Published on May 15, 2006
It takes balls to release an album like Stadium
Arcadium.
Up to this point I had never listened to a Peppers
album, but I knew of their sparse album release record. This is
their ninth record of all original music in a 20-year career, which
alone would make this special. But this sucker clocks in at 28
tracks and two hours.
This is the primary barrier to fully enjoying
Stadium Arcadium. The long running time, by most standards,
means there is so much material that you can’t get through the
discs in one sitting. It was 45 minutes here, 30 there, and so on.
And like many double albums, there is no good reason for that much
material. It can try the patience, which is a shame.
What’s really fascinating about Arcadium is
that there is no concept, no story, nothing to hold the songs
together. This is by far one of the longest rock albums I have
listened that lacked those cohesive elements. The only rival LPs
that come to mind for me are Electric Ladyland and The
White Album, but even those records have this feeling of unity.
With Stadium Arcadium, you get the feeling these are just 28
wholly independent tracks that could have been arranged in no
particular order. Ironically, this ends up being the album’s
strongest *and* weakest point.
As I mentioned previously, this was my first
experience listening to a Red Hot Chili Peppers album, and it was
quite enjoyable. First off, the production from Rick Rubin was
tremendous; the sound is crisp and clear, the harmonies sparkle, it
is a perfect summer record (too bad the weather here in Wisconsin
won’t cooperate). Also, with the enormous amount of material, the
listener gets to hear all sorts of different kinds of music.
The Peppers original brand of funk/rock thankfully is
not ignored on Stadium Arcadium, providing the album with a
strong foundation. Tracks like “Hump De Bump” and “Storm In A
Teacup” feature some of the best beats to come out of rock in a
long time; I was consistently wowed by Flea’s bass work.
Funky music is what people expect from the Peppers,
so I was curious to see what else they could offer. With 28 tracks,
it was an awful lot. “Dani California” provides the album’s best
track, hands down. Driven by a pulsating beat, monstrous riffs, and
spitfire lyrics from Anthony Kiedis, the song makes for the perfect
summer single. The title track is a soaring melodic piece of
alternative rock, a genre the band mines fairly well throughout
Stadium Arcadium. “Slow Cheetah” is a relatively understated
affair, propelled by the soaring harmonies and acoustic guitar work
from John Frusciante.
It is Frusciante who carries this album. The sounds that come from
his guitar are brilliant, drawing from all over the map. Whether
it’s the Hendrix-inspired ” Turn It Again,” the Jimmy Page-sounding
“If,” or his multiple excursions into the blues, Frusciante never
ceases to amaze. His rapport with Flea is truly something to
behold. Kiedis is no slouch, sounding at times like a young Ian
Anderson, and he makes up for his lack of range with
conviction.
There are some truly glorious moments on Stadium
Arcadium that managed to send chills down my spine. The thrilling
climax to “Wet Sand,” after the intense build up of the track,
explodes into a soaring chant backed by what I can only describe as
a harder version of George Harrison’s “Piggies.” “Death Of A
Martian,” is probably the best tribute to a dead pet I could think
of, drawing from the space-rock of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. The
soaring background vocals on “Snow (Hey Oh)” make it worth
listening to for them alone.
I’ve been listening to Stadium Arcadium
non-stop since it was released. At first, I didn’t anticipate
plowing through 28 tracks, but that quickly changed. Yes, it is a
long album, and it probably shouldn’t have been. But I’ll be damned
if I have heard a set with such length maintain such a high level
of quality in a long time. Stadium Arcadium, provided you
have the time, offers a wealth of treasures.