Unlimited Love
| Red Hot Chili Peppers
Unlimited Love
Unlimited Love is the twelfth studio album by the American rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, released through Warner Records on April 1, 2022. The album features the return of producer Rick Rubin, who was absent from The Getaway (2016), and guitarist John Frusciante, who left in 2009 and rejoined in 2019, replacing Josh Klinghoffer. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
Show All-
Pitchfork
After more than a decade away, guitarist John Frusciante returns for the band’s first album in six years, a restrained and familiar effort to recapture an old spark in a new era.
-
The Guardian
The Californian quartet’s latest follows a long line of forgettable albums, even if they do enshrine Southend in a lyric.
-
The Ithacan
New listeners who are looking to get into the discography of the Red Hot Chili Peppers should start elsewhere. For such a well established and talented group of performers, having such a misstep is truly a shock. There is a good album to be found in “Unlimited Love,” somewhere within its dilated and overblown production.
-
Clash Magazine
The comeback record houses many tunes akin to lullabies, but the closing number ‘Tangelo’ is both lyrically and stylistically an ode to the bands evolved artistry. Many would think of the Chili Peppers as a team of feral funk rockers, and they wouldn’t be wrong. But this tune is an example of their ability to produce serene ditties. ‘Tangelo’ showcases lyrics that could reference romantic relationship’s, lifelong friendships or that of a father and son – all tied together by gentle acoustic guitar strums and an otherworldly synth that bleeds into meditative background noise. A beautiful end to a long-awaited body of work that sees four people who have been through so much together both as musicians and friends re-unite once more.
-
AV Club
Red Hot Chili Peppers trade easy hooks for surprising depth on Unlimited Love.
-
Variety
To welcome back two old friends in Frusciante and Rubin — and for Kiedis to find new voices amidst vintage whines, for the guitars to saunter jazzily and riff ragingly, and for the band to find some of the most memorable melodies of its long career — really is the best kind of grandiosity.
-
Alternative Nation
I hope Unlimited Love is merely the first step in the band getting reacquainted because songs like “The Heavy Wing” proves they’ve still got a lot left in the tank.
-
Sputnik Music
California's legendary modern rock mainstays return to form with an album overpacked with strong musicianship and dated ideas. We may be happy to hear them return, but they sound as if they've spent too much time in the sun.
-
Kerrang!
At heart Unlimited Love is an intoxicating, moving and occasionally backbone-freeing return from a justly legendary band. It’s a good record; just not a great one.
-
Vinyl Chapters
Unlimited Love is a 17 track show of affection to those who have fallen in love with four funk-punk kids, whether that was back in 1984 or any music adventure in between. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have mastered the art of making time stand still whilst moving forward. They’ve gone from shock rockers on the LA scene to Bonafede rock n’ roll legends around the world and loved every step along the way.
-
Wall of Sound
All in all, this is a cool album. On first listen it sounds to me like a group of friends riding a great wave in life. There’s no anger or erratic panic anywhere on this album. It reeks of love and joy yet has all the hallmarks of the Red Hot Chili Pepper sound you’ve always loved. Unlimited Love seems like the most organic work they’ve released in over a decade and is absolutely worth listening to in whole, and on repeat. I’ll be giving this album a solid flogging.
-
Rock Cellar Magazine
Red Hot Chili Peppers Return Re-Energized on ‘Unlimited Love,’ a Mix of the Familiar and the Fresh.
-
AllMusic
For those in search of more immediate gratification, the crunchy jam "She's a Lover," bouncy singalong anthem "One Way Traffic," and uplifting "The Heavy Wing" are highlights, while "These Are the Ways" is a climactic standout, a full-bodied jolt of energy that crashes to a close with a gritty, gnashing breakdown. Despite the overall trippy and feel-good nature of the set, there's enough for fans of any past era to find an entry point and enjoy the ride.
-
Louder Than War
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Unlimited Love marks the return of guitarist John Frusciante and producer Rick Rubin. It sounds like the work of old friends who’ve never seemed more comfortable in each other’s company, but still have something to offer.
-
Cult MTL
As a double album, rife with obvious hits while remaining unapologetically unbeholden to trends, you’d be hard pressed to name a project as ambitious and filler-free as Unlimited Love from any other band in their fourth decade and very few in their first. Haters be damned.
-
DIY Magazine
‘Unlimited Love’ certainly won’t win over the naysayers. As the laid-back funk and wordplay of ‘Poster Child’ attests, all their usual tropes are present and correct, meaning whatever your view on the Chili Peppers, this record will only confirm it.
-
Atwood Magazine
On ‘Unlimited Love,’ their twelfth album in 38 years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are melodic, energetic, and a whole lot of fun to listen to. Plus, it sure is swell to have John Frusciante back in the lineup.
-
The Lantern
"Unlimited Love" serves as a safe but refreshing album from a band full of veterans wanting to show they can still do what they love.
-
Beats Per Minute
So, if simply recapturing the sounds of their glory days was their goal, it’s more than understandable, but it’s odd bordering on baffling that none of that joy is detectable within the music itself. It’s far from a miserable affair, it certainly passes the time, it’s just hard to imagine how so much talent in a room didn’t arrive with something that didn’t feel so staid.
-
Evening Standard
The raw, grungey These Are the Ways stands out by changing the feel, but there probably isn’t a song here that will impact on the masses with the force of earlier hits such as Under the Bridge and By the Way. Even so, those who have grown up with this band will have few reservations about welcoming its return in its strongest line-up.
