So that song was originally performed by Robert Johnson, however a perhaps more famous version can be found on Red Hot Chili Pepper's killer album 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' from 1991, and fittingly, describes the covering band quite well, even incorporating half their name. Twenty years on, and more than five years since 'Stadium Arcadium', the Chili Peppers are back, and I've gotta say the new album 'I'm With You' is pretty awesome - a surprising, and quite interesting change for the band.
Is that pop-rocks inside that pill? No wonder the fly wants it.
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Often Australia gets left behind, with albums, games or movies being released any time from a couple days later, to a couple months later than the rest of the world...or sometimes not at all (looking at you Rock Band 2). On this occaition however, we got it 2 -4 days before the rest of the world, depending where you are...suck it world! The first single, 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie' was released just over a month earlier, although it did get leaked 3 days before the official release date. I remember trying to resist listening to the leaks so I could hear it officially on the radio, only to miss the launch anyway...but when I did finally hear it, I was surprised. It took a bit of warming to, but I do quite enjoy it. *Insert inappropriate sexual analogy*. The bass certainly has a funky groove to it, as expected after reading so many reviews about it from MTV, Rolling Stone etc. Flea does his job well.
Flea's stage face.
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Then came the waiting game for the rest of the album to be released. And then it happened, on my girlfriends birthday as well (no, I didn't get it for her as a present, but I did drag her to the shop when I went and got it). Popped it in the CD player to hear feedback, fret noises, and deep drum beat for the intro of Monarchy of Roses - I was hooked. Full of distortion and some neat voice effect on Anthony, I was surprised, when the so far 'heavy' song suddenly sprung into a lively 80's dance type song. Then went back to heavy...then back to lively, then a kick ass heavy solo, then a solid rock outro. I know you should judge a book by it's cover, but for one, this isn't a book, and secondly I wasn't judging by the cover anyway, but rather by the first song on it. And I was correct, not that any of the songs were at all similar to the first one...but they were all really good. The remainder of the album consists of some funky songs, some ballad type songs, some up-beat songs (not to be confused with beat-up songs), some hip-hop/rap type songs and are all great, solid songs.
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New member of the Chili Peppers. Yes, he's an elf.
Or pixie...? |
With such big shoes to fill in Frusciante's wake, Josh has filled the role amazingly well as the new lead guitarist. A lot of fans weren't keen on the idea, saying the Chili's shouldn't continue, or use a different name cos it won't be the same without John. Well, considering Frusciante wasn't the original guitarist to begin with, they don't have much of a point. Besides, the fact that the Chili Peppers change guitarists like Hogwarts changes Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers...I'd think it'd be a welcome change in the tradition of the band. I think Josh does an awesome job on the new album. He brings a new, fresh feel to their music, but at the same time it's still the Chili Peppers. And he fills in on backing vocals with a unique voice as well. I'm looking forward to seeing him play with the band live. Which I would've been able to do on the 30th with the rest of the world, but the whole 'Australia being left out thing' came back and hit us, just after we thought we got lucky with the early album release. Now, we have to wait until freaking October for a 'live' performance of I'm With You'. You can hardly even call it delayed broadcast. The show is said to be the only live performance of I'm With You in it's entirety from start to end, and will include a selection of some of the bands greatest hits as well...guess I'll just have to wait. Sure, it's not a proper live concert anyway, but it's better than nothing, and there's no saying when the Red Hot Chili Peppers will make their way to Australia.
Yeah...I wouldn't come here either.
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So that's me on the new album. And whilst the rumour that Guitar Hero was brining out a Red Hot Chili Peppers game remains just that, you can enjoy an 8 track Red Hot Chili Peppers download for Rock Band, on top of the entirety of Blood Sugar Sex Magik previously released for the game. Results from the last poll are also in. When it comes to space travel, no one wanted to stay here on Earth (and why would you), equal last with the Planet Express Spaceship from Futurama. Equal third with 1 vote each was the NASA Shuttle and Virgin Galactic. Second with 2 votes was the Millennium Falcon, and in first place was the Tardis scoring 3 votes. Of course these polls don't mean too much with only 7 or so votes being received...but they're fun. And you never know when you're gonna end up 1 of the last 7 people on Earth. Sure enough you'll have to decide how everyone escapes and takes to space...
Chris.
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