Blood Sugar Sex Magik (CD)

With valuable assistance from producer Rick Rubin, the Peppers find just the right blend of punk, funk, and hip-hop. Even with a running time of 74 minutes, this 1991 breakthrough has continuity and cohesion both within and across the 17 cuts. Riding Flea's surging bass, Anthony Kiedis delivers his explicit lyrics with a rapper's flair, extolling the virtues (and outlining the dangers) of sex and drugs. Plaintive ballads such as Breaking the Girl, I Could Have Lied, and the hit Under the Bridge give the album depth and provide contrast to the raw energy of Mellowship Slinky in B Major, Funky Monks, and Give It Away. Rubin masterfully fuses John Frusciante's raunchy guitar with the irresistible grooves.