The California based maestros of funky-rock-pop are back with a new and much anticipated album - Stadium Arcadium.
Released under the Warner label, the double CD holding 28 tracks and an overall play of 2+ hours, appears to offer some good old fashioned value for money. This, however, wouldn’t be the first time, and most likely not the last, that the Chili Pepper’s cram so much tunage into one album - much to a mixed reaction.
Following big hits of the past that we are all so familiar with, Californication, Under the Bridge and Scar Tissue, just to name a few, we await with baited breath to see what the new album offers and if they can live up to their past fan winners.
The first single off the Album, Dani California, lives up to typical Chili Pepper fans expectations. The slap base, string twanging, beat jumping sound compliments the formiddable front man, Kiedis’, vocals nicely. The song itself follows a similar recipe to the other big hitters forementioned.
The other star attractions from the 28 tracks come in the form of ‘Stadium Arcadium’, ‘Tell Me Baby’ and ‘Snow (Hey Oh)’.
The album, with the exceptions of 3 or 4 great tracks, is an average, ‘good’ CD that would sit nicely in anyones CD collection. Hardcore Chili Pepper fans may be left with their musical appetites wetted but still needing more to fulfill them. The length of the album could have easily been cut and still being as good as it currently is.
This is of no discredit to the Chili Peppers who, after 23 years in the music industry, are still churning out fan winning, enjoyable, and generally good music. This, given the somewhat feeble and often volatile music industry, that sees hundreds of singers and bands fall by its wayside yearly, is something to admire and behold.
