Feature Photo: Tony Norkus / Shutterstock.com
California rock legends Red Hot Chili Peppers had a banner year in 2022, releasing not one, but two full-length albums in Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen. The former hit shelves on April 1, 2022, delivering the hotly anticipated return of guitarist John Frusciante in a 17-track musical triumph encompassing all the elements that have endeared the foursome to legions of listeners over the decades. But the band was far from finished. Despite having just released a double LP’s worth of brand-new tunes, embarking on an extensive press run and subsequent world tour, the group revealed that even more music from the sessions that bore Unlimited Love lay in the wings awaiting release.
On October 14, 2022, the band delivered on that promise, unleashing a staggering 17 additional brand-new cuts into the world with Return of the Dream Canteen. Despite having emerged from the same 9-month writing session as its predecessor, Return of the Dream Canteen is very much its own unique listening experience.
With well over an hour of new music offered through Return of the Dream Canteen alone, a monumental amount of context bears unpacking. However, such an exercise could feasibly take a lifetime to execute properly. While Unlimited Love saw the Chili Peppers deviating from their typical approach to a fair extent – glossy ballad “Not the One” and synth-heavy Frusciante brainchild “Bastards of Light” being just two apparent instances – the album’s primary function appeared to be in fine-tuning and modernizing the aesthetic upon which the band had developed their substantial popularity.
To say that Return of the Dream Canteen takes a substantial number of risks – particularly for a commercial project and one of such magnitude – is no exaggeration. The funk-rock mainstays truly do stretch out a bit here. That being said, one shouldn’t go into these proceedings expecting Captain Beefheart levels of eccentricity, and an inherent undercurrent of accessibility should be expected going in.
For example, the opening number and lead single “Tippa My Tongue” would have sounded at home in the Unlimited Love track list with deeply rooted grooves and colorful melodic passages that paint a psychedelic sonic collage. “Psychedelia” is a term that may crop up with some frequency throughout this analysis, as it was an area in which Frusciante’s interest lay during the recording process for these records. It should come as no surprise that the eccentricities of many of these sonic exercises landed their parent tunes on the second, more eccentric album to result from the sessions.
“Tippa My Tongue” presents a convergence of classic Chili Peppers musical elements despite an intro build which, for a fleeting moment, sounds suspiciously similar to that of The Getaway lead single and decidedly non-classic-Chili Peppers sounding single, “Dark Necessities.” These elements, along with Kiedis’ characteristically zany lyrical approach which leverages assemblages of vowels and consonants coinciding effortlessly with the song’s palpable groove, make for what the band essentially are primarily serving up in this era of their career: platinum fan service.
And make no mistake, this is who all this is for: the longtime fans. Of course, the band are no slouches musically, but they are almost undoubtedly aware that they aren’t reinventing the musical wheel here either. One can only assume that this is by design.
A touch of criticism has seemingly emerged from those who purported to hope for something more experimental and boundary-pushing given the highly publicized return of modern-day musical genius John Frusciante. But realistically speaking, many of these same detractors comprise a portion of the listening public that is not likely to touch Frusciante’s undeniably far-reaching and experimental solo work with a ten-foot pole. Thus, it is doubtful that these listeners would truly enjoy what they claim to have been eager to hear: an avant-garde Red Hot Chili Peppers record.
The catch 22 affecting groups such as the Chili Peppers dictates that many audiences will indubitably long for either the furious funk rock sound of the band’s 1980s iteration or the precise aesthetic with which the group burst into the mainstream with 1991 commercial blockbuster Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Further compounding this issue is the fact that bands that commit to honoring a signature sound a la AC/DC (The Rolling Stones, etc) will, without fail, be regularly accused of producing the same album over and over.
For a band of such immense commercial popularity, one would struggle to conceive of a more eloquent methodology with which the Red Hot Chili Peppers could have gone about creating new music and the boundaries do genuinely get pushed throughout Return of the Dream Canteen within the scope of that context.
