Safe As Milk

It was different, I found myself less engaged and just enjoyed it in the background

Had the quirk factor, but not enough of it. Still fun to listen to.

This is not as weird as his other album on the list. More in line with psychedelic garage rock of the time. I like his weird side better, but this is alright. Point deduction for the crap production. They could have at least tuned the guitars. Favorite song: electricity

I was kind of getting into this 60s groove. I actually added Zig Zag Wanderer to my liked songs. The song Electricity was my least favorite for the strange vocals.

I love this one. Frank Zappa-esque and reminded me of dad's album that had Lick My Decals off, Baby, my intro to weird music in an otherwise musically curated childhood.

Not my personal vibe

Solid, weird psychedelic blues, folk. More accessible than Trout Mask Replica. Other bands did similar better but this is still pretty good

autumn’s child🎃🎃🎃

A lot better than I expected — blues roots, bursts of psychedelia, and a streak of delightful weirdness. “I’m Glad” could sit next to a soul ballad, and “Electricity” feels like it’s from another dimension. It’s uneven but undeniably original. I respect it more than I love it, and that’s enough for a solid 3-star rating.

Better than Coldplay

Definitely better than Trout Head Replica but by the 2nd or 3rd song I was already skipping ahead to the next song after hearing the beginning of each successive song. 2.5/5

This album!! So many layers! Lyrics, quirky tones, raw vocals things flying at the ear out of nowhere ~ Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band made me sit up and listen as well as laugh. Not for everyday use..

Sounds like a jam band of sorts with a bit of freaky psychedelic experimentation using electronic elements.

I still believe that the best thing about 1001 Albums Book/Challenge is that more people will hear genius art of Captain Beefheart

gad denkt ou naai. aber alles wo de ry cooder druf isch cha nöd soo scheisse sii. erste track premium slide ry intro. ich lieb de dude. he s sind zum teil kohärenti songs?? i'm glad isch en song song so. und finden nice :). aso vlt mess ich wells de captain beefheart isch au chli andersch. electricity meega cooli giti. wie hesch mit 20i scho so en eigene sound. abba zaba isch chli ass gad. de captain mues amel scho chli extra schräg sii. schochli dum. plastic factory tönt wieder bluesig, verzerrt mega geil. aber de captain singt weird und ich find s git etz besseri bluesrock songs. nüt bsunders. ha die letste paar au ehner ustuschbar beefheartig gfunde. weiss nöd ganz wiso dem typ so viel platz geh wird.

freumi unironisch ok s debutalbum isch sicher mal zuegänglicher als trout mask replica...aber s hetmi na nüt würkli begeisteret dropout boogie het e cooli klavierbridge I'm glad chli ruhiger..herzige hindergrundgsang! electricity GOOFY yellow brick road isch nomal chli zuegänglicher und echt na cool s het aber trz fast ständig irgendöppis komischs wo am laufe isch hahahaha autumn's child het ganz e spezielli atmosphäre, de ahfang mite giti erinneret mich lustigerwiis chli ah iron maiden? joo het schono spass gmacht aber teilwiis hslt chli too much

A much easier listen than Trout Mask Replica, not nearly as absurd or avant-garde. Definite psychedelic tendencies but also very rooted in blues and r&b. Overall, pretty good listen.

I read in the liner notes that Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) had difficulty finding a label to release “Safe As Milk” because it was too unconventional. That surprises me, because to me it sounds like a normal blues rock album with great guitar sound (Ry Cooder!) and poorly produced vocals. The experimental elements I expected are few and far between and, for my taste, not well placed. You could probably describe the Captain's singing style as “experimental,” but in my opinion, that would just be a nice way of saying that he doesn't measure up to the Magic Band and their songs. As for the latter, the relatively well-known “Yellow Brick Road” stands out slightly for me.

Not for me, but I'm Glad brought it another star. 2.5/5. Captain Beefheart, eh?

Beefheart on the 1001 Album challenge! I was reading a blog post the other day saying that only after the passage of 40 years had the listener been able to finally appreciate Captain Beefheart I'm not quite there yet, but these days i'm actually enjoying Sure 'Nuff, Zig Zag, Plastic Factory, Call On Me and I'm Glad But the whole album - thats still a step too far!

A really great, inventive snd creative debut album by Captain Beefheart. It's bluesy with hints of psychedelia and experimentalism, and weird and fun at the same time. It made a big impact on the UK rock scene while San Francisco albums were barely accessible there (legendary DJ John Peel played the album on his pirate radio station). Captain Beefheart is one of the most brilliant musicians the US have ever seen. It's not as groundbreaking as Trout Mask Replica is, but nonetheless a great album. 4.5 stars.

I really wish I had generated this before Trout Mask Replica, but there we go. I hated Trout Mask Replica, really hated it. I get the trope that you have to listen to it x number of times before you get it, but I didn’t see the point of inflicting pain on myself and so left it at one listen, and that’s plenty thank you. This one, though - wow, night and day. Really enjoyed this, really good bluesy rock, and accessible, too. It’s not quite 5, but it’s a really strong 4, and I’m toying with the idea of revisiting Trout Mask Replica to see if I can get a handle on it. I may need to register to this a few times first, but that’s something I’m happy to do.

I'm not the biggest fan of the band but this album is quite fun in it's quirky, weird way. Old school blues rock vibes meet playful, funny, unique vocal deliveries. Mostly solid throughout but Zig Zag Wanderer and Abba Zaba were the standouts for me

463/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

Fav: I’m Glad Least Fav: Electricity Compared to their other album in the list, they sacrificed originality in exchange for being listenable. Probably for the best

3.5

Tiene su aquel. Me recuerda a Frank Zappa. meritorio en su época pero no me engancha.

This feels like listening to the last album, but through a kaleidoscope.

Much better than Trout Mask Replica. Still nothing I would return to. 2.5/5

A challenge I will always have with this genre is that I’m not in on the joke. Every song is a piss take of some sort, which is really not what I’m into music for, especially when it’s an ostensibly heartfelt tune like I’m Glad which does a soul song just well enough it could pass as legit, but the soul singer impersonations start to scan as racist the more it goes on. A couple Gen X weirdos had their minds kicked open by Beefheart and that’s not a bad thing. Without CB maybe you don’t get the Pixies or Tom Waits’ change in direction. But with even further remove thanks to my late Gen X age, this all feels like it’s a closed circuit and worse, the white outcast male finding voice by affecting a slightly ironic, alienated impersonation of a black soul singer is just...it doesn’t sit well.

