Search - John Frusciante :: Niandra Lades & Usually Just a T-Shirt

An ultramodern, unequivocally impeccable conundrum of beauty

Collin L | Los Angeles, California | 06/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is, without question, the twentieth century's greatest work of art. John Frusciante's brain is an exquisite, though bizarre and beautiful, mess. This work, this magnum opus, is the very essence of the word "art". This is not mere sound, not simply a collection of audible guitar chords and vocals, but rather an unbelievable composition that emulates the likes of da Vinci, a feat Frusciante boldly set to accomplish.



The record is, essentially, a double LP, if it had been released in that format. Niandra Lades is what one may perhaps identify as the more "traditional" record, in terms of structure. Songs are titled, all containing vocals. Niandra Lades was recorded, save for "Running Away Into You", prior to Frusciante's departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is, therefore, more respectable to the average being; but only to a certain extent. The songs are still incredibly experimental, being deriving their nature from the rapturous ecstasy Frusciante felt at the time--much of it due to heroin and other narcotics. Throughout the entire record, the acoustic guitars, albeit straightforward and gossamer, are coupled with intricate layers consisting of backwards electric guitars and several other instruments. "As Can Be", the albums first track, may be one of the best--it seamlessly combines backwards guitar solos, unsophisticated minimalism and avant-garde lyrics that intertwine into one, flawless, exceptional composition. A summary of what is to come.



As one reaches the untitled Usually Just a T-Shirt, they will be thrust into a very different world of John Frusciante; though, still, very much so anomalous in the realm of music. It acts like a timeline of coherence--Frusciante's life went on a downward spiral much in the way the second half of the record becomes increasingly more offbeat. Untitled #11, #12 and #13 are outlandishly nonsensical ("sold your hole to a disaster"), but possibly the most mind altering experience I have ever gone through. After I listened to this record for the first time, I was forever changed. My life was instantly, and forever, warped.



This is my favorite record of all time--I urge anyone with a love for art and atypical, offbeat beauty to invest in this album. It will forever alter you. It takes an unrestrained, free spirit to enjoy this music: as Frusciante once put it, you will only like this record if your mind is "capable of tripping out."

"

Very confusing, but intriguing

D. Taylor | 09/11/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Frusciante is the lead guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He wrote half of this while recording the Peppers' breakthrough album BSSM. The other half he wrote after quitting the band for a while (he was too into drugs to be useful as a band member).



Bear that in mind when you listen to this album: He was stoned when writing this album.



That said, it's very experimental. Rolling Stone recently labeled him as "The Visionary" in guitar rock. There's tracks that are played backwards, or digitally sped up, or any other distortion they can get. And his vocals sound painful to sing - some are painful to listen to. The lyrics make very little sense, though they made sense to him, and I'm sure they would make sense to me as well if I were to take drugs. "Running Away Into You" has a really creepy part where the track loops about 2 seconds, speeds up and at the same time changes the pitch rapidly upward.



Some have terrible guitar playing, but some are great guitar lines that should be sampled or covered for another song sometime.



To sum up: This is NOT as rockin' as the RHCP, but it's not terrible either. Would I have bought it if I had heard it first? Probably not, but I did buy it, and I listen to it occasionally."