“Peace and Love” follows the opening track with a driving groove deep within the pocket. There is much to be said about the contributions of drummer Chad Smith throughout Canteen, particularly in his implementation of ghost notes and effortless rhythmic shifts. The Bonham disciple – along with being one of the most in-demand session musicians in the world, regularly recording with icons such as Ozzy Osbourne, Morrissey, and Glenn Hughes – has served as the foundation for the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988 and has since exhibited an impeccable knack for serving a song.
The mixing and production of the drums throughout both Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen warrant acknowledgment as well, as producer Rick Rubin and company are finally able to determine the proper middle ground between the overblown blasts of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik drum sound and the tepid, hyper-compressed treatments of the drums found on commercial gargantuan Californication. The drums here are crisp, clear, and punchy and do justice to a musician who is quickly solidifying a reputation as one of the best working today.
“Peace and Love” is quintessential Chili Peppers, as many of the tracks found on Canteen could be said to be. The band eschews the quiet-loud grunge-style dynamics frequently utilized in Frusciante’s playing during this period for a near-perpetual, driving 8th note groove, while throughout the verses, Kiedis delivers a top-notch melody over stagnant 7th chord guitar stabs.
It’s also a moment that demonstrates Kiedis’ unique abilities as a songwriter. It sees the singer checking the boxes of accessibility, eccentricity, and profundity without ever sounding like he’s actively attempting to do so. This point is further illustrated by a well-placed F-bomb in verse 2, which, while arguably not necessary, acts as a personal touch that is ultimately undeniable in elevating the tune’s effectiveness.
“Reach Out” utilizes the aforementioned quiet-loud dynamics that made their way into these sessions due to Frusciante’s interest in Kurt Cobain’s guitar work at the time of recording. The verses see Kiedis leading with a gentle melody in B minor that’s left to hang on the 5th as the band drops out in anticipation of the coming chorus, which explodes into the minor 7th.
Much has already been said of the promotional single “Eddie,” whose release preceded that of the album on which it is found. The mellow tune pays tribute to late guitar legend Eddie Van Halen. During an appearance on Rubin’s Broken Record podcast, Frusciante disclosed his intent during the song’s recording session to avoid guitar techniques commonly associated with the Van Halen founder, such as tapping.
The track also indicates what makes Flea such an essential weapon in the arsenal of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ sound. Driving, deeply melodic bass powers the tune and, for much of the unhinged closing guitar solo, is the sole remaining component driving the melody, as Flea is essentially playing bass and rhythm guitar simultaneously. The commitment from each member to the music and to honoring the memory of the fallen hero elevates the tribute beyond the cliché nature inherently apparent in so many send-offs of this nature. Even Kiedis, a writer notorious for his liberal use of language and phrasing in his expressions, gets surprisingly articulate and specific with his allusions here, all while maintaining the free and emotional component for which his work has been widely regarded.
“Fake as Fu@k” features the record’s most prominent and unabashed use of profanity but also acts as a remarkable balance between the early-era hard funk of the Peppers’ early days and the delicate balladry indicative of the band’s middle years and resurgence in commercial success. The track also reinforces Kiedis’ exceptional melodic instinct, which remains displayed throughout the album. The ascending chordal structure of the verses is accentuated with lyrical segments that veer from the singer’s typically idiosyncratic approach to songwriting in favor of some genuinely poetic passages such as: “Sticking to the script/ we built another sinking ship/ She’s so alone/ Never gonna leave my home.”
The contrast between the steady, melodic verse sections and the excitable funk of the chorus is supplemented by an additional dimension near the song’s end when the band launches into a droning, dark, psychedelia-infused outro coda not dissimilar to that found at the conclusion of Unlimited Love’s “Veronica,” but even more closely resembling the band’s Navarro-era material from 1996’s One Hot Minute – see the outro section for “Transcending.”
The following track on the album has become a fast fan-favorite, and frankly, is a tune that the band was remiss to have not earmarked as a lead single. “Bella” is funky, pop-infused gem which encapsulates a great deal of the elements responsible for making the band what they have come to be known as. The breezy, light-on-its-feet tune is quintessential Chili Peppers, delivering airy, West Coast vibrations along with palatable funk, a healthy dose of musical interest, and an emotional resonance that fans have come to expect from the quartet.
