Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium released

Stadium Arcadium Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: May 9, 2006 Peak: 12 US, 12 UK, 12 CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.68 UK, 7.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock/funk

Tracks, Disc 1: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Dani California (4/4/06, 6 BB, 24 RR, 5 A40, 1 AA, 1 AR, 1 MR, 2 UK, 1 CN, 8 AU, 21 DF) RT Snow (Hey Oh) (6/3/06, 22 BB, 21 A40, 3 A40, 3 AR, 1 MR, 18 UK, 28 DF) RT Charlie Stadium Arcadium Hump De Bump (4/7/07, 27 AR, 8 MR, 41 UK, 33 DF) She’s Only 18 Slow Cheetah Torture Me Strip My Mind Especially in Michigan Warlocks C’mon Girl Wet Sand Hey Tracks, Disc 2: Desecration Smile (2/12/07, 27 UK) Tell Me Baby (7/8/06, 50 BB, 22 A40, 27 AA, 8 AR, 1 MR, 16 UK, 28 DF) RT Hard to Concentrate (1 DF) 21st Century She Looks to Me Readymade If Make You Feel Better Animal Bar So Much I Storm in a Teacup We Believe Turn It Again Death of a Martian Total Running Time: 122:19 The Players: Anthony Kiedes (vocals) Michael “Flea” Balzay (bass/trumpet/piano/backing vocals) Chad Smith (drums, percussion) John Frusciante (guitar/keyboards/backing vocals)

Rating: 4.018 out of 5.00 (average of 29 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Indulgence has long been a way of life for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, yet they resisted the siren’s call of the double album until 2006’s Stadium Arcadium. Sure, 1991’s breakthrough Blood Sugar Sex Magik was as long as a classic double LP, but such distinctions mattered little in the era when vinyl gave way to CD, and they matter less now, as the CD gradually gives way to digital-only releases. In fact, like how Blood Sugar was the tipping point when the LPs ceded ground to CDs, Stadium Arcadium could be seen as the point when albums were seen as a collection of digital playlists.” AMG “As good as much of this is, there is a little bit of monotony here” AMG as the Peppers churn out “alternately spacey and sunny pop, ballads, and the occasional funk workout that used to be the Chili Peppers’ signature but now functions as a way to break up the monotony.” AMG “As a lyricist Anthony Kiedis just isn’t that deep or clever enough to provide cohesive themes for an album of this length; he tackles no new themes here, nor does he provide new insight to familiar topics.” AMG “He does display a greater versatility as a vocalist, cutting back on the hambone rapping that used to be his signature and crooning throughout the bulk of this album, usually on key.” AMG “That said, he still has enough goofy tics to undercut his attempts at sincerity, and he tends to be a bit of a liability to the band as a whole; with a different singer, who could help shape and deliver these songs, this album might not seem as formless and gormless.” AMG The music is also “given a flat, colorless production that has become the signature of Rick Rubin as of late. Rubin may be able to create the right atmosphere for Flea and John Frusciante to run wild creatively – an opportunity that they seize here, which is indeed a pleasure to hear – but he does nothing to encourage them to brighten the finished recording up with some different textures, or even a greater variety of guitar tones.” AMG The Peppers’ songs are “working variations on their signature themes, and they haven’t found a way to make these variations either transcendent or new.” AMG “Dani California, the clearest single here, [is] the one thing that truly grabs attention upon first listen and worms its way into your subconscious, where it just won’t let go, as so much of Anthony Kiedis’ catchiest melodies do.” AMG “As such, the bare-bone production combined with the relentless march of songs gives Stadium Arcadium the undeniable feel of wading through the demos for a promising project instead of a sprawling statement of purpose.” AMG “Call it the rock version of Peter Jackson’s King Kong: there’s something pretty great and lean buried beneath the excess, but it’s so indulgent, it’s a work that only a fanboy could truly love.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Red Hot Chili Peppers AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/29/2008; last updated 11/16/2023.