I'm with You (album)

Background

After the band's world tour for Stadium Arcadium ended in August 2007, the Red Hot Chili Peppers began a hiatus that stretched beyond two years. Bassist Flea said he initiated the break because things had become dysfunctional and not fun, and he wanted to assess whether the band should continue. During this time, Flea studied music theory at the University of Southern California, drummer Chad Smith worked with the supergroup Chickenfoot, and guitarist John Frusciante released his tenth solo album, The Empyrean.

Vocalist Anthony Kiedis noted that the group collectively decided not to do anything Red Hot Chili Peppers-related for at least a year, as they were emotionally and mentally exhausted. Frusciante then left the band for a second time, stating there was no drama or anger involved and that the other members were supportive. Flea said Frusciante simply did not want to continue with the band dynamic. Kiedis observed that Frusciante had become disenchanted with touring.

Following the departure, Kiedis and Flea felt intuitively that they were not done and wanted to maintain the band if possible. They considered whether to find an unknown guitarist or someone already close to them. Flea said that during the time off, he realized that Kiedis was his brother and he wanted to keep their partnership going.

Writing and composition

The band wrote songs over ten months, from October 12, 2009, to August 2010, with drummer Chad Smith noting that each record captures where the band is at that time. Flea stated that around 60–70 songs were written, taking about nine months before entering the studio with producer Rick Rubin. Regarding the change in guitarists, Kiedis said that while John Frusciante's departure would alter the chemistry, the arrival of Josh Klinghoffer brought something fresh and exciting, and the band had to adapt to survive.

Producer Rick Rubin commented that Klinghoffer had played with Frusciante for many years and had toured with the Chili Peppers before, making him part of the extended family; his style is close to Frusciante's but different, resulting in a sound unlike previous Chili Peppers albums. Flea described Klinghoffer as a subtle musician focused on texture rather than big riffs, which made the band play differently while still sounding like themselves.

Packaging and title

Chad Smith confirmed in a June 2011 interview that controversial British artist Damien Hirst would design the album cover. The cover artwork, released on July 5, 2011, is entirely white except for a fly perched on a capsule. Kiedis described it as an iconic image open to interpretation. Flea's daughter, Clara Balzary, took promotional photos of the band leading up to the release, and her photography appears in the album artwork.

In June 2011, cryptic street posters and robot artwork with the band's logo and the date 8/30/11 appeared in Los Angeles; the band's management initially denied involvement, but TMZ reported on July 14, 2011, that the band had endorsed the artwork for promotion. The artist behind that work is Mr. Brainwash, who said he would collaborate on further projects. A rumored working title, Dr. Johnny Skinz's Disproportionately Rambunctious Polar Express Machine-Head, was reported in Spin Magazine, but producer Rick Rubin and Kiedis later denied it, with Kiedis calling the story a lie.

Critical reception

I'm with You received mixed reviews from music critics, with a Metacritic score of 63 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews. John Lewis of Uncut magazine gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, noting a John Frusciante-shaped hole in the proceedings but praising tracks such as 'Happiness Loves Company', 'Even You Brutus?' and 'Police Station'; he concluded that minus their star guitarist, the Chili Peppers are a bit mild.

Amy Bangs of Rock Sound rated the album 7 out of 10, stating that a drastic departure from their rock-funk mixture would be a disservice to fans, but that tracks like 'Monarchy of Roses', 'Even You Brutus?' and 'Did I Let You Know' show an experimental take on their sound, while 'Ethiopia' and 'Look Around' retain a familiar funk-inspired sound. She noted that Josh Klinghoffer's playing avoids the complexity of John Frusciante and includes keyboard contributions, and she considered the album a successful continuation of their trademark sound with new stylistic explorations.

Q's Craig Mclean rated the album 3 stars out of 5, hailing 'Brendan's Death Song' as the best track and questioning whether the band was experiencing a sudden attack of level-headedness based on more introspective lyrics on songs like 'Police Station' and 'Meet Me at the Corner'.