Californication not only marked a change in style but also in the Red Hot Chili Pepper's career. After the rather sad anti-climax of One Hot Minute preceeding the success of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, this became another mile stone in the band's history. Containing probably the most memorable of their songs, Californication, the Red Hot Chili Peppers once again emerged as one of the best alternative rock bands the world had to offer.

Gone is the heavy influence of funk metal, although not altogether forgotten and can still be heard in Around the World, I Like Dirt and Purple Stain, all worthy songs of their genre. However, the Chili Peppers seems to focus more on much more subtle rock. Songs like Scar Tissue, Otherside and Road Trippin' have the same force that made Under the Bridge famous, another departure of the Chili Pepper's from their usual funky style.

The lyrics as well as the riffs seem much more thoughtful, bording on the philosophical in the song Californication. Anthony Kied's words are much more thought-provoking than just simply provoking. Californication is not only the song that has permanently written the Chili Peppers into the history book of music, it also strikes an all too forgotten nail on the head about the problems surrounding the glamorous world of Hollywood, emphasised in it's depressive metaphores, while making a respectful tribute to Kurt Cobain.

Although Californication is the giant in the album, there are a great deal many classic Chili Peppers songs in this collection. Around the World, Parallel Universe, Scar Tissue and Otherside (and of course the immortal Californication), all my personal favourites, clearly shows the next step in the Chili Pepper's evolution. They are no longer funky party-crazy animals, singing of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Together with the proceeding album, By the Way, the Chili Peppers have shown the world that they can change with the times and are likely to stay on the stage for a long time to come. With Uplift Mofo Party Plan the Chili Peppers conquered the 80s. With Californication they conquered the 90s. They are all but set for the 00s.

This is an absolute must for all Red Hot Chili Peppers fans as it is a milestone in the band's long history, a proof that they have stood the test of drugs, split-ups and fiascos. There is not doubt either that Californications provides cool alternative rock songs that can only be highly recommended to any rock-fan.