John Frusciante
To Record Only Water for Ten Days
Warner Bros.
Having completely turned a 180 from his strung-out mid-‘90s period, where his first two solo albums languished in the quagmire of left field experimentation, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has triumphed from obscure drug hell and returned to the fold. Eschewing the trademark funk-heavy sounds of his day job, Frusciante once again retreats to the lo-fi subtleties that saturate much of this record.
Title notwithstanding, an amalgam of sounds are explored, all under the direction of Frusciante. Strings, analog synths, and drum machines serve as sturdy support under the acoustic ramblings on the amazingly lucid “The First Season,” and one of the records many highlights, “Remain.” The guitarist has given himself full control, lyrically and musically, and the true, all-around talent of Frusciante shines through on nearly every track. Exorcising the spirits of New Order and Johnny Cash, with the soul of blues legends past, John Frusciante has escaped his past demons to create an innocent beauty that is missing in most music today.
Warner Bros. Records, 3300 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA, 91505-4694, http://www.wbr.com
