Review: To Will To Death [Frusciante Countdown]

To Will To Death- John Frusciante

[Countdown to Enclosure]

by: Sabrina G

During a break in the Red Hot Chili Peppers schedule, Frusciante announced plans to release six albums in six months. This is the first in that slew. Following the long and expensive production of Shadows Collide With People, he decide to bang out those six albums in a minimalist manner.

 In my opinion, it’s important to keep in mind the limited number of takes that were used during the recording when listening to the album. I believe there was a limit of two or three takes per track and when you think about that, it makes you appreciate the album that much more.

This is the second album to feature contributions from Josh Klinghoffer. He provided drums, bass, and keyboards throughout the album and guitar on two tracks. However, there is a distinct lack of backing vocals on this album. The album is, of course, a testament to the magic created when Josh and John collaborate.

The electronica elements are toned down on this album in favor of a pretty solid rock sound. That being said, they are still present; just more of a background accent rather than being the main focus.  An exception to that can be found in ‘The Loop’, the elements are perfectly balanced and play off each other incredibly well.

This album, at least in my opinion, is a bit heavier and more somber than Shadows Collide With People. The lyrics are almost reflective, which isn’t uncommon for John’s music. The album is a clear indication of the sound of Frusciante’s next few records, mainly the others released in the “six in six months” series. The music is almost minimalist, perhaps due to its method of recording. That’s probably poor word choice on my part, there’s still plenty going on throughout each track. The approach to recording translates to the sound, making the album feel a bit more bare bones or honest, if you will. It’s the purest form of uninterrupted creation. The recording process was a bit hasty but that doesn’t take anything away from the quality of the album. It still comes out sounding beautiful, polished, and dynamic.