| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
ZAPPADAN
This was an idea that I came up with last year, but a little too late:
During Zappadan (Dec 4 to Dec 21), I'll aim to listen to every Zappa album in my collection in chronological order, and review every single one of
them!
One other reason I've decided to do this, is because Frank doesn't get as much listening time as I want to, with my rounds making me very tired and
with my Curry-addiction that is even causing me to read fanfics (shivers).
For these reviews I will use abbreviations.
Starting today, Dec 4, I've listened to Freak Out! and Absolutely Free. I also plan to listen to WOIIFTM later this evening.
Freak Out! (1966, Ryko 1995 CD)
While listening to this album, I can't help but feel that I should have the original vinyl versions. Both Freak Out! and Absolutely Free sound
muffled.
Even though FO is a relatively early addition to my collection, I never played it as thoroughly as most albums in that phase of my fandom. The muffled
sound may be one of the reasons. I also noticed that on several tracks the percussion sounds too sharp, causing them to over-ride the rest of the
music.
Before I bought any of the early Mothers albums, I bought a compilation album in the series El Major Musico. It had a handful of tracks from the three
early Mothers albums. The tracks I knew before FO, were: Hungry Freaks, Daddy; Who Are The Brain Police?; You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here; and
It Can't Happen Here. The compilers were slightly careful with upsetting newbies and therefore cut some of the harsher music sections out, such as the
"I Think I'm Gonna Die" in WATBP.
Brain Police does indeed sound like a bad dream... a creepy voice repeating a phrase monotously over and over... very eerie. Just how I like it.
I always rather liked ICHH, but after reading it was dedicated to Elvis Presley, I just stopped listening to it. Hearing it again was amazing;
especially since I still knew all the lines and could sing along.
One of the album highlights for me is "How Could I Be Such A Fool?" Back in the day I made at least five differently orchestrated MIDI files of it,
usually adding a cheeky marimba.
Interestingly, the verse is a sequence: a compositional effect that classical composers use, often at a point where they try to reach a climax in a
piece. Hearing a descending sequence used as the main theme is very strange, but very beautiful.
Showstopper in this song is the sorrowful trumpet in the last verse, adding that sad, simple descending melody... 
Another major highlight is Monster Magnet. I like to see these pieces more as a landscape than anything, all things happening at the same time, built
upon a structure. The monkey screams really set off well, but the fake orgasm... well...
HIAR is a song which always gets me to think: Hey, Primus! Today was no exception. I checked upon the liner notes to see what Frank was thinking.
There is nothing on this song in the liner notes.
Speaking of the linar notes, the tone FZ uses in his song descriptions seem to be more patronizing than funny to me.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Absolutely Free (1967, Ryko 1995 CD)
I played this over the living room speakers rather than over headphones, something I don't plan to do again.
Like with FO, I already knew several tracks: Plastic People, Duke of Prunes (all tracks in one), Call Any Vegetable, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, and
America Drinks & Goes Home.
DoP has to be one of my favourite Zappa melodies. It's so beautiful and sweet! Fortunately I did not understand the words at all, it might have
affected my appreciation of the sweet sixths.
I noticed that the Holst Jupiter quote comes at the start of Invocation, rather than at the end of CAV.
|
|
|
Batchain
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 128
Registered: 2-4-2006
Location: Boston,MA (Over your head and under your legs!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Better than absolutely shitty.
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by BBP
Absolutely Free (1967, Ryko 1995 CD)
I played this over the living room speakers rather than over headphones, something I don't plan to do again.
Like with FO, I already knew several tracks: Plastic People, Duke of Prunes (all tracks in one), Call Any Vegetable, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, and
America Drinks & Goes Home.
DoP has to be one of my favourite Zappa melodies. It's so beautiful and sweet! Fortunately I did not understand the words at all, it might have
affected my appreciation of the sweet sixths.
