Customer Reviews

The Will to Death

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Frusciante has been a part of my life since I was 10 years old. I grew up listening to him and the post-Hilel Red Hot Chili Peppers, always paying closer attention to his guitar playing than I did to Anthony's singing or Flea's bass heroics. As cliched as this sounds, I suppose John is one of the few musicians I listen to, and I do listen to and enjoy a lot of musicians, whose work I can connect with spiritually. When I listen to John play the pieces I consider his most beautiful, I become filled with so much positive emotion I feel high. For whatever reason, I looked upon John's decision to release six albums throughout the remainder of the year with some trepidation. Would these albums live up to the high quality of Shdaows Collide With People? Was John Frusciante beginning to stretch himself thin? Would I even enjoy this record at all? The Will to Death is, up to this point, my favorite piece of work by John Frusciante. John's solo music is so special to me that I am apprehensive about playing any of his first three solo albums for people because I know how angry I will get if they criticize John's playing or voice. Shadows Collide with People is safe in this regard because it is so overproduced and essentially a pop album at heart, although it is very personal to me as well. The production on the Will to Death represents the perfect medium between John's first three solo albums and his fourth. In my opinion, this is how every Frusciante album should be produced. The songs themselves are all beautiful, with the deeper, more introspective songs on an already lyrically deep and introspective album taking on a life of and creating worlds of their own. John's voice couldn't sound better and his minimalist guitar playing compliments his rejuvinated vocals perfectly, allowing for his poetry to take center stage for the first time. The song which best exemplifies this is the Mirror, with it's ethereal whisps of smoke and haunting piano playing, it examines the self-destructive psyche of an essentially good human being. At the emotional apex of the song, Frusciante sings a crystaline, "Time doesn't crawl back to where it doesn't show, no one means me when they say people don't grow. The face in the mirror is not me." If you know anything about John Frusciante's life story, these lyrics and the sonic landscape they inhabit are familiar. Familiar is a good word for describing the subject matter Frusciante tackles on this record. Again, John examines ontological and psychological topics, such as loss, pain, life, death, consciousness, the nature of space-time, and reincarnation. John also examines love in the amazing Far Away, which sounds like something Lennon and Mccartney could have written if they had been able to reconcile during their solo careers in the 1970's because it meshes the two without ever really sounding Beatle-esque. My favorite song on the album is the mildly psychedelic "Wishing", which has the amazing ability to transport me back to childhood every time I listen to it, in part becuase of the background chimes that recall the ice cream truck man in the summer. Other stand-outs include the opening tack Doubt, The Loop, Days Have Turned, and the Will to Death. As a side note, Helical is one the best John Frusciante instrumentals, rivaling Ramparts in its beauty. This album is a very high watermark to set for one's self, which makes me all the more excited for John's next five solo projects and the work he is supposedly doing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Omar Rodriguez of Mars Volta. Thank you, John.

TWTD is a deliberate change from the recent 'Shadows Collide with People'. After doing a high-production record, John wanted to not worry as much about perfection or the technical side of writing and just make music that he loved. It's totally apparent from the very first song. The emotion just oozes out of every single song. Once again, no fillers on this album. Guitar is great, vocals are great, and the sound quality is at that perfect place, where it doesn't sound over-produced but it is still really easy to listen to.

John really lets me voice out on this album. His voice is just plain amazing. And certain tracks isolate his voice on one side or speaker, so if you have good headphones like I do you can really hear just how great he is.

If you are a fan of any of JF's music, get this. You can't live without it. It really reminds me of his earlier stuff(minus the druggy screaming, but with all of that emotion). If you aren't a current fan, pick it up if you want to experience music, and not just listen to it. Great vocals, great guitar, great writing. Almost every single song sends a shiver up my spine. Fantastic CD, and I can't wait for the next one.

Frusciante and long-time collaborator Josh Klinghoffer bring back the raw feel of early Frusciante work on this album. While the songs are certainly more polished and refined than "Niandra La Des" or "Smile From the Streets", they seem to fit more along the lines of "To Record Only Water", being less produced than the songs on "Shadows".

As with all of John's albums, this one grows more pleasing with each play. The intricate little details can't be heard immediately - it takes a little time to appreciate their efforts. However, the payoff is worth it. There are some real gems on this album, and it's really good all the way through (for established John fans). The mood is dark, though, the lyrics don't always match that mood. Really, this album is fantastic.

