John Frusciante, one of the best-known and most talented Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarists, has just released another solo album, Shadows Collide With People. If you're most familiar with his work through the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you'll find this CD difficult to listen to straight through. While the three tracks already released on his website--"Wednesday's Song," "A Song to Sing When I'm Lonely" and "Carvel"--are clearly radio-friendly, the album itself tends to focus on Frusciante's intricate and skillful guitar playing.
Shadows is a step in the right direction for the recovered drug addict, whose growth in his personal life, in addition to his musical progession, can be seen on such autobiographical tracks as "I Regret." While earlier solo projects were clearly drug influenced, Frusciante has transformed into an artist who focuses on the music. In fact, the all-instrumental tracks showcase Frusciante's unique sounds and innovative guitar playing. It's a sound that most Chili Peppers fans have not yet heard. Lyrically, he focuses on his past escapades and how he's grown, turning the album into a necessary therapeutic outlet--one that fans of the guitarist but not necessarily of the Chili Peppers will appreciate.
Though it may be of immense personal importance, future Frusciante efforts should be in conjuction with the usual pack of Peppers--albums such as Shadows Collide with People will just never be as popular as ensemble works like Californication.
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