Review: Inside of Emptiness [Frusciante Countdown]

Inside of Emptiness- John Frusciante

[Countdown to Enclosure]

by: Sabrina G

Inside of Emptiness is the fourth record released in the series of six albums released by Frusciante in 2004. I skipped over numbers two and three because one is technically an Ataxia album and the other is an EP.

While both are incredibly fantastic albums and really worth checking out – I’m sticking to just LPs released under John’s name.
This album is one of my favorites. Not just in the spectrum of Frusciante albums, but of all time. Overall, it’s a pretty soothing, in a way, yet maintains a level of heaviness.  Yet again, the album features contributions from Josh Klinghoffer and Omar Rodríguez-López. The electronica elements take a backseat on the majority of this album in favor of a heavier rock sound. However, the heaviness is most prominent within in the lyrics. Perhaps the most notable feature of this album is it’s large focus on what John may be known best for – guitar.

It’s evident from the first track that you’re in for something really special. ‘What I Saw’ opens the album with a heavy guitar riff punctuated with drums provided by Klinghoffer.  Another incredible and very noteworthy Josh contribution is the guitar solo found on the third track, ‘Inside A Break.’  He also provided a solo on ‘Emptiness,’ another favorite track. While not every song is heavy in terms of the sound, there’s still some degree of an edge to each one. ‘Scratches’ is a good example of this. It’s a bit slower than the other tracks on the album, maybe even a bit softer. However, the overall tone of that song is heavy and somber.

Frusciante said that there was “a lot of spontaneity and recklessness and not giving a fuck” present on the album. I’d say that’s a fair assessment. Although there are some recurring similarities track to track, each is unique and lovely in its own way. That being said, given the similarities, the album flows together nicely. There’s no jarring shift from one track to the next (i.e. something a bit more acoustic followed by a blow your ear drums out track), which add to the soothing element of the album. It’s hard to offer a really good description of this album. I say that because, at the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, it seems to be rooted more in emotion. The emotional aspects of the album translate over quite well even if they’re not something a listener can understand completely. I believe that, more than the rock elements, the emotional drive gives the album its heaviness.

This album is quite approachable to a listener who may not be the most familiar with Frusciante’s work. It sounds more like tour traditional rock album but, obviously, has a spin that is uniquely John. I would recommend this one to those who are more or less unfamiliar with his work. And at the same time, it’s largely a favorite of seasoned Frusciante fans. It’s all around a beautiful album and needs to be listened to.