The shape shifting entity that is the Red Hot Chili Peppers has experienced nearly everything a band can experience: lineup changes, deaths, addictions, rehab, near-break ups, cult and mainstream success, and on top of all of that, longevity. Three or four years gaps between albums wasn’t uncommon for these guys after their prolific pre-Frusciante/Smith era, but I’m With You is arriving a full five years after Stadium Arcadium, their longest gap between albums to date. But for the most part “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” picks up where the latter left off, minus Frusciante.
While it’s a little more detached than anything on Arcadium, the trademarks are all there: syncopated percussion with a snug bassline and goofy lyrics that sound clever thanks to Anthony Keidis’ aloof delivery. The last piece is something of an aberration for the band. Manned by Josh Klinghoffer, the guitar is reduced to squalls and bends that take a backseat to everything else. The solo is technically unremarkable and there are layers of distortion that are distracting and needless. He’s not there when you want him to be, and when he is he’s not giving you what you’re expecting. So while the rhythm section is as tight as ever, it’s not the type of debut you were hoping for from Klinghoffer.
