Inside of Emptiness is one of six albums recorded by Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist John Frusciante in 2004, and the fourth to be released. Frusciane himself has copped to White Light/White Heat and Lust for Life being his inspiration here, but that's already apparent from the first track: "What I Saw" is all fuzzbox guitars, cavernous, minimal drums, and a snarling hard-rock melody, all of it pushed into the red. Emptiness is far more guitar-oriented than it's predecessors, Will to Death and Ataxia's Automatic Writing, and rocks harder and more consistently than any of his other solo releases.
But for a guy whose previous solo work can be uncompromisingly experimental and usually miles away from the sound of RHCP, it's surprising that the best moments of this album are when Frusciante's simply a guitarist, and the best songs are reminiscent of Cailfornication. The fleet-fingered solo that closes "What I Saw", the psychedelic tones of "Inside a Break", the extended riffing of "Look On", and the feedback screech preceeding the chorus of "Emptiness" are the most memorable parts of otherwise unexceptional tunes, showing Frusciante's gift for impeccably appropriate guitar lines that swooped in and saved the day for the Chili Peppers not so long ago. That said, songs like "Emptiness" and "The Worlds' Edge" borrow heavily from the more melodic moments on Californication.
It's one thing to be upfront about your influences, but to imitate them without adding something-- convincing vocals, unique lyrics, clever songwriting-- leaves these songs sounding unremarkable at best. Frusciante is so dedicated to classic production tone, his songwriting suffers. Any variation is welcome here, and that's what makes the double bass-drum battle cry of "666" and the calm falsetto of closer "Scratches" stand out so far from the rest. If this was to be Frusciante's take on hard rock, then it's unfortunate that there's none of his avant-garde spirit or experimentation to be found here, because a record like this sorely needs it.
