Greatest Hits [Warner Bros] [PA] (CD - 2003)

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); John Frusciante (guitar); Flea (bass); Chad Smith (drums).

Compilation producers: Rick Rubin, Michael Beinhorn.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); John Frusciante (guitar); Flea (bass); Chad Smith (drums).

Compilation producers: Rick Rubin, Michael Beinhorn.

Personnel: Anthony Kiedis (vocals, guitar); John Frusciante (guitar); Patrick Warren (chamberlin); Brendan O'Brien (Mellotron); Greg Kurstin (keyboards); Chad Smith (drums); Peter Weiss (Jew's harp); Lenny Castro (percussion); Iris Parker, Randy Ruff, Joel Virgel, Aklia Chin, Bruno Deron, Jack Sherman, Vicki Calhoun, Gretchen Seager, Merrill Ward, Spinosa, Sir Babe, Wag, Julie Ritter, Kristen Vigard (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: D. Sardy; Garth Richardson; Jim Scott; Richard Dodd.

Recording information: Cello Studios, Hollywood, CA; Philosophical Sound Research, Los Angeles, CA.

Photographers: Tony Woolliscroft; Chris Cuffaro; Laura Black; Melodie Lawrence.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Greatest Hits is a compelling listen, culling tracks from the band's 1989 breakthrough, Mother's Milk, to its melodic 2002 release, By the Way. In some ways, one could view this as the best of the John Frusciante years, charting most of the band's work with the talented guitarist after the death of original member Hillel Slovak. The tracks here are all hits, including such stellar singles as "Give It Away," "Under the Bridge," and Frusciante's first single after his phoenix-like resurrection from heroin addiction, "Scar Tissue." It should be noted, though, that as a Warner-issued hits collection such fan favorites as "Taste the Pain" and the touchstone antidrug anthem "Knock Me Down" -- both from the 1989 EMI release Mother's Milk -- aren't included. (Similarly, nothing from the Chili Peppers' rambunctious early efforts -- including 1984's Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1985's Freaky Styley, and 1987's The Uplift Mofo Party Plan -- appears on this hits collection.) Nonetheless, Greatest Hits still portrays the band as one of the most consistently brilliant groups of its generation. Helping to paint this picture are such solid cuts as the group's searing, albeit overplayed, 1989 cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" as well as its rarely available addition to the Coneheads movie soundtrack, "Soul to Squeeze." Not surprisingly, "My Friends" is the sole cut to make it from the band's disappointing one-off effort with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, One Hot Minute. Throw in two new tracks ("Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population") that easily match the quality of the material collected here, and you've got one of the most consistently listenable Chili Pepper releases since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. For fans who gave up after Frusciante left the band, Greatest Hits is the perfect reintroduction. ~ Matt Collar

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Greatest Hits is a compelling listen, culling tracks from the band's 1989 breakthrough, Mother's Milk, to its melodic 2002 release, By the Way. In some ways, one could view this as the best of the John Frusciante years, charting most of the band's work with the talented guitarist after the death of original member Hillel Slovak. The tracks here are all hits, including such stellar singles as "Give It Away," "Under the Bridge," and Frusciante's first single after his phoenix-like resurrection from heroin addiction, "Scar Tissue." It should be noted, though, that as a Warner-issued hits collection such fan favorites as "Taste the Pain" and the touchstone antidrug anthem "Knock Me Down" -- both from the 1989 EMI release Mother's Milk -- aren't included. (Similarly, nothing from the Chili Peppers' rambunctious early efforts -- including 1984's Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1985's Freaky Styley, and 1987's The Uplift Mofo Party Plan -- appears on this hits collection.) Nonetheless, Greatest Hits still portrays the band as one of the most consistently brilliant groups of its generation. Helping to paint this picture are such solid cuts as the group's searing, albeit overplayed, 1989 cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" as well as its rarely available addition to the Coneheads movie soundtrack, "Soul to Squeeze." Not surprisingly, "My Friends" is the sole cut to make it from the band's disappointing one-off effort with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, One Hot Minute. Throw in two new tracks ("Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population") that easily match the quality of the material collected here, and you've got one of the most consistently listenable Chili Pepper releases since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. For fans who gave up after Frusciante left the band, Greatest Hits is the perfect reintroduction. [The limited-edition Greatest Hits and Videos version of the collection comes with an accompanying DVD of Red Hot Chili Peppers videos that differs from the album in that it includes videos for "Aeroplane," "Around the World," and "Zephyr Song" as well as band commentary on each video.] ~ Matt Collar

EMI-Capitol Special Markets' The Best of Red Hot Chili Peppers may be a budget-line collection, but for casual fans, it may be a wise choice. All of the group's best-known tunes from its Capitol recordings -- "Behind the Sun," "Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky," "Fire," "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes," "Higher Ground," "Knock Me Down," "Fight Like a Brave," "Taste the Pain," "If You Want Me to Stay" -- are here, and for listeners who aren't dedicated fans, that may be all they need. Granted, many fans of the group will view the very existence of a budget-line compilation as something of a sacrilege, but for those who just want the hits (albeit only the hits before Blood Sugar Sex Magik), this isn't a bad choice at all. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers have received the hits treatment before (most notably on 1992's WHAT HITS?), this compilation serves to highlight the band's peak years with guitarist John Frusciante, both before his sudden departure in 1992 and after his lauded return for 1999's CALIFORNICATION. (The group's intriguing-yet-mismatched union with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro yields only one track, "My Friends.")

