With the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, “I’m With You,” comes a new style and a new guitarist: Josh Klinghoffer, previously of Dot Hacker and Ataxia, in which he collaborated with former guitarist John Frusicante.
Klinghoffer joined the band in 2007, on the last leg of the Stadium Arcadium Tour.
This may be the first album with Klinghoffer but the legendary Rick Rubin still adds his sound by producing the album.
Perhaps because of Frusicante’s departure from the band back in 2009 and the release of their 10th studio album marks the bands biggest gap to date between studio albums, five years since 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium.”
The new RHCP album starts with “Monarchy of Roses,” a song with a heavy rhythm section intro and leads into the first glimpse of the new guitar sound of Klinghoffer.
It’s pretty obvious from the start that the sound of RHCP has changed substantially with the departure of Frusicante.
The new sound of Chili Peppers is good, but when you think RHCP you tend to just expect a certain style to come of it.
I don’t know if the change is going to excite fans or agitate them, but only time will tell.
With the new album, there is more emphasis on the rhythm section especially with the second track of the album “Factory of Faith,” with bassist Michael Balzary, better known as Flea, and longtime drummer Chad Smith.
The beginning of the album is more melodic and slower paced, with tracks like “Brendan’s Death Song” and “Ethiopia,” while the middle of the album hits a faster pace with tracks such as “Look Around.”
The album’s single, “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie,” is a mediocre song, and I feel it is the weakest part of the album.
The album picks back up with “Did I Let You Know,” and leads into “Happiness Loves Company,” which starts off with a piano intro and is an upbeat song.
“Police Station” brings the album back down to a slow pace.
Finishing off the album is “Dance Dance Dance,” which ends the album on a steady note.
The album is very strong album overall.
It seems stronger than their previous “Stadium Arcadium.”
The most disappointing part of this album is the single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie.”
Even with Frusciante absent, this is a solid album.
This could be a turning point for the Red Hot Chili Peppers career with a new guitarist and a new sound and their ceiling seems limitless.