The Chili Peppers are back with the much anticipated single off their forthcoming album, I’m With You. Their first album with ex-Warpaint axe slinger Josh Klinghoffer, the single still shows their trademark funky bass which bears a remarkable similarity to the bass line from ‘This Is Radio Clash’ and also throws in enough cowbell to suggest they’ve been partying with The Rapture quite a bit of late.

Anthony Kiedis’ trademark ‘love it or hate it’ slurring vocal whine hasn’t changed in the last 20 years but perhaps what is most interesting is the prominence of some fancy yet restrained guitar work that, unlike a lot of recent Chili Peppers output where it has almost seemed superflous to the slap bass, here it actually is the highlight of the track. Sure it channels Mick Jones and George Harrison at their best but the Chili Peppers have always been jackdaws, picking up the best parts of musical history. If you’re going to do it, you might as well steal from the best.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine