The latest Red Hot Chili Peppers album, Return of Dream Canteen, has not received an overwhelmingly positive or negative rating. The album’s diversity does not relate to past Red Hot Chili Peppers albums. Various songs echo genres such as electric and R&B while others relate to reggae and several consist of classical piano. The album contains soft, chill songs while including fast and upbeat songs as well.

Return of the Dream Canteen became the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ second album in 2022 to reach the number one spot on the Billboard 200, following their last album Unlimited Love. Red Hot Chili Peppers became the highest-rated and most famous alternative group in music since the ‘90s. 

“The album is pretty mediocre in my opinion. I’m a big Red Hot Chili Peppers fan and I feel like some of the fast songs seem repetitive. I’m also not a huge fan of electronic-sounding songs. I did like the number of guitar parts and solos that were in this album because most of the other albums don’t have as much guitar.” sophomore Sam Thompson said.

The guitar in the Return of the Dream Canteen, resembles funk and jazz guitar, while one song, Carry Me Home, holds a ‘60s vibe, and sounds similar to Jimi Hendrix. Return of the Dream Canteen will most likely act as one of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ last albums considering their age. 

The electric sounds do not relate to past albums. The electronic sounds sparked uncertainty among the Red Hot Chili Peppers fans, and they cannot decide whether they enjoy this new sound or not.

 “I’m a huge Red Hot Chili Pepper fan and I love this new album. It’s fun and unique compared to older albums. We’ve also gotten a lot of new music from Red Hot Chili Peppers, because of the other album that came out a few months ago. My favorite song has to be Reach Out,” sophomore Will Greene said.

The track Eddie is presented as a tribute to one of the top recognized and highly esteemed guitarists in the past 50 years, Eddie Van Halen, who played guitar for the band, Van Halen. The new album contains perfect songs for new Red Hot Chili Peppers listeners including the song Tippa My Tongue. It performs as a classic Red Hot Chili Peppers song and an excellent track to listen to for understanding what the band’s music sounds like.

Red Hot Chili Peppers will continue as one of the best successful and popular bands. Red Hot Chili Peppers fans feel energized and excited to see the other albums and songs the band will release in the future. Fans continue to try to savor every moment they can considering the age of the band. This unique album excites fans to see what the band plans to do next.

The Chant’s Grade: A