Search - Red Hot Chili Peppers :: Out in La

Some interesting work, but ultimately superflous.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 09/27/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"A disjoint collection of demos, remixes, and live tracks, most of which surfaced as b-sides or ended up as bonus tracks to the recent remasters of the early Red Hot Chili Peppers catalog, "Out in L.A." is of limited value. I'll approach each of the three portions of the recording on its own.



The remixes I have little interest in, but this is pretty much a consistent thing with me, I'm generally not big on remixes. Two of themixes (the extended dance mix of "Hollywood (Africa)" and the Ben Grosse remix of "Behind the Sun") make minimal adjustments to the piece, whereas "Higher Ground" receives a near rewrite in the 12" vocal mix (Flea's prominent slap bassline is totally removed) and the Pink Mustang mix of "If You Want Me To Stay" turns the piece into a hip hop beat and sound effects. None of these really contribute much to the band's catalog.



The three live tracks fare a little better-- I've never cared for this recording of "Castles Made of Sand" (which also ended up on the "Mother's Milk" remaster)-- Kiedis always sounds a bit slurred and goofed on it, but the live recording of "Special Secret Song Inside" (sometimes referred to as "Party on Your P***y") is spectacular, full of energy, and "F.U." (a setting of rather odd lyrics to Thelonious Monk's standard, "Bemsha Swing") is unique and goofy, and certainly worth a listen. Neither of these two are available anywhere else.



The remainder of the album is given over to twelve demo recordings from 1982 from before the Peppers' debut album, recorded by the original band (Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, Flea, Jack Irons). Seven of these tracks ended up on the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" and "Freaky Styley" reissues, limiting the value of this set further, but certainly the material put together is rather intriguin.



The majority of this material feels more in line with hardcore punk than it does with what the Chili Peppers would become known for-- pieces like "Police Helicopter" and the twelve second "You Always Sing the Same" would not have been out of place on a Dead Kennedys album. A good chunk of the other stuff is bizarrely experimental, from the detailed arrangement of "Blues for Meister", featuring intertwining guitar lines and a trumpet solo from Flea, the call-and-response vocal chant "Flea Fly".



Overall, much of this material is intriguing, but getting the remasters gets you over half of the essential material on here. The rest all but the most hardcore collector could probably live without."

Keidas got his cover (what hits), now flea gets his turn!

rockindaveapotamus | 05/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i love the live tracks, the remixes are o.k. .. but the unreleased demo cuts are CLASSIC. esp. WHAT IT IS. i did that in my HS talent show 3 years ago, it was smoking!"

Out in l.a. - essential RHCP

Jo Sealey | Liverpool UK | 06/19/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Out in l.a. would be a welcome addition to any Red hot chili pepper fans collection. It is an unusual mix of demo tracks, remix's and live recordings, the amazing castles made of sand being among the latter. The title of this c.d. Out in l.a. is also the name of the chili's very first song which is a track well worth listening to along with the quirky Flea fly. In conclusion, anyone used to the bands brand of enthusiasm, origianality and talent will not be dissapointed with this 19 track disc."