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"By The Way" Red Hot Chili Peppers are in a class of their own

By Matt Seagull

This past summer produced a number of great albums. Bruce Spring-stein and the E. Street Band produced their first studio album in more than a decade, The Rising, which was composed in tribute to the heroic efforts during September 11th. Dave Matthews Band came out with a new album, Busted Stuff, which many claimed to be a step back in the right direction for the band after releasing a very poppy and un-Dave like album in Everyday. Also, Eminem continued his controversial and multi-platinum ways by releasing The Eminem Show at the beginning of the summer.

But what really was the best album of the summer? The answer doesn't come easily upon first look, but once you delve deeper into the music, and get a few listens in you, it becomes very evident. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have created another masterpiece with their new album, By The Way.

It has been three years since the Chili Peppers released Californication. The album was critically acclaimed and award winning, but more importantly it thrust the Chili Peppers back into rock supremacy after the disappointing release of One Hot Minute in 1995. So, needless to say, they had a lot of pressure to deliver another rock classic, and while By The Way does not surpass the quality of their previous album, on its own it stands as a wonderfully performed and produced album that further shows the maturity and evolution of the band.

There are two distinct styles that the Chili Peppers possess. The first, which stems from their earlier years in the 80s, is a punk rock driven, funky, in your face style that comes through on classics like "Give it Away" and "Suck My Kiss" on their album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Their other style, which developed during the early 90s, is slower, softer, and suited for pop stations, which is seen on "Under the Bridge." On this album, the latter style is more prevalent, but the band did not completely throw away their roots.

This balance is shown perfectly on the title track and first single, "By The Way." The opening chords and chorus, provided by guitarist John Frusciante and lead singer Anthony Kiedis, seem to sway the song toward the pop side. But suddenly, we are thrust into a funky jam, dominated by the driving drums of Chad Smith and the pounding bass of Flea. And throughout the song, the band switches back and forth between the two styles.

Another good mix of style is "Can't Stop," which is reminiscent of "Get on Top" off of Californication. The song starts out with a hard rock and funk vibe; the guitar chords are rough and rugged. But during the bridge, it breaks down into a slower, more refined sound.
The band members seem to have honed in on their individual talents and taken their game to an entirely different level. Flea's bass simply doesn't just provide the harmony to Frusciante's guitar; it also takes the lead melody on a few songs, like "This is the Place," one of the best songs on the album. Kiedis's voice has also matured. He has gone from almost basically being a rapper to being a wonderful singer who can belt out the high notes, as is evident on "Dosed," "Don't Forget Me" and "The Zephyr Song."

There are also plenty of surprises on By The Way that will make you stare at your stereo in shock and ask yourself, "Is this REALLY the Red Hot Chili Peppers?" One of the biggest surprises on the album is "Tear," which includes a Beach Boys, barbershop-quartet style of high-pitched harmonizing in the chorus and a synthesizer trumpet solo. "I Could Die For You" has extremely soft chords and vocals that almost frolic when they approach.

"Cabron" is heavily Latin influenced, and sounds like something you might hear on the corner of a street in Madrid. "On Mercury" has a ska flavor to it, being introduced with fast paced guitar and trumpets. The introduction to "Midnight" is a string quartet where the cello sounds almost as strong as the violin, and the strings make numerous appearances throughout the song. All in all, this band has completely matured to a different sound from what they had in the late 1980s. If you listen to this album and follow it by listening to Mother's Milk, you will think that these are two completely different bands. However, both albums stand alone as being great works of music, and can be appreciated in their own special ways.

I wasn't anticipating this album's release. In fact, the only reason I bought it was because I was browsing through the record store in early August, saw the album cover, and said to myself, "Oh, what the hell, I loved Californication." And I have to say that this album is the best impulse buy I've ever made, seeing as how it hasn't left my stereo since I bought it. Perhaps it will never be on the same level as Californication because three years ago, the Chili Peppers were in a slump and came out with an unexpected masterpiece. This time, the pressure was on, and instead of using the same winning formula, the band brought something new to the table. And standing alone, this album shows the evolution of the Red Hot Chili Peppers beautifully, and is the best album of the summer.

Matt Seagull is a sophomore journalism major. His email address is Joink25@aol.com.