I noticed that the Holst Jupiter quote comes at the start of Invocation, rather than at the end of CAV. |
First, Hi Bonnie! It's been too, too long!  Hell, Bonnie! "DoP"
was one of the highlights of Absolutely Free for me because the lyrics had me howling with laughter because of their Absurdist nature despite the fact
that I was only 13! (And I knew how to nasty! LOL!) But I never associated it with Holst's "Jupiter" (Holst was of just such minor interest to me that
whatever one of the three "Planets" albums I had I gave away to my (late) uncle Terry so that it didn't go to waste on me. Somehow I'd never heard the
Holst connection at all, but obviously the blatant connection to Stravinsky's "L'Histoire Du Soldat" couldn't be missed -- it was as obvious as
"Petruschka" in "Status Back Baby"!)
I remember way, way back on the now-devastated FZ Forum that several people couldn't bear to listen to "Brown Shoes" because of the
pedophilic nature of some of the social commentary. Yes, times have changed and the Media does controls our minds, like it or not. Well, that
was and is another hot-button issue that no one was obsessed with in 1967. Not that there were any fewer or more pedophiles in 1967 or 2009 it's just
that our perceptions have been changed.
(I can't remember who it was that said that but there was a number of people who agreed and I wondered, "Why hasn't anybody mentioned 'Magdalena'
["Just Another Band From LA"]?")
--Batchain/Sjors/Joris/George 
 Photographic ArtWerk courtesy of Debutante Daisy sometimes known as Guacamole Queen. |
|
|
MTF
Sheik Yerbouti Status
Posts: 431
Registered: 29-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: :booM
|
|
Magdalena wasn't just about pedophilia; it was about incest.
And worse: French Canadians...  
|
|
|
Batchain
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 128
Registered: 2-4-2006
Location: Boston,MA (Over your head and under your legs!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Better than absolutely shitty.
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by BBP
This was an idea that I came up with last year, but a little too late:
During Zappadan (Dec 4 to Dec 21), I'll aim to listen to every Zappa album in my collection in chronological order, and review every single one of
them!
One other reason I've decided to do this, is because Frank doesn't get as much listening time as I want to, with my rounds making me very tired and
with my Curry-addiction that is even causing me to read fanfics (shivers).
For these reviews I will use abbreviations.
Starting today, Dec 4, I've listened to Freak Out! and Absolutely Free. I also plan to listen to WOIIFTM later this evening.
Freak Out! (1966, Ryko 1995 CD)
While listening to this album, I can't help but feel that I should have the original vinyl versions. Both Freak Out! and Absolutely Free sound
muffled.
Even though FO is a relatively early addition to my collection, I never played it as thoroughly as most albums in that phase of my fandom. The muffled
sound may be one of the reasons. I also noticed that on several tracks the percussion sounds too sharp, causing them to over-ride the rest of the
music.
Before I bought any of the early Mothers albums, I bought a compilation album in the series El Major Musico. It had a handful of tracks from the three
early Mothers albums. The tracks I knew before FO, were: Hungry Freaks, Daddy; Who Are The Brain Police?; You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here; and
It Can't Happen Here. The compilers were slightly careful with upsetting newbies and therefore cut some of the harsher music sections out, such as the
"I Think I'm Gonna Die" in WATBP.
Brain Police does indeed sound like a bad dream... a creepy voice repeating a phrase monotously over and over... very eerie. Just how I like it.
I always rather liked ICHH, but after reading it was dedicated to Elvis Presley, I just stopped listening to it. Hearing it again was amazing;
especially since I still knew all the lines and could sing along.
One of the album highlights for me is "How Could I Be Such A Fool?" Back in the day I made at least five differently orchestrated MIDI files of it,
usually adding a cheeky marimba.
Interestingly, the verse is a sequence: a compositional effect that classical composers use, often at a point where they try to reach a climax in a
piece. Hearing a descending sequence used as the main theme is very strange, but very beautiful.
Showstopper in this song is the sorrowful trumpet in the last verse, adding that sad, simple descending melody...
Another major highlight is Monster Magnet. I like to see these pieces more as a landscape than anything, all things happening at the same time, built
upon a structure. The monkey screams really set off well, but the fake orgasm... well...
HIAR is a song which always gets me to think: Hey, Primus! Today was no exception. I checked upon the liner notes to see what Frank was thinking.
There is nothing on this song in the liner notes.