Dark, growling, wild swampy blues. This has a lot of appeal, and successfully dances on the razor edge of experimental and accessible. I didn’t dislike TMR, the only other Captain Beefheart album I’ve heard, but this was definitely (and unexpectedly) easier to digest. Electricity, Trust Us (Take 9), Korn Ring Finger

Absurd and awesome. Can’t believe I’ve never heard of Captain Beefheart before. I’ve been listening to Getting Killed by Geese recently and you can really hear the similarities between the two. Getting Killed might be the best album of 2025.

from previous experience I was expecting a mash of folk blues pyscon jazz but was surprisingly more bluesy and good. not what I was expecting

Didn't enjoy it that much, maybe I will if I relisten. But for now it is below average, 2 stars.

Good reminder that alternative rock didn’t start in the 90s. There was weird and eccentric shit back in the 60s too.

Well, very familiar with the name but never actually given them a listen… A kind of Rolling Stones vibe, with a bit more grit. Actually, getting more of the left field and variety than that as I listen on. Enjoy the quirkiness and originality. Variety and groove. Can sound like a different band between songs. Enjoyed it, but likely wouldn’t go back to it (3.5)

I liked this more than expected. When it started I rolled my eyes and was expecting to turn it off within 3-4 songs but I’m glad I stuck it out. It sounded really good. Bluesy and dirty, it was a fun time!

Captain Beefheart is a legend, it‘s a shame that I don‘t enjoy his music that much

Before they were known for their utterly wild album, Trout Mask Replica, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band were a pretty by the books 60s Blues Rock band. Their debut album, Safe as Milk, is the most recent album in my 1001 albums to hear list to be selected for my ears and I wanted to give it a peep to see what this project has to offer in the grand year of 2025. This project really isn't anything special even for the 60s and it honestly shows to me just how novice Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band is. The one standout song here was I'm Glad, but it seems that most people who hear that song enjoy it. Everything else here felt fine and very middle of the road. None of the songwriting, instrumentation, or even effort felt all that special or unique and this album just went in one ear and out the other. Wish I had more to say here but unfortunately this was just not it for me y'all.

Meh. Old and aged beyond being weird

I’m Glad // 3.5/5

gives me a headache...

This was more enjoyable to listen to than Trout Mask Replica. Although it sounded like generic 60s psychedelic music.

Honestly no. Terrible.

Fav Song: Zig Zag Wanderer

New band to me. Enjoyable mix of sounds with a wide range of styles!

Psykedeelistä ja blues rokkia, aika räyhäkkää. Vähän ehkä liian sekavaa ja kokeellista ollakseen kauheen hyvää. Vaikka ei nyt toki hirveimmästäkään päästä. Tavallaan kuitenkin sellainen ihan hyvä ajan hengen fiilis. Parhaat: Autumn's Child, I'm Glad

Meh

good

I think we did a Beefheart record already and didn’t think we needed another one. Oh and it’s an hour and ten minutes long. Awesome. Average.

Lyrically suspect, drugs would have helped. Sounded sufficiently different to get to 2 stars.

Some nice bits but a bit all over the place

I found this to be a very fun album. A mix of blues and rock influences. And just a little bit different

Enjoyed the Tom Waits-y vibes at the beginning and one or two tracks at the end of the extended version. Could have done without the long instrumentals.

Captain Beefheart is not a captain and his Magic Band is not magic.

Weird, but much more enjoyable than Trout Mask Replica. I would actually listen to some of this again. Had a strong blues influence to me which is probably why I enjoyed it so much more.

This is in a lot of ways the proto-cool-rock-kid record, so I don't know why I was expecting rapping over 60s synthpop or something along those lines instead of very well executed and very loud blue-eyed soul & blues that if you squint hard enough leads to punk music a decade later. But at least Mr. Beefheart had an ear for making sure it never sounded that corny.

This started off in a really good place, with the first few tracks feeling really interesting and different for something on this list. Really got you in the mood for going hiking and playing some guitar. Then it started getting duller as it went on, perhaps there was too little variation, not sure. Overall I enjoyed this quite a bit for being an older record. Perhaps not anything I'll put on right away, but I had a good time listening to this album.

Really enjoyed the start with the Muddy-Waters Blues. It had standout vocals and a really good groove. The longer the album played to the further it moved from blues in to psychadelia, and the less I liked it. The vocals were still very good but the physcadelic/progressive elements were quite tiresome. The vocals were worth a listen of this album.

A pleasant surprise indeed, I was worried this was going to be a bamboozler but it was pretty accessible rock!

I'm sure this was classified as noise by a lot of people when it came out. Perfect blend of relaxed acid-rock by today's standards. I like hearing Captain Beefheart's voice. Great background rock, not boring, a good dose of that '60s feel. 3/5

Plus facile d’approche que Trout Mask Replica, c’est sûr, mais définitivement moins intéressant

I'm shocked how much I enjoyed this, it's blues heavy and just a really enjoyable listen

I want someone to help quantify how and why this album is so pleasing.

Nudlande bluesrock. Nejtack

Well its not Trout mask replica so that is a positive and the first track gave me some hope with it’s bluesy feel. From there it is either boring standard blues rock or the occasional foray into something that points to their more experimental future. Better than the experimental guff, but still not for me

Having still not recovered from the last time I had to listen to Captain Beefheart, I dreaded starting this. The biggest compliment that it can have is that it’s nothing like “that” album - indeed, it sounds completely different, as if it’s by a totally different artist. I still didn’t like it, though. It’s just not for me.

To set out my stall early here, I hated Trout Mask Replica. To date, it is the second worst thing this Generator has subjected me to. So I was dreading this. It's sort of normal? Of all the things I could have expected, it sounding like The Doors or someone of that ilk was not ever going to be my guess. I'm Glad feels like it should be playing at a school dance in the early 60's and the the idea of playing anything from Trout Mask Replica at a school dance suggests a *very* different kind of event (maybe one run by a psychopath). I quite enjoyed this (though I did stop at Autumn's Child where the original album ended and ignored the bonus tracks). Clearly my tastes are too pedestrian for where Captain Beefheart was going to take his music in later albums. 2.5 would be my rating with half stars, but its going to get a 3. It's been bumped up due to all the theremin. 3/5 Side note: I discovered today that every time I mentioned Captain Beefheart to my child previously, they thought I was saying his name was Captain Bee Fart, so that's nice.

Surprisingly tame and enjoyable. Probably going to return to this one later

Abba Zaba is one of the greatest things ever committed to wax, the rest is pretty good too.

Mostly really dug this! "Sure 'Nuff'n'Yes, I Do" "Zig Zag Wanderer" "Call On Me" "I'm Glad" "Electricity" and "Plastic Factory" were all great!

wow! I really liked it

Really cool. Loved it.

3.6 It's arguably actually a very good album. The lo-fi'ness of it doesn't assist it, but fair given the age and stature of the band. Much less out there than TMR but therefore a lot more accessible - much easier to hear the talent. An experimental, psychadelic twist on some good blues rock, that has a couple of highlights, none moreso than the albums closer (I'm ignoring the bonus tracks which add an unnecessary 30 minutes on)

Good. Didn't really like just the instrumentals tracks.

Decent blues album with some elements of Bluegrass (IMO). Good sound, good vocals. For a 60s album, I'm shocked. Deserves at least a 4 for being a good album in the 60s.

Different and some nice bluesy parts. Probably not something I’ll come back to though.

Mega perkusja. Dużo zabawy i muzykowania. Nawet instrumentale mnie nie przymulają, a trwają po 7 minut

Pretty awesome. Diverse track listing, fun instrumentals, great vocals and basslines. I'm Glad and Grown So Ugly are my two faves.

Again another act I must be tone deaf to, and really missing the innovative etc.etc. that is being labelled on this. I just don’t hear the "freak out" experiment that people are saying. Band/person heard a lot about never heard. Gather this is early album and not as weird as led to believe they can be? That trout face thing always comes up. Maybe time has dulled the impact of this or without knowing all the background noise like the early Zappa it just comes over to me as competent white blues and r&b at best, nothing innovative. Dressing it up as eccentric is just covering up the songwriting being a bit, well shit. Well I have now heard them/him and not sure I gained anything, not revisiting 2 Star.

I’m really not sure how to score this one. I was filled with dread when the albumator spewed it up because I found Trout Mask Replica so disturbing and I was afraid this one would be a similar state of cacophony. It isn’t. It’s much more accessible. This was is either really good, if slightly challenging, blues, or just monstrous noise. You can really hear the beginnings of TMR, in here but this album is also steeped in the blues. I enjoyed more than half of this, but the tracks I didn’t like, I really hated. I don’t know if this is a grower, and I’m not sure how many listens i can endure, but this album was infinitely better than I expected.

Not really my thing but i dont hate it

I was listening to this album as I was reading Stoner by John Williams, and an hour went by in a totally 1966 "twee-psych" manner which is serviceable and inoffensive.

Some mediocre blues rock

awful vocals and obnoxious riffs

Deep rooted in the blues, at times his vocals give of Howlin' Wolf vibes, but mixed with 60s jangly guitar tones. Really fun and accessible listen with a hint of weirdness.

Very good

This album started off really good, but towards the end I was hoping it would end... I just am not a fan of the style of guitar and a healthy dose is good but this was just packed with that. Overall 7.39/10

Good, but didn’t draw me in. Regular 60s 70s boy band 🤷‍♀️. Doors vibes but less weird idk

2.5 A couple songs I thought were okay, but I really didn’t need to listen to two Captain Beefheart albums in my life.

This started off as a 3 for me with the first couple of songs. Midway through, the vocals started grating on my nerves. By the end of the album, I found it unlistenable.

Débute comme un album rock-folk typique des années 1960, évolue en quelque chose de plus brouillon et expérimental. Je ne doute pas que ce fut un précurseur et une influence importante, mais je trouve peu de plaisir à l’écouter

A bit of a trip. Not a bad one. I think.

One of those cults that’s not actually much good.

Grown so ugly….

No no no .8

It was pretty decent. Not something I’d search back out though

it was alright not really my thing i think, i really hope nobody can read these because they will not be flattering

Album 882 of 1089 Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (1967) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Today’s album was Safe as Milk by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band. I know Beefheart has better than Trout Mask Replica, and this debut is a perfect example of that. Sure, it’s still a bit odd, but there’s clearly some method to the madness here. You get some really cool tunes, fun arrangements, and just enough of that signature Beefheart strangeness to keep you on your toes. It’s not the kind of album that’s going to give us timeless classics, but it shows off the band’s creativity and makes for a surprisingly enjoyable listen. Quirky, yes—but in a way that works. Definitely one to check out if you want to see where Beefheart started before things went completely off the rails.

On balance, annoying.

First time listening to any Captain Beefheart. Kinda underwhelming since I was expecting something much stranger. I'm looking forward to the infamous Trout Mask Replica which should be more satisfying. Favorite track: Where There's Woman

Useless trivia…..this group was on SNL and were so disliked an audience member yelled “S#!t” after they played a song. I don’t hate this music but there is nothing special about it. There were plenty of other groups putting out better music in this genre in the late 60’s.

This rocks! Heavy garage rock energy with better production. Great listen.

5/10

Great album. I hadn’t listened to this for a while and it is stacked full of bangers. Beefheart gets an unfair rap due to people not understanding Trout Mask, but at the core of everything is his voice. Fantastic, powerful and versatile, nobody brings it like Beefheart and it’s on show in a different glory on SAM. Musically it’s awesome too. The songs on here could have and should have been bigger. Safe As Milk isn’t my favourite Beefheart album but it’s definitely worthy of being on this list.

This album is wonderfully weird. Experimental is an understatement here!

Не чув раніше гурт. Цікавий погляд на блюз/гаражний-рок з адекватною порцією експериментів та без сильного заходу в психоделічність. Здалося, що Black Keys сильно надихалися цим гуртом.

I love this album. Captain Beefhearts work is actually pretty accessible, outside of his most famous album. This album is a great blend of experimental music and blues with great songwriting. This album is also just really groovy. The songs get stuck in my head easily, the bassline bops and the guitar work is really unique and twangy. Captain Beefheart was great at attracting great musicians to his band, not as good in treating them well though. Still, great album from one of my most listened artists.

Bardzo fajne. 4/5. Jedno z pozytywnie zaskakujących odkryć tego projektu. Część blusowa, ale dużo bardzo eklektycznych piosenek.

Always though the captain was weird and steered clear. On this offering if weird is wandering off the conventional path with neat and clever fillers, then count me in. There is so much in these songs and the flow works really well.

2-/5

Nothing for me

Most of the album has a soundscape of the Beatles at their most jangly. It almost feels as if it is intentionally irritating for the sole purpose of being different. That said there’s also a good amount of Mississippi delta blues influence that’s quite enjoyable.

6/10 - nice soft blues rock, good instrumentals and easy listening

1. zure - 1.5 2. zigg- 1 3. call - 1 4. Boogie - 0 5. Glad - 1.5 6. Electricity - 0 7. Yellow - 1.5 8. Abba - 0 9. Plastic - 1 10. Woman - 1 11. Ugly - 1.5 12. Child - 1 13. Milk - 1.5 14. Tomorrow - 1.5 15. Baby - 1.5 16. Flower - 1.5 17. Dirty - 1.5 18. Trust - 0 19. Korn - 1.5

2 sterne

Accessible blues rock with some surprising depth.

could i write poetry to this? n

Okay, fair. ONE Captain Beefheart album and that's it. Here it is and it's just like everyone says...weird and somehow influential. We're talking about it, so it must be art or something, right? I'm just glad to get it over with. But I'd better not see "Trout Mask Replica" on here or I'm gonna be pissed.

Cool

Really interesting album 3/5

Fun and strange!

Feels like sitting in a saloon and listening to hillbillies.

This was straight up accessible compared to trout mask. I enjoyed this overall!

ok

Country-bluesy cuts work well and there's much of interest here, as well as considerable grooviness, as in the chugging opener. Instrumentals work well. One likes Beefheart the more one listens, generally, but maybe this record would have been better if a tad shorter. "I'm Glad" shows what an R&B fan he was.

Always liked the captain - this is nice and bluesy, pretty raw.

Love the raw energy here and the bluesy rock mixed with more experimental and psych elements and Beefhearts voice really fits with the music here. 8/10 Favourite: I'm Glad Least Favourite: Grown So Ugly

When I saw the artist name my heart sunk, I thought my time had come for Trout Mask. Fortunately that can wait for another day. I was kinda hit or miss with this on the first listen. Second time though I absolutely loved it. Ended up giving it a third go straight after which annoyed my kids to no end, they HATED this. Overall a bloody brilliant album. Top Track - Dropout Boogie

Clearly less fucked in the head than Trout Mask Replica, undoubtedly a pushing of the pop/rock/blues envelope nonetheless. But not just for the sake of gaudy weirdness, there are some awesome songs here as well as some ripping, coal-dusted lead vocals from the Captain himself. 8.5/10

A whirlwind of an album with a mix of genres. Some really good songs on there but some awful ones too. I couldn't finish the album once it got to the noisy instrumentals

Really enjoyed this. Great production, love the vocals, decent variety between songs. Some were a little on the boring side but it's an interesting album overall that explored several genres while maintaining a psych blues rock feel. The middle of the album was the highlight with I'm Glad (a motown style song with the most generic motown lyrics you'll ever here, which I think was done on purpose; Electricity, and Yellow Brick Road

Its like the Beach Boys dropped acid.

I'd only heard *Trout Mask Replica* and I have to say, I wasn't a fan, so I was a little apprehensive going into this listen. I needn't have worried. THIS was great. I thought it was a fun slab of blues rock with just enough weirdness to make it stick. I might have to get this album myself.

not surprising, he knew how to do it

Not so magic

This album is an "experience?" to say the least. I don't hate it, but I also won't go out of my way to listen to it regularly. I like the instrumentals better than the vocals and lyrics.

Very strange album. Almost felt like an early Frank Zappa impression, but worse in every way. Some decent songs and the shorter runtime helps, but largely forgettable and not noteworthy. Top tracks: I'm Glad, Plastic Factory

Surprised. Good hippy blues vibes. They def tried to show some range with a couple tracks. Solid 3 bumping to 4.

First listen

Much better than trout nask replica

Hm. Not the Observatory Coast album but accessible nonetheless. Bit of a surprise. Perhaps I should stop running away from the good captain.

Zum Teil nerviges Geschreie, zum Teil recht lässig. 2,7

Shocked at how normal this is. Gobsmacked brother. I have heard trout mask replica before this so I had some expectations to be fair. Its almost nothing like that. Beefs vocals are cleaner but they still are what they are. Im not including the cd deluxe tracks i did also listen to but those are much closer to trout and in turn what I thought I was getting. Its just pretty good oldie style rock. Nothing incredible but for sure not bad. I had a fun time thinking what if this was the Beatles. How insane the world would be in that timeline. Fun thought experiment even if completely ridiculous. Grabbed a few songs for the likes but im not sure if I'll be back to this one. I want the weird the strange the fucking wildness and its just not what this is but thats alright

Nice jams. Could see how this might have influenced noodly indie rock. (43 known/90 new)

Rating: 3.1 Didn’t waste my time, weird in an intriguing way, musically rock solid and surprisingly listenable album considering what I’ve heard about this band before. I also greatly enjoyed the cameo of Sumo from Clarence in the one song.

What if someone made a Psych record that didn’t suck? It would be this.

I was expecting the worst because Trout Mask Replica was quite possibly the worst album in the entire 1001 list so far. With that expectation, this album actually wasn't *that* bad. It has a kind of traditional blues-rock sound. But towards the end of the album is starts becoming kind of annoying, especially tracks like: On Tomorrow, Trust Us, Korn Ring Finger. So in the end it's still not an album I want to hear again.

So, I listened to the whole album on Spotify, and it turns out the last half dozen or so songs are off a later-released bonus disc. Without those songs, this actually is a high 3, flirting with 4. But, if you it includes those songs, it would be a 2... which proves my point that one should always just grade based on the original release, and not some deluxe/extended edition.

Comparing this to Trout Mask Replica puts this at a 3. Comparing it to anything else puts it at a 2. Grading down for today.

