Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa ReviewThis collection can be hit or miss. I gave it five stars, but it isn't a five star cd. The five stars are there because this cd changed my life. It opened a whole new door to me, and for that I'll always be thankful for this cd. This collection may not have the same effect on you, but you never know. To those unfamiliar, yet curious about Zappa, I'm sure it must be frustrating standing in the record store staring down hundreds of Zappa albums and thinking, "My God, which one do I get?" Well, this collection(one of the first Zappa collections to come out) is a good place to start, but be forewarned: It is misleading. Trying to cram 60 albums' worth of music on one cd is an impossible task, especially from an artist who experimented with so many sounds. This compilation exists in a fantasy world where all the songs on the disc would be Frank Zappa's hit singles. As we all know, he didn't have hit singles, but if he did, these would be it. That's where it's misleading coz Zappa's music goes way beyond what you'll hear on this cd. Most of the tunes here are kept to 4 minute, humorous, catchy rock tunes that make Zappa sound like Weird Al with much better guitar playing ability. Gone are the modern classical pieces, the free jazz, the ten minute guitar solos and the crude humor. Yes folks, you won't hear it on Strictly Commercial, but Zappa said things that would make The Insane Clown Posse blush. So, I would suggest this compilation just to get a fair idea of what Zappa's about, though many compilations have been released since(ones that include the offensive stuff). So, if you like what you hear on this cd, this can open the door to the Zappa Universe(and it's a huge one) for you, and you'll be quite surprised at all the wonderful things you'll find there. Then, once you get some albums, you probably won't ever listen to this disc again, but you'll be forever thankful that you took the gamble and bought it.Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa OverviewLimited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2008.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Want to learn more information about Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Hot Rats Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Hot Rats? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Hot Rats. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Hot Rats ReviewBasically just dropping the name `Mothers of Invention' and releasing this as his first solo album, Mr. Zappa showed, who had been boss all the time, and let the unsuspecting music world cop it in the teeth with this blast of basically instrumental work. Gone were the dropping off into the world of parody or spoken word humour, that had often enlivened, but more often marred `The Mothers' albums. A joke is only funny the first couple of times, but soon becomes annoying, especially after repeated playing in between bits of your favorite music.
But here on `Hot Rats' Mr. Zappa surrounds himself with some of the finest musicians in the United States of America, who just happened to also be his best friends, and went from cult figure to International Superstar. In the high brow student world of 1970, if you didn't have the Hot Rats poster in your bed sit, you were considered very square. The album was an absolute `must have'. (Mind you it was also required to wear your hair down to your ankles, platform boots 2 foot tall, huge bell bottom trousers that hid them anyway, say things like "Cosmic" or "Groovy" a lot, and end every sentence with "Man". Eat your heart out Austin Powers, looking back it all seems terribly complicated now.)
But that was one thing that Mr. Zappa had mastered, although all of the playing on this album is intricate in the extreme, with great lolloping extended solos and each song has a terribly gripping hum able tune that makes your fingers twitch and your feet tap.
The first piece of music presented here for your edification (it would almost be an insult to label them down as just plain old songs) is the wonderfully monickered "Peaches En Regalia", where Mr. Zappa on guitar, and multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood get to flex their musical muscles. These two musicians are the only two to appear on every track. "Peaches En Regalia" is certainly one of Mr. Zappa's most commercial and popular tracks and, almost certainly, one of his best. In an amazing way the album starts, leading us into a treasure trove of sound. Yes, this was what started what is called `Jazz/Rock', but at the time it was just a convenient label for journalists to put it under. Mr. Zappa should not take the responsibility for the driveling of some, who tried to follow in his footsteps.
Next up is the infamous "Willie The Pimp" the only vocal track on the album sung by the esteemed Don Van Vliet, better known as `Captain Beefheart', and what lyrics they were too!
"I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back
Pair of khaki pants with my shoe shined black"
You can hear the gleam in the great Captain's eye, the guitar solo that follows will take the roof off your head every time you hear it. And remember, Steve Vai was an apprentice of Mr. Zappa's for many years and has never been able to step out of his shadow.
After "Son of Mr. Green Genes", and for this album the short "Little Umbrellas", you get the full version of "The Gumbo Variations". This had to be severely edited for the vinyl release due to time constraints, but now with the wonders off compact discs, you get the whole thing remastered from the original tapes, all but seventeen minutes (what's three seconds between friends), where the soloists, Mr. Zappa guitar, Ian Underwood everything, and Sugar Cane Harris on violin, all vie for the spotlight, holding your attention with every nuance of sound.
Then finally we get "It Must Be A Camel" (the title of which sounds like something J.K. would say out on the golf course after a bad night), where the legendry Jen Luc Ponty joins the fray to bring it all to a fitting climax.
