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Your thoughts on RHCP's " Californication"

MAJOR METAL

MAJOR METAL

The Beagle Father
Inactive
Supporting Member
Sep 10, 2002
29,521
21,074
Where I lay my head is home
#1
What are your thoughts on the Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication album ? I bought my second copy of the album today and it seems to be the best mix of their root funkyness with their emo side. I would say Easily is my favorite track on the album. Can you belive this album is comming up to 10 years released in the next year.
 
#4
Californication was a very warm welcome back for John Fruciante, and a great recovery from One Hot Minute, in which I feel that Dave Navarro completely screwed the writing chemistry and sound of that band. John's unique approach really compliment's Flea's playing, and they all write together soooo well. I spin Californication as often as any of my Chili's discs, and I think it's their earthiest sounding disc ever.
 
#6
phat daddy said:
Californication was a very warm welcome back for John Fruciante, and a great recovery from One Hot Minute, in which I feel that Dave Navarro completely screwed the writing chemistry and sound of that band. John's unique approach really compliment's Flea's playing, and they all write together soooo well. I spin Californication as often as any of my Chili's discs, and I think it's their earthiest sounding disc ever.
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Do you dig By the Way ? That album is very special to me.
 
#7
MAJOR METAL said:
Do you dig By the Way ? That album is very special to me.
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Yeah I think By the Way is a huge departure for the Chilis which took a lot of balls and earned them a huge new fan base. When I first heard it I was expecting Californication 2 or something and didn't like it right away, but once I got what they were going for, I actually liked it as much as any other Chili's album. They're my favorite band although Flea is not my favorite bass player-- it's just their pure chemistry that floors me.
 
#9
Definitely dig Californication. Great mix of funky stuff, chill stuff, and radio friendly singles. A few misses but a lot more hits.

That said, it's my least favorite-sounding RHCP album. Flea's tone is a little too trebly (same with the snare) for my taste and if you listen to the CD on a good stereo, you can detect a constant fuzziness/scratchiness throughout the whole album. It's almost like something got screwed up during mastering. I don't know, the whole album just has a harshness about it.

It's strange because Rick Rubin produced Blood Sugar, Californication, and By the Way, and they all sound totally different. By the Way has a much warmer sound overall than Californication (even though Flea's tone is still kind of "clicky"), although neither compare to Blood Sugar. I prefer to leave out One Hot Minute when discussing the RHCP, kind of like Batman & Robin when discussing Batman movies. :smug:
 
#10
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the Navarro RHCP's stuff, although it's still good.

I can't get over Stadium Arcadium!! 2 discs of awesome songs, each different than the next some funky, some moody, some just plain beautiful... they're unbelievable, period!! Love 'em!
 
#11
Yeah i think californication was great, but it was a needed experimentation between bssm and 1hm as well as btw, all tyhose gave them perspective, and the really brought it all together and burned the barn in Stadium Arcadium. Great Album(s)
 
#12
BSSM still by far the best album IMO.

Love it to death, such a fantastic piece of groove orientated writing from an entire abnd, almost like everyone is trying not to take any kind of spot light at all. Which is really how it should be.

Californication is also good, OHM was utter tosh IMO, Dave Navarro in early JA - fantastic - DN in RHCP - rubbish. Weird isn't it, he just doesnt fit in with them, as they all learned.

By The Way was pretty good, but the last one they seem to be going back off the boil rapidly...

Shame, they were my favourite band from Freakey Stylee to BSSM.

Back then no one over here new them at all, now everyone does, its really bizarre! Mind you you cant tell anyone that they were around in the 80's, they look at yuo like you're bonkers :D
 
#13
51m0n said:
Back then no one over here new them at all, now everyone does, its really bizarre! Mind you you cant tell anyone that they were around in the 80's, they look at yuo like you're bonkers :D
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No kidding! I have a lot of bass students that want to learn Flea stuff, and when I ask if they want the "new" Flea or the old 80s crazy Flea, they say "Old 80s crazy Flea?" Then they look at me like I'm stupid. Most people these days don't realize RHCP existed before BSSM. I would dare say that most people under 18 don't realize RHCP existed before Californication.

Me however: All hail the Uplift Mofo Party Plan! :D
 
#14
I pulled California off the shelf about 2 weeks ago to see if my feelings about it changed. They did. I used to not like it, now I'm sure I hate it.

I'm a big chili pepper fan (give a llisten to my new song on the myspace page below), and for some reason I really dislike every song on that CD. The whole thing just sounds like cardboard to me. After revisiting that one I threw One Hot Minute into my car and realized that that CD (IMO of course) blows away Californication. Like one's in color, the other black in white. Dave Navarro is not my favorite guitarist, but he seems to have had a whole lot more to offer them than Fruciante these days. Imagine the possiblilities had he stayed on board instead of Fruciante. I think their music would be rocking a whole lot more, and they'd probably be a lot less famous because they wouldn't now be following a formula that's so appealing to the kiddies.

BSSM is my favorite. Californication my least. Of the newer stuff the latest is my fav - I think I've accepted that the old Chili Peps are gone and was expecting a lot worse. Gotta say that it truly seems they're giving about 70% of what they've got now though. Play some new stuff back to back with the old... the comittment seems to have disintegrated.
 
#15
I think its a good album. However i don't think it has nearly the edge or raw funkyness of there first few albums. Personally i really dont like any of thier albums after this and think it was the final good album they will produce.

just an opinion others will disagree but i feel they simply lost touch with what made them unique in the first place.
 

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