Speaking of the linar notes, the tone FZ uses in his song descriptions seem to be more patronizing than funny to me. |
Last things first: Frank really does sound condescending in the liner notes of "Freak Out!", at times as if he's sneering
at you. I was offended because he wrote that "Wowie Zowie" was intended "...to suck the 12-year-old listener into our camp", and at 13 that was too
close not to piss me off from the standpoint that I was a simple-minded "child" -- but I forgave him because I had just turned 13 and that, at least,
wasn't 12! Somehow at that age you can still imagine a time chasm between 12 and 13.
Despite feeling I was being talked down to I was sure that if FZ met me in particular he be more impressed by the better brain I was
certain I had! (LOL!) Well, the "IQ" and "Aptitude" tests I was given a barrage of always put me up there somehow but my conventional
schoolwork consistently showed the output of a mentally challenged child and my general behavior was clearly nothing anyone expected
of a reasonably normal kid. So, "therapy time"! (And what a fucking lunatic the "therapist" was!!! It bordered on deranged humor it was so
bizarre! But it cleared away a day of school so I wasn't averse to it at all! LOL!)
Well, I'm still trying to get the Primus connection with "Help I'm A Rock" but given the tastes of Les Claypool and Ler LeLonde it wouldn't be any
surprise to me if either or both used that as a basis for Primus tunes, maybe some that I missed. (I wanted to see their last tour here but
circumstances changed at the last minute and it just wasn't to be. It's doubtful Primus will reconstitute again and I'm of the view that that's all
for the better, meaning both performers and listeners. Maybe the same is true for "System Of A Down" and their "sabbatical" which may never end. Maybe
they've decided their "Mesmerize" and "Hypnotize" albums were something they never could equal and would rather not just become just another metal
band from LA!  )
As for "Monster Magnet" I loved the beginning beyond all description even if the farther into it you got the fewer the interesting parts became, but i
let it go to the end and had a stereo with a 16 RPM speed on it so I decided that the sped-up part at the end was more fun than the 331/3 normal
speed.
It only makes sense now that Zappa noted that it was an "Unfinished Ballet", as indicated in the original liner notes, realizing that, according to
him on the four CD "MOFO" ("[the] Making Of Freak Out") all that ever got recorded was the rhythm section and he was out of cash to complete
its full recording I don't think he'd have dared to piss off more people at MGM/Verve by including a more detailed explanation than that. I never knew
until "MOFO" what, "Unfinished Ballet", actually meant!
As for what sounds like a fucked up compilation release just the idea of cutting out the "I think I'm going to die" mid-section of "Who Are
The Brain Police" mangles and castrates it. I'd have felt cheated if I'd bought the album in that compilation release, "El Major Musico", but thinking
on it I realize something: The music that sells most today is kept very smooth and free of blunt edges, something that almost equates with what used
to be known as "Easy Listening" and it's lyrically stripped-down to what we laughingly call "Emo", but there's a reality to "Emo": It's something
whose lyrics were about on a par with High School kids' scribblings on their notebooks of over 15 years ago! These, of course, were not at
all like today's electronic kind, these had paper in them and rings holding the paper together and bound by cardboard with some very thin denim-like
material tightly bound to the cardboard. Everybody scribbled something going every which way across them and if it was something too personal you
might put it on the inside to keep it reasonably private.
The music is humorously like the imaginary music of the future, music you'd hear in sci-fi movies made from about 1960 through 1980 created
by electronically filtering noises to give them a "futuristic" weird sound to make it plausibly strange, as if it were music made a century
or two beyond the time the movie was made and the time it was imagined that you'd hear it! It's something I find all very funny but still
stupid.
Let's hear it for Beyonce, Rihanna, Adam Lambert and Lady Ga-Ga! 
--Bat/Geo.
P.S. I'd have to say that that trumpet pushed toward the front of the mix during the last verse of "How Could I Be Such A Fool?" will grab anyone on
the first listen! Who said FZ never wrote a tear-jerker?!
Photographic ArtWerk courtesy of Debutante Daisy sometimes known as Guacamole Queen. |
|
|
Batchain
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 128
Registered: 2-4-2006
Location: Boston,MA (Over your head and under your legs!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Better than absolutely shitty.
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by MTF
Magdalena wasn't just about pedophilia; it was about incest.
