Customer Reviews

Smile From the Streets You Hold

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

1) John does not, in fact, hate Smile From The Streets You Hold. On his website, Frusciante has recently stated, quote,

"I recently listened to 'Smile' again and really loved it, it's really a wonderful album and it should be out there, people should be able to listen to it"

2)This album is not worth $200. John dosen't think so either. As it turns out, there is a warehouse full of unsold copies of 'Smile' that John has recently decided to sell. Hence, 'Smile' will soon be avaliable for purchase on John's website (...) for a far more reasonable price.

After months of scraping around, I've been able to find all the tracks on the album myself, and I can say that it contains some of John's best - and most haunting - work. If you're not familiar with the rest of Frusciante's early solo work, you're probably best avoiding 'Smiles', or at least should get aquainted with his more recent albums beforehand. If you're willing to force your way through the first few listens, you will find a musical gem of raw honesty. 'Smiles' is a glimpe into the mind of a man convinced he is on the brink of death. If you can't feel anything by the end of Estress, you're already dead.

That said, don't bother purchasing it now. Once copies are put on sale on John's website, the price should drop to something far more reasonable.

I bought this album without previously hearing it. I was familiar with john Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and wanted to hear his solo work...I had bought this before Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-shirt. This album is wonderful! I truly couldn't live without it now. The tones and colors John paints with his talent makes you feel like you have been introduced to his soul. I prefer it to Niandra but highly recommend both. This album is definitely not your mainstream type of music you hear everyday. There is no set outline. The music is like a journey through your feelings. The overtone of the album is melancholy. It may take a few listens to appreciate it fully.

This is a hard album to review because in order to do so, you really have to ask yourself, what makes an album great? If you answer, something that will always be remembered, something that gives me insite into an artists state of mind, something controversial, something unconventional, something that divides some and unites others, then this album is something you should look into if you're a fan of John's work. It will not make you dance. The melodies will mostly be forgotten. The record as a whole, though, will stick with you long after it's left the turntable. And you will return to it again occasionally to marvel at this creation. Most of it is haunting and disturbing. John has much better material on all of his other records, but there are some gems here. Don't expect a classic piece of music. Expect an organic piece of art and you will be more satisfied.

John's second solo album is sadly out of print.Frusciante himself didn't wanted it to be re-released as his debut "niandra lades...".the fact is that "Smile..." is musically shocking...

Some of you may remember 1996 L.A weekly magazine drastical article showing John living in dirty motel room,hiding before the world.he was in tragic condition,abusing heroin made him looking like a ghost or someone deadly sick - and In this conditions John had been recording some of songs that were released on "smile from the streets" - he often told that he wanted to rleelased them to have more money for drugs.

notice that most of tracks are recorded on some portable stereo tape recorder.that's why the quality is so weak
the opener "enter a uh" suits perfectly into albums atmosphere -Quite nice guitar riff is a background to John's screams and murmur's,later it grows more sinister straight to the end when his voice is is unnaturaly low.i believe that he was surely taking drugs while recording it.it does't change the fact that "Enter a uh" is one of the most shocking and moving songs ever recorded - pure emotions.
other songs such as "More","estress" or "nigger songs" are combination of wierd vocals and a bit amateurish guitar lines,although "poppy man" (niandra lades outtake) is really amazing guitar collage."well i've been" is some mix of strange noises and minimal riff. but the best songs here is "feminity" -propably John's best songs ever.pure emotions,if this song will not bring tears to your eyes i will be suprised...

"smile from the streets you hold" may shock many Red hot chilli peppers fans where john plays guitar but if you are opened on different music you will love it.if you prefer more accesible songs you may hate it - but the true is that nobody ever made a record like this one

Frusciante has had some shining momnets, but SFTSYH, isn't one of them. There are a couple of good tracks here and there, but as a whole, this CD was boring.

Stick with his RHCP stuff, or Niandra Lades.

I fail to see how this album is any less deserving of a place in Frusciante's discography than the others, even if he (until recently) thought so himself. Granted, it probably reminds him all too vividly of a rather unstable time in his life, but to the regular listener this is a more accessable record than 'Usually Just A T-Shirt' in my opinion. 'Smile From The Streets You Hold' is longer than said album too, and as a result the more rambling songs on here are easily outnumbered by the excellent ones. It is actually a very intense, fulfilling album to listen to in one sitting.

The opener 'Enter A Uh' sets the tone perfectly: it's raw and scruffy as hell, almost impenetrable upon the first few listens, but give it time and you'll find a song in there. A funky, carefully written song with excellent vocal lines (painfully sung, mind) and an opening riff that betrays the genius in this sadly drug-addled man (with a happy ending, of course). The rest of the album fluctuates, though its highlights are as good as anything from 'Niandra LaDes' - 'Poppy Man' is a great instrumental, 'Height Down' (a duet with the late River Pheonix) is a touchingly happy folkish tune and the title track really should have been on 'Niandra...' all along.

There are some oddities too. 'A Fall Thru The Ground' is a lush and layered home recorded tune from pre-Chilis days (he was 17!! - Christ, to have been that good at 17!), 'I'm Always' is one of my favourite Frusciante songs and totally unlike anything else he's done (it's more RHCP than JF), and 'I May Again Know John' is just fantastic - a distortion-drenched psychedelic dirge with an beautiful evolving chord progression.

It certainly is a tough listen, but stick with it and it'll repay you tenfold. It's a good thing John didn't go the same way as Hillel, because 'Smile From The Streets You Hold' would have been a dark and tragic swan song. Happily, instead we got nine more solo records and three from the Chilis!

Don't know what to say 'bout this album.I've heard his other ones and I believe he is an amazingly honest and soulful artist.This album is weird, but good at the same time.Not great, not bad but somewhere in between decent and good.Also i'd like to say that just because someone doesn't like, it doesn't mean they are close-minded or anything like that.People have different musical tastes.Fact.To be honest this album is unlistenable at times.

If you are interesting in Johns solosmaterial because you have heard him in RHCP, this NOT the ablum for you!!! I'd recommend "To Record Only Water for Ten Days". "Smile..." represents the depths of a long downhill battle with addiction. There are some incredibly beautiful moments on it. There are others that most people would classify unlistenable. I appreciate the entire piece of work. No it's not easy on the ears, yes it invokes painful emotions. Isn't that the point of some art? It can't all be roses. And thanks to a strong will John is better than ever with his latest release! All of this is a moot point since John has pulled this album from production as he was not proud of all of it. He recognized that some of the work was made to fund his habit and that it was not a benevolent reason for creating art and would not create pure emotions in listeners.

This is an album you have to listen to a couple of times to really get. It's been said that John hates this album and wishes it was never released, but I'm glad it was. It's about as far from regular mainstream music as you can get. It paints a sad picture of John Frusciante's life at the time. It's definatley not like his work with the RHCP. I highly reccomend this and Niandra LaDes, but they're not for everyone. John is a beautiful person and his albums reflect his unique personality.

this cd is so cool its frozen. John is a genius and maybe someday he will be recognized for his incredible solo music. some of these songs were recorded while john was in the deepest stages of drug addiction but still they are facsinating. smile from the streets is a song for the ages as is several others. enter a uh is a wild screaming ride through a land of frightening scenery and horrific pain but man it just rocks. its so original and honest. a lot of people will be unable to relate so they can go and enjoy their big hair and grunge jam just please stay straight john so u can keep it coming. unfortunately a lot of johns best songs are only available on the web but if u can get your hands on this cd and u have an open mind welcome aboard to a whole new kind of beautiful music experience. jim morrison john lennon and mozart would love this