Stadium Arcadium [2] - Red Hot Chili Peppers Album Review

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Album Review

The stonewall funk rockers bid to keep their colourful story building with this 28 track epic of funk rock with a smooth edge that is split into two CDs, 'Jupiter' and 'Mars'. Fuzzy bass solos, Anthony Keidis' commanding and trouble-laden vocals and an orbiting instrumental lift combines to exude defiance and soul. This is only the first track 'Dani California' covered, as it appears that in the nigh on four years hiatus since 'By The Way', the Chilis have been delving deeper than body exhumers to provide another display of their song writing and building prowess. The pensive marathon of the title track shows that it has been a time of stock-taking for the stadium rockers in the run to this album, but their frivolous buoyancy returns temporarily in 'Hump de Bump' that sees them re-visiting their 'Mother's Milk' sound. The slow burning 'Strip My Mind' puts the atmospheric contemplation in a nutshell with help from deft, pulsing percussion.

'Desecration Smile' starts the second CD off in a pensive and rambling style, as Keidis uses a weaving acoustic element and soulful vocal backing to portray feelings of emptiness and bemusement. This sees the Chili's taking a step forward and letting the power of the words take over from their usually hard-hitting instrumental release. This is a general theme on 'Mars' and it does build more of a tempo than the first CD, with the insightful, funk fuelled '21st Century' demonstrating that Flea's biting bass-lines have lost none of their sting, but are more sparingly used these days and this helps to add to their impact. Flea, who in the band's interlude between albums has vociferously spoken out against Bush and his military policies, seems content to mainly lay in the wings cushioning the sound, as oppose to toeing it along, like in the past.

The raw provocation that has epitomised the Chilis over time returns in the epic 'Animal Bar', seeing masculinity gush back into the vocals and a sliding guitar solo gives it a frolicking feel. The momentum builds wickedly into a bold and freewheeling rock foray 'So Much I', with the coup de grace being snappy lyrical bite;

Rip it out now shake your hips, backing off the apocalypse.
I gotta losen up, I gotta losen up to get my grip.

Those who still hug 'Give It Away' as though they never want it to go away will embrace 'Storm In A Teacup' with passion. This number resurrects the spirit of the aforementioned classic and shows that despite wandering off in a more expansive direction they are still at one with their roots. 'Stadium Arcadium' is certainly going to test the concentration of the two minute rock fan base that the 4 strong LA troupe holds a lion share of. There will be moments when even the most attentive wander off. However, this prolonged collection will always lure you back into the foraging mindset of a band that is slowly climbing the rope to iconic status.

David Adair