This is not your therapeutic relaxation album, and this is not some new age artistic effort by Yoko Ono, this is mainstream music.

What’s more, this is a solo album from a member of one of the grandfathers of alternative rock, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. John Frusciante’s new album, To Record Only Water for Ten Days, splashed into stores on Feb. 13, and it seems to be creating a ripple

Frusciante is an uncommon guitarist and his musical journey is one that’s walked through stardom and the dark side of rock `n’ roll. After dropping out of high school to pursue musical interests, he bounced around the local scene playing with various bands.

He met Flea, the Chili Peppers bass guitarist, and joined the group after their guitarist died of a drug overdose in `88.

As lead guitarist for the Chili Peppers and with his exciting eclectic playing style, Frusciante helped to raise the band into superstardom in 1991, with Blood Sugar Sex Magik. But mid-tour in Japan he jumped ship on his band-mates.

He vanished, surfacing only to release two obscure and equally confusing solo albums, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a Shirt, and Smiles from the Streets You Hold.

During his disappearance he admitted that he was addicted to heroin and began to seek treatment. Through his songwriting and continued contacts with friends like Flea, he fought his way back.

In 1998, he played live with his ex-band mates from the Chili Peppers and rejoined the band with the exit of guitarist Dave Navarro. The group recorded Californication in 1999 to rave reviews and sold millions of records. With the group back in the spotlight and a roller-coaster tour schedule, Frusciante still found time to write more music. He recorded … between the tour’s end and the group’s return to the studio for its next album.

Ten Days is all recorded on digital 8-track and has a unique sound to it. His style is a techno-beat with an electric guitar riff.

Most of his songs have a solid bass line with some voice manipulation and Frusciante’s strong playing. The mood of the album is a hodge-podge of sound and differing paces. It does not flow as a musical progression, rather it takes its listener up and down. This is not a detriment to the CD because all of the tracks are refreshingly original, from sounds to lyrics. However, it is difficult to get a feel for the record by listening to a few songs.

John Frusciante does not have a great singing voice, although his raspy style takes away a little from his lyrics. One of his more powerful songs on the album, “The First Season,” talks about the darker side of things. You get a sense of his despair that he felt during his absence from the band. “To talk about all he’s feeling for the moon, to even the lie damn him, in that halo, evil, round that halo, evil…”

Lyrics like these in his other songs like “Going Inside,” and “Remain”-such as “I’m crowded when I’m gone, live here to seep thru this song, Hey la, I can’t go on, I’m lost”-are fascinating insights into this man?s mind and his musical ability. The album is not cherry, and the music itself carries it through. Songs like “Someone’s” when he sings about companionship with a woman are more uplifting.

The album certainly has a bittersweet taste to it. Deep lyrics with creative and enjoyable music make it worth the buy.

The vocals may wear on you, and you get disoriented with the musical misdirection.

Seeing beyond that gives you a glimpse at a growing musician who is not afraid to write his feelings and musically share them with his fans. B