Stylus

30th June 2004, from stylusmagazine.com (USA)

John Frusciante’s music (much like the man himself) has sometimes lacked a clear sense of focus and direction. Sometimes he’s worryingly floated so far from rock conventions or melody that you feared he wasn’t ever going to come back. Despite this criticism, though, there hasn’t yet been a Frusciante record that can be said to lack enough energy, commitment and intimacy to make it an unworthy investment of time. Except now. One of the most unassuming and unimposing projects he’s ever done, coming as it does between the professional production job on Shadows Collide with People and his much anticipated PiL-esque Fugazi collaborations later this year, The Will to Death is the first dip on Frusciante’s upwards evolution. His intention here was to create something unpolished and free of studio edits, acting as contrast to Shadows. His result, unfortunately, reeks of squandered potential.

According to Frusciante’s website, these songs were laid down by John and friend Josh Kilnghoffer over five days (wherein all songs were fully recorded and mixed in as few takes as possible). Done in order to capture the early energy of the tracks, they packaged it up complete with errors and smudges. As an experiment to harness the charm and the tiny idiosyncrasies that make the first few takes of a song so (allegedly) magical, Will to Death shows just the opposite. The yeasty impression generated by the first few tracks nag at the rest of the record. Even when it settles into a stretch of subtly impressive songwriting, each exception still exudes an unfinished and demo vibe. It becomes clear very quickly that there has been no such capture and transfer of ‘magic’ and the long haul of the album won’t flip into a thrilling ride using the obvious pop sensibilities of his day job at Chili Pepper Towers or even the strung out guitarrorist assault (or, alternatively, delicacy) of his more experimental solo works.

The subdued (read: lazy) sound of songs like “A Doubt”, “A Loop” and “Far Away” and the aura of a defiantly analogue production don’t automatically translate into bright melodic rock, instead sending the music straight into a sub MOR-Rock category. It’s possible that overdubs, more mature alternative takes or even rewrites could’ve ironed out the inadequacies or bolstered flagging melodies with some punchy playing but it seems unlikely he’ll ever revisit these songs (seeing as it would go against the basic tenets that define the whole project). Bizarrely the last three tracks manage to actually bring the idea to fruition, while still sounding incredible. You can’t help thinking he sequenced these songs as the album’s closers for a reason (although if there is an implied journey in the sequencing it’s not nearly obvious enough). Beginning with the clear and endearing vocal of “The Days Have Turned”, balanced by his elegant picking and a sharp clipped break, he falls into the swoonsome drifting road music of the Niandra…-sounding instrumental “Helical”. He ends the album on a definite high with one of his finest songs to date, “The Will to Death” which combines a fresh sounding take with an honest, soulful simplicity which makes the rest of the songs sound even more detached and, on occasion, emotionally illiterate.

It’s hard to believe that someone as undoubtedly passionate and intense about the art of music as John Frusciante doesn’t mean or believe what he says, and this only adds to the feeling that this album is a needless short-changing of his talent. It’s ridiculously early (and downright insane) to begin to write him off on the strength of The Will to Death because the very flaws which sink the album are all due to his adherence to the experience of the recording process experiment.

An unnecessary shot in the foot, though luckily not both barrels.

5 out of 10

—Scott McKeating

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