United States of America which still has endless work to do 30+ years later. This also makes me wish I was named after Jam Master Jay, and not Jamie Lee Curtis (no disrespect to JLC). And Reverend Run is still probably the most iconic voice in hip hop with Eazy E and Nas. The record as a whole though serves more as good head-bopping background music than a masterpiece of music production that you’re going to strap in for, given the progression of hip hop since. Also it makes me want to skateboard and I cannot skateboard. 3/5 - JF

Not liking Billy Joel is not a personality trait. The Stranger is an absolute masterpiece and obviously his most successful album due to songs like Vienna and She's always a woman. Vienna is one of my favourite songs of all time (alas that could be because it speaks to me personally as a woman). Cornerstone of his musical career, a solid blend of lots of different genres, although somewhat cheesy at times. - 3.9/5 - HF x What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said? One of Billy's most iconic albums with incredible tracks like Vienna, Just the Way You Are and of course my personal favourite She's Always a Woman, you have incredible lyrics, brilliant mixtures of Blues, Jazz. There's soft beautiful guitar, then the heights of organs and brass backing Billy Joel's breath taking voice. Definitely an album to have on repeat during the summer time, 4/5 - MTW If someone asked "What is the appeal of Billy Joel?", you need only play them this record. If you weren't aware of who he was, you'll no doubt have heard at least 4/5 tracks on 'The Stranger'. Very accessible music which you could play in any café or restaurant in the Western world and nobody would bat an eyelid or complain. Some of the songs are even about just that - everyday life. While I understand the appeal, this record stirs nothing in me. It's lazy to compare Billy Joel and Elton John but I'll do it anyway - if I ever needed this particular musical itch scratched I'd go to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road or Honky Chateau. In a time when music was going through so many changes and so many artists were pushing boundaries, from prog to glam to punk - BJ is very safe music which people probably needed back then when they were panicking about anarchy and glittery sexual ambiguity. 2.1/5

Before we even get started on the technicality of Californication as album, I would like to add as a precursor that I have an emotional attachment to RHCP and I am aware I have some bias opinions. (I am also aware that Anthony Kiedis is a piece of shit). That being said, this album has always and will always be a top 10 for me. Longevity in rock music I find is very rare, more so in current rock bands then back in RHCP prime. This album has without a doubt withstood the test of time musically (technically), John Frusciante is undoubtedly a much better fit for the band then Dave Navarro ever was. John Frusciante brings an excess of real emotions with his guitar, he effortlessly switches from the funky "I Like Dirt" to the sculpted feedback of "Emit Remmus" to the beautifully lovely "Porcelain" to the clever, stadium- worthy solos. The biggest obstacle of enjoying RHCP is unquestionably Kiedis' stupidly absurdly horny (but unsexy) lyrics, e.g "To fingerpaint is not a sin/ I put my middle finger in," etc. Alas, diving further into the the Californication of it all, to fully understand this album is to understand the shallow, sunny, fun, and tragic world of L.A (I do not). I feel I have gotten off track, I love this album, the end. - HF 4.85/5 Talk about all killer no filler, opening track for this album we're introduced to the all familiar damn right filthy bass riff of the legendary Flea. Everything about this album fits together so well, Fleas popping basslines play off so well with John Frusciante mixture of mellow clean and harsh distorted tones, all held together with Chad Smith's funky, tight drums. The first half the album is definitely the stronger half of the album with more well known tunes like Scar Tissue, Around the World and of course the title track. However this doesn't take away from tracks like I Like Dirt and This Velvet Glove. Overall, one of my favourite RHCP albums and an easy listen for a Monday - MTW 4.2/5