Red Hot Chili Peppers

Mother's Milk is the album that took the Chili Peppers from college radio and plastered them on MTV, thanks mostly to the band's cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and the tribute to fallen member Hillel Slovak, "Knock Me Down." The band is tight and moving in a less funky, more rock direction. There's plenty here for all to appreciate.

Punks who loved Hendrix and P-Funk way way back, they're finally cashing in on their good taste, and though unbelievers dis their sincerity, execution's the problem. They didn't have the chops to bring it off then, and by pushing the guitar up front they sound even cruder now. But they're perfectly nice fellas, really--mention "compassion" in the very first verse. (Grade - C+)