Album Review // Flea // Honora
5/5 stars
One of the most recognizable bassists in rock over the last three decades is undeniably Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea is known for his funk rock-driven basslines containing elements of soul, jazz, and fusion. On his first solo album Honora, he takes a more traditional jazz approach. Six of the 10 songs were written by Flea, with help from Josh Johnson and Thom Yorke (who also sings) on the track "Traffic Lights," which feels like a jazz version of a song from his side project with Yorke, Atoms For Peace. Flea leans into jazz on tracks "Frailed" and "Morning Cry," while the songs "A Plea" and "Free as I Want To Be" both have a funk undertone with lyrics evoking unity in these divisive times. He also pays tribute to Funkadelic with a shortened version of their song "Maggot Brain," playing the lead guitar parts with his trumpet. Additional covers include the jazz standard "Willow Weep For Me," the Frank Ocean song "Thinkin Bout You," and country classic "Wichita Lineman" featuring lead vocals by Nick Cave – a track that initially feels out of place, until understanding it as a tribute to the highly influential bassist Carol Kaye from The Wrecking Crew, whose composition credits on the song are well-documented. Honora is pushing the boundaries of perceptions of what jazz is, taking the listener into a modern age, similar to what Miles Davis was doing on Bitches Brew or Herbie Hancock on Future Shock.
