How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part Two Albums #21 - #40)

How To Buy...Frank Zapp by Rob H.

In this second part of the massive How To Buy Frank Zappa we cover albums #21 through #40. For the first part please click HERE!

#21 "Bongo Fury" Zappa/Beefheart/Mothers

Predominantly a live album recorded on the only tour that Captain Beefheart was in the band rather than the odd guest appearance.

How you view this will probably depend on if you are a fan of Beefheart or not although there are still plenty of FZ and Napoleon Murphy Brock moments. You have a couple of Beefheart improvisations/poems as well as a couple of songs marking the upcoming bicentennial of America and it's commercialisation in the cowboy song of "Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead" and "200 Tears Old".

There are some great FZ solos especially in "Advance Romance" and "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy" but my fave track has always been the closer of "Muffin Man" which starts with a spoken intro which sets out the ridiculous tale to come.... "girl, you thought he was a man but he was a muffin!" another blistering solo dominates.

If you aren't a Beefheart fan then this is either a good introduction or not the album for you! It's a good album but not an essential ...if you are planning on extending your collection then it's a definite!

#22 "Zoot Allures" Frank Zappa

When I first heard "Zoot Allures" I was very underwhelmed by it but it has grown on me considerably and the 2012 mix on CD gives it a fuller feel. I think for me initially it felt a bit disjointed and took a while to gel, maybe as I heard different versions of these songs on other albums.

Firstly for the guitar fans out there this contains 2 of the 3 songs that Zappa considered to be his signature guitar tunes and which he asked not to be covered after his death. It's fairly obvious then that "Black Napkins" and "Zoot Allures" are both absolutely sublime pieces and very different to each other, it also means that the albums third guitar piece "Friendly Little Finger" will get overlooked in comparison!

The rest of the album is vocal with "Wonderful Wino" finally getting an album release 6 years after it was originally recorded (as can be heard on the recently released "The Mothers 1970" set), "Disco Boy" marks Franks first dig at the spreading musical craze and it's self obsessed fans....it wouldn't be his last visit to the dance floors of disco either! "Ms. Pinky" is about an actual sex toy, a rubber head which was discovered on a tour in Europe and alongside "The Torture Never Stops" would be reworked into the musical "Thing Fish" years later. "The Torture...." is another personal fave of mine, slow with Franks deepest voice providing the vocal and a great piece of storytelling completed by an obligatory and precisely picked guitar solo.

So do you need this one? It certainly wouldn't be on my first tier of essential albums, maybe not on my second or third either but it is a grower and has some great songs and music and the draw of those guitar pieces shouldn't be ignored (although you could skip ahead and pick them up on the "Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa" album which contains all 3 of his signature guitar tunes - the third being "Watermelon In Easter Hay".)

#23 "Zappa In New York" Frank Zappa

A great live album recorded between Xmas and New Years 1976. The track listing has changed a bit through the years but the CD reinstates tracks removed by the record company and adds a few bonus ones too.

After the release of "Zoot Allures" Zappa had become increasingly frustrated with his label Warner Brothers who he claimed had failed to promote the album but for who he still owed 4 more albums to fulfil his contract. He delivered all 4 albums at once with "Zappa In New York" being the first....legal action then followed and while his albums remained unreleased by Warners Frank prepared his own release that would feature material from all 4 albums entitled "Läther" (pronounced leather from a band in joke). Franks release was blocked and wouldn't see light of day until 1996 years after Warners had released the albums that had been delivered. "Zappa In New York" was the only one of the four that Frank had delivered artwork for which explains why the subsequent releases all had a themed and distinctive art style.

"Zappa In New York" is one of the benchmark live albums and balances humour in tracks like "Titties & Beer" and "Punky's Whips" with lots of instrumentals. "Titties & Beer" sees Zappa bargaining with the Devil (played by drummer Terry Bozzio) for the return of his girlfriend and beer both of which the Devil has consumed. Fun Fact : The version of this track released on the "Baby Snakes" album in 1983 references the Warner Brothers dispute as a reason that Frank isn't scared of Hell as he'd already been through it! Bozzio features again on "Punky's Whips" which tells of his obsession with a photo of Punky Meadows the guitarist in Angel, it's another prime example of a comedy lyric being placed over a complex tune and has a great Zappa solo.

The other "odd" track is the folklore tale of "The Illonois Enema Bandit" based on the real life case of Michael Kenyon who carried out a series of armed robberies on women some of which he administered enemas to! Ray White gives an amazing vocal while Saturday Night Live's Don Pardo supplies opening narration. Pardo also appears on "Punky's Whips" and "I'm The Slime" .

Amongst the many instrumentals of note "The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1" is just incredible, named because of the shear density of notes on the written page it features and amazing duet between Bozzio and Ruth Underwood which is just jaw dropping! "Black Page #2" is a full band version taking up the melody. "I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth" has a tender minimoog solo from Roxy Music's Eddie Jobson along with a FZ guitar solo completely at odds with the in your face title (which is taken from the lyric of "Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me?" which is also on this album) The jazzier side returns for the 16 minute closer "The Purple Lagoon/Approximate".

This has something for everyone, it has the musical complexity combined with humour that ultimately defines Zappa in most peoples eyes.

See also : "Zappa In New Year 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" a 4 disc set that features the entire set and some alternate versions taken across the run of dates.

 

#24 "Studio Tan" Frank Zappa

Firstly let me tell you straight off that you don't need this album, that's not because it's without it's merits such as the excellent instrumental/solo "RDNZL" but more so that all four tracks feature on the infinitely better "Läther" set (see yesterdays post).

To be fair this will be another marmite album for most as it is dominated by another 20 minute plus story based track along the lines of "Billy The Mountain", indeed he is even referenced, called "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary". The suitably odd story which is dripping in conceptual continuity and complex music concerns the titular hero, a type of pig, inventing the calendar which then makes people miserable as people can now track how old they are getting and when to collect rent! Greggery consults a philosopher after being chased into a wood but is offered very little useful advice. FZ narrates in spoken voice and also sings the part of Greggery which is sped up. Not a track you will listen to every day but it has lots going for it.

The other tracks are the aforementioned "RDNZL", the completely forgettable "Lemme Take You To The Beach" and a guitar version of "Music For Violin And Low Budget Orchestra" from the Jean Luc Ponty Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa album suitably re-titled as "Revised Music For Guitar And Low Budget Orchestra".

The cover art was not supplied by Zappa but was commissioned by Warner Brothers.

 

#25 "Sleep Dirt" Frank Zappa

This one is a bit of an odd one to review as it is VERY different depending on the version you hear. Let's get the "Läther" question out of the way first, yes many of these tracks appear across both but not all and in different versions making "Sleep Dirt" worthy of consideration in it's own right.

Then we have the issue of the two very different versions released. The original album was entirely instrumental and so is the 2012 CD remaster however 3 (possibly 4) of the tracks were from "Hunchentoot", a science fiction musical that Zappa had written, when Frank released the album on CD he took the opportunity to add in vocals to "Flambay", "Time Is Money" and "Spider Of Destiny" which shocked the purists especially as they changed the feel of the tracks immensely. "Regyptian Strut" is also thought to be from the musical but renamed so it's a bit of guesswork. The vocals by Thana Harris are very theatrical and while there is nothing wrong in the slightest with them it seems a shame not to listen to the amazing music. Personally I think the album works better as an instrumental but it's nice to be able to hear what "Hunchentoot" could have been....another track would be released on the album "Them Or Us" in 1984.

The title track is a sublime acoustic guitar duet which only ends when James "Birdlegs" Youmans' fingers get stuck! The longest track on the album is the closer "The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution" which started as an extended jam before being overdubbed moving through various themes and incorporates a fine string bass solo from Patrick O'Hearn and of course a trademark FZ guitar solo.

One for your extended collection, just make sure of the version you pick! This was another album where Warners commissioned the artwork and apparently even renamed the album as it was meant to be titled "Hot Rats III".

#26 "Sheik Yerbouti" Frank Zappa

Although Zappa had delivered Warner Brothers four albums in one go to conclude his contract with them "Sheik Yerbouti" was the first release on the newly formed Zappa Records coming out before Warners released the last of their albums "Orchestral Favorites".

I love this album, it's one of what I class the "rockin' teenage combo" releases and for those muso spotters out there this has Adrian Belew on guitar before being poached by Bowie for his band.

The humour is in full force with tracks like "Broken Hearts Are For Arseholes", "I'm So Cute", "Tryin To Grow A Chin", "Jewish Princess" and of course the surprise Scandinavian hit "Bobby Brown" (or "Bobby Brown Goes Down" as it has been retitled on CD and digital releases) which is the most overtly sexual track on the album but is actually not about that at all!

Disco gets a couple of digs with the wonderfully daft "Dancin' Fool" and the albums title being a pastiche of the KC & The Sunshine Band hit "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" . Other lyrical targets are the preposterous rock artists in "I Have Been In You" (Peter Frampton had just released "I'm In You"), unions in "Flakes" which also features Belew doing his best Bob Dylan impression and "Jones Crusher" about a woman with very muscular genitalia!

Like most Zappa releases it's the music that matters most and here you have two great guitar tracks in "Rat Tomago" and "The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" as well as the wonderful "Yo Mama".

A must have album!

 

#27 "Orchestral Favorites" Frank Zappa

The final one of the end of contract Warners releases and the worst front cover in the entire Zappa catalogue! Frank had been composing orchestra music for many years but this was his first purely orchestral release featuring five tracks, 3 of which would also feature on "Läther".

The two tracks that aren't on "Läther" are both worthy of the admission price so to speak. "Strictly Genteel" which was the finale of "200 Motels" is here bereft of any vocal or narration to get in the way of the music. The other is the epic "Bogus Pomp" in which you can hear themes from other Zappa tracks as well as a rather nice violin solo. Frank does manage to slip in a guitar solo in "Duke Of Prunes" , a reworking of an early Mothers Of Invention track that appeared on "Absolutely Free" and listening to it in this form makes you appreciate the layers to Zappas skill as a composer.

You don't need this album, but you might need the anniversary version which expands the original release to a three disc affair adding in more of the concert from Royce Hall which the album was culled from. Hearing the full show with tracks like "Black Napkins", "The Adventures Of Greggory Peccary" (orchestral and without all the vocal and narration is a million miles from the "Studio Tan" version) and "Dog/Meat" makes the 40th anniversary version one of the better ways to discover this side of Zappa, the present day composer refuses to die indeed!

#28 "Joe's Garage, Act I" Frank Zappa

As I'm doing daily reviews following the albums as released I'll keep this to just Act I but if you buy the CD or download it comes with Act II & III which was the next album (see tomorrows review for that one!)

As you probably realise by now Zappa wrote a few different musical projects whether they be films, stage plays or even ballets and "Joe's Garage" follows this although it was never played in it's entirety and was conceived as an album rather than any of the previous arts mentioned.

The story of "Joe's Garage" is twofold really, Franks original story about making things illegal and therefore everyone being a criminal and equal and the one that you will derive at yourself which is the cautionary tale of the protagonist as he makes music with his friends ("We could jam at Joe's garage, his mother was screaming, his dad was mad, we was playing the same old song.....") discovers women, contracts a sexually transmitted disease and get's very confused.....all the blanks are filled in by the narrator or Central Scrutinizer as he is called here.

It's a joyous bunch of songs, yes it has it's smutty moments in "Catholic Girls" and "Wet T-Shirt Nite" not to mention the unfortunate realisation of "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" but it all works, it's all memorable and you can sing along without worrying too much about sudden time signature changes! There is only one instrumental of sorts (as it still features narration by the Central Scrutinizer) which is the guitar solo piece "Toad-O Line".

Muso wise Ike Willis features heavily on this album as he would on most of the band related releases for the rest of Frank's life time.

Is this one you need....hell, yes!

#29 "Joe's Garage, Acts II & III"

Continuing the story from the previous album and now available as a complete set Act II ramped up the sexual content with "Stick It Out", the sexual acts with the robot "Sy Borg" who is plooked too hard and of course "Keep It Greasey".

Act III concentrates more on Zappas guitar side with "He Used To Cut The Grass" and the third of his signature pieces the absolutely sublime "Watermelon In Easter Hay". You also have the famous "Information is not knowledge" speech in "Packard Goose" delivered by Dale Bozzio which ascertains that "music is the best". "A Little Green Rosetta" closes the set with a version very different from the one on "Läther" and minus the guitar solo that dominates.

Muso watch...this is also around the time that Steve Vai started working for Frank as he was hired to write transcriptions of Zappa's solos that would appear in "The Frank Zappa Guitar Book"....Vai appeared on the live dates around this time but not on the album.

 

#30 "Tinseltown Rebellion" Frank Zappa

Predominantly a live album (let's face it most Zappa albums were with splices of performances and overdubs) and the studio "radio friendly" track "Fine Girl" which starts the album.

It's pretty solid apart from the spoken Panty Rap" and "Dance Contest", the former is Frank encouraging young ladies in the audience to throw their panties on stage as they were collecting them to make a quilt! It turned in to an art collage but apart from being an interesting document of a strange tour behaviour it's not really something you want to listen to repeatedly.

There are a few early Mothers of Invention songs that get revisited with versions of "Love Of My Love", "I Ain't Got No Heart", "Tell Me You Love Me" and even "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" all present. The classic "Hot Rats" opener "Peaches En Regalia" is here as "Peaches III" as it was the third time it had been released on an album.

"Easy Meat" is a sexual lyric that is quickly dispensed with to lead to an extended guitar solo, as this album was recorded across a few tours there are different line ups on different songs but for those following my Muso alerts then this is the first album that features stunt guitarist Steve Vai!

The album also features a few examples of "meltdown" Zappa's own version of sprechgesang where a lyric is performed, and often adlibed, in a style that is not quite spoken and not quite sung. This can be heard on "The Blue light" and the title track but would be utilised more on the "Man From Utopia" album.

Is it one you need? It's a good album but there are much better ones from around this time so mark it in your extended collection list rather than an essential purchase.

#31 "Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar" Frank Zappa

#32 "Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar Some More" Frank Zappa

#33 "Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar" Frank Zappa

Three separate albums but more commonly found as a set just titled "Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar". These will either be over the top and not your thing or they will become your holy grail!

After years of critics complaining about his "comedy music" Zappa released this three disc set via mail order which consists purely of guitar solos. All of the albums are mostly recorded live but there are also a couple of studio jams as well.

This isn't hours of Frank wailing on a guitar, that was never his playing style in the first place, most of the tracks here are edited from live performances of tracks such as "Inca Roads" , "Black Napkins" and "Zoot Allures" so you don't get the "song" part just the solo with Frank backed by the band. Solos are culled from across an eight year period.

If you are a fan of Franks playing and want to hear those improvised solos unencumbered of a song structure then this is a must have....if however you want songs about "Titties And Beer" then this isn't one for you!

 

#34 "You Are What You Is" Frank Zappa

Frank had now built his own home studio the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen (UMRK) and the freedom it provided shows on this predominantly studio double album.

Everything sounds very polished and natural, vocals are layered, lots of songs segue to form mini suites and there is even a guest appearance from former Mother Jimmy Carl Black (on the country pastiche "Harder Than Your Husband").

There is unusually only one instrumental in "Theme From The 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear" in which Steve Vai plays alongside a FZ guitar solo note for note.

There's a lot of fun on this album and the suites work well even when dealing with serious or contentious subject matter especially in the trio of "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing", "Dumb All Over" and "Heavenly Bank Account". The down side to this is that sometimes the tracks segue too quickly before being properly explored.

It's accessible, the songs are great, the band is great, what's not to love? Definitely one you need, not maybe in the first tier of purchases but probably the second

#35 "Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch" Frank Zappa

This album will always be known for having Zappa's biggest and most unlikely hit single on it, the phenomena that is "Valley Girl". Frank's eldest child Moon Unit, who was about 15 at the time, had put a note under the studio door asking if she might be able to come in and record something one day. Sure enough one night Frank woke her and they went to record Moon's monologue about the "Valley Girls" at her school and around the area, Moon took the acetate to a radio station who were interviewing her and it was played on air....the place went nuts and the rest is history!

The rest of the album is hard to categorise, there are plenty of guitar workouts (Steve Vai was now listed as impossible guitar parts!) especially during "I Come From Nowhere" and "Drowning Witch". The latter is an absolutely supreme example of dispensing with a comedy lyric quickly before an incredibly musically complex instrumental segment takes over the remaining 10 minutes of the track. How complex was it? Put it this way even with the calibre of musicians in the Zappa band it was never played accurately live, they got close just once! A great one for fans of Franks soloing.

Opener "No Not Now" lyrically foreshadows "Truck Driver Divorce" which would appear on the "Them Or Us" album whereas the album's closer "Teen-Age Prostitute" sounds like nothing else with it's Vai guitar line and pseudo operatic vocal!

It's a relatively short album especially coming after the run of doubles but it packs in diversity and tracks that you'll want to explore again and again. It's much more than the album with "Valley Girl" on". You need it, it's not one of the essential releases but it's not far from it!

#36 "The Man From Utopia" Frank Zappa

A pretty disappointing album in many ways despite the excellent cover art! Part live and part studio, three of the live tracks ("The Radio Is Broken", "The Dangerous Kitchen" and "The Jazz Discharge Party Hats") demonstrate the meltdown style of sprechgesang vocal. While all are solid tracks with great lyrics and themes they will grate on some.

"Tink Walks Amok" is a nice instrumental featuring the bass playing of Arthur Barrow whereas the album's other instrumental "We Are Not Alone" focuses more on brass and vibes.

The more straightforward tracks just aren't widely exciting to be perfectly honest with "Cocaine Decisions" standing heads and shoulders above the rest....there would be a significant live version to be released as part of the "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore" series but we are getting ahead of ourselves!

Sad to say this is more for the completest.

#37 "Baby Snakes" Frank Zappa

Partial soundtrack to the concert film of the same name featuring great live versions of previously released songs. It's a relatively short album (although the full soundtrack would be released by the Zappa Family as 2012's AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle and then again on the "Halloween 1977" set) and over half of the album is devoted to tracks that featured on "Zappa In New York" only a few years previously.

"Titties 'N' Beer" is updated to reflect Franks issues with former record company Warner Brothers when in his dialogue with The Devil (Terry Bozzio) he states that he knows Hell as he has been through it after being signed to Warners for eight f**king years! The instrumental "Black Page #2" also features but maybe the albums biggest draw at the time of release was "Punky's Whips" that had been quickly removed from the release of "Zappa In New York".

The rest of the album includes "Jones Crusher", "Disco Boy", the title track and an excellent version of "Dinah Moe Hum" which is much faster than the original. It's a great album but given that you can pick up pretty similar versions on other key releases and then the full Halloween show which is worth getting instead you probably want to stream this as a short taster or fun shorter release.

#38 "The London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I" Frank Zappa/ London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Kent Nagano

Originally released in 1983 with Vol II following in 1987 both albums are now combined on to one release with the track listing rearranged so the ballet piece "Bob In Dacron" now leads in to it's companion piece "Sad Jane" instead of being on different volumes.....but lets talk about the original version.

Orchestral music was nothing new in the Zappa catalogue but Frank was often critical of the LSO sessions and the professionalism of it's members in respect to working with a rock musician. Then there were union regulations meaning rehearsals were near impossible financially, indeed a live performance was booked to act as a rehearsal prior to recording as it worked out to be more financially viable to do so.

What you do get with the LSO recordings is finally a much bigger orchestra with a crisp, clean sound. You have an orchestral version of "Ship Arriving Too Late's...." "Envelopes" and "Pedrow's Dowry" from "Orchestral Favorites" but the majority of "Vol. I" is taken up with the three part "Mo 'N Herb's Vacation", if you ever want to marvel at what was going on in Zappa's mind then read up on the story lines to these orchestral and ballet pieces!

Do you need it? Well, it's a good example of Frank as a composer but it's not his best orchestral release (that honour arguably goes to "The Yellow Shark" one of his final releases). So if you'r a fan or want something different then check it out but without the guitars and vocals many won't be interested!

#39 "Boulez Conducts Zappa : The Perfect Stranger" Frank Zappa / Ensemble InterContemporain / The Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Consort

Another classical work, with a twist! Famed conductor Pierre Boulez had commissioned Frank to compose a piece for his Ensemble InterContemporian which he did in "The Perfect Stranger". The near 13 minute title track is delivered in a much more accomplished way than the LSO had approached Franks compositions and the Ensemble InterContemporian also deliver fantastic interpretations of "Naval Aviation In Art?" and "Dupree's Paradise".

The rest of the album features Zappa's first Synclavier works, here dubbed The Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Consort, the fully programmable synthesizer that could also sample instruments ended the human fallibility meaning Frank could realise his more complex and challenging works. Of particular note are "Outside Now Again" that was built up around Steve Vai's transcription of the "Joe's Garage" track but played at a slower tempo and the haunting "Jonestown".

Zappa would return to the synclavier multiple times and the sound won't be to everyone's taste. "The Perfect Stranger" is an interesting work, not an essential one to have but it's worth exploring.

Fun fact: This is the first of three albums that would feature Patricia the dog on the cover as painted by artist Donald Roller WIlson.

 

#40 "Them Or Us" Frank Zappa

This is where I discovered Zappa, reading an article in the music press (pre-internet) I sought out the album and the rest is history! Luckily I knew someone with an older brother who had all the out of print early albums so I could quickly discover what I had been missing!)

Even allowing for the rose tinted glasses that I might have for it, it's still a great album! Starting with the doo-wop cover of "The Closer You Are" then straight in to the Johnny "Guitar" Watson guest vocal of "In France" listing some less than complimentary things to be found in that country. You have humour, you have complex musicalities, groupie stories and fantastic instrumentals not to mention guita solos from both Steve Vai and a then teenage Dweezil Zappa.

We have another part of "Sinister Footwear" (the theme from the 3rd Movement had appeared on "You Are What You Is"), the typical rushed novelty lyric before a complex musical workout of "Truck Driver Divorce" and the guitar laden groupie story of "Stevie's Spanking". Fans of guitar solos are well catered for with "Marque-son's Chicken" and the title track as well as the cover version of the Allman Brothers Band's "Whippin' Post" which closes the album.

The preposterous nature of the pop/rock star is also documented on "Be In My Video" which takes a fairly obvious swing or two at David Bowie amongst others. Furthermore Zappa can be seen wearing just one glove on the rear cover as per numerous stars of the day (most memorably Michael Jackson) except Frank chose an oven glove instead of sequins!

Fun fact - this is the second album cover to feature Patricia the dog as painted by artist Donald Roller Wilson.

An essential album in my opinion!

How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part One - Albums #1 - #20)

 

How To Buy...Frank Zappa by Rob H.

The sheer size of the vast Zappa catalogue can often be off-putting for those wishing to discover the output of one of the most talented and diverse artists there's ever been. Running from Rock to Classical through Jazz and Fusion just where do you start with the ever expanding discography...hopefully this guide will point you on the right path! 

#1 "Freak Out" The Mothers of Invention 

Often (wrongly) cited as the first double album in rock, it was however the first double debut album by a band. Coming to it now with such a vast catalogue to explore this would, for me, feature fairly low down on my list of priorities unless that is of course that you are a fan of 60's counterculture.

The music ranges from 60's rock, through doo-wop to drone/music concrete. Lyrically there are love songs (normally presented in a doo-wop style...this will be more relevant in a few albums time, be patient!), anti-love songs, counter culture challenges and even a protest song inspired by the Watts riots.

The 2nd disc was largely dominated by the drone like "Help, I'm A Rock" and the side long "The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet" which as legend has it was the result of a late night jam at which lot of "interesting" characters were invited in to the studio.

(See also the Project/Object release "MOFO" which explored the album and sessions in a 4 disc set)

 

#2 "Absolutely Free" The Mothers of Invention

A marked improvement on "Freak Out", "Absolutely Free" was presented as a segued album with all tracks running together on both sides.

The music is starting to become more complex with nods to Igor Stravinsky in places. The opener "Plastic People" makes it very plain that this isn't another group of longhairs spouting the Hippy ideal while also challenging those in charge before the "Duke of Prunes" and "Call Any Vegetable" run where we are introduced to strange/humorous/abstract lyrical ideas that cover a complex musical theme, in this case an intimate love of green vegetables amongst others! Zappa was quoted later in his career that he would have been happy just releasing instrumental albums (and he released plenty of those) but the music buying public demanded/expected vocals. Sometimes you will find a bizarre lyric quickly dispensed with at the start of a musically complex track.

"Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin" is the sides longest song at 7 minutes and is an instrumental worked around a Zappa guitar solo.