A truly magnificent collection. If it's not in yours, make it so.
You may notice the artist referred to as Mr. Zappa through out this review commanded a fair amount of respect, did the Guvnor.
Mott the Dog.Hot Rats OverviewImported from Japan by Rykodisc.Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums by rock legend FRANK ZAPPA are now available as limited edition Japanese Imports! These packages re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Want to learn more information about Hot Rats?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

One Size Fits All Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy One Size Fits All? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on One Size Fits All. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

One Size Fits All ReviewThis one is my personal nominee for Best Frank Zappa Album Ever.
That's a very subjective evaluation of a career that spanned three decades and included forty-plus releases as of Zappa's untimely death in 1993. But I suspect most FZ fans will know why I make it, even if they disagree.
For one thing, this album's got the guitar solo on 'Inca Roads'. I stand second to none in my admiration for FZ's all-around chops and I love _Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar_. But this is my single favorite (recorded) FZ guitar solo. Lifted from a live performance in Helsinki (and available in a slightly shorter edit on _You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2_), it's one of his most fluid and melodic ever, and after thirty years it still never fails to grab me. (And notice his subdued, thoughtful use of the so-called 'wah-wah' pedal. He doesn't use it to go 'wah-wah-wah'; he uses it as a tone control.)
For another, it's got a _lot_ of great studio recordings. To my taste, at least, this is where FZ really fulfills the promise of _Hot Rats_.
For another, it's got the Mothers' dream lineup of the mid-1970s: Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, the Fowler brothers, Chester Thompson, and the rest (the same folks who accompanied him on his very best live album, _Roxy & Elsewhere_). Probably every FZ fan has his or her favorite backing band; this is mine.
Finally, there's Cal Schenkel's brilliant and hilarious cover art -- which, in the CD release, is included in a full-sized unfoldable version for you to appreciate in detail.
FZ was a musical genius and an incredibly prolific one; if you're just now being introduced to him, there are lots of places to start. I recommend starting here. Your mileage, of course, may vary.One Size Fits All OverviewIMPORTED FROM JAPAN BY RYKODISCThis collector's dream set completes our 20-disc series of limited edition Frank Zappa Japanese imports. Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums are packaged to re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Want to learn more information about One Size Fits All?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Lumpy Money Project/Object Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Lumpy Money Project/Object? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Lumpy Money Project/Object. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Lumpy Money Project/Object ReviewNow this is the sort of posthumous release Zappa fans crave. What MOFO did for Freak Out!, Lumpy Money does for Lumpy Gravy and We're Only In It For The Money, two of the most important albums in the Zappa canon. Herein you'll find three CDs of alternate mixes and historical artifacts surrounding the creation of these albums. The material includes much that is obscure, as well as much that is well-known but presented in an unfamiliar guise.
Disk 1 starts off with a 22-minute composition built mostly from the recorded orchestral sessions for Lumpy Gravy. You will recognize the music from the eventual 31-minute Verve release, but it is organized quite differently. This is apparently what the Capitol release was supposed to sound like before the record company kerfuffle over Zappa's contractual exclusivity delayed matters by a year, allowing FZ time to extend and rework the material into what we now know as Lumpy Gravy. The Capitol version was briefly available on 8-track cartridge, and then kicked around for years in bootlegs run from a stolen acetate test pressing. Here it's presented in mono, having been salvaged from a much better-sounding single-channel reference tape (apparently, neither a multi-track master nor a stereo mix tape has survived). It lacks sung lyrics, and has only a modest amount of spoken material, and most of that seems to come from rehearsal chatter, and not the piano-reverberated directed dialogue that Zappa inserted extensively into the released version (and 25 years later, into his swan song Civilization Phaze III). This may be the most interesting part of the set, a very distinct "primordial" version of what become Lumpy Gravy. If you've listened to Lumpy Gravy proper many times, and have grown tired of the spoken dialog but not the music, then you might really enjoy having this.
Of all Zappa's albums, WOIIFTM may be the one that presents the most textual issues. The original 1967 mix, released on LP the next year, had a thumpy and distorted bass register, and when Zappa reissued the album on CD in 1986, he substituted a 1984 remix that infamously featured new rhythm section tracks laid down by Chad Wackerman and Scott Thunes, replacing the original tracks from Jimmy Carl Black, Billy Mundi and Roy Estrada. After Zappa's death, fan interest led to the original 1967 mix's reappearance on CD, first by Rykodisk in 1995, then Phantom in 2008. This album restores the 1984 remix, and also offers an obscure 1968 mono mix. This latter version closely matches the 1967 stereo release, though with some slightly different instrumental balances and (obviously) none of the latter's trademark spatial exploits. Even the dialog snippets that were censored in 1967 (e.g., "...the Velvet Underground which is as s**tty a group as Frank Zappa's group" in Concentration Mood) are censored in this mono mix, though they're restored in the 1984 remix.
