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Editorial Reviews

This eponymously titled long-player from the Los Angeles-based Red Hot Chili Peppers firmly establishes the quartet's trademark in-your-face synthesis of heavy metal and no-nonsense funk. However, the musicians who participated on these recordings were only half of the original foursome. Presented on these 11 sides are core members Flea (bass) and Anthony Kiedis (vocals) as well as former Captain Beefheart drummer Cliff Martinez and Jack Sherman, who had previously contributed to the debut release from Coup de Grace. The latter pair replaced Jack Irons (drums) and Hillel Slovak (guitar), who had split to form the short-lived What Is This. As Flea muses in his liner-notes essay for the 2003 reissue of 1984's Red Hot Chili Peppers, "In retrospect, the smart thing to do would have been to keep Jack and Hillel there at least for the recording process to keep the original raw and rollicking rockin' feeling we had at the time." The five demos that accompany the original album on the CD reissue serve as evidence that the incipient ensemble offered a much tighter and funkified sound, also showing off their immaculate sense of slippery syncopation and tricky time signatures. That's not to say that the personnel on this platter don't get the job done, because they most certainly do. Right out of the box, they demonstrate a musical versatility and range some fail to develop over a period of decades. This is evident from the vivid imagery ("Ridin' wild on a paisley dragon") and aural assault of the early RHCP anthem "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" to the trippy and languid "Grand Pappy du Plenty." Between these extremes is ample evidence of the band's obvious affinity for screaming electric guitar metal and involuntary body-propelling funk. "Get Up and Jump" could have easily been a Prince-derived groove, while "Why Don't You Love Me" offers glimpses into their Wonder Bread rap style that would resurface later on sides such as "Give It Away." The sexy "Mommy Where's Daddy" is altogether different, offering up a bopping jazzy vibe that is notably augmented by a tight horn section and vocals from Gwen Dickey. The 13-second thrash throwaway "You Always Sing the Same," while somewhat inane, is also a brief exercise in the Peppers' skin-tight rhythms and innovations. Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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