In this digital age of streaming and CD's etc this is where when listening you might want to do a bit of a running order change as they have added in 2 bonus tracks between the original side one and side 2 of the album. The A & B side of the single "Big Leg Emma" & "Why Don'tcha Do Me Right?" they are probably best experienced separately...."Big Leg Emma" is a pastiche on tracks like "Hang On Sloopy" .

Side 2 of the album confronts American society norms in the 60's "America Drinks"......"Status Back Baby" (about highschool popularity) and then one of the most iconic of the early tracks "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" a mini opera of sorts that includes Congressmen dreaming of incestuous acts with their teenage daughters. "America Drinks And Goes Home" closes the album with a loud audience chatting, arguing and drinking while a band tries to play!

"Absolutely Free" was an important album, it had a much smaller budget than "Freak Out" and was recorded quickly so the audio reflects this. One of the essential albums but far from the best!

 

#3 "Lumpy Gravy" Frank Vincent Zappa Conducts Abnucleals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra

One of Franks personal faves and a firm fan favourite too. "Lumpy Gravy" started life when Capitol Records commissioned Zappa to write and conduct an orchestral album, as his contract with Verve was as a performer he accepted. Needless to say Verve were none to happy and a law suit ensued by Verve owners MGM. Verve agreed to buy the rights to the album which Zappa then re-recorded, edited, changed etc into the version that was then released.

Fun Fact - The album originally bore Franks name as Francis Vincent Zappa but was changed after he discovered his birth name was actually Frank!

This album is fast paced, technically 2 side long songs which were "chaptered" in the digital age in to their distinct parts. Random dialogue is intercut throughout from "the piano people" - various people sticking their heads under a cover to the inside of a piano where their conversations were recorded with the piano strings reverbing as they spoke. There are orchestral cues, snippets of surf tunes, the beautiful melody of "Oh No" (which fans would have to wait a few more albums time to hear the full vocal version) as well as sections speeded up and mixed with musique concrete.

It provides many a glimpse into themes that would reoccur throughout Zappa's career and is a keystone release, also his first solo album although various members of the Mothers of Invention do appear on some parts. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but it should be part of your Zappa collection if you want to get a full picture.

Fun Fact - the rear sleeve which pictured Zappa in top hat and tails had a speech bubble reading "Is this phase 2 of We're Only In It For The Money?" the title of the next Mothers of Invention album. That release had a similar bubble reading "Is this Phase 1 of Lumpy Gravy?" both can easily be viewed as companion pieces.

See also : "Lumpy Money Project/Object" set released in 2009 which also contained the Capitol Records edit of the album. The piano People would reappear in the 1994 album "Civilization Phase III"

 

#4 "We're Only In It For The Money" The Mothers of Invention

An absolute classic, the counter, counter culture album! Whereas American society had been in the cross-hairs on previous albums Zappa expanded his scorn and derision to include the Hippy counter culture especially the San Francisco scene.

A lot of people misunderstood the album title as the Mothers were saying that they were only in it for the money when actually the title and whole sleeve and package design was a not too subtle dig at The Beatles or more specifically the image and lyrics that they were portraying. For "We're Only In It For The Money" Zappa carefully recreated the Sgt Peppers sleeve. Where the Beatles had their name in flowers the Mothers had theirs in smashed fruit and vegetables. The Mothers wore ugly badly fitting dresses instead of the colourful shiny uniforms that the Fab Four sported. There was even an insert in the original vinyl release that recreated the Peppers insert but with cut out Zappa moustache etc.... but then someone got worried at the record company and the gatefold sleeve was folded the other way so the inside became the outside and the Peppers pastiche didn't feature on the front cover (until the CD release in the 80's),,,,instead you had the Mothers in drag against a yellow background,,,,,Zappa appearing on the rear sleeve with a speech bubble asking "Is this Phase 1 of Lumpy Gravy".

The music has a distinctly 60's feel (no surprise there) but it has fast cuts, random snorks and dialogue. Lyrically it challenges the hippy ideal ("Who Needs The Peace Corps?") and the establishment ("The Idiot Bastard Son") as well as claiming that the Government planned to reopen the internment camps used in the Second World War to imprison those with long hair for threatening the American way in "Concentration Moon"! Quite chilling to think that the following track "Mom and Dad" foretells the Kent State shooting 3 years before it happened. It's not all heavy themes (not that musically it ever feels doom laden) "Let's Make The Water Turn Black" tells the story of a couple of Franks childhood friends and their odd habits (don't ask!) Most tracks are short and cut quickly in to the next with the one exception being the album closer "The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny) which came complete with the instruction to read the Franz Kafka story "In The Penal Colony" before listening.

Do you need this one in your collection? Hell yes!

When preparing the album for CD release in the 80's Zappa made the very unpopular choice of replacing the original drum and bass parts using his (then) current bassist Arthur Barrow and drummer Chad Wackerman. Future remasters reinstated the original parts and printed the sleeve to the released version with group shot on the front rather than Peppers cover.

See also "Lumpy Money Project/Object" which featured the original mix and the 1984 version as well as versions of Lumpy Gravy and mostly instrumental alternate versions

 

#5 "Cruising With Ruben & The Jets" The Mothers Of Invention

"Is this the Mothers of Invention recording under a different name in a last ditch attempt to get their cruddy music on the radio?" says the speech bubble on the albums cover..... well no is the answer as it would have given the game away a bit wouldn't it! "Ruben" is a doo-wop album which you can analyse in anyway that you want, some have suggested that Zappa was commenting that all the rock acts of the day were going to be someones nostalgia overtaken by the latest trends, however you view it it's bloody wonderful!

The doo-wop songs that appeared on the debut album "Freak Out" are revisited and presented in very different versions. You have love songs, cheese, satire and it's a total blast!

Another controversial re-edit, remix and new instrumentation was done when the album saw it's CD/digital release which changed the sound a fair bit (bass & drums) but there were numerous edits too. Fortunately the original mix was released as "Greasy Love Songs" a few years ago with some bonus material so that is personally the mix I'd choose.

 

#6 "Uncle Meat" The Mothers Of Invention

This is the first album that is often referred to as a jazz album which is probably partially true as jazz is such a broad genre full of endless sub-genres although Zappa himself didn't classify it as such.

