1. Monarchy of Roses
2. Factory of Faith
3. Brendan's Death Song
4. Ethiopia
5. Annie Wants a Baby
6. Look Around
7. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
8. Did I Let You Know
9. Goodbye Hooray
10. Happiness Loves Company
11. Police Station
12. Even You Brutus?
13. Meet Me at the Corner
14. Dance, Dance, Dance
It's extremely difficult, now that I come to think about it, to make music for almost 30 years and to stay in the front, as they do bands like The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I wonder what is the driving force behind such a group that urges them to get into the studio and write new songs. It is the inspiration, ambition, fame, love for music, money, record company, all the above? Indeed, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, have done it twice in their career to deliver to the public 2 massive masterpieces (with rather commercial and artistic terms), the "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and "Californication" (I would add the "Freaky Styley", which deserves to be heard). Yet, all their releases are interesting, although sometimes the repetition kills the listener.
Repetition was what I thought with "I'm with you", and said the same once more, when I heard it for the first time. And the truth is that I could easily leave the review to someone else. Fortunately the cd was lucky, and I probably, since I had only good time listening to it ore than once. The most important feature of the "I'm with you" is that it seems to have been written with mood, confidence and inspiration. This might be the contribution of the new guitarist for this, Josh Klinghoffer, who brought the youth to the table, and carries and is being carried away from Flea and his orgiastically funk-disco-rock bass. And at some moments where the songs are weighing, there come new touches to take them off like U2 with Gossip in the "Monarchy of Roses", the Cure during the "Factory of Faith", the trumpets in "Did I let you know", the pianos in "Happiness Loves Company" and "Police Station" etc. Therefore, the goal of the band to do something new is obvious, but of course without leaving their confidence, their familiar ways, what made them so great, regardless of whether you like them or not. Even Kiedis in "I'm with you", better fits with the songs (he is primarily the one who makes the songs of Red Hot Chili Peppers sound the same most of the times). And of course you should not forget the possibility of the Reds to make songs that will be heard and rouse crowds at concerts, like the first single "The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie", the "Did I let you know "(my favorite along with the exhilarating closing cd, the "Dance, Dance, Dance"), the more acoustic "Police Station" and "Brendan's Death Song".
I really am glad I listened to "I'm with you" and not having rejected it, which was easier to do and I hope to see them and live in our country this time.