The times when Red Hot Chili Peppers were really funky, crazy and wild are long gone. Therefore, long gone also are the times when I was getting excited at the news that they are releasing a new album. And when John Frusciante left two years ago, I decided that it was very likely not to hear the eventual new CD. Well, I heard “I’m With You” and surprisingly I didn’t stop it in the middle. The album enters from the beginning to the end, leaving impression for a soft and easy record, suitable for a background, for falling asleep or for a soundtrack of some nice home occupation. Yes, the album is a surprise but it woul be exaggerated to call it a pleasant one. Red Hot Chili Peppers have changed guitar players before, including Frusciante. And having in mind what a beast they put out in 1995 with Dave Navarro, the second departure of John shouldn’t be apocalyptic for the band. And Josh Klinghoffer has played both with RHCP and their former guitarist. His entering in the group has appeared naturally and even in the songs written by him in “I’m With You” there shows the typical for the guys from LA signature from the last ten years. Again we have light and melodic songs with vividly pulsating rhythm (“Monarchy of Roses”, “The Adventure of Rain Dance Maggie”, “Goodbye Hooray”), there are included warm balladic melancholies which they proved they are goos at yet with “Californication”, (“Brendan's Death Song”, “Police Station”), we also have a reminder of the funky rhythm with which remember them from their strongest years, loaded by the recitatives of Anthony Kiedis and the crazy galloping on the fat strings by Flea. (“Factory of Faith”, “Look Around”). Yet there are new elements in the music of the quartet. The years of hiatus for Red Hot Chili Peppers have been useful for Flea who used this time to graduate music theory in the University of Southern California. He claims that he has used his new knowledge in the writing of the album, he has composed a few songs on piano and the result shows in “Even You Brutus?”, one of the greatest songs in “I’m With You” with its picturesue addings of the piano the good lyrics and the warm melody – motives that discretely breath freshness in the otherwise not that impressive tenth studio album of the band. “I’m With You” is an ordinary record by once extraordinary band. Well recorded, well produced, with clear goal and direction but slightly mediocre. But its release shows clearly that Red Hot Chili Peppers are pretty far from the idea of retirement. Yet I would like them to listen to their own words “Hey now! We have to make it rain somehow”, because right now their music barely dizzles.