Californication (studio album) by Red Hot Chili Peppers

From SomethingSpecial 06/30/2025 13:45

I can't recall ever living life not knowing about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They were my first obsession, one that is as strong today as it was during my childhood years. And this was the album that sparked that obsession and captured my imagination. If I could only take one record on a desert island, it would be this one.

How John Frusciante was able to rise from the ashes and team up again with his bandmates to make what I consider to be the holy grail of all albums is beyond me. But he did it, and that was just the start, as the Chili Peppers conquered the world, and proved why they were not only the greatest live band in the world, but also great innovators in the studio.

From their golden era. Lot of their best songs on this. Even the songs that weren't commercially pushed are good. That's what makes this one of their stronger albums. No real weak points.

A masterpiece

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.

Blasting and energetic

Album Rating: 81.13
(1,217/15)

Contains many of their most iconic tracks but slightly marred by length and filler. Easily my favourite RHCP’s album.

1.Around The World. 75
2.Parallel Universe. 96
3.Scar Tissue. 81
4.Otherside. 95
5.Get On Top. 66
6.Californication. 85
7.Easily. 81
8.Porcelain. 80
9.Emit Remmus. 74
10.I Like Dirt. 61
11.This Velvet Glove. 85
12.Savior. 87
13.Purple Stain. 69
14.Right On Time. 86
15.Road Trippin'. 96

Let’s start at the literal beginning. I’ve never listened to this album before and have never previously sought out a RHCP song. Yet I knew, with some pretty solid familiarity, five of the record’s first six songs. Props to terrestrial radio saturation, I guess.

Second, I think the band is tapping into an important theme here. The Hollywood allure and output is damaging to the soul of a nation, but at this point we’re probably too far gone to reverse course.

But…I’m not sure this is the right band to deliver the message. Kiedis’s lyrical style is…jarring? Staccato phrases that give the impression of giving more consideration to the sound of the words than the meaning. “Born in the North and sworn to entertain ya/Cause I’m down for the state of Pennsylvania”

Huh?

Ultimately, the individual components of the band are pretty stellar but the sum of the parts adds up to something less than what feels possible.

From C_Krug2009 04/01/2022 00:29

I don't like the mixing and I don't like the compression when its ripped as an audiophile person but the music is fire. Every single song except right on time isn't great. Gong Li and Quixoticelixer are songs that should have made the album. I love this album much for its chord progressions. The melodies are good on songs like Scar Tissue, Otherside and This Velvet Glove. If you want to study melodies as a musician, this album and By The Way, are great places to start

There are some amazing tracks on this album - Californication, Velvet Glove, Otherside. But there are also some annoying ones like Purple Stain and I Like Dirt. Could've been a great album if they had cut out a few of the filler tracks.

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.