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The apex of the band's new growth comes at the end of the album. RHCP are in lock-step with their punk-funk rock and roll heyday, and Frusciante is the guitar gasoline to their Flea and Chad Smith's bass and drum spark-plugs. Like "Knock Me Down," "Under The Bridge" and Californication's "Scar Tissue," "Road Trippin'" contemplates the RHCP past while making good on a future of creativity. Belting out "Romping and stomping 'cause I'm in my prime" with the band in full bore behind him, you can tell that, this time, they mean it. For the Peppers, it was a way to say goodbye to a decade with one of their best albums. "Around The World," "Get On Top" and "I Like Dirt" pound like the band's best, while "Otherside," "Emit Remmus" and the title track boast mature songwriting.
I played this song over and over at the end of 1999, because it made me think that the path to the new century might be a bright one. Starting off with squalling guitars and Anthony Keidis letting loose a banshee wail, he soon launches into the first verse. "Californiacation" was the sound of a band that was now mature but not mellowed.John Frusciante, who'd left the band for the "One Hot Minute" album, had cleaned up and returned to the fold, and his presence is immediately felt. Comprised mostly of Frusciante's acoustic guitar and an unusually soulful vocal by Keidis, "Road Trippin'" is smooth and clean, a statement that not only applied to the music, but to the players themselves.
The Chili Peppers light up the studio again on Californication. One of the few CD's I learn something new every time I listen.
Certainly John Frusciante's return is a major factor in this album's success, as is Rick Rubin's consistent production. Still, a solid alterna-rock album and one of their best so far, although not quite the classic that "BloodSugar" was. A companion album to '91's "BloodSugarSexMagik", effectively wiping out their mid-90's album "One Hot Minute", which tanked commercially and critically. My one reservation is that the record is front-loaded: all the singles and strongest tracks appear at the beginning of the disc.
Again, there are different feels to each of these; compare the intensity of 'Otherside' versus the very restrained 'Procelain'. And the band in general have re-thought their whole approach, clearly realising that the rather ham-fisted experimentation of 'One Hot Minute' was a dead end. However, the remainder of the band have improved their approach as well. There are literally no weak songs or awkward moments to be heard here. It's pretty much the perfect album, and it fits together well considering the diversity of the individual tracks. His diversity comes as a welcome change from the rather stiff Dave Navarro, whose style just wasn't suited to the band. Most people credit the return of John Frusciante for the turnaround, and it's true he makes a big difference.
Reflecting the band's increased maturity, these songs are much more melodic than similar tracks from 'Blood, Sugar.'.2) Mellow ballads ('Otherside', 'Porcelain', 'Road Trippin', 'Californication'): these are all strong songs, and work much better than 'My Friends', for example. 3) The mid-tempo songs with a more pop/rock influence ('Scar Tissue', 'Easily', 'This Velvet Glove'): really strong hooks and melodies in these songs. 'Scar Tissue' was a deserved hit, and the other two songs are hidden gems of the album.4) While the band have basically airbrushed 'One Hot Minute' out of their history, hints of that album's sound are evident in the straightforward hard rock of 'Parallel Universe' and the vaguely prog-rock 'Saviour', with its shifting moods and tempos. If you wanted to be really picky, you could argue that 'Porcelain' is a bit under-developed, and 'Ride On Time' something of a throwaway, but that's all. On the surface, they seem to return to the sound of 'Blood, Sugar.', but there is a clear development and maturity on display here, and some subtle twists and turns that work surprisingly well. The band sound equally comfortable on everything from the most frantic rap/metal to the tenderest ballads. With 'Californication', the Chili Peppers reminded everyone why they were one of the best rock bands of the 90's.
Basically there are four different styles on the album:1) The old-school rap/funk/rock Peppers sound ('Around The World', 'Get On Top', 'Emit Remmus', 'I Like Dirt', 'Purple Stain', and 'Ride On Time'): A clear return to their early sound, but these songs are all given slightly different moods and feels.
Frusciante displays a surpising range of influences, varying his playing from metallic shredding to tender, melodic solo work.
Anthony Kiedis' singing is much stronger, and there are some surprisingly strong backup vocals and harmonies on many tracks.
The frenetic 'Ride On Time' is different from the rock-oriented 'Emit Remmus', which is different again from the sexy/funky 'Purple Stain'.
This is simply one of the best albums of the decade, and is an essential purchase.
The album also looks forward to the more sophisticated direction of 'By The Way'.
After the lacklustre 'One Hot Minute', the Chili Peppers got their mojo back in the best possible way with 'Californication'; their best and most consistent album.
Also, Kiedis' lyrics are a bit more thoughtful and emotional than before.
And everything works.
Everything that's worth listening to again and again is on their greatest hits, 4 or 5 great tracks on this album but others aren't worth listening to again.
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