The Red Hot Chili Peppers are officially back with new song Black Summer, ahead of the album Unlimited Love, that will follow on 1 April. It's their first studio album with John Frusciante since 2006's Stadium Arcadium.
The clip of John Frusciante's guitar part that the band posted earlier this week is indeed from the song and serves as its intro, shifting into the chords of the verse.
The Californians are withholding the funk for now, and Keidis even takes a folk kilter with his vocals on the verses (is that an Irish accent in the beginning?) before an anthemic chorus that could have easily fitted on Frusciante's last album with the band. Strat tones abound with the guitarist delivering a fuzz-soaked solo break at 1:52.
“Our only goal is to get lost in the music,” say the band in a statement. “We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could.
"Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.
"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album Unlimited Love, is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe.
"This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."
“The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people stayed with us the whole time we were writing
John Frusciante added that the band had begun the process of the reunion after a decade of him out of the band by playing covers of songs they loved.
“When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny “Guitar” Watson, The Kinks, The New York Dolls, Richard Barrett and others," adds Frusciante. “Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing.
“The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people stayed with us the whole time we were writing, and for me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other."
Unlimited Love tracklisting
1. Black Summer
2. Here Ever After
3. Aquatic Mouth Dance
4. Not The One
5. Poster Child
6. The Great Apes
7. It's Only Natural
8. She's A Lover
9. These Are The Ways
10. Whatchu Thinkin'
11. Bastards Of Light
12. White Braids & Pillow Chair
13. One Way Traffic
14. Veronica
15. Let 'Em Cry
16. The Heavy Wing
17. Tangelo
