With the release of their 3rd album proper, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have come up with a record that would prove to be the catalyst for all future releases. This album is the last to feature their original guitarist Hillel Slovak and actually is the only album by the original configuration of the band. You see, when the Peppers started, Slovak and drummer Jack Irons had another project they were involved in known as "What is This", which contained a more professional, established configuration. Flea had joined up with Jack and Hillel in a side project and before long, Anthony Kiedis would become the singer in what was later christened, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The debut release featured drummer Cliff Martinez and guitarist Jack Sherman as Irons and Slovak had departed for the more seasoned What is This? project. By the time of Freaky Stylee their second album, Hillel returned to the fold and after a certain point in time, Jack Irons returned to the lineup giving the Peppers a full circle effect for the stronger and consistent feel in Uplift Mofo Party Plan.

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Produced by Michael Beinhorn, whom would return for the breakthrough Mother's Milk release , the material on display for Mofo is essentially what classic Chili Peppers is defined as. Alot of folks point to Mother's Milk as being more significant, but this downplays the style, substance and strength of Mofo Party Plan's triumphs. Opening with Fight Like a Brave, Kiedis' rap/sung delivery is on full tilt and the instrumentation moves at a solid rock-hard pace offering up a great album opener for what's to come. Funky Crime features a laid back groove, yet an arresting energy within its sonic attack. Irons' solid drumming coupled with Slovak's slinky guitar lines and Flea's funky bass phrasing matched with Keidis' aforementioned rap/sung style continue the consistent, powerful and direct approach the band is undertaking. Me and My Friends offers a full charged punky/funk assault with a shout chorus and a "tight as a ducks' behind" rhythm which makes for an interesting hybrid of styles that the band cultivates resulting in an innovative quality. Backwoods is a gem of a track and displays Flea's hyper pop/slap bass style which he has been revered over the years and Keidis' vocal delivery is a finely sung, distinctive quality that matches Slovak's melodic guitar lines on its shimmering chorus while keeping the guitar tone distorted appropriately for the verse portions of this early classic. 

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Skinny Sweaty Man is a quirky, hyper slice of speedy funk which Keidis' vocal lines fly right by you within the process, cultivating the aforementioned rap/sung style that has made him famous. Behind the Sun is another gem of a track that offers a super laid back groove which the band locks into and allows a carefree, melodic sense of commercialism, pointing towards future releases such as Blood Sugar Sex Magic and Californication. It didn't do much in the charts at the time, but it should've as its uncannily catchy and classic. The cover of Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues is thoroughly invigorating for its unbelievable arrangement adopting the delicious "white boy funk" style while Anthony's rolling vocal interpretation pays a cool homage to Dylan's innovative (then, unbeknownist) rap style written lyric pattern. 

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The rest of the album continues to push the envelope with the highly suggestive(and almost banished) Party on Your P***Y  which, their label, EMI had refused to release until they compromised with the refurbished title of "Special Secret Song Inside". Although, its a racy number, lyric wise, musically it maintains the familiar funk-groove synonymous with their sound collective. No Chump Love Sucker is similar in sound to Me and My Friends and Skinny Sweaty Man in its tempo and arrangement, but is a sustaining number that adds  quality to an already solid and consistent record. Love Trilogy and Organic Anti-Beat Box Band offer up a diverse ending with Trilogy's searching, contemplative quality, while Organic is a solid staple type of Peppers cut that ends the record on a powerful and solid note, and it wouldn't seem to out of place on their previous record, Freaky Stylee.

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I bought this a few years ago after not hearing it in over 20 years and what a pleasure it is to have rediscovered it. Unfortunately, Hillel Slovak would be dead within a year of this release and Jack Irons left as a result of the loss of one of his closest friends within the music world. Flea and Anthony, of course, moved forward, out of respect for their fallen member and brother in arms and the rest they say, is history. I implore anyone whom hasn't checked this album out to do yourself a favor, its really amazing.

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Rating Grade- A+