A few weeks ago, I wrote about a forthcoming Red Hot Chili Peppers album, their 10th overall and their first since 2006's Stadium Arcadium (an album was disappointing to me, personally). It is also their first recording with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer following the departure (for the second time) of John Frusciante. Titled I'm with You, the album showcases a new direction for the Peppers after their two previous releases had found their sound getting stale. It technically hasn't been released yet (it's coming out Tuesday), but the album was recently made available at www.itunes.com/rhcp as a free stream.

After several listens, I'd give the album a solid 3.5 out of 5. It's certainly nowhere close to their best effort, 1991's bonafide classic Blood Sugar Sex Magik, or even their second-best, 1999's Californication, but was anybody really expecting it to be? Vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, and drummer Chad Smith are nearing 50 years old (newcomer Klinghoffer is somewhere near 30). If any of you diehards were hoping for a rebirth of the same heroin-influenced mayhem present on '80s albums like Freaky Styley or The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, you'll have to give up on that far-fetched wish.

With that said, the album is a great listen, and its highlights outshine anything on Stadium Arcadium or 2002's By the Way. The first four songs are all fantastic. Opener "Monarchy of Roses" goes from an atmospheric, plodding introduction to a funky, upbeat verse section to a driving, climactic ending. That is followed by "Factory of Faith" (my personal favorite song on the album), which has many creative transitions from section to section and an incredibly danceable ending. Next, "Brendan's Death Song," written for the recently deceased L.A. punk icon and close friend of the band Brendan Mullen, is an emotional ballad that took me a bit longer to appreciate - I found myself humming the catchy refrain later on in the day.

"Ethiopia," the fourth track, lives up to its name by showcasing African percussion sections and polyrhythms; the 7/8 time signature and jazzy chords are indicative of Flea's spending his time off enrolled in music school at the University of Southern California. The song pulls off an impressive feat - remaining catchy despite its odd time signature.

Another highlight is Flea's fantastic bass solo on track nine, "Goodbye Hooray," where he shows that his name still warrants mentioning in any discussion of rock music's best bass players. It seems that he is back in the driver's seat in terms of songwriting, taking the reins back from the departed Frusciante, whose giant creative persona may have had too much control in his last years with the group. Now, song structures progress more organically than the standard verse-chorus-verse-bridge format that the band had fallen into on previous releases.

To the many dedicated fans who are hoping for the best album of all time, take it for what it is: the 10th studio album from a band that is much, much closer to retirement age than you probably are. Though there are definitely tracks to skip, the best moments outweigh the worst, and the band's new sound represents a refreshing change.