Blood Sugar Sex Magik

[Shagg]

http://home.nikocity.de/planetbrain/Daten/Lyrics/Rhcp/bssm.jpg

The Red Hot Chili Peppers 5th studio album that launched them to stardom back in 1991, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, is #310 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and is one of my favorite albums. This album contains slow ballads, fast funk-beats, and sex-filled lyrics... which is what makes it what it is. All 17 songs (even a cover of Robert Johnson) is great, and the B-sides (like Soul To Squeeze, Sikamikaniko, and Fela's Cock) make the Album even greater. It's slower songs (I Could Have Lied, Under The Bridge, Soul To Squeeze, and Breaking the Girl) are beautiful and melodically creative, whilst the funkier songs (If You Have To Ask, Apache Rose Peacock, Sir Psycho Sexy, and more) are great songs to air guitar and bob your head to. Flea's poppin' bass gives the Chili Peppers their unique sound, and John Frusciente's guitar gives the album texture and creativity that it needed. Chad Smith's in-the-pocket style of drumming compliments the music being brushed over him, and isn't flashy until he needs to be. Anthony Kiedis' rapping/fast-singing is great to listen to when it's funky, but his singing is much more rewarding in songs like I Could Have Lied, and his writing is just beautiful on such songs. But his sexual lyrics are sometimes criticized on songs like "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and "Sir Psycho Sexy", which basically just scream sex.. but really I couldn't care less, it's still great to listen to.
I think that this album had single-handedly set a strong foundation for Alternative-Rock in the middle of a Grunge filled era.

I rate this album 9.5/10

EDIT: I suggest that you listen to some of this album if you already haven't, and you already like some Funk or even are a fan of the newer generation of Chili Peppers.

[Android]

In my opinion this is the last decent album they put out. I remember buying it when it was brand new, listening to the radio songs and not listening again for several years. In high school I revisted the album and was blown away (I love "rediscovering" albums.) Their later material is good and all, but they lost that wild edge that made them great. Maybe it's a lack of funk, a lack of drugs, or getting on in the years, but whatever it was it's long gone for good.

[Allen]

WHAT? how could you possibly say the Chili Peppers lost anything? They don't make the same exact music, and that's mostly because they've grown as musicians. Especially John Frusciante, who temporarily left the band after this album to find himself, and came back much more mellow. To each his own, I guess.

[MistyTehMoose]

I have been reading Anthony Kiedis' autobiography and it makes the albums that much more awesome.

[Ice_Mel]

RHCP are a prime example of a band that has excellent musicianship despite being mainstream. It doesn't matter if only person knows the band, or if half the world listens to them, only thing that matters is the music. And these guys put out amazing music.
Sir Psycho Sexy is a fucking fun song to drive to.

[Shagg]

I have been reading Anthony Kiedis' autobiography and it makes the albums that much more awesome.

That was the best auto-biography I've read; you wanted to keep reading more because of his screwed up life, how he got into and quit drugs, and the inner problems of the Chili Peppers.

[opn4bzns]

WHAT? how could you possibly say the Chili Peppers lost anything? They don't make the same exact music, and that's mostly because they've grown as musicians. Especially John Frusciante, who temporarily left the band after this album to find himself, and came back much more mellow. To each his own, I guess.

Have you listened to Stadium Arcadium? I like the Chilis, but it is pretty awful. I can still see them releasing another good album though, just hopefully in a different direction.

[Shagg]

Have you listened to Stadium Arcadium? I like the Chilis, but it is pretty awful. I can still see them releasing another good album though, just hopefully in a different direction.

The only thing bad about Stadium Arcadium was that the slow songs seemed repetitive. The music wasn't their best, but it was still pretty good. And some of the songs were actually really great (Storm In A Teacup, So Much I, Turn It Again, Warlocks, some others..)

[Allen]

Have you listened to Stadium Arcadium? I like the Chilis, but it is pretty awful. I can still see them releasing another good album though, just hopefully in a different direction.

Fucking loved it. Not as good as say, Californication, and definitly not Blood Sugar Sex Magik (which is, actually my favorite), but it's a fucking fun album. Warlocks, Slow Cheetah, She's only 18, Wet Sand, Strip My Mind, Hard To Concentrate, Death of a Martian, Readymade, and even Tell Me Baby. It's a good, solid collection, especially given the fact that there is so much material. When you put 28 songs into one piece of work, you're stretching yourself pretty thin. It takes a lot of talent to make a double album work. So many great bands have failed at it. And it may not be their best album, but the Chili Peppers pulled out a double album better than probably any band out now could.

