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Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt

John Frusciante - Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt Audio CD

A fair review of the John Frusciante "Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all John Frusciante reviews here, or go back to the John Frusciante tabs.

Band: John Frusciante
Title: Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt
Rating:

Release Date: 2003-06-24
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Niandra Lades: As Can Be 2: Niandra Lades: My Smile Is a Rifle 3: Niandra Lades: Head (Beach Arab) 4: Niandra Lades: Big Takeover 5: Niandra Lades: Curtains 6: Niandra Lades: Running Away into You 7: Niandra Lades: Mascara 8: Niandra Lades: Been Insane 9: Niandra Lades: Skin Blues 10: Niandra Lades: Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire 11: Niandra Lades: Blood on My Neck from Success 12: Niandra Lades: Ten to Butter Blood Voodoo

An ultramodern, unequivocally impeccable conundrum of beauty
John Frusciante's brain is an exquisite, though bizarre and beautiful, mess. Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is, without question, the twentieth century's greatest work of art. This work, this magnum opus, is the very essence of the word "art". This is not mere sound, not simply a collection of audible guitar chords and vocals, but rather an unbelievable composition that emulates the likes of da Vinci, a feat Frusciante boldly set to accomplish.

The record is, essentially, a double LP, if it had been released in that format. Niandra Lades is what one may perhaps identify as the more "traditional" record, in terms of structure. Songs are titled, all containing vocals. Niandra Lades was recorded, save for "Running Away Into You", prior to Frusciante's departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is, therefore, more respectable to the average being; but only to a certain extent. The songs are still incredibly experimental, being deriving their nature from the rapturous ecstasy Frusciante felt at the time--much of it due to heroin and other narcotics. Throughout the entire record, the acoustic guitars, albeit straightforward and gossamer, are coupled with intricate layers consisting of backwards electric guitars and several other instruments. "As Can Be", the albums first track, may be one of the best--it seamlessly combines backwards guitar solos, unsophisticated minimalism and avant-garde lyrics that intertwine into one, flawless, exceptional composition. A summary of what is to come.

As one reaches the untitled Usually Just a T-Shirt, they will be thrust into a very different world of John Frusciante; though, still, very much so anomalous in the realm of music. It acts like a timeline of coherence--Frusciante's life went on a downward spiral much in the way the second half of the record becomes increasingly more offbeat. Untitled #11, #12 and #13 are outlandishly nonsensical ("sold your hole to a disaster"), but possibly the most mind altering experience I have ever gone through. After I listened to this record for the first time, I was forever changed. My life was instantly, and forever, warped.

This is my favorite record of all time--I urge anyone with a love for art and atypical, offbeat beauty to invest in this album. It will forever alter you. It takes an unrestrained, free spirit to enjoy this music: as Frusciante once put it, you will only like this record if your mind is "capable of tripping out. "
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genius can express itself in mysterious ways...
These are most noted on the six releases he put out in a six month span for Record Collection. It can be hard knowing what to expect from a John Frusciante release, seeing as how on almsot every disc he embraces (or emphasizes rather) a different sound. Each are brilliant, complete, polished records, analougous to the earlier "Shadows Collide With People". If it was any of those releases which brought you to this particular record however, you might want to hesitate before going any further.

To understand this album it helps to know a bit about the context it was recorded in. After doing two albums with the Peppers and elevating them to the most elite status of 90's rock band, John left the group for a stint because of a strangling heroin addiction. It was while under this addiction, out of need for drug money, that this album was recorded (likewise with the disappointing follow-up "Smile From the Streets you Hold"). The whole thing was done on a four track, and basically the only instrument that appears is John's guitar. We are talking about some of the lowest of lo-fi. Whats more, whether it was the heroin addiction or not, John had not yet become the singer that he grows to be on later albums.

A little more history: this album was originally meant to be two seperate ones (hence "Niandra Lades" and "Usually Just a T-Shirt"). Here they are combined, with the Niandra Lades portion consisting of twelve songs while the Usually just a T-Shirt section is roughly 45 minutes of guitar noodling.

All of that said, even though this record is not the masterpeice that "Shadows" was, nor is it as texturally interesting as the Record Collection releases, this is the album that truly affirms Frusciante's genius. Though you may have to cringe a little through the vocals and production of some of the first twelve songs, you will also hear some of the most creative guitarwork ever recorded. He plays in a style uncomparable to any other human being to touch the instrument. The fretwork is delicate and seemingly aimless, but the lines wander throughout the songs as if weightless as they then find other lines to twist and work around. Many of the guitar tracks are backmasked, with one countering another in progression. The result is truly beautiful and mind blowing. Not all of the tracks are so bad either. "My Smile is a Rifle", "Mascara", "Been Insane", and "Head (Beach Arab)" are all well written songs that would stand up with any of Frusciantes later material. The Usually Just a T-Shirt section then blesses us with 13 more tracks of guitar genius. Some of the tracks are broken up with sounds of conversation and children underneath the melodies. At one point the ambient vocals almost serve as a percussive element to the music which is absent throughout the rest of the album.

This disc is definitely not for everyone, and maybe not even for all guitar lovers as he plays the instrument in a completely different light than any of the greats. If you are someone who can appreciate lo-fi experimental music, and have the tolerance to trudge through a couple heroin induced missteps, then you too will be able to grow to appreciate the true genius that this record posesses. .

Shockingly No Bueno!
It's an early 90's cd, and well, he can't sing yet, maybe this was part of his learning curve? Screeching lyrics and weird explorations of the scary parts of depth come thru in the first half of the cd. I own almost every Jonh Frusciante Cd, got this one recently and could not believe my sweet ears. My girlfriend and I were deeply disapointed. The second part is what makes it two stars instead of one. There's 13 songs without lyrics that are kinda cool. But overall in my opinion this cd is not a keeper. I'm a 4th year transpersonal psyc student in colorado, and if you like this cd, you're probably pretty weird.

okay but too sad to be excellent
its not the sound quality that bothers me, its the feeling you get after listening. this album is not only john's first but his saddest cd. its confusing and mermorable. to be honest just listen to niandra la des cause the other stuff seems to be written out of randomness. top songs for me include my smile is a rifle, ten to butter vodoo, running away into you, curtains,and been insane. this album is a perfect early 1990s depression cd and of course, me being a 90s fanatic, brings up images of early 90s life i saw. anyway its like nate said, you'll love it or you'll hate it. i will say this album did bring me some tears.

Drug-addled, Unrepeatable Genius
The stream-of-consciousness lyrics that dominate the first half and some of the second can be a bit much at times, but for the most part Frusciante lets his instruments - acoustic guitar, variously affected electric guitar, and some keyboards, plus a slew of electronic modulators - speak for him. While John Frusciante has thankfully beaten his heroin addiction, nothing he's done since this obscure little double album has quite matched it in terms of its painfully organic portraiture. There are only a few guitarists that I enjoy not in spite of, but because of their meanderings - Frank Zappa, Jimi Hendrix (both major influences on Frusciante), Robert Fripp, maybe a few others, and Frusciante. On the instrumental Untitled #2 he employs a Pachelbel's Canon-ish melody with an acoustic and a reverse-delayed electric to glorious effect; on Untitled #12 he sounds like a man making his final confessions before death. Perhaps all my psychologizing is completely wrong, but there's no denying that this album, drugged out or not, is the work of a passionate genius.

You can see a complete list of all John Frusciante discography, or go back to the John Frusciante tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.