And worse: French Canadians... |
Oh
no! Pedophilia and incest are objectionable but FRENCH CANADIANS??? Now they're beyond even my point of toleration!!!
(LOL! Sorry, Frenchies, but I am a New Englander and even though most of you guys are cool even you know about that in-your-face subset of frog-faces!
)
--Bat (Don't hurt me too bad! )
Photographic ArtWerk courtesy of Debutante Daisy sometimes known as Guacamole Queen. |
|
|
polydigm
King Kong Status
Posts: 2166
Registered: 1-4-2006
Location: Horse Tray Ya
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inspired
|
|
Well, Bat, I'm half French so I'm only partly offended.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Hey! I thought I wrote more in my AF review! I was going on about Frank calling them "oratorios". (Don't trust Wiki on oratorios btw)
An oratorio is a sort of musical and (in a very minor, often non-existent) theatrical setting of church stories, that were being put on in little
buildings that were part of the church but not actual church (too progressive, that drama). This genre popped up in the baroque era. Händel is most
famous for his.
Either way I listened to WOIIFTM this morning. Wow.
Money is an early Zappa masterpiece, that I fortunately acquired in an early stage of collecting. It was my 5th Zappa album, the first two were
compilations. Money got a lot of airtime when I just got it, as a fresh musicology student. It was the most amazing album, from the first time I
listened to it, to today.
Money got me into reading Kafka. Of course I had read Metamorphosis and several of his short stories in school, but having to read anything is a good
way of destroying passion... I was a good girl and never listened to TCPMOD before I read In The Penal Colony... in German. I missed a lot of the
story (such as the ending) but I did get the general idea of the apparatus... eww.
Money is a tantalizing album, encouraging precise listening. I've always listened to it on my headphones, which really gets you into the soundscapes
of TCPMOD (my eyes always roll along with the deep sounds at the beginning, that switch from left to right and left channels), and it makes
deciphering the Flower Punk conversations a lot easier.
Golly, do I have a lot of soul!
One of my best-loved songs is Mom & Dad. On the whole I don't much like slow songs, but this was a peculiarly nice one. It wasn't until much much
later, when I decided to learn to play and sing it, that I realized what the lyrics meant. It sent shivers down my spine. And I get those every time
I'm singing it, or when I'm listening to the song.
Several Money songs are also on that compilation I had. These are: Absolutely Free, LMTWTB, TIBS, and Mother People.
Mother People was a strong favourite, even back then, even without the beau-ti-ful orchestra harmony interlude. It has such an interesting build-up,
with rapid tempo shifts, and a 7/8 section I simply adored. Playing it on guitar was nearly impossible for me: it's damned hard!
I may tell more later about my experiences, but right now it's time for the groceries!
|
|
|
Batchain
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 128
Registered: 2-4-2006
Location: Boston,MA (Over your head and under your legs!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Better than absolutely shitty.
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by polydigm
Well, Bat, I'm half French so I'm only partly offended.
|
But y'ain't Canadian French! LOL!
(And again I must repeat my disclaimer that went, "Sorry, most of you guys there are cool but...")
--Bat
Photographic ArtWerk courtesy of Debutante Daisy sometimes known as Guacamole Queen. |
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
We do have one French Canadian here: The_Acadian AKA Badchild.
Earlier I listened to Lumpy Gravy, which is definitely in my top 3 of Zappa records! Every time I've played it, I just manage to stay focused on the
work for the entire duration!
I knew Take Your Clothes Off for a long time. Gruppo Sportivo used it as an intro to their song Superman. Gruppo was possibly the first band I saw
live as a wee little muppet. I vividly recall hopping through the living room while listening to Superman. Well... you know... kids and sugar... I was
7 or 8, something like that.
Another thing that makes this album extra personal for me:
As a history student, I was involved in a funny play consisting of movie monologues. I had 3 monologues, TWO HUSBANDS and a BED SCENE. Dun dun dun...
Anyway, the guy who I had a bedscene with (I was having a menopause talk while he was snoring) and who I had to propose to later on in the play... HIs
name is Chris. He's not tall, a little shorter than me, but I'd never noticed until I stood next to him in my costume (high heels). He had long blonde
hair that he was very proud of, a ruggid, cool guy. He had the weirdest laugh that was so incredibly loud that it hurt my ears. Although I did have a
bit of a crush on him, I tried never to make him laugh: it pierced your ears!
Anyway, when half a year after I last saw him, I first heard Lumpy Gravy... My god man! Chris had made a time warp and named himself Louie The Turkey!
That was HIS laugh on there!
|
|
|
Batchain
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 128
Registered: 2-4-2006
Location: Boston,MA (Over your head and under your legs!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Better than absolutely shitty.
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by BBP
Hey! I thought I wrote more in my AF review! I was going on about Frank calling them "oratorios". (Don't trust Wiki on oratorios btw)
An oratorio is a sort of musical and (in a very minor, often non-existent) theatrical setting of church stories, that were being put on in little
buildings that were part of the church but not actual church (too progressive, that drama). This genre popped up in the baroque era. Händel is most
famous for his.
Either way I listened to WOIIFTM this morning. Wow.
Money is an early Zappa masterpiece, that I fortunately acquired in an early stage of collecting. It was my 5th Zappa album, the first two were
compilations. Money got a lot of airtime when I just got it, as a fresh musicology student. It was the most amazing album, from the first time I
listened to it, to today.
Money got me into reading Kafka. Of course I had read Metamorphosis and several of his short stories in school, but having to read anything is a good
way of destroying passion... I was a good girl and never listened to TCPMOD before I read In The Penal Colony... in German. I missed a lot of the
story (such as the ending) but I did get the general idea of the apparatus... eww.
Money is a tantalizing album, encouraging precise listening. I've always listened to it on my headphones, which really gets you into the soundscapes
of TCPMOD (my eyes always roll along with the deep sounds at the beginning, that switch from left to right and left channels), and it makes
deciphering the Flower Punk conversations a lot easier.
Golly, do I have a lot of soul!
One of my best-loved songs is Mom & Dad. On the whole I don't much like slow songs, but this was a peculiarly nice one. It wasn't until much much
later, when I decided to learn to play and sing it, that I realized what the lyrics meant. It sent shivers down my spine. And I get those every time
I'm singing it, or when I'm listening to the song.
Several Money songs are also on that compilation I had. These are: Absolutely Free, LMTWTB, TIBS, and Mother People.
Mother People was a strong favourite, even back then, even without the beau-ti-ful orchestra harmony interlude. It has such an interesting build-up,
with rapid tempo shifts, and a 7/8 section I simply adored. Playing it on guitar was nearly impossible for me: it's damned hard!
I may tell more later about my experiences, but right now it's time for the groceries! |
BBP:"Hey! I
thought I wrote more in my AF review! I was going on about Frank calling them "oratorios". (Don't trust Wiki on oratorios btw)" Bonny, just don't
trust "Wiki" for anything! When they fuck up they seriously fuck up and include "facts" that are just dead-wrong! Just
wrong! I absolutely detest the stature that thing's been given!
BBP: "Money got a lot of airtime when I just got it, as a fresh musicology student." Thinking, "WOIIFTM" and "airtime" here in the US sounds
ridiculous. Only a few college stations would be allowed to play it and only rarely up until the early 1980s when all of those
stations had been regimented by the schools to teach proper formatting which meant, "Don't bring any of your own stuff in and don't feel free
just to pick through the libraries already here, we have Recording Industry Executives who will take you to lunch in an instructive capacity for the
betterment of your learning and, if you prove yourself worthy, likely will have positions to offer you when you graduate. Besides, they have
become patrons of this school."(That is, they kicked in money to the colleges with specific expectations regarding what went out over the
airwaves given that the fact that the schools were in a highly populated area.) That's why "Only Money" and "airtime" sound incompatible with each
other over here!
Of course I was a "bad boy" and listened through "Chrome Plated Megaphone" without having read any Franz Kafka at all until two years later
when some slapped-together anthology turned up in one of those bunches of paperback books my dad was always bringing home. I had no idea when I got
"Only Money" that I'd ever see, "In The Penal Colony", ever, anywhere but there it was, two years later and I shut myself off in the back room to read
it.
