Red Hot Chili Peppers have had many different lineups over the years, but they only really sound like themselves when on-again-off-again guitarist John Frusciante is in the fold. That impression is reinforced by Unlimited Love — a sprawling, exciting album full of playful chemistry between four musicians who, yet again, bring out the best in one another.
The album has all the usual hallmarks of the Chili Peppers: goofy funk-rap gibberish (“Poster Child”), sunburnt grunge ballads (“Black Summer”), harmony-drenched name-dropping of California (“White Braids & Pillow Chair”), and cloud-scraping fretboard heroics on guitar (“The Great Apes”) and bass (“One Way Traffic”). Longtime super-producer Rick Rubin is back behind the boards after sitting an album out, and he helps the group lean into their classic, summery sound.
As nice as it is to hear RHCP back in their wheelhouse, they sound best when they pick up the energy and cut loose a little. “Here Ever After” is propelled by Chad Smith’s pounding toms, Flea‘s dirty bass thrumming and Frusciante’s ominous tones. The song has a gleefully silly pseudo-rap delivery that only Anthony Kiedis could pull off; same goes for the “Parents Just Don’t Understand” flow of “One Way Traffic.” Instant standout “Aquatic Mouth Dance” sounds like a fairly typical Chili Peppers funk jam (think “Charlie”) until it spins off into an approximation of caterwauling New Orleans jazz in the giddy final passage. The climactic “These Are the Ways” begins slow but veers into bluesy hard rock; that explosive distortion returns on “The Heavy Wing” in a towering chorus sung entirely by Frusciante. The rave tones of “Bastards of Light” draw on the solo electronic music Frusciante has been making in recent years, surpassing 2016’s Danger Mouse-produced The Getaway as RHCP’s most adventurous dalliance with synths.
Frusciante will likely get much of the credit for the band’s reinvigorated sound. He’s the thinking person’s Chili Pepper, the one apologists will point to as the spiritual, sensitive soul to balance out the rest of band’s horned-up goofiness. While there’s no question that his sense of pop songcraft is perhaps the band’s greatest strength, his bandmates turn in similarly strong performances here: see the way Flea walks his way through playful riffs on “Watchu Thinkin'” or how Smith propels the sighing “White Braids & Pillow Chair” to an unexpected country finale with his chug-a-lug beat. Frusciante has spoken about approaching Unlimited Love without a sense of ego, and he often takes a backseat to let his bandmates rise to the occasion; he’s more restrained with his vocal harmonies than he has been on his last couple albums with the band.
The veteran Red Hots are showing some signs of decline — specifically the 59-year-old Kiedis, who has always had more charisma than technical singing ability, and here relies so heavily on pitch correction that it drains some of the personality from his voice. Stripped-down moments, like the dreary momentum-killer “Not the One” or the pop-funk comedown “It’s Only Natural,” plainly expose the warbling, robotic processing on Kiedis’s vocal tracks.
Red Hot Chili Peppers twelfth studio album arrives weighted by anticipation. The California funk-rockers welcome the return of seminal guitarist John Frusciante, while the album is the first body of work the Chili Peppers have released since 2016 Danger Mouse produced album ‘The Getaway’. It also sees another friend of the band return, one highly regarded as royalty in the world of music production: The Loudness King himself, Rick Rubin.
‘Unlimited Love’ is exactly what it says on the tin. A celebration of union, friendship, and life, all manifested across 17 tracks. Littered with lyrical easter eggs and distinctive Chili Peppers funky flare, this record is a regal return.
The comeback album opens with ‘Black Summer’. Released back in February, the single provoked a reaction due to frontman Anthony Kiedis displaying an accent many have compared to that heard on a sea shanty. A play on his accent seems experimental for Kiedis, as it would be for any frontman with 40 years of vocal work under his belt. What’s not new, though, is his gift for writing lyrics that almost seem nonsensical, yet recount key themes relevant in today’s society.
‘Black Summer’s lyrical focal points are that of nature. A theme that has seemed to weave its way through the slew of Chili Peppers records. Recently sitting down with Zane Lowe next to a scenic view of California’s shores, Kiedis expressed his love for the natural world. But this opening number is not just a tribute to mother nature, it’s a call to protect her in signature kinetic Kiedis style.
This interesting take on lyricism is heard throughout ‘Unlimited Love’. Second on the tracklisting is ‘Here Every After’, which again platforms Kiedis’ knack for fast, frivolous songwriting that is complimented by his bandmate’s instrumental technique.
An album highlight is ‘Aquatic Mouthdance’. The title of the song again speaks to Kiedis’s role as a lyrical daredevil, but this tune is made special due to the clever use of instrumentation. Leading with a funky Flea bassline met with Chad Smith’s spirited drum hammering and much-missed Frusiciante guitar licks, soon engulfed by a flurry of jazz trumpets.
Bold utilisation of instruments is not novel for the Chili Peppers, but it still feels just as exciting. Testament to Rick Rubin, who is known for turning the amplifier knobs up as loud as they will go, the album is a rock ‘n’ roll dream that still has moments of tenderness. The recent single ‘Not The One’, displays melancholic, ghostly guitar screams tied together with a slow tempo. A contrast to its neighboring track ‘Poster Child’.
Again, this seems to be a running proposition. Amongst the heavier delicious funk rock gifts on this record including ‘Here Ever After’, ‘She’s A Lover’, ‘These Are the Ways’ and ‘One Way Traffic’ – ‘Unlimited Love’ has a softer side.
The comeback record houses many tunes akin to lullabies, but the closing number ‘Tangelo’ is both lyrically and stylistically an ode to the bands evolved artistry. Many would think of the Chili Peppers as a team of feral funk rockers, and they wouldn’t be wrong. But this tune is an example of their ability to produce serene ditties. ‘Tangelo’ showcases lyrics that could reference romantic relationship’s, lifelong friendships or that of a father and son – all tied together by gentle acoustic guitar strums and an otherworldly synth that bleeds into meditative background noise. A beautiful end to a long-awaited body of work that sees four people who have been through so much together both as musicians and friends re-unite once more.
9/10
Words: Isabella Miller
https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/red-hot-chili-peppers-unlimited-love
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Unlimited Love
Release Date: Apr 1, 2022
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock
Record label: Warner Records
