Californication is the seventh album by California alternative rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers. It turned 25 years old 8 days ago, as it came out on June 8th, 1999. This album was important for the band and their legacy for multiple reasons. This album is their best selling album, having sold over 15 million copies worldwide. It also was the first album since Blood Sugar Sex Magik to feature their longest tenured guitarist, John Frusciante, as Dave Navarro replaced him from 1993 to 1998. Lastly, it’s one of their darkest and most introspective albums in their entire discography, and the sound of the album is diverse, while also maintaining their signature style, in the process.

    We open up the album with the funky track, “Around the World.” It’s an upbeat, positive track featuring some absolutely stellar bass rhythms from the band’s bassist, Flea, and laidback guitar riffs from Frusciante. The track features some raps from lead singer Anthony Kiedis, in the verses, and a sung chorus. In the song, Kiedis sings about how much he loves traveling the world, it’s not super deep, but it’s a fantastic intro track with a variety of guitar passages, and well-sung vocal harmonies in the chorus. “Parallel Universe,” is another solid track and I really like Kiedis’ illustrative lyrics in the verses. “Staring straight up into the sky, oh my, my. A solar system that fits in your eye, microcosm.” I also enjoy the difference in guitar sound from the verses to the chorus. During the verses, they sound watery and muted, while in the chorus they sound more distorted. The conception of this track was very well thought out, as in verse 1, Anthony sings that “underwater (is) where thoughts can breathe easily.” He’s saying that he only feels like he can live in peace underwater, even though he can’t actually breathe underwater physically.

   Following that is the track, “Scar Tissue,” which is the first single off of the record. The calming main guitar riff is instantly memorable, and I really respect the band’s willingness to venture into dark territory, with the topic of addiction. Kiedis and Frusciante both have experience with heroin addictions, and the band’s first guitarist, Hillel Slovak, died of a heroin overdose back in 1988, so this song feels personal and raw. The song talks about the tough path of recovering from an addiction, as well as the stigma surrounding it. The line in the chorus, “With the birds, I’ll share this lonely view,” represents the loneliness and isolation addicts feel because sadly, so many people cut them off or want nothing to do with them, even when they get sober. The depressing atmosphere of the song, with the mournful guitar solos, and Kiedis’ heartbreaking lyrics, make it one of my favorites off the album. 

  We continue the theme of addiction with the next track, “Otherside,” which might be one of the most beautiful songs the band has ever made, in my opinion. It’s a song that’s open to interpretation, but is very clearly representing addiction, based off of the lyrics. It’s also a lovely tribute to Hillel Slovak, and some people believe it’s written from Slovak’s perspective. I highly recommend watching the music video, as it’s incredibly dark, and to many, the monsters in the music video represent addiction. It’s a dark and serious track, and it’s admirable that the band took their own personal experiences to create a masterpiece.

   After that, is a track that is a complete 180 from the previous two tracks, “Get On Top,” which is a raunchy sex song featuring funky guitar and bass riffs. It’s a solid track, and I really enjoy how it sounds instrumentally, I just wish that it didn’t come right after two incredibly serious tracks, because it feels kind of out of place, it would probably have fit better in the track listing had it come after songs such as, “Around the World,” or “Easily.” Definitely not my favorite. Following that is another single, the title track, “Californication.” It’s another darker track that touches on the dark sides of Hollywood, behind all the glitz and the glam. The track talks about how many girls who go to Hollywood to become actresses end up working in the porn industry and how people get plastic surgery to look eternally young, among other things. It paints a very bleak vision of the industry, and lyrically the track is very well written and depressing. The guitar riffs are melancholy, as is the solo from Frusciante, and instrumentally overall, it’s a well-structured track. Verse 5 references a Tool song, “AEnima,” where their lead singer desires for rain and tidal waves to destroy California, and in response, Anthony sings, “Destruction leads to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation. And earthquakes are to a girl’s guitar, they’re just another good vibration. And tidal waves couldn’t save the world from Californication.” Anthony is basically saying that even if you destroyed Hollywood and California, the ideas have already infected our culture as a whole, and have spread, so it wouldn’t make a difference. Also, I know Kiedis isn’t really known to be a strong singer, but he does a fantastic job on this track.

