Red Hot Chili Peppers: I'm With You

Red Hot Chili Peppers
I'm With You
Warner Bros. Records [2011]









Fire Note Says: Red Hot Chili Peppers return with another batch of mid-tempo rockers.

Album Review:
No one ever knows what a new Chili Peppers album will bring and I'm With You is no different. It represents the bands 10th studio album, longest stretch between records, as it has been 5 years since Stadium Arcadium [2006], and the first album without John Frusciante since One Hot Minute [1995]. That is tons of days off and change but really that has been the Red Hot Chili Peppers operational method for some time now. Josh Klinghoffer (Warpaint) is Frusciante's replacement and he absolutely does fine but the bigger impact to I'm With You is that Anthony Kiedis, Flea, and Chad Smith have an even greater responsibility than before. The record does not bring anything new to the table and runs almost 60 minutes long, so some longtime fans might sigh but the record should also appeal to the same group, as its maturity is well developed. The tracks are well penned and sung from an honest perspective that makes I'm With You engaging and more of a grower. It is not a record that pops out like some of the bands earlier work because it lacks the big hooks that previous were the Red Hot Chili Peppers gravy train onto rock radio. This combined with the mostly mid-tempo range found on I'm With You keeps you in the same foot tapping mood most of the way through. At the end of day, I'm With You is a safe record from the Red Hot Chili Peppers that neither offends nor excites as it represents good work from a veteran act that will keep everyone interested until the boys come back around again.

Key Tracks: "Happiness Loves Company", "Ethiopia", "Look Around"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Pearl Jam
U2
Foo Fighters

Red Hot Chili Peppers : Stadium Arcadium [Fire Note Review 5/11/06]

Red Hot Chili Peppers Website
Red Hot Chili Peppers Facebook
Warner Bros. Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony