? February 2004, from The Telegraph (?)

When John Frusciante first joined the red hot chili peppers in 1991 as a fresh-faced 19-year-old, he helped transform them from moderatly successful purveyors of punk-funk into a world-beating rick band. The rest of the group still regard their errant guitarist, who unexpectedly quit the band in 1992 at the height of their success and rejoined for 1999s "Californication", as something of a lucky charm. In the meantime, Frusciante gained a cult reputation for two solo albums recorded while in the throes of heroin addiction- collections of whimsical home recordings that etched his pain directly on to tape.

The guitarists fourth solo effort "Shadows collide with people", showcases his prodigious songwriting talent to its fullest. (The title refers to his belief that the material world is overlaid with one inhabited solely by spirits and ghosts.) And on this spooky and sentimental record, Frusciantes naive approach to sound construction augments his winsome melodies with boldly arranged productions without losing any of their rough charm. The result is a richly rewarding experience that sheds new light on the chili peppers secret wepon.