Sandwiched between the two WOIIFTM mixes is a version of Lumpy Gravy that Zappa created in 1984. Like the 1984 WOIIFTM remix, there are added/replaced drum and electric bass tracks. It also introduces singing into the first section, (sounds to me like Ike Willis, FZ and perhaps another singer) with Thing-Fish like lyrics like "Yo mammy, who's yo mammy, who's you daddy? Holy mackle. Whole round Moses..." going along with the original electric guitar tune. I don't get this, honestly, and in the end Zappa never released this version, which appears here for the first time. It does improve on the original mix with respect to stereo clarity in several sections, and once you get past the shock of the opening song, it's a very rewarding listen.
With the four alternate album versions out of the way, we move to Disk 3, which starts with a 25-minute track that seems to comprises the material that Zappa wrote out for the instrumental musicians in the 1967 recording sessions that seeded Lumpy Gravy. The music definitely sounds to me as though it was composed to be source material for an eventual collage, rather than as a standalone composition, but aside from being identified as "an FZ construction" that existed as a stereo mix on ¼-inch tape, it's not clear just how this was assembled. Much of the important instrumental music from Lumpy Gravy is here: including the extended section in septuple time that Zappa often subsequently performed, with lyrics, as Oh No (c.f. Weasels Ripped My Flesh). There is also music that anticipates the "big band" style of Grand Wazoo and the 1988 tour band. The remainder of the album is similar to Disk 2 of MOFO, consisting of outtakes, building tape excerpts, interview excerpts, and audio "home movies" such a brief Zappa experiment with electronic feedback followed by a conversation with his wife where surprise is expressed that the loud sound didn't scare the baby.

About the only misgiving I have about Lumpy Money is the price. As I write this, it's an expensive "luxury" item, whether you purchase it here or from the ZFT's Barfko-Swill store. At current prices it will only appeal to Zappa aficionados, or those with lumpy wallets. But if you can get it at a reasonable price, you won't be disappointed at the gems within it.The Lumpy Money Project/Object Overview

Want to learn more information about The Lumpy Money Project/Object?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Over-Nite Sensation Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Over-Nite Sensation? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Over-Nite Sensation. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Over-Nite Sensation Review"Over-nite Sensation" was a blatant tongue-in-cheek title for this recording because Frank Zappa knew that was exactly what this recording would become in his catalogue: an overnight sensation. And that's what it did, became Zappa's best selling and most popular album at the time of its release, gathering him an entire new group of fans to both ridicule and entertain. It was also a logical step in Zappa's evolution as both a musician and composer.
Often panned by many Zappaphiles as being too commercial, the album nonetheless contains some of Zappa's most brilliant satire as well as some of his tightest compositions. If you are new to Zappa, or are just moderately familiar with some of his tunes, this is the album to begin with. But don't be fooled by the seemingly simple riffs and hooks employed in these songs. As singer Ricky Lancelotti chants on Fifty-fifty: "I figure the odds be fifty-fifty that I just might have something to say!" Because in this album Zappa takes his most succinct stab at popular culture. His satire on America's pop culture was so cunning that he even managed to gain a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live on NBC and played "The Slime", a scathing commentary on the innane content of today's (and yesterday's) television programming. Talk about irony!
But perhaps what makes this recording so exceptional is the tight musicianship of the players, and the exceptional skill displayed by the players. Zappa's guitar solos on Zomby Woof and Montana still give me shivers up and down my spine, and despite being 42, I still have to crank the volume when these tunes come on.
Out of Zappa's entire catalogue, this was his most brilliant and most complete package. He had many other fine recordings, but none quite repeat the brilliance this release had. If I could give it six stars I would, just to set it apart from the others that I rate with five stars.Over-Nite Sensation OverviewImported from Japan by Rykodisc.Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums by rock legend FRANK ZAPPA are now available as limited edition Japanese Imports! These packages re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Want to learn more information about Over-Nite Sensation?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Weasels Ripped My Flesh Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Weasels Ripped My Flesh? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Weasels Ripped My Flesh Review_Weasels Ripped My Flesh_ is a Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention disc that combines both live and studio material recorded between 1967-1969. This material I believe is not found on their studio albums that came before this one. The combination of loose jazz improvisation, relentless experimentation and musical adventurousness will irritate and baffle many listeners who are accustomed to easy pop/rock or the like. However, amongst all the chaos, there are a few tracks that can be considered accessible. These tracks would be:
"Directly From My Heart To You"--A bluesy cover of a Little Richard track.
