The Red Hot Chili Peppers unleash a two-CD set, STADIUM ARCADIUM, a 28-track double album with discs entitled ‘Jupiter’ and ‘Mars’. Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante and Chad Smith entered the studio last March with producer Rick Rubin (Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, The Cult, System Of A Down) to commence work on the album in the same house in the Hollywood Hills where they recorded 1991’s groundbreaking, multi-platinum album BLOODSUGARSEXMAGIK. “We set out to write 13 songs,” says Kiedis. “But as has been the case every time we’ve tried to do that, we ended up with 30-some-odd songs. The difference this time was we ended up liking all of those songs and finishing all of those songs, and it actually became a very difficult process to even whittle it down to 28.” Frusciante explains, “Every album we do, we try to have a concept and a sense of direction, the most important idea for this album was movement.” Smith elaborates, “Something new is constantly being introduced, in every chorus or verse, whether it’s a backing vocal or a guitar part, a different rhythm or an unexpected style.”

“The chemistry was in better order than in a long time,” Kiedis said earlier this year. “Everyone is frighteningly happy at the moment.” Although he says he’s again exploring “the dark and nefarious side of Los Angeles” in his lyrics, he clarifies, “but not in a judgmental sense,” venturing, “It’s all about the joy of dysfunction.” Kiedis says of the double album’s title: “I hope it means something different to everyone, but to me, in the chorus of the song Stadium Arcadium, I get the feeling of being off in the wilderness with a large group of people creating a huge light, playing music for those people and reflecting the love that’s going on between us and them.” Flea adds, “I think we’re aware that we’re all vehicles of something much bigger than ourselves, and we also know it’s up to us to do the footwork to get in a position to receive all this energy flying around. Spirituality can be a pretty vague term, but each of us in our own way is interested in looking beyond what’s directly in front of our face.”

STADIUM ARCADIUM is the ninth album from one of the biggest rock bands in the world today, and the first since 2002’s BY THE WAY. The band hit an oil slick mid-career, but they got it back on track, in fact they made it bigger and better, they re-defined what they themselves saw. This took them to a new audience and to a new level, they took the crowd along with them for the ride, they became the radio-friendly unit shifter we all know today. But they really didn’t change that much, they just embraced melody and let it shine, but the GREATEST HITS seemed to herald the closing of a chapter, a time to turn the page.

STADIUM ARCADIUM may not seem on the surface all that different from the last two Chili studio albums, it’s one of the most related comments on opening track of side 1 (Jupiter) of the album, lead single ‘Dani California.’ That comment is ‘This song could have been on any of the last few albums.’ It’s a comment that can be justified, but those who say it are missing the point… ‘Dani’ is the bridging song between Chilis of past and the Chilis of now, it’s the song that will let you step out through the previous door and in through the new one - make no mistake this album is not the Chilis of old, like a snake shredding its skin, this band have once again confounded all and embraced their past to create a secure future.

This is the sound of four chaps playing at the top of their game. ‘Hold on!’ you say, their game was pretty high, for sure, but they know getting to the top is hard, staying there, is the hardest task there is. It’s longevity secret, to sell records, sell out shows, grow into something unique, something to be remembered, something ‘special.’ Each member has exceeded themselves on this record, it’s like each one has pushed the other one harder, like they just looked inward and thought ‘is this good enough, am I good enough, ‘cause look what HE is doing!’ Each asking that same question in their mind, each looking at the other members and seeing them raise their game even higher, each not knowing that the were all thinking the same thing. What it has created is a sonic tour-de-force that has never before been seen by the band. Much has been made of John Frusciante’s contribution on this record, but Chad’s drumming is sublime, Flea’s bass playing is so precise, Anthony’s vocal is on the nail, and John has come into his own on this record. He has become the guitarist of a generation, if this was ‘76 Rolling Stone would put him on the cover and call him the ‘New Hendrix.’ He is not of course, but his guitar work on this record is nothing short of astounding. Credit has to go to the production talent of Rick Rubin who has simply allowed the songs on this album to breathe, allowed the vocals to soar and the musicianship to shine. Many albums cite ‘5th’ members is the producer, and this is a modern classic because of it!

The melodies here are pure and infectious; they grab you ‘straight out of the box.’ The songs become instantly classic Chillis, they just feel like they have been around forever. The great bands do this; Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, U2, R.E.M. The Doors; every record seems new, yet seems old. How do they do it? Fucked if I know, but in 2006 you will not hear a band, approaching their tenth studio album, sound as fresh and relevant as this (perhaps Pearl Jam and The Goo Goo Dolls), but that’s the point. ‘Retro Now’ is a statement of fact, if you love this band, you will love this album, given a month you will not be able to live without it. If you don’t like the band, you never will, it’s that simple with bands like this. Foo Fighters is another example and possibly the closest contempory act that can do the exact same thing.

Artists this good are a rarity, and they get rarer by the year, quality over quantity is so hard to find. Lots of records I get seem to be looking too much towards the ‘here and now’, not how their record will be judged in 20 years time, and if it will be considered a classic or just seen as a sign of the times. There is no ‘skip’ button on this album, for me that has never happened before with the Chili’s, but they have found a place that appeals to everyone and I mean everyone. If you want me to pick highlights I simply can’t, from the moment that the needle drops on Jupiter, and settles on Mars there is not a bad track. 28 songs sounds like an awful lot and would seem too much, yet it’s not enough. When you reach the end of side two the only thing to do is go back to the start of side one… The Red Hot Chili Peppers with this record have moved into a ‘League Of Ones’ and the rest (new and old) must now raise their game to follow. Time will tell if that is possible, but this album will sell like no previous, and will be regarded as their best ever. It will happen, not an opinion, but a fact!

Only one word can sum this album up, ‘Essential.’

5/5