The spice is back, and better than before! The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ new album “Return of the Dream Canteen” incorporates old tunes from previous songs, making this release sound familiar to their older material. This was a good decision because it brought in previous listeners and fans to tune in. After all, they had heard it before.
Red Hot Chili Peppers has been a hit rock/alternative band since the 1990s. They are best known for their songs “Californication,” “Scar Tissue,” and “Can’t Stop.” Kiedis, the band’s lead singer and founding member, was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, making this band hit close to home. The album, “Return of the Dream Canteen”, released on October 14th, 2022, was one of the newer albums they released (next to “Unlimited Love”, but we aren’t talking about that one right now). Their older songs are classic, but the question is whether their new material is just as good.
The new album starts with the song “Tippa My Tongue,” which has the same tune as their older song “Can’t Stop” from the 2002 album “By the Way.” Then, they reuse old messages from older songs, like the theme of peace and love, while having fun and using wacky lyrical messages. The last song almost has a Gorillaz vibe, seeing how they are trying out new musical elements to show they can write different material but still stick to what they know.
This album is worth listening to, even if you are not a prolific rock listener. In fact, if you like “Return of the Dream Canteen,” I recommend listening to the older albums, as they are just as good or better. As a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and someone who was introduced to the band when I was little, I would say they have come a long way in their musical career. From interesting lyrics to a mix of unique strumming, they create songs that are an overall treat to the ears and listening experience.
If I were to rate the album out of 5 stars, I would rate it a 3.5 to a 4 only because some of the songs are slower-paced which I dislike, but that is my preference. The songs I liked the most are “Tippa My Tongue,” “Bella,” “Fake as F@ck,” and “Shoot Me a Smile”. All of the songs listed have a mash of old and new sounds, but don’t let it discourage you from listening to all the other songs, after all, you could find one you’d like from their many releases as they have a lot to offer.