Description
Recorded at Cello Studios and Chateau Merchant, Los Angeles, California.
Building on the return of gifted guitarist John Frusciante on 1999's CALIFORNICATION, BY THE WAY finds the Red Hot Chili Peppers crafting an intricately crafted follow-up light years beyond the band's simple punk-funk origins. Re-teaming with longtime producer Rick Rubin, the Chili Peppers deftly add varied stylistic ingredients to a musical stew of unexpected nuance. Frusciante deals out brisk, flamenco-flavored acoustic rhythm guitar to the breezy Latin outing "Cabron," choppy chords on the ska-like "On Mercury," and double-tracked strands of guitar on "Dosed," a heartfelt ode to love.
Amid this orgy of creative rediscovery, funk still remains an important component of the band's sound as evidenced by the infectious rhythms of Flea's bass playing and Frusciante's trademark chicken-scratch fretwork found on the tasty "Can't Stop" and the space-age tribal stomp of "Throw Away Your Television". Other high points find these Cali crazies stringing a distinct Motown beat and Beatles-flavored harmonies throughout the irresistible "Universally Speaking" and adding strings to the ruminative "Midnight," with its gradually escalating monster groove. Despite the daunting, 70-minute length of BY THE WAY, the mature execution and musical change-ups make this a major milestone in the Red Hot Chili Peppers canon.
Product Details
- Artist
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Recording Environment
- Studio
- Label / Studio
- WEA/WARNER BROS.
- WOW HD Sales Rank
- #339
- Media Content Format
- Album
- Original year of release
- 2002
- Media Format
- Audio CD
- Year of release
- 2002
- Number of Discs
- 1
- CD 30days Sales Rank
- #308
- Cast & Crew
- Red Hot Chili Peppers (Music Performer)
- Rick Rubin (Producer)
Press Reviews
...Complex vocal harmonies and slick arrangements....the Chili Peppers are still making some of the best music of their career... CMJ (8/16/02, p.7)
...An even more refined version of the Chili Peppers....the music is more earnest and lofty...with a cushion of Beach Boys pop harmonies here, a somber string-section intro there..." Rating: B Entertainment Weekly (7/12/02, pp.81-2)
...The strongest Chili's album since 1991's BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK... Mojo (8/02, p.95)
8 out of 10 - "...By and large, very good... NME (7/13/02, p.36)
Included in Q Magazine's "The 50 Best Albums of 2002. Q (12/02, p.68)
5 stars out of 5 - "...They are at the peak of their game. They're also at the peak of everyone else's game. A fantastic record, full of wonder. Q (8/02, p.118)
4 stars out of 5 - "...A near-perfect balance of gutter grime and high-art aspiration....With the accomplished, insanely melodic BY THE WAY, RHCP dive headfirst into the pop realm that their 1999 single 'Scar Tissue' hineted at... Rolling Stone (7/25/02, p.71)
Ranked #25 on Spin's list of 2002's "Albums of the Year Spin (1/03, p.72)
...They may have made the years best rock record....BY THE WAY's sonic vibrancy, as well as its maturity, sounds like a band being reborn... Spin (8/02, pp.61,2)
3 stars out of 5 - "BY THE WAY presents a band who have mellowed and matured with unusual benefits to their music...jangling guitars, sunshine pop...allied to discreet electronic trim... Uncut (9/02, p.118)
Tracklisting
Disc 1:
-
By the Way
-
Universally Speaking
-
This Is the Place
-
Dosed
-
Don't Forget Me
-
Zephyr Song, The
-
Can't Stop
-
I Could Die for You
-
Midnight
-
Throw Away Your Television
-
Cabron
-
Tear
-
On Mercury
-
Minor Thing
-
Warm Tape
-
Venice Queen
