Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Hump de Bump' (Warner Bros) Released 07/05/07

Let’s presume for a moment that we’re all Chilis fans. Yeah, I know, stupid suggestion, but stay with me. If you were a Chilis fan, which Chilis model would you subscribe to? Lame socks-on-cocks funk-metal? Or the more mature (and desperately boring) stadium rock they’ve been peddling since 'Californication'? Either way, you’d be disappointed with 'Hump de Bump' which seems to combine the two, along the way dispensing with anything remotely likeable. No memorable melody to speak of, precious little of the exuberance which made stuff like 'By The Way' bearable; all that’s left is one of Flea’s irritating basslines. Remember when 'Scar Tissue' came out and it seemed like the Chilis might actually have got good? It seems like such a long time ago.