Customer Reviews

To Record Only Water For Ten Days (U.S. Version)

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

How is it that a guitarist for one of the world's funkiest bands can create such a masterpiece of music so far removed from anything the Red Hot Chili Peppers have or will ever create? I suppose locking oneself in a room with the requisite instruments and kicking one's opiated ways will do it everytime. Tracks such as "Going Inside", "Someone's" and "Remain" sound oddly like late model Depeche Mode recorded on a Mississippi cotton plantation. The dirty yet lively guitar work coupled with agitated syncopations makes for one of the most unique releases I have ever purchased. I could only compare it to Red Red Meat or Califone if forced to put it in a tight little package of comparison, but neither does justice to the brilliance of this album. John's sparse yet impactful lyrics should strike a resonant chord in the hearts of music fans anywhere. Having been a devout follower of the RHCPs---trekking across the entire U.S. in 1985 to see them every single night, I assure you that this is not another RHCP album nor an indication of the next one. With that said, RHCP fans beware---if you love music, this is the album for you. If you want Californication 2, this isn't it. Quite simply, a brilliant record from beginning to end.

Despite the RHCP-related hoopla that tends to surround John Frusciante's solo efforts, I find that this album is far more interesting and satisfying when removed out from under the RHCP umbrella. It's simply too unique in its own right to be damned to being compared with RHCP's vanguard-turned-consumerist music and it certainly has artistic merit to stand on its own -- something that John's previous worked really did not. While this album does possess some of the same self-defeating, drug-inflected nihilism and solipsism reflective of John's obviously addiction-prone personality as those other albums, it's not as weighted down by it. The result is a mood and tone that reveals something of John's inner world without it being overwhelming dark or tragic, and therefore it is much more listenable than his prior solo efforts.

Of course, "listenable" is a relative term. By comparison to the current industry's immaculately digital recording standards, this album is beyond raw. Like his other albums, it's basically a touched-up demo. While the drum machine and keyboard fillers do get annoying, the core of each song -- John's curious and occasionally odd style of voice w/guitar songwriting -- is consistently intriguing. The guitar playing is not the flashiest John's ever done, but it's interesting and inventive in many places. John's knack for creative background vocals also can be noticed here. Clearly, John has an immense talent for songwriting that should be put to use outside his commitment to RHCP.

Overall, it's a very unique offering, and while many seem too eager to respond to John's uniqueness with the label "genius," I'm not sure this, as well as any of John's work, warrants such prestigous praise. The demo quality of this album is indicative of John's major flaw as an artist -- for all his creativity and inspiration, he regularity fails to bring it to a proper and full end. For all the invention that went into this batch of songs, it still has an abandoned-while-still-in-progress quality that leaves you wondering how much more it could've been if the creative process was followed through to the gritty end. But it is what it is, and despite that one big flaw, it's a worthwhile and fascinating release that leaves you hopeful that John will continue with more solo offerings in the future.

First off, I'm a rabid fan of John's first two solo albums, so you might want to take my review with a grain of salt. I was a little disappointed in this record at first, but i've heard it 3 times now and its starting to grow from me. It's somewhat removed from the earlier works, having dropped a lot of the backward guitar and added 80's sounding synth and drum machines in many of the songs. Also, John's got teeth now, which makes the lyrics a tad clearer. There's tons of inventive guitar work, some thoughful lyrics and a nice overall rainy sunday afternoon feel. I'd recommend this for all fans of his previous work and anyone who enjoys lo-fi home recordings. This is not train wreck music, so if yr trying to buy this to listen to someone who's lost his mind or is so smacked out he cant chord a guitar, go buy something else you rubbernecker. Glad yr back John.

