MMM: #167 Walkabout – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Milo here.

Dang, it’s that time again folks.

This time, we going back to that RHCP well once again with an absolute classic from One Hot Minute, Walkabout. Check the audio below:

My opinions of One Hot Minute are well-documented on Stuff And That by now. In short, it ain’t my favourite. I’ve always retained that Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro wasn’t the right fill for Frusciante’s boots, with his very different musical stylings than the rest of the band. However, on my favourite track from said album, Walkabout, you wouldn’t be able to tell. Some of the best funk guitar work my ear holes have ever witnessed, Navarro’s licks on this thing surprisingly top even some of that in Frusciante’s repertoire, encompassing the chilled atmosphere of the song perfectly. His winding riff and summery strumming throughout the song really put the ‘f’ in funk and never fails to have me air guitaring with some of the strangest facial expression phenomena in recent years. With its Aboriginal-influenced songwriting, Kiedis delivers a vocal performance akin to exactly what the lyrics detail: a walk in a sunny desert, summer breeze on ya back. The song, with its dynamic yet subtle bass and light drumming and production, washes over the listener like tide over shore, and you’re just sunbathing.

Lots of hugs, kisses and lacerations

Milo.