Interesting but not for me. 1/5

1/10. Listened to "Trout Mask Replica" instead since I swapped these albums previously.

When you think of the hippy sunshine music infecting the 60's, its hard to believe such a bizarre album was right there with them. This was artsy and out there in a all the right ways. Wild lyrics, great musicianship mixed with sloppy chord bends and notes. Fucking Beef.

Prescindible

I was not expecting there to be more than one Captain Beefheart record on this list, so this is a pleasant surprise. Certainly more accessible than Trout Mask Replica, and certainly a lot more straightforward. Not necessarily a bad thing, as even though this is pretty blues based, it has those signs of the more interesting avant-rock that he'd move in to rather quickly. Very much enjoyed re-visiting this.

While not a huge fan, this was a ground breaking album and you can hear the influences it had.

weird and great

More of Beefheart's weirdness. Strangely likeable

Nope, too old for me.

Cool blues album! Heerlijke stem ook! Ik ga zeker nog wat andere albums van hun beluisteren! 3.8

Really good album, 3.5 but gonna round down to 3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 71 The magic crew indeed play it safe before really take a left turn into the strange and bizarro…. Safe as Milk is a wild, bluesy weird, and wonderful debut that announced Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) as one of the most original voices in 1960s rock. While later albums (like the legendary Trout Mask Replica) would push far further into avant-garde chaos, Safe as Milk strikes a remarkable balance between gritty Delta blues, psychedelic garage rock, and outlandish surrealism. It’s strange, but not impenetrable — earthy enough to grab you, strange enough to stick with you. This is where blues, R&B, and rock collide with something off-kilter and otherworldly. The guitars (especially 20-year-old Ry Cooder on slide) snarl and wail, while Beefheart’s voice — a booming, howling force of nature — moves between Howlin’ Wolf grit and free-jazz madness. It’s tightly played but sounds on the verge of falling apart — like a drunk carnival band possessed by delta spirits. 🎧 Classic Track: Zig Zag Wanderer 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Electricity 🎧 Personal Favorite: Call On Me 🎧 Memorable Standout: Autumn’s Child Though it wasn’t a commercial success at the time, Safe as Milk is now recognized as a foundational document of experimental rock. It’s more accessible than later Beefheart albums, and many fans consider it a perfect gateway into his world. It’s no wonder artists such as Tom Waits, PJ Harvey and The White Stripes have cited its influence. 🖼️ Album Artwork: A peek inside 👀 Beefhearts lyrics can come across as nonsense at first, however there’s internal logic. He’s obsessed with Animals and nature, Madness and surrealism, Sex and emotional power struggles and Individualism vs conformity. His use of language is free-associative, abstract, and deeply visual — more like painting than storytelling. Safe as Milk is a startling, brilliant debut — rooted in the blues but warped by a truly unique mind. It’s the sound of a band channeling ancient forms through a modern, broken mirror. Not yet as abrasive as what was to come, it’s an essential album for anyone interested in the outer limits of rock and the early DNA of experimental music.

eh

Captain Beefheart's first LP finds him and His Magic Band channeling rhythm & blues, psych rock, and folk, as Beefheart rasps surreal poetry over all of it. I typically don't enjoy these musical styles, but the good Captain and Co. bring their eclectic energy and weirdo edge to each and every track. Highlights: "I'm Glad", "Electricity", "Abba Zabba"

Enjoyed it. Some a bit "out there" but liked it. Great voice.

Beefheart is the lunatic of my dreams

63/1001. While I am a big fan of experimental music, and have been listening to Beefheart albums for a long time, in Safe as Milk there is much still yet to emerge out from the traditional blues / rock / pop mold. Using weird instruments or funny (ok, you can call it everchanging) voice with mostly quite traditional song structures and chord progressions doesn't really make this much different from a comedy album. Better stuff to come, hope also in this list.

Weird shit, man. Not that that is bad, it's just weird.

Cool.

Several tracks here were already familiar to me, however I'm less confident on whether I've actually sat through this album in one piece before, so this was effectively a new listen for me. An unhinged, constantly volatile and challenging experience, primarily rooted in blues rock however unafraid to dip its toes into garage and psychedelic territories. The end result is as impressive as it is disorientating, and at no point did I tire of this album as you simply can't tell what might be lying in wait for you next. Ultimately, however, it's an album that I'm unlikely to return to regularly. It's also fair to say that this is a relatively palatable effort two-years removed to Trout Mask Replica, another 1001 feature which I'm looking forward to revisiting and attempting to piece together.

слушала два дня но опять забыла даже жанр. только тестовый звук в одном треке помню. запомнила что неинтересно и не приглянулось)

Countryrock med soul.

Just a fun blues rock album to listen to, one I am sure I will return to.

This was a strange and interesting experience. It was surprisingly enjoyable and a good listen.

Just when I start enjoying a song, some guy starts doing a weird voice. Not good enough to justify the weirdness

Vaguely aware of this geezer and present as weird as I was expecting. Simpsons: Yes

Aged as bloody milk more like

Safe As Milk or Trout Mask Replica? I’d pick Safe As Milk. Shorter and more accessible. This album has the backbone of garage rock/blues rock/rhythm and blues and it’s fleshed out with psychedelia and avant-grade weirdness. Not my thing, can see why it’s in the book. Overall: 5/10

I'd tried listening to Captain Beefheart before, Trout Mask Replica, I believe and found it to be too far out there for me, I'm a simple man who likes melody more than things that combine experimental with acid jazz, as CB's later albums do. This album seems to be rooted more fully in R&B, which to me is much preferable. Ry Cooder is really laying down some great guitar riffs here. I enjoyed this early sound before Beefheart steered more towards acid jazz more than his later efforts.

Some songs do t hold up, with the affected singing voice tipping into blackface territory. Interesting band overall, though, and in some ways well ahead of their time

The original tracklist on Safe as Milk makes for a good listen. Nothing’s outright bad, and a few songs do stand out, like "I'm Glad" and "Zig Zag Wanderer". It’s raw and weird in a good way, and shows early signs of Beefheart’s unique style. I would suggest staying away from the bonus tracks added to later CD versions. Most of them feel like throwaways and don’t add much to the experience. Stick with the original release, that’s where the good stuff is.