[opn4bzns]

Fucking loved it...

Positive opinion

Well, maybe it was just me then, but I found it really uninteresting and actually irritating in some parts.

[Crabstick]

Have you listened to Stadium Arcadium? I like the Chilis, but it is pretty awful. I can still see them releasing another good album though, just hopefully in a different direction.

A lot of people quote this album when suggesting the Chilis have lost it, but most can't actually name songs of it. It seems to be a fallback statement.

Not to sound like I'm on the bandwagon, but I fucking love that album. Californication is still my favorite, but when I'm at the gym or in a shitty mood, Stadium Arcadium really picks me up. Some of the songs do sound slightly similar, but considering there's 35-odd songs in total, you're bound to get some doubling up on chords.

I'm ashamed to say I don't own BSSM. I've heard it played more than once before, and it's on the list to buy (not a fan of downloading music, I prefer the tangible item).

[opn4bzns]

A lot of people quote this album when suggesting the Chilis have lost it, but most can't actually name songs of it. It seems to be a fallback statement.

Not to sound like I'm on the bandwagon, but I fucking love that album. Californication is still my favorite, but when I'm at the gym or in a shitty mood, Stadium Arcadium really picks me up. Some of the songs do sound slightly similar, but considering there's 35-odd songs in total, you're bound to get some doubling up on chords.

Actually there aren't 35ish songs, there are 28.
Pickiness aside, I can name songs from it. I own the album and according to itunes, I've listened to every song on this computer at least a few times, and I've listened to 11 of the tracks all the way through more than 10 times. (That sounds way less impressive written down than I thought it would). Anyway, the point is, I tried to like SA, I really did. None of the songs really stand out for me and the whole album just seems unmemorable. But hey, taste is subjective and whatnot, I just hope they'll release another good album.

[Pelican Man]

My bass teacher gave me Blood Sugar Sex Magik and One Hot Minute to study as homework a couple of years ago. I whacked OHM in, and I hated it. Seriously, hated it. The only songs on that album that I like are Pea (because my bass teacher was teaching it to me as a warm up) and Aeroplane. That put me off the Chili Peppers.

Then early last year, I gave BSSM a shot. It made me go back to OHM, because I thought my musical taste had changed. Nope. OHM is just a shit album, and BSSM is fantastic.

Mellowship Slinky in B Major is my favourite Chilis song, but the more I listen to the album, the more I love each individual song.

Since then, I've given their other albums a shot, and none of them have the same effect on me, that quality of 'every song is a standout song'.

Stadium Arcadium is alright, but personally, I only like the ones off it that have gotten radio time. That's just my taste though.

[Allen]

Then early last year, I gave BSSM a shot. It made me go back to OHM, because I thought my musical taste had changed. Nope. OHM is just a shit album, and BSSM is fantastic.


I blame the unimpressiveness of OHM solely on Dave Navarre. He just doesn't have much to offer as a guitarist. I dig the album though. But not deep. Like, I scratch on the surface with a plastic spoon. I don't regret owning it, but it doesn't get much play time with me.

Also, I picked up Scar Tissue, Keidis' book. It really does give an entirely different perspective on the songs. Makes them personal and emotional.

[Shagg]

I blame the unimpressiveness of OHM solely on Dave Navarre. He just doesn't have much to offer as a guitarist. I dig the album though. But not deep. Like, I scratch on the surface with a plastic spoon. I don't regret owning it, but it doesn't get much play time with me.


The only song I like from One Hot Minute is "My Friends", just because how melancholy it is. But yeah, Dave Navarro wasn't the great guitarist for RHCP. He made the music darker and more metal, which didn't go so well for them. John Frusciente is a much better guitarist because he has funk, texture, and melody.

[Profane Methane]

Dave was definitely better with Janes Addiction.

[Allen]

The only song I like from One Hot Minute is "My Friends", just because how melancholy it is. But yeah, Dave Navarro wasn't the great guitarist for RHCP. He made the music darker and more metal, which didn't go so well for them. John Frusciente is a much better guitarist because he has funk, texture, and melody.

As far as Keidis' work on OHM, it was as good as average for him (as in nothing stuck out, but nothing was bad). The songs just lacked because of Navarro's inability to make his melodies stick in your ear. Not to mention it suffered from being their worst album following up right after their best album.