Good Time Boys / Higher Ground / Subway To Venus / Magic Johnson / Nobody Weird Like Me / Knock Me Down / Taste The Pain / Stone Cold Bush / Fire / Pretty Little Ditty / Punk Rock Classic / Sexy Mexican Maid / Johnny,Kick a Hole In The Sky

After the lost of Hillel Slovak by overdose of heroin, Jack Irons also left the band, they got John Frusciante, the new guitarist and Chad Smith, the drummer. This 4th album was created with these new members. Michael Beinhorn produced continuously. i think there are many fans who meet the band by this album. Japanese also came to know the name of RHCP from this one. On the backside of the jacket, the picture drawn by Hillel is printed and there is a discription that says, "This album is dedicated to the memories of Hillel Slovak."

Compared to the former album, you can see hard rock, heavy metal tastes increase in this one. Of course the funk beat that lies on the base still alive, but the sounds changed harder, more metalic. This album, among all, expresses mostly the chaotic, vigorous side of this band. It is like the spout of energy that they had more than enough, has an unbelievable power anyway.

A sequel to the story of "Intro," the magazine "Takarajima" followed the band after Hillel's death. i came to know the news of the joining of John and Chad, and they were working with a new album from that magazine. Considering there were few magazine(even a rock magazine) published the article of RHCP at that time, it can be said that the attitude of "Takarajima" was meaningful. i learned they provided the "Taste The Pain" to the soundtrack of the movie "Say Anything" ahead of the album release, bought that CD that was of (not so) great value to listen to except for RHCP's one(i wonder some of them were worth listening possibly, but i can't remember now). And watched that movie that was (not so) interesting. The year 1989, which this album was released was the year i got my job firstly, i remember i went to Kyoto to find the imported CD with the co-worker who became to be friend only after i joined my company.

Already listened to "Taste The Pain" before, i was worried this new album could be "quiet" one, but my anxiety was wiped away as soon as i listened to the first part of "Good Time Boys."

But...to tell you the truth, i'm not so prefer this album personally. It's only an issue of personal taste, but the approach of hard rock, heavy metal wise doesn't pleased me so much. i feel there is no well-balanced mixture sound of hardcore and funk that we could see in the former "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan," and the sounds of this piece end up with "metal funk" which is rather "easy-to-understand." Especially i feel that in "Nobody Weired Like Me," "Stone Cold Bush." And including "Punk Rock Classic," i feel the melody line went "EASY" somehow generally. Of course i must have given myself up to the former album too deeply and maybe i'm just standing on the point of view of one-side. Impression to this piece must be another one if the first RHCP's album i met were this "Mother's Milk." But, i must still confess i slightly have a sloppy impression to this album. That's the fact.

Of course, there are some great songs like "Magic Johnson" which another band never make, and we can see the "weeping" melody line on "Knock Me Down" which we meet after at "Californication." It's interesting.

Flea's play as a first, all member's play in this work are great. It showed their chaotic sense of music are backed with their strict technique.

One thing i'd like to point is it might be they should not have include "Fire" in this album. Because this is the main tune in the mini album "The Abbey Road E.P." ahead of this one and i feel it's different far from another tunes in terms of sound production.