The Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) released their second studio album of 2022 on October 14, and it could not be any more different than “Unlimited Love.” “The Return of the Dream Canteen” is in a completely different style of music than what RHCP normally produces, and it works extremely well. 

The music separates itself from their normal discography with songs like “In the Snow” and “The Drummer.” Both songs feature more electronic type instruments which is a huge change from previous works. “In the Snow” also contains rap verses which are longer than any RHCP song has ever featured. “In the Snow” is by far the most creative song on this album, but many may not enjoy it due to how different it is. 

“Eddie” is one of the best songs on the album and was inspired by the passing of Eddie Van Halen in 2020. It pays homage to Van Halen and his works through lyrics and the great bassline by Flea that led to the song’s creation. 

“Tippa My Tongue” is a nice callback to hits like “Give It Away” and “Suck My Kiss.” It fits well as the first track on the album and does get the listener hooked immediately. “Shoot Me a Smile” is a fantastic song that meshes the normal RHCP style and a sort of psychedelic style in a beautiful manner. It could very well be the best song on the entire album. 

“La La La La La La La La” (Yes, that is really the name) is the slow song that almost every RHCP album has on it. It is a good song, but nothing compared to its mellow predecessors in “Tearjerker,” “I Could Die for You” and “Tangelo.” The rest of the album consist of about two other truly great songs in “Carry Me Home” and “Reach Out,” but the rest is mediocre. 

“Return of the Dream Canteen” is a good album but definitely not the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ best. The fact that over half the album is just “ok” brings its impact down significantly, but as a fan of the band it is great to see them continue to branch out in style of music.

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