Yeah! The idea of that "punishment machine" as described by Kafka creeped me out more than FZ's mention of how "your crime" would be "carved on your
back" sounded uniquely horrifying at the end of the "instructions" for listening to "Chrome Plated Megaphone".
Now, add to this the local news story that appeared approximately a year, possibly later, about someone who had been found murdered [After I'd heard
FZ's "Only Money", after I'd read Kafka's "Penal Colony".] near Harvard Square, Cambridge and the words "nigger lover" were carved on his back! Small
wonder I remember that news story so clearly!!!
It's been said repeatedly that the names "FRANK ZAPPA" and "FRANZ KAFKA" seemed to share a strange kinship in that they both had the same number of
letters and syllables in them did have a strange starkness about them and I wondered at age 13 if they had some undefinable tie-in with each other.
They didn't but anyone's imagination would immediately to try to connect them!
--Bat-Geo.
Photographic ArtWerk courtesy of Debutante Daisy sometimes known as Guacamole Queen. |
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Earlier today I played the Ryko CD of Cruisin' With Ruben and the Jets.
This CD represents one of the biggest mistakes Zappa made musically: re-recording the drums.
But was it the re-recording of the drums that made me switch it off with two tracks to go?
I think some elements of the records make this one difficult to listen to: the sound of it, with the overly loud vocals and the soft background music,
the off-key singing, but primarily a bad mix and possibly bad equalizing (high tones too loud). Not to mention the fact that it's all doo-wop. Enough
already!
I was particularly offended at How Could I Be Such A Fool?, to which horrible melisms (more notes on one syllable) were added. Melisms are
only nice if the person outing them is actually able to sing. It really destroyed the pretty woefulness of the Freak Out! rendition.
|
|
|
MTF
Sheik Yerbouti Status
Posts: 431
Registered: 29-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: :booM
|
|
I pretty much agree with your assessment of Ruben. The re-recorded drums destroyed any chance that people would think it was an album of genuine 50s
doo wop. The guitar solo on "Stuff Up The Cracks" was supposed to do that (they didn't have Wah-Wah pedals in the 50s).
The only re-recorded part that I really like is the double bass on "Cheap Thrills." I've never found out who did it, but i suspect it was Patrick
O'Hearn. Anybody know?
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Sorry, I don't.
As it was St Nicholas on the 5th and my friend dropped by on the 6th, I have some serious catching up to do: which was easy enough this morning! I
played two of Zappa's finest!
Hot Rats (Ryko 1995 CD)
One of my later acquisitions, that consequently (and totally undeserved) gets way too little play-time. I did know Little Umbrellas thanks to the
Larry LaLonde Zappa Picks.
Starting off with one of the sweetest Zappa melodies: Peaches. Adorable anywhere! My favourite version is that of the Ensemble Modern, which is very
friendly to the ears and has a nice quick tempo.
I only knew Willie through YCDTOSA vol 4 (which is a fantastic rendition in its own right), but that violin from Sugarcane Harris just gets to me
every time. And that rocking theme... oh baby...
Somehow I never cared much for the main theme of Son Of Mr Green Genes. But as the song progresses and the solos start, and the music becomes this odd
mix of jazz, blues and rock... that's when I understand why so many people rate this as one of the best Zappa albums. Maybe it is, but I have too many
favourites.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Burnt Weenie Sandwich (Ryko 1995 CD)
One of my first Zappa albums (I believe my order was Son Of Cheep Thrills, Have I Offended Someone, Ship, Apostrophe, Francesco, Burnt Weenie). I gave
this one a LOT of play-time! Surely it was very short compared to the price I paid, but as I sat behind my desk drawing, listening to that gorgeous
violin solo... I knew Zappa was to stay.
Before BWS I already knew WPLJ, as it's the first track on Son Of Cheep Thrills. I had that for a few months before my second purchase, and it kicks
off with the same song. It's very odd if you're so used to one compilation... you just expect to hear 20 Small Cigars afterwards.
I adore WPLJ! It's a very cheerful 12-bar blues that is encouraging to sing along.
The album continues with the gentle notes in Igor's Boogie and Holiday In Berlin, right up to the beautiful Aybe Sea (oh did it take me long to get
that joke!)
