A Beautiful Spirit Crying For Release

John Frusciante’s
Smile From The Streets You Hold

This album was released in 1997 by artist, John Frusciante. I believe it was recorded around 96’, but I’m not positive, as us fans and even close friends and family of his, didn’t have much insight into his life during that period of time. He had thrown a few other songs that were recorded during previous years onto the album, such as Height Down, featuring actor River Phoenix, and A Fall Thru The Ground, which John recorded at the young age of 17. Even though people didn’t have much insight into his life during these years, this album gave some of it to you. At least what was going through his mind and soul. Smile From The Streets You Hold, was his second release, as his previous Niandra LaDes & Usually Just a T-Shirt was released in 1994, but recorded mainly around 91’. Smile From, is even darker and more personal than Niandra, if that seems possible. But somehow it is, only John Frusciante can do it, and make it a beautiful masterpiece at the same time. Listening to this album, or shall I say experiencing this album, you can clearly hear his loneliness and helplessness. Recorded during his darkest days in motel rooms scattered with junk and only god knows what else, this album touches you on every emotional level. I believe that not only has no one ever created an album like this, but no one ever will. It is a work that cannot be repeated or mimicked. Nor can anyone reach or posses the emotional heights that John Frusciante reaches. This album is brilliant, without him even trying for it to be. But it’s a powerful insight into a geniuses mind and soul who is battling with a heroin addiction. When listening to this album, and appreciating it’s rare beauty, you’ll feel the core of your soul on fire, but a beautiful raging one, but soothing, that you’ll have no desire or intention of putting out. This is an album that you have to listen to in the dark, or right before the sun goes down. This is a very particular album for particular types of individuals within particular settings. Perhaps a room full of lighted candles, incense, a smoke, or some wine. This album puts you into another state of mind. Possibly a vulnerable state, but at the same time a state of relaxation and meditation. Emotions and thoughts will come forth from your everyday unconscious to your conscious. It allows you to release any emotion your feeling or have hidden, without feeling guilty. I find myself sometimes overwhelmed with emotions sometimes resulting in a cry. His emotions leak through the speakers, and intertwine with yours. But it’s a cry that makes you happy and comforted. A somewhat of a release, knowing that he is with you on every emotional level, willing to share his deepest thoughts and all his pain with you. He has however taken the album off of the market because he felt uncomfortable with it being accessible to the public. The lyrics are very much like a personal journal, and certain accomplices on the album made him take it off as well, in which we all respect. However he planes to re-release the album one day, because as he puts it, it’s a great album. But if I need inspiration for absolutely anything, I find myself listening to this album or his previous Niandra LaDes. Grating, brilliant, raw, delicate, sensitive, intriguing, brave, and chilling are the words that come to mind when I think of this album. It’s a masterpiece that stretches the limit of music. That anything can be music as long as there is emotion. Breaking those boundaries is was Frusciante is known for and does best. This is a work of art. A powerful raw organic force that some people need to latch onto at one point or another in their life. Sometimes another person doesn’t fill that empty space in your soul. You need a non physical force, a spirit, an emotion, and inspiration, an image or someone or something. With that, it will change your outlook on music, and life as well. Turmoil can be turned into beauty, and life will throw it’s obstacles to the most beautiful and sensitive people, as a life lesson. With the music, you’ll realize that not everything has to be “right.” In fact, this is wrong in all the right places. But “wrong” in art is beautiful, resulting in masterpieces. “Right” in art would be a disaster, and perhaps life too, because nothing nor no one is “right” I find this album an experience rather than something you turn on and listen to because you feel like listening to music. I find that you have to be ready and willing to dive into a world where pure emotions exists, and the truth from yours and his soul, are bared. Stripped. The brilliance and beauty of this album cannot be described in words, or can not equally effect a individual until they listen to it. For first listeners, it’s not always easy to just let the beauty flow through you, because many songs, if not most, don’t have rich melodies or harmonies. But there are harmonies of emotions wound, weaved, and laced through every lucid chord. Saying that, this album is 100% not for everyone. In fact it’s for a particular types of individuals. Any mainstream, closed-minded, ordinary individual needs to stay away, because they probably won’t be able to comprehend or understand it. But if your open-minded, sensitive, artistic, in tune with yours and his emotions and lives, able and willing to experience what music is really about, you’ll understand it. You may not even be able to finish it in one sitting, as this album is a journey. But I assure most of you, once you hear the first song, “Enter A Uh,” you’ll know this is no ordinary man who isn’t suffering from a horrible, yet beautiful turmoil. You’ll slip into his state of vulnerability, his state of mind, and the personal, deep, electrifying thoughts and words of his lyrics, which tells quite a story. This is truly an intense piece of work, and perhaps a gift to real artists who want to experience real music and the power it can hold towards an individual seeking or possessing a higher consciousness. Smile From The Streets You Hold is nothing but the truth, and truth is beauty. It represents nothing more, but a beautiful spirit crying for release. - John, thank you so much for giving such beautiful gifts to souls and people around the world. You and your music are treasured within our hearts.