Please enjoy the game highlights below:

Please enjoy the game highlights below:

Please enjoy the game highlights below:

I have been a fan of American crossover quartet Red Hot Chili Peppers for two decades and counting. While most fans were enthusiastically excited when they learned that former guitarist John Frusciante would join the band for a third time, I decided to keep calm and wait for things to happen at their own rhythm. While most reviews of the twelfth studio record either describe it as a disappointment or as a return to strength, I have also come to an entirely different conclusion. Unlimited Love is a very good album but simply stated of average quality in the outstanding discography of the band.

Let's start with the positive elements right away. First of all, the album sounds dynamic, organic and timeless which indicates that working again with veteran producer Rick Rubin was beneficial to the band sound.

The bass guitar sounds vibrant, playful and energetic in particular as Michael Peter ''Flea'' Balzary steals the show on this release. He is also a creative force in the eclectic songwriting and plays the piano and the trumpet in several songs.

Up next, one has to point out charismatic singer Anthony Kiedis. Some critics call him the band's weakest link but his vocals actually give the band energy, identity and melody. He might not sound as dynamic as in the eighties and nineties anymore but his relaxed style sounds refreshing and youthful in times when our societies tend to be stressful and worrisome. Anthony Kiedis' swagger makes a good album very good at times and I couldn't imagine anyone else singing for the band at all.

The songwriting is quite eclectic as mentioned before and needs a few spins to open up. Patient listeners will however be rewarded with several great songs. ''Here Ever After'' for instance is catchy, danceable and energetic all at once as the four musicians complement one another splendidly in a focused song that would make for an excellent single candidate.

''Aquatic Mouth Dance'' doesn't only have one of the coolest song titles ever in the band's career but convinces with a playful jazzy section featuring saxophone, trombone and trumpet in the climactic conclusion. I'm usually not a big fan of jazz music but the way the band incorporates such genre elements in this song is absolutely amazing.

''These Are the Ways'' exemplifies how fluidly the band combines its softer pop-driven side with its playful hard rock elements. The song tricks you into believing that it might be a soulful ballad but it quickens up the pace towards the chorus and makes for one of the most memorable songs on the album. The band rightfully chose the track as a single and released an entertaining music video for it that can compete with some of the band's outstanding clips from the past.

Another song that deserves some attention is ''Bastards of Light'' that somehow manages to combine psychedelic electronic elements, country rock atmosphere and a hard rock instrumental section. Despite these three completely different genres, the final result manages to sound coherent in three and a half exciting minutes. What genre does this band play again? Crossover, that's what!

A final song worth pointing out is the playful ''The Heavy Wing'' that once again combines mellow and melodic sections with relentless and wild instrumental phases. What makes this song truly special is that some of the lead vocals are performed by guitarist John Frusciante who does a soulful job here and adds some diversity to the seventeen songs with a total running time of seventy-three minutes.

The Japanese version of this album even features an additional new song and offers even more value for money. As if that weren't enough yet, John Frusciante has recently been telling journalists that the band has written about fifty songs together and that another record could soon follow. I'm certainly interested in hearing even more great music from the American legends.

However, this record isn't without its flaws, so let's discuss those issues here as well. First of all, John Frusciante's guitar play is overall rather unspectacular throughout the record. That's not always a bad thing since several of the aforementioned songs sound quite balanced and focused. However, this album is missing some truly shining moments regarding his excellent guitar play and stellar backing vocals. His approach to the music sounds at times careful or even timid. The band has often stood out with creative guitar licks, vibrant guitar riffs and unchained guitar solos but this album includes very few of these. Perhaps his presence will be more dominant on potential upcoming records, so let's hope that he continues to stick around this time.

The drums and percussion on this album are also often holding back. Chad Smith is an excellent drummer and his energy was the element that made a promising band excellent when he joined the group in the late eighties. However, his play is only serviceable on this output as there are no memorable drum patterns or even cool solos to be found. Since several songs are lacking energy on this release, his reserved participation can be considered a flaw.

The songwriting also has its ups and downs. The band is at times copying itself a little bit too obviously. ''Not the One'' is your run-of-the-mill ballad for instance that attempts to imitate the successful formula of songs such as ''Under the Bridge'', ''Scar Tissue'' and ''Snow (Hey Oh)'' without getting close to any of these tunes. This song turns out sounding forgettable and can be considered filler material.

Another example would be relaxed funk rock tune ''Poster Child'' that sounds decent enough as a little genre tweak in the context of the album. However, the guitar work and vocal lines are almost an exact copy of ''Walkabout'' which was one of the weakest cuts on controversial and experimental album One Hot Minute. This song here is neither controversial nor experimental but simply boring and repetitive.

The band's closing tunes to studio albums have often been hit and miss, including memorable anthems such as meandering and gloomy ''Transcending'' and psychedelic surf rock epic ''Venice Queen'' but also redundant and sleepy ballads such as ''Road Trippin''' and ''Hey'' that I have always found overrated. I regret to announce that this release's closer ''Tangelo'' falls into the latter category. Nothing is going on at all during its length of three and a half minutes and the final thirty seconds consist of some distant traffic sounds followed by complete silence. I'm not sure what the band was attempting to accomplish here but it certainly didn't work for me at all.

Still, the positive elements on Unlimited Love easily outweigh the few downsides. What we have here is a good to very good crossover record that sounds refreshingly positive, relaxing and youthful. This album has the potential to become an excellent record for the spring and upcoming summer season. I wouldn't mind listening to some new songs by the band on the radio this summer at all. I might actually take this album with me on a road trip through the Canadian north that I can't wait to explore further. And who knows, perhaps I will end up attending a concert of the Red Hot Chili Peppers this summer that might give me a different perspective on the new songs. Until then, I will certainly keep spinning the record at home and on my cell phone and I would suggest you to do the same if you like a smooth mixture of funk, jazz, pop and rock music.

Final Rating: 78%