Little House is one of my favourite Zappa tracks ever. Before Zappa I never really could listen to anything longer than five minutes. But often I'd
just pull out Weenie and play Little House... sometimes even in the middle of the night if somehow I had another Britney Spears medley playing in my
head (that's why I really hate her: when you finally get one song of hers out of your head, another one rolls in, thus robbing me of my sleep. The
only solution was to crawl out of bed and play some music)
After the strange, unnerving piano intro by Ian, the album progresses with another cheerful little tune... and then... the glorious Sugarcane Harris
solo...
All closed with the wonderful arm-link song Valarie, with Zappa at the end, professionally dealing with the drunk concert asshole, when he says almost
sweetly: "You'll hurt your throat, stop it!"
|
|
|
polydigm
King Kong Status
Posts: 2166
Registered: 1-4-2006
Location: Horse Tray Ya
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inspired
|
|
That "strange, unnerving piano intro by Ian" is my favourite piano piece of all time.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Just discovered that Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1995 Ryko) is not the best thing to listen to when you have a headache.
Although it may seem chaotic at times (first and last track), Weasels has quite a few BB faves: the violin intro in DFMHTY, TotSF, tEDMB, DNPM&DN,
MGWTKYM, ON, and TOCLT. On this albut the sound also seemed a little harsh to me, particularly on the first track, but hearing Toads just put a smile
on my face. It's one frequently overlooked, but mighty sweet Zappa theme. And the alto gets to clear his bronchies.
Memorial Barbecue also managed to slip by my attention many times, but when I heard the ominous melody with the manical laughter a few minutes in...
wow.
Off to bed now... maybe with some aspirin.
|
|
|
Calvin
Apostrophe Status
Posts: 113
Registered: 20-8-2006
Location: Neebraskey
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I didn't have an appreciation for EDMB until TBBYNHIYL.
Hi there.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
Chunga's Revenge (1970, Zappa Records 1990 CD)
The first Flo & Eddie album, and according to some the best. I definitely enjoyed listening to this one: a late addition in my collection, but
Twenty Small Cigars was on Son Of Cheep Thrills. I also knew (and totally adored) Tell Me You Love Me off TTR, and Sharleena of YCDTOSA vol 4.
Chunga has quite a few great moments: the drums, piano and vocal drums (Wow, George!) on N&MM, the let-down-your-hair at TMYLM, the amazing solo
off Chunga... Chunga is another theme I don't really appreciate, it's too... whiney, kinda like the vocals of the Beatles. But the bass line is
beautiful and the soloing is cream.
I very much appreciate the sound quality of the CD, it's the best I've encountered in Zappadan so far.
|
|
|
BBP
Super Administrator
Posts: 8053
Registered: 3-10-2005
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cheerful yet relaxed
|
|
It's occurred to me I skipped 200 Motels AND Uncle Meat: they're double albums and therefore I put them in a different section of my music
collection.
Either way:
MOTHERS - Fillmore East, June 1971 (vinyl)
I didn't know you were so obviously pregnant...
I often played my three favourite tracks (HT, PER and TBTF) on my CD.
Recently I bought the vinyl version, just because of Willie the Pimp pt 1.
Why was it dropped? It sounds so wonderfully laid back.
FE brings an encore presentation of a large number of tracks for such an early Zappa album: Little House, Willie the Pimp, and Peaches are all songs
that were published before (and Happy Together of course).
Happy Together might be my favourite track on it. It's fun, cheerful, and hearing Flo (or Eddie) repeatedly enticing the audience to sing along
without success is very entertaining.
The album has much of a live spirit: this means that listening to it very often is not something many people would do. It's a real concert
registration with much entertaining dialog about the mud shark and about the selective groupie. But those jokes just will not remain funny forever,
skipping it may be the best way of dealing with them.
Little House, Willie The Pimp (both) and Peaches all sound worse than the earlier publications. Little House has a nasty sounding organ intro and
really misses the Sugar Cane solo. Willie is chaotic and Peaches is slow and very badly sung, making it my least favourite recording of the song.
All this doesn't mean that Fillmore isn't a bad album. It's very enjoyable... just not too often.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
|
![[*]](images/davis/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
