Prepare to transcend time and space

Unlimited Love left listeners yearning for more, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers are not ones to sit idly by. They’re back and better than ever, and their highly anticipated album, Return of the Dream Canteen, is as timeless as April’s masterpiece. 

Return of the Dream Canteen draws the listener in with “Tippa My Tongue,” a psychedelic sound in typical Anthony Kiedis style, enmeshing his rap-style delivery with a unique vocal technique unlike anyone else in the music industry. The album is reminiscent of a pop-funk sound that transports the listener back to Homecoming in a high school gymnasium, greeted by songs like “Give It Away” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the burgeoning enthusiasm as palpable as the beat from the speakers. 

But Kiedis refuses to let his music fade away with the 90s. Year after year, decade after decade, fans can expect only the best from the Chili Peppers, and Return of the Dream Canteen does anything but disappoint. While their latest album is more subdued in certain areas, it’s nothing short of a nostalgic nod to the Californication days, daydreaming on a beach in a haze. 

As the album progresses, Kiedis belts out the lyrics to “Peace and Love”, eliciting a sense of calm and bringing the listener into yet another meditative trance as his voice melds perfectly with the mellow guitar riff. We’re reminded that Kiedis is still the storyteller he was when they originally released The Red Hot Chili Peppers back in ‘84, opening the world up to an entirely new genre of music. 

And while they still deliver songs with the quiet loud sound that defined a generation, Kiedis continues to enrapture his audience, a true performer to his core. His music is nothing short of art, scattered purposefully along the music staff. Whether you’re just experiencing The Red Hot Chili Peppers for the first time or stood outside in the elements to get the Blood Sugar Sex Magik LP back in ‘91, there’s no denying that their music is timeless and boundless and that Kiedis is simply unstoppable. 

After the Chili Peppers reunited with guitarist John Frusciante, they perfected their famous sound, Frusciante the missing piece to their psychedelic puzzle. Much like the late great Cobain, Frusciante favors chorus effects, opting for pedals such as the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, giving the Chili Peppers that iconic tremolo reaction, boasting a dream-like quality with shimmery, fluid effects playing off of Kiedis’ soulful singing style. 

The guitar is never so overpowering that Kiedis strains his vocals to be heard, a sound fans are familiar with. Return of the Dream Canteen continues to meld Kiedis’ unique singing style with the lead guitar, their sound more melodic than ever, constantly paving the way for Kiedis to talk-sing his way from track to track. Return of the Dream Canteen reminds fans that the Chili Peppers are a force to reckon with and that transcendentalism is only a click away.