Red Hot Chili Peppers | C+

It's been five years since the Red Hot Chili Peppers' acclaimed double album Stadium Arcadium — marking the longest gap between albums in the group's career. During the self-imposed hiatus, the future of the band was thrown into jeopardy with the departure of guitarist John Frusciante. This wasn't Frusciante's first departure though; he had previously left in 1992 only to return for 1999's Californication. Luckily, the Peppers found a replacement in frequent collaborator Josh Klinghoffer and finally began recording a follow-up album at the end of last year. The resulting product, I'm With You, is described by front man Anthony Kiedis as, "No question … a new beginning" and is a definite departure from the band's previous funk-laden material.

Upon a first listen to I'm With You, one can certainly hear a Frusciante-sized hole in the musical direction. The heavy funk rhythms – characteristic of much of RHCP's material -have more or less been abandoned. Riffs as strong as Stadium Arcadium's "Snow (Hey Oh)" or hooks as catchy as "Dani California" are nowhere to be found. For the most part, new guitarist Klinghoffer takes a backseat to bassist Flea, who is just as wild and dexterous on his instrument as ever.

The album's more somber direction coincides with some of the most introspective lyrics of the band's career. Kiedis' newfound level-headedness serves the new direction very well at times. "Brendan's Death Song", an emotional tribute to deceased friend Brendan Mullen, is far and away the record's best track. Another album highlight is emotionally intense track, "Even You Brutus?" that includes Kiedis almost preaching in his delivery to dramatic effect.

However, in the end, it comes down to the fact the majority of songs off of I'm With You aren't as attention-grabbing as their prior releases, as evidenced by lead single "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie", one of the band's weakest singles in recent memory. The group has undergone many hardships and struggles in their five-year hiatus, undoubtedly contributing to the album's sobriety, but the Peppers' characteristic funk and playfulness are sorely missed on a largely mediocre record.