The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been around for a while. Hell, the band was started before I was born.

Since 1983, RHCP has had a weird mix of consistency and disarray in their lineup — Anthony Kiedis and Flea have been there from day one and Chad Smith joined the group more than 20 years ago, but the early days involved a lot of drug use and rotating people. For their new album, “I’m With You,” the Chili Peppers are introducing new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who replaces longtime member John Frusciante.

That change, coupled with the band’s continued evolution and musical development, results in a different sound for RHCP’s 10th album. But different doesn’t necessarily mean bad — in fact, there’s a lot to like about “I’m With You.”

The Chili Peppers’ last offering was 2006’s “Stadium Arcadium,” which was a two-CD release that covered a lot of ground. Some songs embraced the band’s old funk background, like Turn it Again and So Much I, while some incorporated more pop (the chart toppers Snow (Hey Oh) and Dani California) and others were more like slow ballads (Desecration Smile and Wet Sand). Your opinion of the end result really comes down to personal choice — some might call the album disjointed, while others would compliment the band’s newfound range.

“I’m With You” goes through a similar metamorphosis without the clutter of two discs. The album starts off with a pair of strong songs, one of which will probably become the next single. Monarchy of Roses kicks things off with gritty verses and a heavy bass line, then switches to a catchy, synthy disco vibe for the chorus. Factory of Faith brings back Kiedis’ traditional half-sung, half-rapped lyrics and continues a trend of several songs on the album with catchy base riffs from Flea right from the beginning.

Brendan’s Death Song was reportedly the result of the first jam session after Klinghoffer joined the group, and it shows, as his acoustic opening is one of the rare times he gets to take center stage on the album. Sexy chorus, though. Ethiopia and Annie Wants a Baby are both songs that I would call forgettable at best — not bad, but nothing really stands out.

Things pick back up with the other strong single candidate, Look Around. An infectious beat, layered strumming from lead guitar and a strange but catchy bridge that starts off atmospheric and turns into Kiedis’ trademark rhythmic gibberish at the 2:28 mark (which also sounds a lot like 2002’s By the Way). Add it up and you have the quintessential example of the fusion of the group’s old and new sounds.

The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie is up next, and it was a solid choice to bring out early as the first single. Another strong bass line starts things off, but Rain Dance Maggie mixes it up with a heavy dose of cowbell, another catchy disco beat, and Flea even chips in harmony in the chorus. The solo in this song is a perfect showcase of the difference between Klinghoffer and Frusciante on guitar — Josh’s take is more textured and subtle, while John was the master of memorable riffs.

Did I Let You Know is another catchy song that gives Klinghoffer a bit more to do, and also incorporates a fun trumpet solo, although this time it’s not Flea playing it (he has before, for example, in “Stadium Arcadium’s” Torture Me). Goodbye Hooray seems like a frenetic song at first, but features another trippy, mellow bridge. Happiness Loves Company is a lighthearted romp through staccato harmonies and a skipping beat from Smith.

Then we come to my favorite song off the album, Police Station. This is another departure from the RHCP “standard” in that it’s a much more melodic offering than the band’s work back in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Klinghoffer is at his best on harmonies here, and the song also serves as a reminder of how far Kiedis has come in terms of developing his singing voice. The result is a combination that is somehow both uplifting and haunting.

Even You Brutus? is another good song, one that features Flea’s newfound piano influence with some strong lyrics and full soundscape. Meet Me at the Corner and Dance, Dance, Dance close out the album — the latter is catchy, but neither is that great.

Looking at “I’m With You” as a whole, it’s certainly a different approach for the Chili Peppers. But at the same time, it still features elements that we’ve come to expect over the years, as Kiedis, Flea and Smith all have familiar and iconic styles that are prevalent throughout. The loss of Frusciante does change the dynamic a bit, but Klinghoffer fills his place with his own subdued sound. RHCP may have lost some of their edge, but the tradeoff is better songwriting, with richer tracks that feature a wider variety of instruments. In fact, it’s almost jarring to listen to these recent tracks compared to songs off of “Mother’s Milk” or “Californication.” The verdict: Different, but still good.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars