Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love
Since 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Majik – their first major commercial success – the Red Hot Chili Peppers have fervently churned out music. Their 12th studio release welcomes back producer Rick Rubin, last seen in 2011’s I’m With You, and John Frusciante, the prodigal guitarist. Frequently coined the pioneer of the Chili Pepper sound, Frusciante is credited for smoothing their cock-rock creases when he joined in 1989. His journey, however, has been anything but smooth, quitting for the second time after their 2009 Stadium Arcadium tour. His recent return doesn’t exactly squeeze anything new out of the band; instead, it epitomises the qualities that solidified their success decades ago. The many veins of Unlimited Love form a familiar playground of rollicking red-hot rock.
The band’s allure remains in their invitation to witness unlimited (literally) jamming, from boisterous to whimsical, and always frisky. Unlimited Love is several tracks too long and consequently feels like a kickback rehearsal session, a dabbling in their most memorable streaks, be it the moody yet spiritual Californication or Freaky Styley’s funk, all spurred by the joy of a gang reunited. They have energy but seem too preoccupied with pleasure to direct it succinctly. Some might argue that honed skill and collective age could now have been put to better use, but evidently, age is no hindrance in the rock ‘n’ roll high life.
In terms of sound, they are only comparable to themselves, cruising through wavy melodies, Frusciante’s slick guitar licks, Flea’s tireless bass and Keidis’s crammed rap-rock, unashamedly vulgar lyricism (of which he shows no sign of outgrowing). Black Summer, the glittering opening single drawing on Australian wildfires, is a safe summary of the road trip riffs to follow. The Earth anxiety continues in The Great Apes, a somewhat random tribute to the animal, powered by frenetic guitar and a booming chorus. There is a meaty handful of classic Chilli Pepper compositions – monotonous quickfire verses revved up to then burst into melodic chorus hooks – but the sheer quantity of these tracks means most of them struggle to stick.
There are exceptions: Let ’em Cry, to name one, is a gooey, bluesy concoction of refined instrumentation, both bass and guitar admirably refined and artfully interweaved. But chaos always lingers close by, and Aquatic Mouth Dance is about as absurd as its name. A confusion of styles, its octopus limbs of horns, bass, guitar and drums all fumble for recognition amidst staccato lyrics. A tribute to California is classically nostalgic in the mellow White Braids and Pillow Chair, which swings with their well-mastered breezy melancholy, but sentiment falls short in Not the One, an insipid sequence of chords stretched beyond effect. The album closes with Tangelo, a downbeat but touching ballad, even if simply as relief that the waters have stilled long enough to let lyrics like “the smile of a knife is seldom befriending” ripple over you.
The combined result of this album is that little grabs attention – but maybe the goal isn’t to listen in one sitting. Unlimited Love is ultimately a good time, a revelling in Frusciante’s return, which has undoubtedly resurrected the archetypal Chili Pepper spark. Musically matured but no more aged in spirit than their arena shuddering past, they may have been frolicking in a hedonistic reality too long to surprise listeners anymore, but who is going to refuse more content of what they do best?
Georgia Howlett
Unlimited Love is released on 1st April 2022. For further information or to order the album visit Red Hot Chili Peppers’ website here.
Watch the video for the single Black Summer here:
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