Red Hot Chili Peppers – Return of the Dream Canteen

Hot on the heels of their inspired Unlimited Love from roughly six months ago, the legendary funk rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers return with the seventeen-track Return of the Dream Canteen, and in case anyone is wondering, the creative juices are truly flowing within the group these days.

Experiencing all the nuances, the musical flavors within each tune, and the many uplifting qualities of this sparkling new opus makes for a great listening experience, and there is something thrilling about hearing these gentlemen lock into a real solid groove and collectively fire on all cylinders. There is bitter-sweet melancholy to be found here too, but overall, the LP is simply heaps of fun, and the clever lyrics hold several quirky and brilliant references to obscure actors, other kick-ass bands, and even some of the Peppers’ own material from the past. These compositions are even more refreshing and spirited than the ones that made up the aforementioned Unlimited Love were, which is pretty damn remarkable in and of itself.

Eclectic, playful, and full of sunny grooves and surrealistic dream-like vibes, this mammoth 75-minute offering contains all the right ingredients and is a fine addition to the group’s canon of outputs. Its most memorable moments include ‘Reach Out’, ‘Bella’, and ‘Eddie’ with the latter being both musically formidable and utterly enchanting in terms of its aura. Splendid!