Highlights for me: A Loop, The Days Have Turned, The Will To Death.

For those who are not familiar with Frusciante's solo work - check out "To Record Only Water For Ten Days" first. THEN, IF you enjoy that, buy this album. Also, try the Brown Bunny Soundtrack.

For Fru Fans - feel safe in investing in John's latest masterpiece. It's raw and beautiful. Can't wait for the next one.

The Will to Death has got to be one of my favorite albums. This is one of those cd's you buy and listen to the first time and go "Huh?" And then there's one song that strikes you and makes you think the rest can't be all that bad. So you listen to it again. You find more songs that you absolutely fall in love with, and by the thrid time you've listened to the whole album you're completely convinced that these tracks are the most mind-blowing creations you've ever heard.It may all seem like a slight dissapointment and a mere silence killer as background music at first, but continuing those thoughts would really be a sin.
Though John Frusciante has decided not to spend as much time fiddling with his music as much as he did on Shadows Collide With People, he has managed to reach perfection through imperfection, creating another world to step into through the sounds of his songs. Every time you let the disc spin you discover new things you haven't heard before, subtle second interpretations...extra emotions. This album makes my mind stop working, kind of makes me feel like I'm floating, a feeling of utter relaxation and inner peace overcomes me. I can sing along... but processing thoughts doesn't happen. It's all about emotion and living the music.
If there is anyone that lives, breathes and feels music it's John. And he gives you that feeling, too... which I find uncomprehendeble. I don't know how he does it, but he made it happen. I love this album. It's fantastic.

After hearing shadows collide with people i didnt think johns music could get more deep and meaningful. Turns out i was wrong then. if u love his other albums u MUST get this (although this is NOTHING like the chili peppers) u really will love it. Beatufil songs from a deep talented musician!

Another great record by John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer. This time around he recorded this effort in a span of 5 days and the finished peice is raw yet beautiful. This album marks the first in a series of albums to be released in the upcoming months. When John made 'Shadows Collide with People' he said how he wanted to prove people wrong about saying he couldnt make a album that wasn't messed up (i.e. Niandra LaDes and Smile From the Streets you Hold). He came through with a wonderful "production" record. On 'The Will to Death' the songs are stripped, but easy to listen to, and a pleasure to hear. This is a must for any Frusciante fan and a great album by a very gifted songwriter.

I fell in love with Shadows and I wasn't sure I could move on to another album, but Will to Death proved me wrong. It has a fresh, grainy quality that still maintains a brooding, dark mood. The lyrics are more lucid than Shadows, and I get the feeling they are really trying to say something. I highly recommend Will to Death to anyone who loved Shadows, or is a fan of the more melodic Chili Peppers music.

I have been listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers since I was 9, and I never realized John's great talents till I was 14. He is by far the best guitarist I have ever heard, he expresses his love and sensitivity towards his Chili peppers. And I love john's work, I feel like im part of him, and that I really relate to his behavior towards music, and his care and kindness towards fans. How I find him a role model, like he is my guardian angel and that he is always following me around, looking after me, protecting me. His work with the chili peppers is incredible, but his solo albums are even better. Will to death represents his feelings into music, and how he develops these works of art in such short time. All the songs are great, no doubt about it. Why its a perfect masterpiece, easy the cd incorporates all things you want, creative melodies, great guitar riffs, pure talent everything you need from a great album. Which is why I bought it, and many others have bought it because he is an amazing human being that I feel and many others feel has a gift that should of only been given to him and no other. Sincereley Sean Hagan.

This record is great. It has so many good songs like " an excersize", " a loop" and "the will to death". Also John is releasing another 5 albums after this one basically one a month. Good news or what! The next cd will be a band that he made with a few friends call ATAXIA. Then he will release 4 more cds after that starting with DC EP.

Picked up the latest(of many) new JF CDs "The Will To Death",not as "produced" as shadows(which isn't a bad thing!).It is however one of his best on 1st listens.....personal faves at the mo are definitely "The Mirror" and "The Will To Death", hoping he'll do a solo tour before he starts work on the next RHCP album. So anyone with a doubt,fear nor "The Will To Death" is an instant classic.