The Chili Peppers are best known for their energetic punk-funk anthems but their mainstream breakthrough, the gently building ballad "Under the Bridge" opens GREATEST HITS. It's followed in short order, however by the boisterous, slaphappy "Give It Away." Other Peppers high points include the beautifully melancholy "Scar Tissue," the hard-to-find "Soul to Squeeze," the folky "Breaking the Girl," and the only pre-1990s track--the group's wonderfully rocked-out cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." Of course, this HITS collection includes the seemingly requisite (and quite good) two new tracks--the driving "Fortune Faded" and the dreamy "Save the Population." GREATEST HITS effectively chronicles the Peppers' transition from goofy party boys to mature, highly inventive rock band.

Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers have received the hits treatment before (most notably on 1992's WHAT HITS?), this compilation serves to highlight the band's peak years with guitarist John Frusciante, both before his sudden departure in 1992 and after his lauded return for 1999's CALIFORNICATION. (The group's intriguing-yet-mismatched union with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro yields only one track, "My Friends.")

The Chili Peppers are best known for their energetic punk-funk anthems but their mainstream breakthrough, the gently building ballad "Under the Bridge" opens GREATEST HITS. It's followed in short order, however by the boisterous, slaphappy "Give It Away." Other Peppers high points include the beautifully melancholy "Scar Tissue," the hard-to-find "Soul to Squeeze," the folky "Breaking the Girl," and the only pre-1990s track--the group's wonderfully rocked-out cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." Of course, this HITS collection includes the seemingly requisite (and quite good) two new tracks--the driving "Fortune Faded" and the dreamy "Save the Population." GREATEST HITS effectively chronicles the Peppers' transition from goofy party boys to mature, highly inventive rock band.

Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers have received the hits treatment before (most notably on 1992's WHAT HITS?), this compilation serves to highlight the band's peak years with guitarist John Frusciante, both before his sudden departure in 1992 and after his lauded return for 1999's CALIFORNICATION. (The group's intriguing-yet-mismatched union with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro yields only one track, "My Friends.")

The Chili Peppers are best known for their energetic punk-funk anthems but their mainstream breakthrough, the gently building ballad "Under the Bridge" opens GREATEST HITS. It's followed in short order, however by the boisterous, slaphappy "Give It Away." Other Peppers high points include the beautifully melancholy "Scar Tissue," the hard-to-find "Soul to Squeeze," the folky "Breaking the Girl," and the only pre-1990s track--the group's wonderfully rocked-out cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground." Of course, this HITS collection includes the seemingly requisite (and quite good) two new tracks--the driving "Fortune Faded" and the dreamy "Save the Population." GREATEST HITS effectively chronicles the Peppers' transition from goofy party boys to mature, highly inventive rock band.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' Greatest Hits is a compelling listen, culling tracks from the band's 1989 breakthrough, Mother's Milk, to its melodic 2002 release, By the Way. In some ways, one could view this as the best of the John Frusciante years, charting most of the band's work with the talented guitarist after the death of original member Hillel Slovak. The tracks here are all hits, including such stellar singles as "Give It Away," "Under the Bridge," and Frusciante's first single after his phoenix-like resurrection from heroin addiction, "Scar Tissue." It should be noted, though, that as a Warner-issued hits collection such fan favorites as "Taste the Pain" and the touchstone antidrug anthem "Knock Me Down" -- both from the 1989 EMI release Mother's Milk -- aren't included. (Similarly, nothing from the Chili Peppers' rambunctious early efforts -- including 1984's Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1985's Freaky Styley, and 1987's The Uplift Mofo Party Plan -- appears on this hits collection.) Nonetheless, Greatest Hits still portrays the band as one of the most consistently brilliant groups of its generation. Helping to paint this picture are such solid cuts as the group's searing, albeit overplayed, 1989 cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" as well as its rarely available addition to the Coneheads movie soundtrack, "Soul to Squeeze." Not surprisingly, "My Friends" is the sole cut to make it from the band's disappointing one-off effort with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, One Hot Minute. Throw in two new tracks ("Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population") that easily match the quality of the material collected here, and you've got one of the most consistently listenable Chili Pepper releases since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. For fans who gave up after Frusciante left the band, Greatest Hits is the perfect reintroduction. ~ Matt Collar minimize