Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication CD

Certified 4 x platinum by the RIAA featuring 'Californication'. 1999 release produced by Rick Rubin.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); John Frusciante (guitar); Flea (bass); Chad Smith (drums).
Additional personnel: Patrick Warren (Chamberlin organ); Greg Kurstin (keyboards).
Engineers include: Jim Scott, John Sorenson, Greg Fidelman.
"Scar Tissue" won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. CALIFORNICATION was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. "Scar Tissue" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.
"Californication" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and for Best Rock Song.
Personnel: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); Flea , John Frusciante (guitar); Patrick Warren (organ); Greg Kurstin (keyboards); Chad Smith (drums).
Audio Mixers: Chris Holmes ; Jim Scott.
Recording information: Ocean Way Recording.
Photographer: Sonya Koskoff.
Many figured that the Red Hot Chili Peppers' days as undisputed alternative kings were numbered after their lackluster 1995 release One Hot Minute, but like the great phoenix rising from the ashes, this legendary and influential outfit returned back to greatness with 1999's Californication. An obvious reason for their rebirth is the reappearance of guitarist John Frusciante (replacing Dave Navarro), who left the Peppers in 1992 and disappeared into a haze of hard drugs before cleaning up and returning to the fold in 1998. Frusciante was a main reason for such past band classics as 1989's Mother's Milk and 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and proves once and for all to be the quintessential RHCP guitarist. Anthony Kiedis' vocals have improved dramatically as well, while the rhythm section of bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith remains one of rock's best. The quartet's trademark punk-funk can be sampled on such tracks as "Around the World," "I Like Dirt," and "Parallel Universe," but the more pop-oriented material proves to be a pleasant surprise -- "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," "Easily," and "Purple Stain" all contain strong melodies and instantly memorable choruses. And like their 1992 introspective hit "Under the Bridge," there are even a few mellow moments -- "Porcelain," "Road Trippin'," and the title track. With the instrumentalists' interplay at an all-time telepathic high and Kiedis peaking as a vocalist, Californication is a bona fide Chili Peppers classic. ~ Greg Prato
CALIFORNICATION finds The Red Hot Chili Peppers once again in the more straightforward punk-funk mode of BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK. This return to their original sound also marks the return of prodigal son John Frusciante, who takes over for his replacement, Dave Navarro. The Chili Peppers fill CALIFORNICATION with material shaped by personal and professional turmoil, resulting in a somewhat more sensitive approach than one might expected from a band whose hard-core following are skate-punks and drunken frat-boys. Songs such as "Otherside," "Scar Tissue" and "This Velvet Glove" overflow with background harmonies, while Frusciante's unadorned guitar provides support for Anthony Kiedis' emotive singing and broken-hearted lyrics.
The title track is one of the most impressive songs this quartet has written--It tells a tale of wandering souls who've lost their way searching for the American Dream in California. This sensitive showing does nothing to undermine the Chili Pepper's trademark aggressive musical style. If anything, their playing has gotten tighter--as evidenced by the chicken-scratch funk of "Get On Top" and the scat-sung approach of "I Like Dirt." The most impressive anomaly on CALIFORNICATION is "Savior," an ethereal track that finds Frusciante playing with a tone reminiscent of early Peter Green.

Rolling Stone (6/24/99, pp.63-69) - 4 out of 5 - "...tunes that tickle the ear, romance the booty, swell the heart, moisten the tear ducts and dilate the third eye. All this inside of song forms and production that reveal sublime new facets upon each hearing....Not exactly your average white band."
Entertainment Weekly (6/11/99, pp.63-4) - "...the Peppers sound more relaxed, less grating, and...more introspective than ever before...." - Rating: B+
Q (1/00, p.85) - Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 1999."
Q (7/99, p.112) - 4 stars (out of 5) - "...the band's intrinsically eclectic nature ensures that they wander into new musical areas.... [reinforcing] their knack for great, unsual pop..."
CMJ (6/28/99, p.5) - "...combines the best elements of the Peppers' ever-broadening sound, from healthy doses of power-funk...to more straight-forward rock...,revealing the band's increased strength as songwriters....Kiedis's voice sounds much more confident and melodic..."
Melody Maker (6/19/99, p.52) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...'Parallel Universe'...smoulders with sidewinding splendour, sorta Janes Addiction rendezvousing with Dark Star on the set of 'Mad Max'....hearing a veritable rawwwk classic like the title track...you have to be glad they're still around."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.55) - Ranked #89 in Mojo's "100 Modern Classics" -- "[T]he album adds a West Coast psychedelic haze to the band's patented P-funk-punk."
Mojo (Publisher) (7/99, p.100) - "...the Chili's latest riff-test should awaken even the rustiest of wedding-tackle....[their] characterful, tongue-in-somebody-else's-cheek approach still hits the spot..."
NME (Magazine) (6/5/99, p.38) - 6 out of 10 - "...they've never lost their knack for making everything sound like a gleefully sticky schoolyard euphemism, for revelling in the leering testosterone and goateed bass that stalks the world of nightmare..."