-
XS Noize
Unlimited Love has all the hallmarks of a great rock album with some excellent songs, but unfortunately, it falls short owing to its length. At over seventy-three minutes with seventeen tracks, it fails to maintain a consistent level. It would be possible to create a ten-track album from what's on offer on Unlimited Love that would be an eight, or even nine, out of ten, but sadly too many tracks that would have been better suited as B-sides made the final cut. Fans of the band will love seeing the classic line-up being so productive and in good form, but ultimately, Unlimited Love seems to be a record that lingers and has little sense of direction.
-
Renowned For Sound
Ultimately, this is the theme of Unlimited Love. It’s a band performing together, knowing when to take the spotlight and when to let others shine. With Frusciante back, the album was in danger of being sentimental. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen. It’s four friends doing what they do best. Pure. Unadulterated. Funk. Magik.
-
Pop Goes The Weasel
‘Unlimited Love’ is the product of a band who lost members to drug overdoses and nearly lost more, who survived and continue to make meaningful music together. ‘Unlimited Love’ won’t convince the cynics but it is the perfect Red Hot Chili Peppers album for right now and i for one am pleased to have it with us.
-
The Sunflower
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Unlimited Love’ brings back their signature style we’ve been waiting for, and then some.
-
Stargazed Magazine
Like said, the quality of the music and the performance of each individual musician can not be complained about. Nor can the vocals. Kiedis sounds as vibrant now delivering lyrics as he did belting out “Under The Bridge” some 30 years ago.
-
Irish Examiner
It may not hit the heights of their classic material, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers definitely have rediscovered their groove on Unlimited Love.
-
The Upcoming
The combined result of this album is that little grabs attention – but maybe the goal isn’t to listen in one sitting. Unlimited Love is ultimately a good time, a revelling in Frusciante’s return, which has undoubtedly resurrected the archetypal Chili Pepper spark. Musically matured but no more aged in spirit than their arena shuddering past, they may have been frolicking in a hedonistic reality too long to surprise listeners anymore, but who is going to refuse more content of what they do best?
-
Stereoboard
On balance, ‘Unlimited Love’ should probably make the top table of Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, such is its innovation, creativity, humour and joy. If it doesn’t feel completely ground-breaking, this is probably because of the richness and versatility of the group‘s catalogue to date.
-
Liverpool sound and Vision
A feeling of artistic despair, a former love showing its age and refusing to acknowledge that the best is behind them; a pity for the Chili’s have always been, if nothing else, dynamic and attention-grabbing. That sadly is not the case in Unlimited Love.
-
Music Matters Media
Unlimited Love may well describe what the public still has for this band, since the album entered the charts at number one in at least ten countries, including the US and the UK. While no band’s run can ever be truly unlimited, the Red Hot Chili Peppers after nearly four decades show no signs of slowing down.
-
The Fire Note
The result is a mature album of solid songs by players that excel throughout, both as individual players and as a tight, kinetic combo. Yes, I said it, the Red Hot Chili Peppers feel like a mature rock band on Unlimited Love, and I’m as surprised to be saying that as they would be to hear it.
-
The Independent
Rock band’s batteries have run out on this lifeless album.
-
Louder
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are back and it sure feels good.
-
Medium
But with a tracklist of 17-strong, and a runtime of well over an hour, Unlimited Love is certainly a generous album, to say the very least. Not to mention all of the groovy goodness that we get from the project. Perhaps I may be a bit too stuck in the way of “every album needs to push the band forward”, but this record certainly keeps the band just as enjoyable as they always have been.
-
Spill Magazine
Despite its polished production, Unlimited Love sees the Red Hot Chili Peppers throw caution to the wind as they take risks and revel in a genuine sense of weirdness; ultimately, Unlimited Love can stand strong as a latter career highlight as the most exciting release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in nearly twenty years.
-
XS Noize
Unlimited Love has all the hallmarks of a great rock album with some excellent songs, but unfortunately, it falls short owing to its length. At over seventy-three minutes with seventeen tracks, it fails to maintain a consistent level. It would be possible to create a ten-track album from what's on offer on Unlimited Love that would be an eight, or even nine, out of ten, but sadly too many tracks that would have been better suited as B-sides made the final cut. Fans of the band will love seeing the classic line-up being so productive and in good form, but ultimately, Unlimited Love seems to be a record that lingers and has little sense of direction.
-
The Irish Times
Formulaic, bland, appalling.
-
Stereogum
Unlimited Love finds this lineup in their purest form, ecstatically jamming, reveling in being in the same room again. But for Frusciante acolytes who hoped his presence would mean more of the sharpened pop hooks and subtle textural explorations that defined the band’s Frusciante-iest albums, Unlimited Love is a mixed bag.
-
NME
perhaps their most sprawling yet consistent album,
-
Far Out Magazine
Red Hot Chili Peppers coast on the underwhelming 'Unlimited Love'.
-
The Wall Street Journal
‘Unlimited Love’ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers Is the Group’s Mildest Album Yet.
-
Exclaim!
The band's albums with outgoing guitarist Josh Klinghoffer weren't bad, exactly — The Getaway in particular holds up quite nicely — but, when listening to Unlimited Love, there's a strong sense of everything falling into place and order being restored.
Rate This Album and Leave Your Comments