Wikipedia:Today's featured article/August 16, 2011

Mother's Milk, the fourth studio album by rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, was released on August 16, 1989. After the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak and subsequent departure of drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea regrouped with the addition of guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Frusciante significantly altered the band's sound by placing more emphasis on melody than rhythm, which had dominated the band's previous material. The record was a greater commercial success than the Chili Peppers' past three studio albums combined. Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread recognition for singles "Knock Me Down", the Stevie Wonder cover "Higher Ground" and "Taste the Pain". The album became their first gold record in early 1990, and was the first step for the band in achieving international success. Although the record was not met with the same positive critical reception that its predecessor The Uplift Mofo Party Plan had garnered, Mother's Milk, according to Amy Hanson of Allmusic, "turned the tide and transformed the band from underground funk-rocking rappers to mainstream bad boys with seemingly very little effort". (more...)

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