Slaps hard. very fun.

Worth being on a 1001 albums to hear before I die list, more accessible than Trout Mask Replica and has some songs that can work their way into normal rotation, there's only a few on here I would skip on a normal day.

Solid album, full of different sounds while all feeling fairly connected to each other. It had the weirdness that I appreciate, but I didn't love it as much as some others I have heard. A fun 60s trippy sound to remember though

can’t tell if i hate it or if i’m neutral towards it

I'm ready for some magic - I know a few Beefheart songs, but never sat down with a whole album and so the debut should be a perfect starting point. ----- Weird and heartfelt. Fuzzy and clever. Shambling and grooving all over the place. Favourite tracks: Dropout Boogie, I'm Glad, Electricity, Autumn's Child

can't remember....

I actually had a great time listening to this one

Just ok

Great 60s music.

Genre defying, and silly to the point of annoying. Still, there are really great guitar riffs buried in here. Not a total waste of time.

Pretty good

How is this a debut album?

Lo escuchare mas veces

Heard a few of his songs before, but not much from this album. Psychedelic 60s!!!

Varsin hyvää blues-henkistä jamittelua! 3/5

Kind of weird but not as weird as his later stuff.

Way more blues based than I thought and had no idea Ry Cooder was part of this band. This is why we listen (3.5/5)

This was weird as hell and I'm glad that it was on the list. 3.8.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Есть приятные композиции, но в основном какие-то хаотичные звуки. Всё же, 6 баллов из 10 поставить можно.

Die pretentieuze Zappa-zweem hangt er een beetje omheen. Beetje conceptueel, zo van "nu gaan we een soulnummer doen", "nu gaan we een bluesnummer doen". Enfin, als je het dan zo goed naspeelt, zul je wel een echte liefhebber van die genres zijn. "I'm Glad" was al langer favoriet.

Not a fan

Go from thinking this is brilliant, to thinking it's a load of shite. Guess that's what makes them so unique.

Some real moments on this, particularly liked the instrumental Flower Pot. Trust Us - Take 9 for it's sludgy, bluesy guitar line and hoarse singing and I'm Glad for its soulfulness I do enjoy the blues rock aspect of this, but it is just a bit too on the weird side for me.

Strange but super interesting to listen to, after hearing about this band and a certain album that was made I thought all of it would be unlistenable, however this was actually quite fun

Magic. So original.

A ton of fun, been meaning to listen to Beefheart for a while. It was much less weird than I was expecting but this was the debut. Very excited to go through the rest of their stuff. Rating: 4.4

6/25/25. Interesting mix of blues and psych. Fits right into the 60s landscape and a pretty quick album.

This was fun. I liked the experimentation and mix of genres. The sound is a bit dated but in a good way.

"Safe As Milk" was strangely accessible despite Captain Beefheart's, er, ""singular"" sound. I still found the album's polyrhythmic sound and Beefheart's passionate...growls...to be deeply overwhelming though. Maybe I'll give myself another ten-or-so years to train my ears, and then, I'll return to the album.

Very good

Not familiar with this group, but have heard the name before. Very crunchy and swampy rock with some eccentric lyrics ("Abba Zaba" stands out in that regard). Sort of enjoyable honestly, if you can get past Captain Beefheart's odd delivery of course.

not my thinggggggggg!!

Pretty weird and playful. Not exactly my jam, but I certainly love how it pushes the envelope.

At the heart of this, there are some good blues tunes. Unfortunately (intentionally) it is if they are mocking music and embracing weirdness. Which wouldn't necessarily a bad thing, IF it was done in a progressive or interesting way. I'm also not a fan of the gravelly vocals used on a good number of the tracks. There is some deranged genius here, but I guess this is the result you get when you let the drugs do the talking.

I was expecting a more cliché brand of psychedelic rock, so was pleasantly surprised by the blend of styles. Because of that element of surprise, rounding up from a 3.5.

Frustrating when the potential for greatness is there but the choice is silliness.

When the singer's not intentionally trying to be weird, I kinda liked this. The cacophonous quality of the music was at about the edge of what I can normally enjoy, so that was fine. If I could trim a couple songs off of this, I might have been able to get up to 4*s, given the pioneering nature of this weirdo.

LOOOOOL

Quite shit to be honest

This is the best of psychedelic rock without the need of Zappa. And actually psychedelic rock. Think about it. I think they could've trimmed some songs a bit with some ending after two minutes only to repeat themselves. Feels sometimes dragged out unnecessarily.

Never heard of any of these people. Enjoyed the album. The bluesier parts felt more timeless than the of-its-time psychedelic stuff. If I had a gripe, it was a little too long.

It is definitely an odd album. Not as of as some of their works to come, but has their distinct style. Not something I would want to repetitively listen too, but enjoyable in a quirky kind of way. 3/5 Might listen again

Self-indulgent

I hate it

Interesting 3 stars

This is a gem! Everything about it is awesome and it makes for a solid debut so I'm surprised it didn't hit the mainstream. It made me look into Captain Beefheart and one of his other albums which I'm planning on listening to later. Overall, I'm happy I found this album. It's exactly my taste 💕

Blues from hell, but sometimes seems to want to shock rather than have passion in its weirdness.

THERE WAS ONE GOOD SONG ON THIS. I’m glad IS THE ONLY REASON WHY THIS ISNT A 1/5. 60’s psychedelic rock SUCKS AND I CANT STAND IT. Omg wow how good does drugs make music, hahahaahahahhaha. It’s boring, whilst trying to be pretentious. AND THIS ALBUM GOES ON FOR 70 MINS ???????? ALSO WHATS UP WITH THE PANNING ON THIS ALBUM????? The sound and mixing engineer should never be allowed to be on any other records because this is such a piss poor job of how to treat music. Also the main singer just sounds drunk the whole album, ur not a vibe… Edit. I wrote this 2 songs before the ending. Oh god. How bad are the last 2 songs. How did this even pass production. They approved this?????

You know it was a good sounding road trip album however it became completely unmemorable and a bit dull though it.