"Get A Little"--A melodic and tasteful instrumental featuring Frank Zappa soloing on a wah-wah (or what I call a 'wow-wow') pedal.
"My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama"--Zappa's only lead vocal on the disc. A steady rhythm with nice musicianship. Frank does some impressive guitar work on here. Love the backward section on here as well.
The rest of the disc is experimental, challenging, adventurous meat. "Didja Get Any Onya?," starts out in a big band-like jazz explosion. It goes through several motifs - featuring vocal experimentation, classical-like dissonance (in the middle section) and some loose and seemingly unstructured sax playing (which many may accuse of sounding like 'noise.') Lowell George does a vocal 'improv' which mimics what sounds like the trumpet a few times on this track. This has me laughing like a maniac. "Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Sexually Aroused Gas Mask" features an odd-timed rhythm, similar to the one found on "Didja." However, the rest of the track is given to vocal experimentation. If you don't have a sense of humor, this track will annoy the hell out of you. There's lots of hysterical laughter, yelling and roaring. Personally, this has me laughing hysterically. "Toad Of The Short Forest" starts out with some tasteful jazz instrumentation. Frank's guitar playing in particular gets the spotlight. Unexpectedly, the second half roars with blasts of free jazz improvisation. This becomes very challenging, as there are tempos/rhythms layered upon one another. Frank himself takes a moment during the track to tell the audience what time signatures various instrumentalists are using. He says Drummer A is playing in 7/8, Drummer B, Tambourine player & Bassist are all playing in 3/4 and the Organ player is playing in 5/8 - all at the same time. Definitely something for the cerebral who loves a challenge to tickle the brain. "Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" is a meandering instrumental that I'm not too fond of. This is my least favorite on here. However, most of it has an ominous tone to it. "Dwarf Nebula Processional & Dwarf Nebula" seems like two different song titles. This would make a bit of sense because the track sounds as if it's divided into two different tracks. The first half is a quirky, pseudo-country/rock experiment that I wish would have gone on longer. The second seems like a backward recording of guitar solos and god knows what else. I really like this. "Oh No" sounds like a typical '60's r&b/rock tune. The vocals are unconventional, albeit melodic. This track is fairly accessible. "The Orange County Lumber Truck" is very strong on melody - something that many may be surprised to find here. A tasteful, Hendrix-like hard rock track with great guitar playing from Frank. "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" is nothing but jarring, chaotic, ominous, cacophonous distortion and feedback. The disturbing thing that I find is that these last 2 minutes can be addictive in a psychotic way - in that I personally wish that it would have gone on for another few minutes. If you slip into the designated mood, you may feel the same way. Anyway, it's moments like these that leave you wondering if there's really a discernible difference between music and 'noise.' Music and any other kind of appreciation is subjective and are nothing but personal opinions, right? If it wasn't, then EVERYONE would think, feel, observe similarly on EVERYTHING - no chance.
This album is not for purist, close-minded or faint-hearted listeners. However, if you're a fan of jazz-fusion and/or challenging, experimental, cerebral and adventurous music, take a risk and pick up this album. You may just find a new favorite artist, and/or appreciate music in a whole new way.Weasels Ripped My Flesh OverviewIMPORTED FROM JAPAN BY RYKODISCThis collector's dream set completes our 20-disc series of limited edition Frank Zappa Japanese imports. Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums are packaged to re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Want to learn more information about Weasels Ripped My Flesh?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar ReviewI had to write this review because I found it alarming that the average was only 4 out of 5 stars. There's no need to be a guitar player to appreciate this album, although it certainly doesn't hurt in one's appreciation of just how unorthodox FZ's style was. But the whole point of this set is NOT to showcase how good a guitar player Zappa was, but of how good a musical mind he had. One of Frank's favorite things to do was improvising solos; it was an interesting challenge to him, to spontaneously come up with musical events worth listening to. Lest you think this set is self-indulgent, be aware that Zappa was very critical of his abilities. He considered most of the solos he played to be failures; what you hear on these discs is a collection of the ones which he thought were worth sharing with the world. In fact this was originally a mail-order release and was eventually licensed to CBS for sale in stores due to overwhelming demand. It seems even Frank didn't know how good he was. So how to approach an album like this? We know we're not listening for guitar gonzo show-offy pyrotechnics. We're listening for musical ideas. It's improvised and there is sensitive interplay between FZ and his rhythm sections, but it isn't jazz. It's sort of weird avant-rock, in a very unique style. Nothing else sounds quite like it. It's like beautiful electric improvisations from Mars.Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar OverviewNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: ZAPPA,FRANKTitle: SHUT UP 'N PLAY YER GUITARStreet Release Date: 05/26/1995

Want to learn more information about Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...