Despite the feel of “Bella” tonally and structurally appearing to fall more or less in line with the general sound for which the Chili Peppers are known, much is going on beneath the surface, which may not be immediately apparent to the casual listener. Perhaps the most notable of these aspects is the distinctive 7/4 groove of the verses upon which the song is built. John Frusciante commented on how the song came about during his fourth Broken Record Podcast appearance with producer Rick Rubin, remarking on the verse groove’s palatability despite its unusual 7/4 structure. He further revealed that the song originated from a bassline brought in by Flea, which Flea didn’t realize he had written in 7/4 time. Using the 7/4 time signature, Frusciante thought of a song he enjoyed himself, “Times Have Changed,” from the debut album of funk/soul group Black Heat.
A tight jam with syncopated G minor funk stabs by Frusciante over a sparse and rhythmically complex – if deceptively so – instrumental bed by Flea and Smith lay the instrumental foundation of the track while Kiedis delivers a trademark vocal melody, divine in its simplicity, right down the middle and unaffected by the proclivity of Frusciante’s chordal stabs to dance around the offbeats throughout. This rhythmic and stylistic contrast establishes not only efficacious contrapuntal movement, but an everyman quality which can bring the boys back down to earth during their more sophisticated turns but also blast proceedings off into sheer lunacy when the situation calls for such measures.
Frusciante’s highly anticipated return has caused a divide of sorts between members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ notoriously devoted fanbase, with some remaining accepting of and – in a lesser capacity – partial to the band’s 2010s output with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer while many have sworn off that era of the band’s career altogether. Still, one the discerning listener could easily hear where Klinghoffer might fit into the mold on recent cuts like “Bella,” “Shoot Me a Smile,” and Unlimited Love cuts such as “It’s Only Natural” and “Poster Child.”
“Roulette” follows and continues Frusciante’s noted use of modulations in chord progressions, a technique the guitarist attributes to having developed thanks in no small part to the inspiration of Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks. Noting Banks’ penchant for the marrying of disparate sets of common chords in pop music, Frusciante recently revealed his own adoption of these methods for “Roulette,” in particular, one of many Peppers tunes that got its start as a funk bassline written by Flea.
Next in the tracklist – and closing track of Side 2 of the double LP – “My Cigarette” has been one of the most polarizing songs among Red Hot Chili Peppers fans since the release of Return of the Dream Canteen. The track’s readily apparent electronic influence, repetitive chorus, and discernable lack of blistering stadium rock guitar licks left many listeners cold. At the same time, some have praised the band’s effort in taking a genuine chance and stepping outside of their comfort zone.
During Rick Rubin’s fourth Broken Record discussion with Frusciante, the producer makes a guess – as most listeners likely did – that the song originated as an idea of Frusciante’s given its clear electronic influence. The guitarist pointed out, however, that “My Cigarette” was another idea of Flea’s, originating from a demo of programmed drums and bass that Flea had put together on his phone.
He then revealed the lifespan of the minimalist tune, having been further developed by way of his knowledge of electronic music. Beginning with only programmed drums, Kiedis enters the fray after four bars with the opening chorus followed by the entry of the bass track. The song builds throughout its duration, steadily adding elements after each section. According to the guitarist, some such elements include synthesizers played by both Flea and Frusciante, with the pair even playing the same synthesizer machine simultaneously at one point. Notably, the minimalist guitar arpeggios that enter during the song’s third chorus harken back distinctly to the guitar tones first heard on Frusciante’s first release as a solo artist following his most recent departure from the band, Letur-Lefr – the track “Glowe” serves as a pertinent example.
“My Cigarette” closes with a sax solo by Josh Johnson, which was recently lauded by Flea, with the bassist taking to social media to declare, “For me, Josh Johnson’s saxophone solo at the end of my cigarette is one of the most sublime moments in red hot chili pepper history.”