I have no room in my beefheart for this

I liked the more blues-y stuff but overall this is not for me

“Electricity” was cool

Pretty sweet record. Super catchy! Reminds me of a rawer Brothers. 7/10

The voice does not match the music. 5/10

Basking in mild lunacy, drugs drawing others into the glow, a youth full of freedom and abandon. Older, sober, amused, slightly embarrassed. Wistful for better days? Can’t go back, please don’t try. Not a good look.

Not a big beefheart fan

Once upon a time, there was was a guy in my dorm who had the best stereo and the best weed and a penchant for medieval weapons. Sometimes I'd get high with him and he'd play really terrible Captain Beefheart albums. I was afraid this would be like that, but it wasn't quite.

Safe As Milk is the debut album from Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band. Captain Beefheart is the stage name for Don Van Vliet. Guitarist Alex St. Clair founded the band, but over time, the band evolved into a backing band for Van Vliet. During the band's original run, Van Vliet was the only consistent member. While they never achieved significant commercial success, they gathered a cult following, and enough support for a reunited version, which toured for a decade without Van Vliet. The band made psychedelic, blues-based rock. It's heavy, and intense at times - weird and intense enough that it may have been a bit-too-much for mainstream success.

I feel like this was a 2 teetering on a 3 but I ultimately decided on a 3. Some of the mic effects and production / mixing techniques were very cool- other elements of this album just went a little too long for me.

Ok? Meglio dell'altro immagino

I really did not enjoy this bathroom at all.

Усім любителям психоделічної музики минулого та сьогодення імʼя Капітана Біфгарта давно знайоме. Але для тих хто тільки відкриває для себе цей «досі невідомий світ» - цей дебютний альбом стане унікальний містком між доступною мелодійністю та сміливими експериментами, які згодом стануть візитівкою гурту. На відміну від радикального хаосу їхнього культового Trout Mask Replica (1969), цей альбом зберігає відносну стриманість, балансуючи на межі між традиційною структурою та психоделічними пошуками. Саме в цій напрузі між контролем і свободою криється його магія. Фундамент Safe As Milk - це блюз та R&B, щедро приправлені психоделією та фолковими мотивами, а хрипкий вокал Капітана Біфгарта що коливається між блюзовою глибиною та «сюрреалістичною дивакуватістю» надає пісням особливого шарму, коли не до кінця розумієш «якого біса тут взагалі відбувається». Значну роль в цьому поєднанні відіграє й слайд-гітара, що створює міцний зв’язок з блюзовим корінням, але водночас натякає на щось нове й незвичайне. Загалом альбом є дуже різноманітним : від дитячої простоти Yellow Brick Road до саркастичного Dropout Boogie, від соулової ніжності I’m Glad до психоделічної симфонії Autumn’s Child. Особливо виділяється Electricity- трек, з химерними ритмами, що вже говорить нам чого варто очікувати від майбутньої творчості гурту. Safe As Milk звучить сиро, але водночас продумано. Це альбом, який намагається бути частиною музичної сцени 60-х, але вже несе в собі зерна «бунтарства», які проростуть у наступних роботах Біфгарта. Як я вже казав, він доступний, але при цьому не поступається унікальністю, пропонуючи слухачеві зануритися в світ, де блюз та сюрреалізм зливаються в єдине ціле.

Really good blues rock. The album starts off stronger than it ends. Far more accessible than other Captain Beefheart projects. 7/10

Strikes a really good balance between weird and accessible. Didn’t exactly “enjoy” listening to it per se, but can see it being a grower.

Starts strong, goes even stronger, but then fizzles slightly near the end of side 2. I actually preferred some of the demo tracks to the last few tracks of the album. An extremely strong four stars.

This is all new to me. Some parts were incredible and genius. Blues and rock and roll and psychedelic and just plain weird, but some parts were a little too weird for me. To be expected on an album from the late 60's over an hour long.

Hoy toca en este reto el debut de Captain Beefheart, artista que ubico de nombre y por algún que otro trabajo con Frank Zappa, además de que sus músicas tienen un cierto parecido. Sesentoso a morir, me recuerda a bandas como Jefferson Airplane o Cream, pero con otras búsquedas, otras experimentaciones. Hay toques sutiles a lo circense entremezclados con psicodelia y el country, además de otros géneros. Tremendísimo debut, de un tipo de artista o banda que no sé si actualmente existe. Quizás sólo es cuestión de bucear más. Hasta mañana.

Well, it's better than Trout Mask Replica!!

Some parts are ok, some parts not so much. 3 stars or C-.

At three tracks in, everything I have heard so far sounds pretty deeply nested within the country/rock/hippie genre that was in fashion at the time. Dropout Boogie is pretty bad, and apparently starts a shift in the album to "weird and not really good" Electricity has a lot of really annoying shit in it Abba Zaba: ridiculous. Couldn't finish Grown So Ugly: bluesy and not bad at all Safe as Milk Take 5: needed at least a 6th take Big Black Baby Shoes: disclaimer: I am not a guitarist. These guitars are out of tune and terrible sounding Flower Pot: WILL IT EVER BE OVER? Trust Us: I almost didn't make through the intro. The song actually wound up to be maybe my favorite on the album so far. Pretty low bar there though. Oops, wrote that before the 3 hour outro. No thanks Korn Ring Finger: Absolutely fucking not. Terrible Final thoughts: Not great, overall. Weird, atonal, and uninspiring. Also, perhaps the squeakiest drum pedal in all of recorded music history

Now this is much more what I expected from the captain. A bit left field and experimental, but not too cacophonous. It's a good collection across several genres and musical, it carries a tune. Again hot to be worth a 3.

So much better than I thought it would be

Wow! What a great album. I really should have listened to more of Captain Beefheart when I was younger. It's certainly more accessible than TMR, but still off enough to make it stand out from most 1960's artists. This will certainly be getting a few more listens in future.

So at least this is music, compared to the Trout album this is a 10 star album. I really like the music and about half the time I really enjoy the lyrics. But, every time he goes into froggy voice it just feels like a joke and that he is making a mockery of the music or the genre. Sorry if that is his real voice and not the intent but it just feels that way to me.

This album is FAR better than Trout Mask Replica. I understand this was his first album and he hadn’t “found his sound” yet. If critics want to lie to themselves and dress up the turd that is Trout Mask, go for it I guess. There are actual songs throughout this album…many of them are good. Is it perfect? No, but at least I can enjoy it. This record reminds me Gris-Gris by Dr. John…another cool discovery on this project. They both have a swampy New Orleans psychedelic vibe that I’m finding I truly love.

