IDS CLASSIC ALBUMS:

Although '80s hair metal had been in decline for a couple years in Los Angeles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were ripe and ready to be harvested by the early 1990s. Cooped up in a Laurel Canyon mansion for two months, the four band members and producer Rick Rubin recorded an upbeat album that exploded on the streets of Hollywood Hills in September 1991. \nWhereas later albums like Californication and By The Way represent the melodic phase of the band, Blood Sugar Sex Magik is commonly known as the last release dominated by funk. On one hand, lead singer Anthony Kiedis' domineering lyrical delivery coincided with Chad Smith's crisp swank drumming. On the other, John Frusciante incorporated a piercing guitar sound with swirling chorus effects to match Flea's (Michael Balzary) signature frenzied finger-slapping bass.\nBlood Sugar Sex Magik served as the Chili Peppers' stepping stone, linking hardcore underground funk roots with sweeping commercial success. Careful not to dilute quality with quantity, the Chili Peppers discovered a perfect blend of raw energy and sophistication and spread it across 17 tracks.\nWhile hits like "Breaking the Girl" and "Under the Bridge" can't be ignored for their lyrical presence (written about Kiedis' numerous women and heroine addiction, respectively), they cordially contrast from the album's musical styles. \nAfter Frusciante's scorching solo on "If You Have to Ask," others in the studio can be heard clapping for the last 20 seconds when the oft-bemused guitarist finally masters his own riff. One of the underdogs of the album, the title track, contains arguably the heaviest groove the band has ever created. Another notable gem, "Sir Psycho Sexy," deviates from the typical four minute length. With Kiedis muttering, "I think I'll go to sleep for a while," the other three members launch into a glossy chord sequence and jam for the final third of the song. \nThis daunting fifth album from the quirky quartet proved to be a watershed in not only the band's career but also modern rock, influencing later acts like 311 and Limp Bizkit. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are due to release their ninth studio album in May 2006. Hopefully the funk scale will be turned up at least as half as much as it was on Blood Sugar Sex Magik.