Brass has been a recurring element in the music of the funk-rock institution that is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with notable examples of the family of instruments cropping up in their discography including “Aquatic Mouth Dance” from 2022’s Unlimited Love, “Did I Let You Know,” from 2011’s I’m With You, “Subway to Venus” from 1989’s Mother’s Milk, and a litany of other examples. This propensity is undoubtedly influenced by Flea’s own background in jazz trumpet, which has led to him utilizing the instrument not only with the Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium’s “Torture Me” features a prevalent bit of the bass icon’s trumpet work – but also with other artists – an early 90s stage appearance with Nirvana featuring Flea on trumpet comes to mind.
“Afterlife” serves up some classic RHCP funk in the vein of Stadium Arcadium’s “Warlocks” and sprinkles in some delightful callbacks to the band’s own history, including an allusion to Freakey Styley’s “The Brothers Cup,” itself a tribute to the band’s absurd antics on the road during their early days.
Lyrically, the tune is a conceptual and technical Neapolitan of approaches from Anthony Kiedis, who employs everything from his oft-utilized rhythm-based word salad technique to dreamy melodic crooning and even all-out scatting during the bridge section. The singer gets poetic with passages like, “Take from this river and give to the ocean, they gave us more than enough.”
The highlight of “Afterlife,” however, would almost undoubtedly be the all-too-brief outro section, which sees the band kick things into high gear more akin to that of their live shows. Fans no doubt delighted in hearing Frusciante let loose, albeit for a fleeting moment. But on the bottom end, Flea can be heard thundering along, playing full-on bass chords, and holding down the roles of both rhythmic movement and melodic support. With “Shoot Me a Smile,” the band embraces musical dynamics with more restrained verse sections falling into explosive choruses. Melody is king here, and the dynamic push and pull between the band’s three instrumentalists is critical in effectively conveying the tune’s idea.
The same could be said for “Handful,” a haunting, minor-key rumination in 6/8 about growing weary of the path of the lone wanderer. This theme can be observed with increasing frequency in Kiedis’ lyrics as the forever-young, high-energy frontman continues advancing in physical age, hitting the milestone of 60 trips around the sun in November of 2022. Once the pleasures of life have been experienced and experienced again, once one can be said to have seen it all, the overbearing assault of silence that comes with returning home to an empty house can become unbearable.
Mortality emerges as a central informing theme for the bizarrely yet appropriately titled “Bag of Grins.” The number finds Kiedis conjuring images of broken hips, minotaurs, jaguars, and plenty more in what proves to be one of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ darkest arrangements in some time. However, a shimmering bridge section brings the slightest hint of a glimmer of light in the claustrophobic darkness. This foreshadows a soaring out-to-section that propels the song to a remarkable emotional climax before it’s left hanging on the same nervous E minor chord upon which it was introduced.
The two conceptual cousin tunes are separated by the jittery anxiety of “The Drummer,” which features a manic tempo beneath looping organ stabs. Kiedis’ distinct delivery highlights the verse sections, each of which ultimately spills over into a lifting chorus featuring the line from which the song takes its name – “the drummer is leaning without any meaning.”
As far as the line itself is concerned, it could be argued to represent any number of concepts, including a “style over substance” approach to art, the negative impacts of substance abuse on the creative experience, or an entirely unrelated idea. The scope of abstraction in Kiedis’ writing lends itself remarkably well to personal interpretation, which is why the work of the Red Hot Chili Peppers can manage to so effectively represent so many different things to so many people.
“Lalalalalalalalalala” implements a longstanding technique in the Red Hot Chili Peppers playbook that involves eliminating the drums to create a more spacious sonic atmosphere. Such tracks from the past which saw the band utilizing the approach include “Tangelo” (Unlimited Love, 2022,) “If” (Stadium Arcadium, 2004,) “Road Trippin’ (Californication, 1999,) “Pea” (One Hot Minute, 1994,) “Three Dirty Birds,” “Lovin’ and Touchin’” (Freaky Styley, 1985.)
