Despite their reputation as a funktastic, hard-rocking quartet, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are at their best when they slow things down, inject a bit of melancholy, introspection and reflection, and appeal to our ears and hearts as one.
See Under The Bridge, Breaking The Girl, My Friends, Scar Tissue,Road Trippin, Snow and especially Desecration Smile as examples.
On The Getaway, their 11th studio album, even some of the more upbeat tracks - the title track and Dark Necessities included - benefit from a pop sensibility, sweet melodies and the oohs and aahs of backing vocals.
Don't worry, there's still a lot of funky, punky bass-slapping goodness for long-time fans, but if there's anything to complain about with this album it's that some of these tracks are a little too RCHP by numbers.
A highlight where they avoid this is the ultra-smooth The Hunter, a moody, cinematic piece towards the end of the album.
And it's not that the Chilis are getting too MOR on us. (Though Sick Love seemingly pays tribute to Benny and the Jets, and it turns out Elton John features on the song.)
They're just ageing, along with their fans, and ageing well at that.
