Rock with Me

So as we may or may not know, I have a slight obsession with guitar players... especially bass players. Bump that, I have a thing for ALL male muscians! I like to think of myself as a Medici and I plan on being a patron of the arts or at least a muse.

Wait, let me clarify, if you can play an instrument, you get my attention. Don't necessarily want any singers around here. Now singers who play an instrument? Cool. I digress.

So musical inclination is the reason why I tend to like music that's not considered status quo. Like your typical RnB. A producer and a crooner. No musical talent, just a guy on MAYBE a Korg Triton and buddy or chick comes in and lays some vocals down. Then there's Dwele, the Roots, and everyone from 1979 on back who play/ed every single instrument you hear on the track. Of course special interest goes out to today's Prince, Lenny Kravitz, and Martin Luther cause they play the gee-tar.

Now that I've laid the backdrop for yearning for musicianship and not getting it from my typical radio stations, where do I go? From the poppy Maroon 5 on up to the acid jazz, funk infused Jamiroquai, I hear dudes playing their axes and that leads me to the latest CD I bought.

Stadium Arcadium. The Red Hot Chil Peppers (RHCP) are back this year with this double disc 28 track album. I heard it in a sandwich shop two weeks ago and asked the owner, "Is this RHCP?" He said yeah, its their latest and its funky. Indeed it is. I've always like RHCP. Anthony Kiedis' hair has always been a fave of mine (not in this pic) since my Seventeen reading days (I can't believe I used to read that magazine). A couple of months ago, I renewed my interest in Flea when I saw him and Bootsy Collins on the cover of Bass Player magazine. The guys who brought us Give it Away and the remake of the Ohio Players Love Rollercoaster are back with their 9th LP. Check it out below.

So the first CD is Jupiter.
Dani California is a rock tune with a country twang. When the chorus comes on, I see where Creed gets their sound from. RHCP are getting to be old school. They are eligible for the Rock Hall of Fame now.

Snow (Hey Oh) has a little more singing and the bass line is more evident.
I like bass.
It also has more instrumentation with flutes. Like that as well.

Charlie, love it. Its fun! Again, Flea makes me want to do somethings! I feel sexy when this song comes on. John and Flea are getting it!!

Stadium Arcadium is back to the mellow sound. I love the harmony and the background vocals.

Hump de Bump is back to the fun and funk I love RHCP for! The trumpets during the bridge and the bass line during the chorus...then the 'cuss (prounounced 'cush') section goes off with anything that can be struck. I hear a cowbell, spoons and a triangle. Get it Chad!

** doesn't he look like will ferell? or Will playing Dubya?***

She's Only 18 reminds me of something Michael Jackson would sing in his Bad days. Dirty Diana as a matter of fact. Kinda gritty to me.

Slow Cheetah, not a fan of the lone guitar line and vocals. Sounds hollow.

Torture Me, GREAT song to blast when you're rocking out on a Saturday morning! Bass line is solid and bomb; background vocals; trumpets pierce through the furious guitar playing; and the pace varies. Its like a roller coaster, build you up and brings you down to a slow pace only to rise again. Great flow

Strip My Mind reminds me of something Jim Morrison would sing.

***Did you know the Doors didn't have a bass player?***

Especially in Michigan, I don't like. Bass line sounds like something I heard already.

Warlocks seems like a slower Torture Me. Definitely funkier. I like it, I like it a lot.

C'mon Girl has the Teenage Wasteland guitar effect going. Ride with your windows down to this, well at least during the chorus. I like this one too.

Wet Sand is another mellow song. I actually like the lyrics to this one.

I thought the last track (Hey) was Snow but it's not. My ears aren't trained for rock and to some point, it all sounds the same to me. I do think its a bomb way to end CD 1. I will be back with disc 2, Mars. Till then, expand your horizons! Get some funky rock in your life!