The line up of The Mothers of Invention had been changing over the past few releases and the arrival of players like Ian Underwood and Bunk Gardner added to the musical dexterity available within the band....in addition "Uncle Meat" also featured Ruth Komanoff as a guest who was an incredible percussionist. Ruth would become a full time member of The Mothers as Ruth Underwood after she and Ian married. She is one of my favourite musicians to have ever performed or recorded with Frank.

A double album that was released as a soundtrack to an unfinished sci-fi film...by the time it was finally released on home video decades later hardly any of the music remained. The CD released added in large chunks of the films dialogue and a newly recorded track (1982) which detract from an amazing album...their inclusion was due to space limitation of CDs and to fit the original double album onto one CD a couple of minutes would of had to have been lost. Hence bonus material was added to justify the second disc and keep the album in full. If you get this version or stream it then edit these tracks out especially as they are placed before "King Kong", one of the most loved instrumental tracks of Zappa's career . Alternatively get the Project/Object release "Meat Light" which has the original mix and more.

This is an album of themes where essentially 3 distinct themes reoccur throughout...."Uncle Meat", "Dog Breath" & "King Kong". The album is largely instrumental but has a few vocal tracks including the perennial favourite "Cruising For Burgers" and a few interludes from Suzy Creamcheese. "King Kong" took the whole final side of the original vinyl release with the theme being explored as a full band, solo interpretations or combinations of a few different members all adding something different. It also had briefly popped up as part of "Lumpy Gravy" previously.

"Uncle Meat" is another essential for your Zappa collection

 

#7 "Mothermania : The Best Of The Mothers -1969" The Mothers Of Invention

Simple one this, an 11 track best of based around vocal tracks released on "Freak Out", "Absolutely Free" & "We're Only In It For The Money".

Zappa agreed to compile the album rather than leave Verve to it even though he was out of contract with the label. It isn't a simple compilation as all the tracks are mixed differently from their original versions which makes it a great addition to your collection but probably more a completest purchase.

 

#8 "Hot Rats" Frank Zappa

Frustrated with the progression of the band, the financial strain of keeping a 9 piece together and also musically heading in different directions Zappa disbanded the Mothers of Invention reportedly after seeing jazz legend Duke Ellington begging a promoter for money backstage. With a new record company (Warner Brothers) and taking Ian Underwood with him Zappa recorded one of his best and most successful albums (although it faired poorly in America on release.)

"Hot Rats" is predominately instrumental, it's one vocal track "Willie The Pimp" sung by Captain Beefheart. The album is another foray into what some would call jazz or more likely jazz fusion and features a line up of talented musicians around the core of Zappa and Underwood most notably Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin.

The album opener "Peaches En Regalia" is one of Zappa's most endearing tracks. Frank solos on every track which is something that he hadn't done before including the blistering solo on "Willie The Pimp" & "The Gumbo Variations" you had subtler tracks in "It Must Be A Camel", "Little Umbrellas" and "Son Of Mr Green Genes".

This is an absolute essential purchase and needs to be in any Zappa collection. The 50th anniversary was marked with the release of the box set "The Hot Rats Sessions" and a tour of the album by Franks son Dweezil.

 

#9 "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" The Mothers of Invention

Even though he had disbanded The Mothers Zappa released 2 albums of unreleased previously recorded material one that was predominantly studio based and one predominantly live.

"Burnt Weeny Sandwich" was the former and is instrumental save for the opener and closer both of which are doo-wop covers "WPLJ" by The Four Deuces and "Valarie" by Jackie and the Starlites. You again have a few reoccurring themes ("Igors Boogie" & "Holiday In Berlin") a great Zappa solo with percussion and accompaniment in "Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich" but the highlight of the album is the 18 minute "Little House I Used To Live In" which has a plethora of phases and players including solos from Zappa and Sugarcane Harris...the track concludes with a concert audience interaction where an agitated fan is heard shouting about the "uniforms" in the venue before Zappa replies "Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself!"

Is it an essential album? For most no, but if you are looking for a more in depth collection then it's a worthy inclusion and starts to close the Mothers of Invention chapter.

 

#10 "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" The Mothers of Invention

The second MOI posthumous release, concentrating on mostly live material, is one of my firm favourites despite it being fairly challenging for laymen!

This is probably the album that features Lowell George the most from his brief stint with the Mothers, legend had it that Frank told him that he was too good and should form his own band.... he did! With MOI bassist & Vocalist (the now disgraced and incarcerated) Roy Estrada the guitarist formed Little Feat!

This album has been said to be a fairly accurate record of what it was like to see the Mothers of Invention live, you have great vocal tracks such as "My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama" and "Oh No" which an extract had appeared in instrumental form on "Lumpy Gravy". Then you have the urgency of "Didja Get Any Onya?" which demonstrates why there are just so many Zappa live releases with the band adapting on the spot to Franks direction on stage, changing passages, styles something he would do throughout his career giving even the most familiar songs very different feels.

Sugarcane Harris delivers a heartfelt vocal and great violin line over a slow blues vamp on "Directly From My Heart To You".

The band shows how musical adept they have become by working through the difficult time signatures of "Toads Of The Short Forest" while Zappa adds some great solos on "The Orange County Lumber Truck" before the album concludes with a 2 minute wall of feedback giving the album it's title track!

Apart from a few archive releases years later this was the last album by this era of The Mothers of Invention. From here on albums would mostly be released under Franks name or as The Mothers but that's getting ahead of ourselves!

Fun fact...this is one of my favourite album covers of all time!

An essential album but approach with caution as it won't be for everyone!

 

#11 "Chunga's Revenge" Frank Zappa

There are a few things that marked this album as a new beginning, it was the first that featured Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan (rechristened as Flo & Eddie) both formerly of The Turtles of "Happy Together" fame and also introduced us to the concepts that would be explored in Zappa's upcoming film "200 Motels". Other musicians of note include jazz keyboardist George Duke and drummer Aynsley Dunbar both of whom would feature across many future albums.

This is also the point where the bawdy humour and sexually charged lyrics started....the "Flo & Eddie" years are often diversive among Zappa fans but "Chunga's Revenge" is a fairly safe introduction to them.

Of the ten tracks on the album half are instrumentals including opener "Transylvania Boogie", "The Clap" which is a percussion piece where Zappa plays all parts and the albums title track which is about a mutant Gypsy vacuum cleaner (don't ask!).

