Come Back Wearing A Smile (The Godfatherecords G.R. 699)
E-Werk Cologne Germany August 30, 2011
(73:36) Monarchy Of Roses, Factory Of Death, Brenden’s Death Song, Ethiopia, Annie Wants A Baby, Look Around, The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie, Did I Let You Know, Goodbye Hooray, Happiness Loves Company, Police Station, Meet Me At The Corner, Dance, Dance, Dance, Me & My Friends, Give It Away
After a three year hiatus the Red Hot Chili Peppers released the I’m With You record, their tenth release and first with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, in August 2011. After a few warm up dates in California the band hit a few festivals in Asia before heading to out for a European tour, the recording featured here is the first night of the latter. It was a special gig at E-Werk that was broadcasted to theatres around the world, the recording featured is a excellent soundboard recording from the broadcast and sounds like an official release and to boot the band plays the full I’m With You record minus Even You Brutus?
Although the record charted at the top of the charts reviews were mixed, in the live setting the music open up and is much more enjoyable, in this reviewers opinion, than the official release. Flea tells the audience they will be playing the new record and garners much applause and the band plays one of my favorites, Brendan’s Death Song. The song starts off mellow with a melancholy musical feeling and introspective lyric but the song picks up momentum after Josh plays a wild solo the Flea takes off and tears it up on the bass and Chad Smith responds with some incredible drumming. The trade mark funk inspired music is especially evident on Ethiopia and Look Around, the latter being fast and furious that gets a loud response for the audience.
Just before The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie Flea leads the band on a quick impromptu version of Edgar Winters Frankenstein that works as a perfect opener for the former, Flea is in a good mood and interacts with the crowd for much of the night. Did I Let You Know has a almost salsa type feel with a cool trumpet solo while Flea plays some crazed notes and Josh with an almost psychedelic guitar solo, go Jan and Dean on you for sure. at the songs conclusion Flea announces he has sweaty testicles and plays the piano intro to Happiness Loves Company that gets the audience clapping along but it is Police Station that blows me away, the song has an incredible vibe and lyric supposedly about singer Anthony Kiedis seeing former friends who’s luck has turned with obvious reflections to his past involvement with narcotics.
The last two songs are from the bands back catalog, Me & My Friends from The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Give It Away from the Blood Sugar Sex Magic record tear the place up and finish the concert and CD in fine fashion. The I’m With You record has a more mature sound to it than previous records and after repeated listening to the show I found myself drawn to it over and over, it has a nice flow to it, you can put it on and go with it. The band itself is incredible live, Flea and Chad Smith and incredible to listen too, they are simply at the top of their craft and this show will obviously appeal to the bands fans and people who can appreciate good musicianship.
The packaging is the standard tri fold sleeve with some cool live shots from the gig on the inside cover, a nice break to all the hard rock and metal that has been filling my CD player lately.
