Sun Herald
29th July 2004, The Sun Herald
Singer Anthony Kiedis and funk master bassist Flea are the two most visible members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but guitarist John Frusciante often adds just the right sounds to flesh out their songs.
This solo album was released earlier this year; and it seems slightly schizophrenic, jumping from genre to genre easily. The problem is that the musicianship is great (Fru/guitars, keys, bass, vocals; John Klinghoffer/ditto; Chili-man Chad Smith/drums, and selected others); but things aren’t very distinctive.
The opener (“Carvel”) sets the tone with bubbling noises beginning and ending the song. There are also songs that sound like the mellower side of John’s main band, and he sings them well. I mention the noise because there is a lot lurking about; one song is nearly all organ squeaks and swirls.
There’s even a song with my name as its title, which has a low-key acoustic beginning, and ends without jamming or sound effects; thus, it comes off cooler than most. Before the album’s release, I listened to mostly-acoustic sound samples on John’s Web site that benefited from the stripped-down treatment. A good quality of these songs is that they lack the whiny or growled vocals that make us cringe.
Fans of modern rock will find a lot to like about this recording, though it occasionally leans into mellow-land and has frequent dips into lyrical psychobabble. Visit www.johnfrusciante.com or check your favorite store.
by Ricky Flake
