Out In LA

Q (1/95, p.275) - 3 Stars - Good - "...Perhaps not as spicey a dish as a genuinely new collection, but until one comes along, put a sock on it and enjoy it."

Since 1984, The Red Hot Chili Peppers have combined a punk sensibility with a lavish devotion to funk and all its facets. Having already scaled the heights of platinum status after living in the land of obscurity, the Chili Peppers have released OUT IN L.A., a chapter of their lives from when they were still unknown. This collection is broken into four sections: remixes, live tracks, demo versions of existing material, and previously unreleased songs. Remixes include a James Brown flavored "Higher Ground" and an extended take of "Hollywood" that just oozes grooves. Their live rendition of "Castles Made Of Sand" stays true to Hendrix's original while demo versions of "Get Up And Jump" and "Green Heaven" show off the intense interplay between bassist Flea and late guitarist Hillel Slovak. The other major bond in the group is between vocalist Anthony Kiedis and Flea, who are the sole participants on the previously unreleased "What It Is." Also included in time for the holidays is "Deck The Halls" done Chili Peppers style.