In this instance, sparse piano chords serve as the anchor instrumentally as Kiedis gets candid concerning his struggles as a relationship partner. Such hurdles include a propensity to embody his late, “broken” father in managing his complex emotions. Rife with personal reflections accented by uncanny allusions to Happy Meals and Cheech & Chong, the white-rapper-turned-balladeer manages to encapsulate the sentiment of the tune in a simple, yet elegant turn of phrase, positing, “And when it all seems out of reach, we’ll clean up plastic off the beach.”
Kiedis’ penchant for head-scratcher song titles makes itself known with “Copperbelly,” the lyrics of which characteristically lend themselves to personal interpretation. Some patterns do emerge throughout, however, and the song seems to be an exploration of the dark side of human nature. Specifically, the titular “Copperbelly” represents humanity’s darker proclivities.
The context established by such assertions implies that “Copperbelly” itself – whether in its capacity as a literal person or as an abstract concept – is keen on discouragement and fear-mongering, much preferring that the boldest of individuals take to self-medicating – perhaps by way of a “tub full of gin” – as opposed to actively making efforts to incite any positive change. The analogy is pointed enough to convey its message effectively. Still, it is broad enough to be applied to anything from personal relationships and one’s relationship with society to politics, authoritarian overreach, and countless other interpretations.
“Carry Me Home” stands as a high point not only for Return of the Dream Canteen but also for the band itself, as it finds the members leveraging high-intensity blues licks and techniques in creating their distinctly Californian musical gumbo. This emerged from a period shortly after Frusciante’s rejoining, during which the band habitually performed full-band arrangements of old blues songs amongst themselves. As revealed by Frusciante in a discussion with Rick Rubin, the working title for this particular number was “New Blues.”
Indeed, King’s emotive technique, Watson’s volatile attack, and Beck’s fluid expressionism are all among the detectible variables informing “Carry Me Home,” and Frusciante’s gripping guitar leads throughout the track stand as the most instantly recognizable element. Still, the unique approach of both Flea and Kiedis in their respective musical roles are mainly responsible for the distinct “Chili Pepper” flavor inherent in the band’s work.
Thunderous drums propel the affecting ballad, featuring Kiedis’s wonderfully commanding and powerful vocal performance. The song takes its time, coming to what could nearly be considered a false finish at just over two and a half minutes before launching into an immense outro section, bringing the song to an impactful resolution.
The 17th and final track of the album, “In the Snow,” is a customary closing curveball for the most recent LP from the California rockers. Just as Californication and, more recently, Unlimited Love utilized more restrained closing numbers in “Road Trippin’” and “Tangelo,” respectively, Return of the Dream Canteen went the way of Stadium Arcadium in cutting out on the heels of some bewildering balladry.
Though while Stadium Arcadium’s closer “Death of a Martian” exists just slightly outside the boundaries of what listeners have come to expect from the Chili Peppers, “In the Snow” ups the ante – incorporating an array of electronic elements and refraining from engaging in straight-ahead rock almost entirely.
Not dissimilar thematically to Canteen’s other slower numbers, “In the Snow” glides on a sparse but effective melody as Kiedis explores themes of loneliness and mortality. The aforementioned curveball comes in the form of an extended spoken-word monologue from Kiedis on the back end of the tune, which initially put off some listeners. Indeed, the rhythmic and conceptual shift from the layered vocals of the track’s chorus giving way to the offset of a free-flowing and decidedly thick stack of ideas could reasonably be perceived as jarring, if not entirely unexpected, given Kiedis’ decades-running affinity for the unconventional.
Concerning bands who have achieved enormous levels of commercial success and continue to actively release new material, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are distinct in their continued efforts to expand their sonic palette and explore a variety of avenues for personal expression. Return of the Dream Canteen would have been a commendable success had it comprised the whole of the band’s comeback material. The fact that the record follows just on the heels of 2022’s Unlimited Love is quite simply a remarkable artistic feat for which the band should be lauded.