I, like most people, started listening to John Frusciante because Im a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers fan. But what I found was something even more amazing than the chili peppers.
This is John's first 'clean' solo album, after battling heroin addiction for many years. And the result is a much more lyrically improved effort from his past recordings. The album is very basic, with just johns guitar and words recorded over the top of a drum machine with a little bit of bass thrown in, it sounds very much like a demo. But the quality is once again in the guitar playing, it is clear why the chili's missed him for all those years.
Standout tracks for me are Wind up Space, Remain, Fallout, Murderers and Invisible movement.
Buy this album, you wont regert it...And thanks to amazon, as Johns work is almost impossible to get in Australia.

At first I saw the video "Going inside" and it really made an impresion on me. I was touched by harmony of sound and view and the emotional expresiveness of the work. It seamed different from that red hot chilly peppers stuff - more individual and uncommercial. Then i bought a CD and it is one of my lo - fi favourites. I always appreciate an independent authoricy of a work - this is an example of production, poetry and music fulfiled by one single person. It took me to listen a few dozens of times to that record in order to understand and to feel it better. My impresion only increased every time when I listened mixing the songs or being in variuos environments. It's a work of a gifted man, who obviosly can get tired of dependency being in band. John's vocal sounds as if from some mithological distance. It varys from penetrating squeak to austere narration or delicate whispering as if for himself. Tracks "Going inside", "First season", "Representing" or "Saturation" maybe the best to reveal the specific character of a record. I think it's more for personal listening, in some unusual and odd environment for example.

John is one of the most remarkable artists of our time. Unlike the more funk/rock oriented Red Hot Chili Peppers; his own music is the spacey, acoustic outpourings of a very complicated soul. This is one of those albums you can listen to at any point in your life. He writes songs that you feel, a quality you don't find as often these days. The best way I can describe it is "pure." Or possibly "honest." Beautiful! Think of the music itself as Joy Division meets Syd Barrett meets Depeche Mode with lovely guitar. Very highly recommended, especially for those who possess those pesky "emotionsEand would enjoy having them augmented.

Thank god for John Frusciante. I was getting rather annoyed with the absolute stupidity of some of the music that has come out recently, but "To Record Only Water For Ten Days" was like a breath of fresh air. I listened to it straight through the day I got it and I absolutely love it. Every song on the album is beautiful and incredible in it's own right, helping to push away some of the sour notes put out by other parts of the recording industry.

This album clearly demonstrates that John Frusciante is a great songwriter. Despite the extremely lo-fi recording quality and his sub-par voice, it's consistently intriguing. The problem is, this ain't the kind of music that is enhanced by a lo-fi sound. I can't listen to it without imagining how amazing these songs might sound if they were properly produced. And "properly produced" doesn't have to mean "jazzed up for the commercial market," I'm just talking about an actual recording studio, and perhaps a real drummer instead of repetitive techno loops.

Ultimately, this is a worthwile buy. The songs themselves are fantastic. Just be prepared to be plagued by thoughts of how much better it could've been.

Although I hate to disagree with avid Frusicante fans, I have never been able to get into either of John's previous releases. However, this album has really captured a portion of me. And that's what I'm here to do. Review THIS album. "To Record Only Water For Ten Days" is one of the most intriguing albums of the year and the best for John Frusciante. His use of drum samples at first was hard to understand. How could they be so obviously sampled? It was almost as if there were two albums going on at the same time. Needless to say, after about five listens they finally started to come together for me. Thereby showing it's true geniousness.

There are several songs on this album that are just incredible. My personal favorite would have to be "Remain." Other great highlights are:

"Going Inside", "Wind Up Space", "The First Season", and "Murderers." The whole album is great really. If you have not given John a chance because of his previous releases, stop and give this a listen. If you're not thoroughly impressed, I'll be suprised.

ok firts off, Id like to say one thing. this is my favorite john frusciante album except for the one that was released only on his website, which happens to be a collection of B sides from this album ( i dont know what happened that the best stuff was the B sides, but it did). Every song on here is beautiful, especially the instrumentals, not that i dont like his voice, i LOVE it but the instrumentals are stunning!
the best songs are probably remain, ramparts, murderers, invisible movement, and in rime