   “Easily,” is a solid love song off the album, I really like the guitar chord progressions on this track, and the vocal melodies are infectious. It’s not the best track on the record, but it’s definitely a highlight, even with its simplicity. Frusciante’s guitar-playing on this album have been amazing, and sure while the riffs and solos don’t blow my mind like they do on an album like Blood Sugar Sex Magik or Stadium Arcadium, they’re still incredible. After that, we have the minimalist track, “Porcelain,” featuring low-key guitars and barely any bass and drum rhythm. The story behind this song is very touching In Anthony’s words, “I had met a young mother at a meeting. She was living in a YWCA with her baby girl, trying to get sober but failing miserably. The beauty and sadness and tragedy and glory, all wrapped into one, of this mother/daughter relationship was evoked by the vibe of that music.” It’s probably the most beautiful sounding track on the album both vocally and instrumentally. It’s sad but comforting at the same time. 

   “Emit Remmus,” which is “Summer time,” backwards, is another love song off the album, this time about the romantic relationship between an American man and an English woman. It’s not a terrible track, but I feel like it would benefit from being a bit shorter. However, I love the funky bass and guitar riffs on the track, and creative direction of the track lyrically. “I Like Dirt,” sounds like classic Chili Peppers with the complicated bass lines, and twangy guitar licks, and is another sex song. Something I haven’t talked a whole lot about is the drums/percussion from Chad Smith, his drum rhythms aren’t too crazy, but he’s an excellent drummer who doesn’t get enough credit. He also looks like Will Ferrell, so bonus points for that. “This Velvet Glove,” has a gentle sound, and talks about drug addiction and needing the help of others to get sober. With lyrics like, “It’s such a waste to be wasted in the first place. I want to taste the taste of being face-to-face with common grace.” He wants to live his life without being stuck suffering through a drug addiction, which speaks to so many people battling addictions. I like how it takes the theme of addiction, while adding a positive message to it. After that, is the track, “Savior,” which is an extremely personal track about Anthony Kiedis’ relationship with his father, Blake Dammett. His parents were divorced, and he lived with his mom in Michigan until he was 12 and moved to Hollywood where his dad lived. His dad sold drugs, and as a result he was exposed to drugs and sex at an extremely young age. By the age of 14, he was using heroin, and had sex with his dad’s girlfriend when he was only 12. Despite the incredibly traumatic childhood he had, which caused him to have addictions to drugs and sex as an adult, he forgave his dad, as seen in the lyrics, “No one here is to blame for,” and “Just like you cause you made me all that I am.” No child should be exposed to those kinds of things, and the fact that Anthony has risen above it, is incredibly admirable. “Purple Stain,” is probably my least favorite track on the album, not because of how it is instrumentally, but because it’s one of those TMI kind of tracks. To be blunt, it’s about having sex with a girl who’s on her period. It’s one of those tracks that really shouldn’t have been on the final cut of the track list. It’s easily the weakest track on the album, and brings down an otherwise strong album. Like we’re all adults here, periods are just a thing that women have to deal with, but did we really need to hear about graphically detailed sex with a woman on her period? It’s unnecessary. “Right on Time,” is a short but sweet love track that has that unique charm that an RHCP love song has, it’s not one of the best tracks on the album, but I don’t skip it. Finally we close off the album with the lovely acoustic track, “Road Trippin’,” Fun fact, this is  the only track on the record that has no drums featured. I love the main acoustic guitar riff from John Frusciante, the angelic vocal harmonies, the positive lyrics, and the inclusion of symphonic strings. It tells a beautiful story about the band’s road trip along the Pacific coast, and it’s one of those songs that just feels wonderful to drive to. The idea of getting lost on a road trip sounds idyllic to me, which is why I love to come back to this track. A great end to a fantastic album.

   Californication was a fresh start for the band, after a mixed reception to their previous album, One Hot Minute, and boy, did it pay off. Rick Rubin did a phenomenal job producing the album, and the return of John Frusciante helped the band retain their signature sound. The new sounds they incorporated were also a breath of fresh air, while also not feeling too drastically different. However, there is one dud on the album, which unfortunately decreases my enjoyment of the record. Most of the tracks are great, but “Purple Stain,” should never have made it to the final tracklist, no hate to anyone who likes it, but it’s just not my thing. All in all, a solid album for the most part, with incredibly personal and relatable lyrics, while also some lighter tracks that have a more humorous and positive vibe. It’s a great balance, and sure, while it could be more cohesive, it’s a strong return to form for the band. 

Overall Score: 8/10

Favorite Tracks: “Around the World,” “Parallel Universe,” “Scar Tissue,” “Otherside,” “Californication,” “Road Trippin’”

Least Favorite Tracks: “Purple Stain,”

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9eNQZbjpJk

Genres: Alternative Rock/Funk Rock