The vocal tracks are all pretty straight forward, rock with some blues influences. "Road Ladies" deals with the loneliness of musicians on the road and the ladies that provide "comfort" a key theme to the concept of "200 Motels" even if the songs wouldn't make the final version. Likewise "Tell Me You Love Me" which would be rerecorded years later (many Zappa songs would turn up on different albums). "Would You Go All The Way?" is about the sort of person that would be in the services ("Would you go all the way for the USO? Lift up your dress if the answer is no") "Rudy Wants To Buy Yez A Drink" attacks the reps of the Musicians Union before the more traditional "Sharleena" closes the album (another track revisited in the 80's)

"Chunga" isn't a bad album at all, it's just overshadowed by what was to come. It's a worthy of a place in an extended collection but wouldn't be in my pick for core albums.

 

#12 "Fillmore East - June 1971" The Mothers

A live album with Flo & Eddie to the fore and none too subtle groupie stories (think pure smut rather than innuendo) and fans lapped it up!

A shortened version of Little House I used To Live In" opens the album with Flo & Eddie adding vocal "stylings" before we get the infamous "The Mud Shark" based on the true story of a member of Led Zeppelin, a member of Vanilla Fudge and various road crew "pleasuring" a groupie at a Holiday Inn with a Mud Shark...the hotel had a deck you could fish from hence the fish which in real life was purported to be a Red Snapper. Not exactly highbrow but this was the time of Zappa writing his film "200 Motels" based on touring life making you crazy. This swiftly leads to "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are", "Bwana Dik" and "Latex Solar Beef" all continuing the groupie theme and the vocal refrain of Mud Shark.

There is a break with a predominately instrumental version of "WIllie The Pimp" presented as "Part One" and "Part Two" on the original release, "Part Two is from a different show and is a great Zappa guitar solo. "Part Two" was dropped from the first CD release but the 2012 version reinstated it.

The filth was only temporarily halted and "Do You Like My New Car" recounts another true story of a sexual encounter from The Turtles years where the girl in question refused to continue until Howard Kaylan sang her his "Big, hit record"! The record in question being "Happy Together" which The Mothers perform to close the concert.

"Lonesome Electric Turkey" is another instrumental piece with some vocal stylings or yelps before the "Hot Rats" classic "Pieces En regalia" leads us back onto familiar ground. This version does have some vocal harmony added in which works well initially but drags towards the end. A more radio friendly track "Tears Began To Fall" was chosen to close the album and also to be the supporting single....lets face it, most of this album is anything but radio friendly otherwise!

So would I recommend this one? To be honest I've never been a big fan of it, there are better Flo & Eddie albums in my opinion but it was and is a hugely popular album so check it out and see if it's for you!

Fun Fact - John Lennon & Yoko Ono guested on the encores on the last of the Fillmore shows, originally Zappa was going to add this and make the album into a double but decided against it. The Following year Lennon released it as one of the live sides on the Lennon/Ono double album "Sometime In New York City" altering the sleeve of the Mothers Fillmore East album as a "revenge" for Zappa's Sgt Peppers parody "We're Only In It For The Money". Zappa would release his mix of the appearance many years later on the "Playground Psychotics" album albeit changing some of the track names.

 

#13 "Frank Zappa's 200 Motels" The Mothers Of Invention and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

For years Zappa had been writing a film based around touring life and the excesses on the road (yes there are more groupie stories!). "200 Motels" was ambitious, shot quickly in England as they could get a great deal on hiring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra they quickly ran out of cash so about a third of the script was never shot leading to some creative editing being needed to shape some form of cohesive story.

This is the soundtrack to the film. The film if you are interested is something else, Ringo Starr plays Zappa (or Larry the Dwarf if you'd prefer), Keith Moon is a sex craved nun and Mother Motorhead Sherwood is the Mutant Gypsy hoover from "Chunga's Revenge".....it's a wonderful mess but not a casual watch!

So we have orchestral overtures, vocal accompaniment and straight rock tracks....we also of course have Flo & Eddie! In the full context of the film the sexual content is much less in your face than it was on "Fillmore East - June 1971" even though it is more graphic on tracks such as "Penis Dimension" and "Shove It Right In". Former Mother Jimmy Carl Black turns up to deliver the Redneck anthem of "Lonesome Cowboy Burt". The longest run of Chorus and Orchestra tracks appear near the end of the film/album but is interrupted by the fuzz blues of "Magic Fingers".

The closer is the sublime "Strictly Genteel (The Finale)" which is a prime case of ignore the vocal and chorus lines and listen to what the music is doing, it really is an astonishing track.

Fun fact - "200 Motels" was the only album not to get a re-release in 2012.

Do you need it? Yeah, you really do. It's not always a straightforward listen but it combines many of Franks sides and is the first major exploration of his classical writing.

See also: "200 Motels - The Suites" by The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra released in 2015

 

#14 "Just Another Band From L.A." The Mothers

The final album (except for archive releases) in the Flo & Eddie years and it's another live album.

The album starts with the 24 minute pseudo rock opera "Billy The Mountain" which tells the story of Billy (a picturesque postcardy mountain) and his wife Ethel (a tree growing on Billy's shoulder). It's as wonderfully preposterous as it sounds and like many Zappa tracks or artwork it all links within a grand scale of conceptual continuity.

Of the other four tracks on the album we have new versions of "Call Any Vegetable" and "Dog Breath" both of which suit Flo & Eddie well. "Eddie Are You Kidding" is a pastiche of local commercials while undoubtedly the most controversial track of the album is "Magdalena" a lustful fantasy of a Canadian man having incestuous thoughts about his daughter which is offset against a jaunty upbeat musical backing.

Do you need it? Not really, it's a great album but "Billy The Mountain" will be a marmite song for most.

 

#15 "Waka/Jawaka" Frank Zappa

The end of 1971 hadn't been kind to Zappa, firstly someone had let off a flare gun at a gig in Montreux resulting in the venue burning down inspiring Deep Purple to write one of THE rock standards of all time. (Fun fact: this show was released as part of the Beat The Boots series under the title "Swiss Cheese/Fire") then after hiring replacement equipment the tour continued to England. During the show at the Rainbow in London someone ran on stage and pushed Frank into the concrete floored orchestra pit leaving him badly injured and wheelchair bound for the next year.

