Sixteen years since John Frusciante’s departure, the Red Hot Chili Peppers drop inspired single, “Black Summer”.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have released the lead single “Black Summer” from their new album “Unlimited Love”, scheduled for release on April 1st 2022 via Warner.
The sizeable 17-song, 73-minute endeavour is the first album with beloved guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s Stadium Arcadium, which has been produced once more by the legendary Rick Rubin, who has worked on some of their most memorable albums to date (Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), Californication (1999), By The Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium).
The single, Black Summer, boasts the classic syncopated interplay between Flea’s bass and John Frusciante’s Hendrix-influenced guitar playing, paired with singer Anthony Kiedis’ sing-song melody and drummer Chad Smith’s unequivocal groove.
With a laid-back verse that transitions through a chordal lift into a rocky chorus, Black Summer is a deft exercise in songwriting.
This track is dripping in Frusciante’s classic Stadium Arcadium-era fuzz tone, which provides a luscious and incendiary textural layer sorely missed on previous releases.
Frusciante said to Mixdown Magazine: “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”.
“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.”
The band, on their new creative spirit, said: “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”.
“Unlimited Love represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.”
Unlimited Love is out on Warner, April 1.
Listen to Black Summer here.
Unlimited Love track listing:
- Black Summer
- Here Ever After
- Aquatic Mouth Dance
- Not the One
- Poster Child
- The Great Apes
- It’s Only Natural
- She’s a Lover
- These are the Ways
- Whatchu Thinkin’
- Bastards of Light
- White Braids & Pillow Chair
- One Way Traffic
- Veronica
- Let em’ cry
- The Heavy Wing
- Tangelo
