The Pitt review of Inside of Emptiness
29th November 2004, The Pitt (USA)
For some, releasing six albums in six months would be a daunting goal, but John Frusciante (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) has taken on tougher tasks. Frusciante left the Chili Peppers in 1992 to explore other interests — namely heroin and insanity — only to later reunite with the band and kick the addiction, forging one of the greatest comebacks in rock ‘n’ roll history.
He is now in the process of releasing his fifth through 10th solo albums in half a year. It began in June with The Will to Death, and, with the exception of July, Frusciante kept pace up until his October release of Inside of Emptiness.
For someone searching for the Chili Peppers as they once were, Emptiness is not what you’re looking for. For someone who’s heard Frusciante’s solo work before, you will get what you are expecting. He hasn’t changed much, and nothing on this album stands out as being all that inventive or original.
The tone is unforgiving and anything but subtle; unfortunately, it doesn’t change very much across the entire album. There’s only so much regret anyone can listen to before he starts pleading like an overbearing mother. For heaven’s sake, how about playing an upbeat song?
On “Emptiness,” Frusciante begins with a simple beat and a simple guitar riff. He ends up sounding like Gordon Lightfoot covering The White Stripes, which isn’t good, until the song kicks into a flood of confused sound. It’s interesting, but the guitars don’t do enough of anything that makes sense.
On the plus side, Frusciante does give listeners real insight into the construction of a Chili Peppers’ song. You can see where he fits into the band’s mix and what he brings to the table. A John Frusciante song sounds a lot like the Chili Peppers’ “Dosed,” stripped of its high production quality and softer melodies. You may also recognize Frusciante’s leaning for repetitive guitar licks.
When Frusciante does pick up the pace, with songs like “Inside a Break,” he slips into a metal-esque form of screaming. But then there are other tracks, like track four, that will make you say, “My goodness, this song is only how long? I don’t believe that. Yes, that is what I am telling you. I firmly do not believe that this song is only four minutes and 33 seconds long.”
The point is John Frusciante has a few things to get off his chest. He’s talented enough that his stuff is worth checking out at least once. This might not be the album to start off on Frusciante with, but then again, his previous work isn’t that easy to get into as an introduction either.
—Adam Fleming
