John Frusciante - The Empyrean

[~xXmEt30R4_1Uv3r_03.23.03Xx~]

John Frusciante is the guitarist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. On top of that, he has a hell of a solo career.

His latest (10th) solo album, The Empyrean, was released on the 20th worldwide bar the US (due to an error at the duplication plant). You can however, download the album at all major online outlets. It truly is, in my opinion, a beautiful piece of work and definitely one of the best albums of 2009.

As has been said about the album, it is best to listen to this in the darkness of your living room. Or as I did, with my eyes closed lying on my bed. The guitar work is amazing and the melodies and harmonies feel like they come straight out of Frusciante's soul (which they do).

I've probably ranted enough about it, you can check out the third track, Unreachable, at his myspace here.

And while you're at it, feel free to check out any of his other solo work. I would recommend the albums Shadows Collide With People and Curtains for starters.

EDIT: Oh and one note about The Empyrean... don't judge it based on Unreachable alone. While a badass track, each track is amazing in different ways. And the album as a whole is greater than all the parts.

[TheRockChick]

I love this album, it is absolutely amazing. That is all.

[barnes80]

agreed, just listened to it this morning and it = epic.

Before the beginning is just absolutely beautiful...
And the whole album is just so powerful and spiritual. This ones a keeper.

[Christopher]

I listened to this album late last night. It's really amazing, just beautiful. I think he really accomplished what he set out to do. He has significantly grown as an artist since this first albums and even his latest work.

It is very spiritual and even philosophical, it's really about the atmosphere it creates. Most of his other albums always had that element to it for me, but they were still pop/rock songs too.

Like he said on his website, it's completely open for interpretation. He even says it only occured to him (too late) that putting lyrics on the album kind of imply certain ideas and that he might have decided not to have lyrics. So the next album might be an instrumental one.
I do love his lyrics, though and I think in the way he sings it's more about the sound of the words than the meaning anyway, so I guess I'd prefer him to keep writing lyrics too.

[barnes80]

I do love his lyrics, though and I think in the way he sings it's more about the sound of the words than the meaning anyway, so I guess I'd prefer him to keep writing lyrics too.

I can't agree more, when I listened through it I decided to just ignore the lyrics and not over analyze them too much yet and it all just flows together. His voice is like another instrument that is creating the music. I could totally do a non vocal album because I loved Before the Beginning, but its really isn't essential.

[TheRockChick]

So the next album might be an instrumental one.

Even though I didn't exactly mind the lyrics that much, this one would most likely be pure awesomeness. I think I'd like it better, to be honest.

[~xXmEt30R4_1Uv3r_03.23.03Xx~]

One awesome thing to take note of - if you start Enough of Me and One More of Me when both vocals start, you get a badass double track.

[$pvcxGhxztCasey]

In a somewhat related topic, anyone checked out Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's (of the Mars Volta) newest solo album, "Old Money"? It's streaming on MySpace. Depending on what you count as solo, it's his 12th solo album, with 2 more albums already confirmed to be released this year.

It's pretty badass.

[Jordan]

In a somewhat related topic, anyone checked out Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's (of the Mars Volta) newest solo album, "Old Money"? It's streaming on MySpace. Depending on what you count as solo, it's his 12th solo album, with 2 more albums already confirmed to be released this year.

It's pretty badass.

That it is.

I'll check out this one later as well.

[~xXmEt30R4_1Uv3r_03.23.03Xx~]

So I've come to the conclusion that this album is way too short.

[Odaton]

Hello all, just dropping by (I haven't been here in HOW long?) and I saw this thread so I have to give some homage to the new Frusciante album, really amazing stuff! John plays and sings and writes with heart and soul as always. Also some really cool special guests! Sonus Quartet!