Without being able to tour Zappa returned to the studio recording what can easily be seen as a sequel to "Hot Rats" even the cover art has taps/faucets one displaying the word Hot and the other Rats.

"Waka/Jawaka" is a fine album of jazz/fusion done Zappa style made up of two long complex instrumentals with two shorter vocal tracks sandwiched in the middle.

The vocal tracks are mostly forgettable but the instrumentals are stunning and worth the price of the album alone (or in this digital age maybe you could grab just these).

 

#16 "The Grand Wazoo" Frank Zappa

Firstly you may see this listed as a Mothers album, through it's different releases it has had various names on the spine and label including The Mothers, Frank Zappa and even Zappa/Mothers. As this was recorded pretty much at the same time as "Waka/Jawaka" with a very similar sound I'll call it a Zappa album.

This is another jazz/fusion release albeit with more of a big band feel. There is a story to the album (which is mostly instrumental) featuring an Emperor and his army of unemployed musicians so if you want to look into that you can find it at https://www.zappa.com/music/grand-wazoo

It's much more consistent than it's predecessor, "For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)" is the only real vocal track and while still feeling superfluous to the rest of the album it is musically interesting enough. The high points are the title track, the piano & guitar duel of "Eat That Question" and the closer "Blessed Relief" which shows off a much more subtle solo from Zappa.

A fantastic release with many layers...so if you're in the mood for something that is a distant cousin of jazz with amazing themes and melodies then this is worthwhile!

See also "Wazoo" a live album archive release that has the majority of the "Waka/Jawaka" and "Grand Wazoo" players albeit you only get one track from each release amongst other music of course!

 

#17 "Overnite Sensation" The Mothers

After the previous two releases explored fusion and were predominantly instrumental affairs "Overnite Sensation" is much more straight forward and also every track features vocals.

The Mothers line up is amazing on this album, Ruth & Ian Underwood, George Duke, Tom & Bruce Fowler, Ralph Humphreys, Sal Marquez accompanied by renowned violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. (Fun Fact: Ponty had previously released "King Kong : Jean-Luc Ponty plays the music of Frank Zappa" an album of Zappa covers which featured Frank himself on the albums only non Zappa track.)

Lyrically the album deals with a broad range of subjects including TV violence in "I'm The Slime" but most deal with a sexual theme..."Camarillo Brillo" talks about a liaison with a witchy type and also references the Toads of The Short Forest which of course was a track on "Weasels Ripped My Flesh", "Dirty Love" is fairly self explanatory but the stand out has to be "Dinah-Moe Humm" in which two sisters make a bet that the songs protagonist can't make them cum. The sexual themes in Zappa's work would never disappear and were mostly done with a humorous slant but would always prove to be fairly controversial. The album closes with the wonderful "Montana" about farming dental floss....yes, I am being serious!

"Overnite Sensation" is a great starting album as it is full of great musicianship, is lyrically accessible and there is very little not to like about it. An absolute essential one for your collection!

Fun Fact! Backing vocals on the album were by Tina Turner & The Ikettes although they couldn't be credited as such.

 

#18 "Apostophe(')" Frank Zappa

Cut very much from the same cloth as "Overnite Sensation" with virtually the same band but with the addition of the wonderful Napoleon Murphy Brock and a guest appearance from Cream legend Jack Bruce who jams on the albums title track.

This is another essential album, the lyrical themes are more humorous and less sexually themed.... The album opens with some sage advice "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" and "Nanook Rubs It" leading to a brilliant Ruth Underwood workout on "St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast".

"Cosmik Debris" is one of my fave Zappa songs which for those following conceptual continuity references the dust of the Grand Wazoo.

There are some great FZ solos on this album from the fuzztones of "Excentinfugal Forz" to the flowing and understated playing on "Uncle Remus" which addresses destroying racially offensive caricature jockeys displayed on lawns in rich neighbourhoods.

The album closes with one of those songs that casual fans will often have heard - "Stinkfoot" where a mans dog suffers the odour of his owners feet.

This is another very accessible album and was one of Zappa's most commercially successful releases with good reason. Essential!

 

#19 "Roxy & Elsewhere" Zappa/Mothers

An incredible live album from the bands run at the Roxy in December 1973 (with a few bits sourced from other venues hence the elsewhere of the title.)

This album has become iconic for a lot of fans for many reasons. Firstly the band is just incredible (Chester Thompson had now been added as a second drummer) and the playing is both sublime and fun! Secondly the performances were filmed but then sat in production hell for many years as there were issues with the sound and picture not syncing correctly and wouldn't be released until years after Franks passing.

Such is the demand from fans for more from these live recordings that you have various related releases including "Roxy By Proxy" and the 7 disc "Roxy Performances" set.

Fans of smut have "Penguin In Bondage", fans of the past have "More Trouble Every Day" and "Son of Orange County" and those wanting some humour have the affectionate ode to bad horror B-Movies in "Cheepnis". There's even a look back to Franks life pre-Mothers of Invention in "Village Of The Sun" and as if that wasn't enough you have the 16 minute "Be-Bop Tango (Of the Old Jazz-Man's Church)".

I love this era and "Roxy & Elsewhere" is another essential pick for me!

 

#20 "One Size Fits All" Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

This album opens with "Inca Roads" ....even if every other track proved to be crap it would still be worth it just on the strength of that one track! Everyone shines on it, George Duke and Zappa both put in great solos and there is a jaw dropping Ruth Underwood passage...you know by now that I love her playing!

Luckily the rest of the album is great so you don't have to worry about justifying it on the strength of one song! "Sofa No.1" and "Sofa No.2" had been around since the Flo & Eddie days, No.1 is instrumental where you can fully appreciate it's majestic melody whereas No.2 is sung entirely in German. Johnny "Guitar" Watson one of Franks blues heroes guests on both "San' Berdino" & "Andy" and would appear on various albums throughout Zappas career. Beefheart fans will also be pleased to hear the Captains harmonica skills although he is credited under the pseudonym of Bloodshot Rollin' Red.

Chester Thompson and Napoleon Murphy Brock are now fully integrated in to the band and add their personalities to the group dynamic especially in "Florentine Pogen" and "Andy"

"one Size Fits All" is often seen as a good starting point album, I think it is a great album and definitely one you should have but not necessarily my pick for a "My First Zappa" album!