Blood Sugar Sex Magik review

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the 5th album by the American rock band Red Hot Chilli Peppers and probably their most beloved album. This album is a high-point for one of the world's biggest stadium rock bands (Rock bands are sadly dying) and a great showcase of their combination of rock and funk and talent for inserting sexual innuendo into their songs.

Tracks:

1. The Power of Equality: 9/10 with a wonderful message, awesome hip-hop style lyrics and a crazy funky instrumental, this sums up the band at their best.

2. If You Have to Ask: 8/10 a bragging song and a very good one at that.

3. Breaking the Girl: 9/10 a superb relationship song with a highly effective melancholy vibe.

4. Funky Monks: 8/10 another blast of funky fun, even if it's less striking and the abrupt pauses in the song are a little jarring.

5. Suck My Kiss: 9/10 a classic RHCP sex song- complete with a thundering, brilliant bass-line and plenty of innuendo.

6. I Could Have Lied: 7/10 with confusing lyrics this isn't my favorite on the album, but it's still thoroughly acceptable with a genuine emotional center.

7. Mellowship Slinky in B Minor: 8/10 a thoroughly enjoyable song about nothing in particular.

8. The Righteous and the Wicked: 8/10 this proves once again there is so much more to the band than sex and drug songs.

9. Give it Away: 9/10 a fantastically catchy tune with a brilliant bass-line and a great message- a true classic.

10. Blood Sex Sugar Magik: 9/10 another tune that's just loads of fun rather than being focussed on deep, serious themes.

11. Under the Bridge: 10/10 a triumph the band are unlikely to top any time soon. Lyrically they've never been better and this seriously gives you the feels. When it enters the final section, prepare for goosebumps.

12. Naked in the Rain: 8/10 with a perhaps overly upbeat instrumental, this isn't as good a loneliness song as the previous track, but it's still highly effective and very enjoyable indeed.

13. Apache Rose Peacock: 7/10 not hugely striking compared to the rest of the album, but it's still catchy and fun.

14. The Greeting Song: 8/10 not the best lyrically, but when music is this enjoyable who cares?

15. My Lovely Man: 8/10 a very nice tribute to Hillel Slovak, a late former member of the band.

16. Sir Psycho Sexy: 9/10 an 8 minute epic filled with sex metaphors, funk, volume, energy and oozing coolness. The ultimate RHCP song? Possibly.

17. They're Red Hot: 6/10 it's amusing, but this fast-paced blues cover doesn't feel serious enough and the previous track would've made for a better closing song.

Best song: Under the Bridge      
Worst song: They're Red Hot

Summary: If there's one word to describe the album it's... Cool. This is brilliantly, endlessly cool. It's cooler than an iceberg. From beginning to end, this is absolutely electrifying, enthralling and exhilarating. It's simply stunning in every sense. It's so, so much fun, but it's also not as sex-obsessed as you probably remember and it has several songs with great messages and emotional substance. The funky instrumentals are glorious and the hip-hop style lyrics are incredible. This is one of the most enjoyable and fun albums you will ever hear. The energy levels throughout are stunning and on the whole, this is utterly wonderful musical escapism of the best kind. If the band ever top this album, I'll be stunned.  



Final rating: 10/10