This has such a vintage feel to it. I want to listen to it in a big old convertible driving down Route 66. Certainly an improvement from the travesty that was Trout Mask Replica!

Safe As Milk is a strange beast. It’s not an album that gets under your skin right away, but it has a glint in its eye and a crooked kind of energy that keeps pulling you back. Not because everything works – but because something feels different. It’s blues, it’s psychedelic rock, and it’s pure nonsense. But somehow it all holds together. My favorite tracks are “Zig Zag Wanderer,” “Dropout Boogie,” “Yellow Brick Road,” and the bizarre “Abba Zaba” – songs that balance the catchy with the completely chaotic in a wonderfully reckless way. Captain Beefheart’s voice is an experience in itself – rough, theatrical, and never boring. When he steps back, as in the more instrumental sections, the album loses some of its soul and starts to feel a bit monotonous. But that just makes the vocal-driven songs come alive even more. This isn’t a top 100 album for me, but it’s one I’m genuinely glad to know. It stands out – bold enough to be silly and artistic at the same time. Not everything hits the mark, but when it does, it’s like getting a crooked smile from a man with a guitar and a wild idea. 4/5

It twangs like '67, but nothing really draws me in to want to listen more. And there's too much to listen to on this already.

This record is okay, until it's not. How much fuck around time does one album need? Here it's half.

Truly safer than Beefheart's 1969 masterpiece, Safe as Milk is still unlike anything you've heard before: 'High voltage man kisses night to bring the light to those who need to hide their shadow deed'; 'Song before song before song blues / Babbette baboon abba zaba zoom.' Weirdness ever rules the day here, but listenability is hardly an obstacle you'll need to overcome. The same can't be said about Trout Mask Replica. My favorite tracks, the R&B-inspired 'I'm Glad' and the somehow catchy 'Electricity,' are permanent achievements. Finally, however, the debut is a mere tuneup for his far more virtuosic, erudite, and satisfying masterwork. A first step in the evolution of our foremost musicologist. 'Harvest moon be nimble.'

Day509 - i wasn’t expecting straight up blues then r&b from the captain. all in all i really enjoyed it

This wasn't for me

Much more palatable than the previous Captain Beefheart album, but for that same reason, not quite as interesting or unique.

i didn’t love this. i do really like psychedelic rock and a lot of the stuff seemingly in the same realm as these guys but this didn’t really do anything for me. i think it might be because of the heavier blues base that they had going on

Love their swampy psychedelic bluesy sound

About halfway through, my sole thought was, gee, this is a lotta beefheart.

One of my biggest fears came true… I enjoyed a Captain Beefheart album.

Пощадите мои уши, мне Боба хватает. (Порой прикольно, но не совсем мой стиль)

A classic, and a personal favourite - but on reevaluation I did find it more pleasant to listen to a mono version, oddly. The vocals especially have a weird channel distribution at times that I wasn't really digging

Meh

4/10 - another strange album but this one was more fun to listen to. The guitar was sometimes interesting

It was pretty good

Too weird. Maybe I could do it another day, but I've had enough oddball crap for this to land.

I had relatively high hopes for this one - I remember the track Ice Cream for Crow from my youth and thought that was pretty rad. This feels pretty classic rock n roll for the most part, just a bit more mental. Not much stood out to me, but I can recognise its place in this list for sure.

I will not include the CD bonus tracks in this review. Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band are a group that I started listening to within the past year. In fact, I already heard two tracks from their debut right here, "Zig Zag Wanderer" and "Electricity". Don Van Vilet, the man who would assume the on-stage persona of Captain Beefheart, started as a young sculpting apprentice. However, his parents never financially supported his pursuit of such a career due to pre-conceived notions of artists as being "queer". Don would become so bitter that he abandoned art until he turned 23. He and his family moved during his teenage years to the Mojave Desert area, where he developed his taste in music from the blues and jazz musicians who were popular around this time. Don made friends with the members of local bands, one of whom was Frank Zappa. Through frequent collaborations with Zappa, Don started getting comfortable performing at small clubs and venues. He was invited to front the first iteration of the Magic Band by guitarist Alex St. Clair and assumed the role of Captain Beefheart. After a few other lineup changes and going through a few labels with their demos, the band was able to record and release their debut, Safe as Milk. Right from the get-go, the Magic Band wore their influences on their sleeve with this record, particularly the Delta blues that Don and the rest grew into, while taking the style into a more garage rock direction. It does get abrasive and esoteric in places, with the grainy production quality, John French's well-accented percussion, the twin guitar complement of Alex and Ry Cooder, and the occasional use of theremin by Sam Hoffman on "Electricity" and "Autumn's Child". Of course, the standout player would be Don as Captain Beefheart, able to croon and howl like the big-name blues musicians while stretching his voice to higher registers that weren't thought of back in 1967. There were even moments where he sang gravelly on tracks like "Dropout Boogie" and "Electricity", which were probably alien for the time but pretty cool to find all these years later. If anything, the band played it "safe" on Safe as Milk and could've gone a little weirder. Yeah, this is the group's debut album, where they were getting their foot in the door by keeping themselves rooted in the Delta blues with little variations. There's potential for growth here in distinguishing themselves from their influences, which I'm sure has been explored in the rest of their catalog. All in all, this was a solid debut from Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band. I'd be interested to hear how they turned out a little later down the line.

Second album proposé par le générateur après 'Trout Mask Replica' que j'avais noté 1/5. Ce second album est plus abordable. Je n'apprécie toujours pas la voix du chanteur, mais là les morceaux sont plus construits tout en restant originaux (+1). Il évite donc la note minimale, mais le chant me rebute tellement que je ne souhaite pas l'écouter une seconde fois. =>2/5

Fun fun fun

I really don’t understand this album looking through the reviews I saw this is a more accessible album by the band if that’s the case I’m not looking forward to the other album because I really don’t understand the appeal

3 decent

Wow, what a fun ride this one was! I love how eccentric and whimsical the songs are without being too far-out. Electricity and Abba Zaba were especially surreal. I also really liked Zig Zag Wanderer and Autumn's Child.

I saw the name of this band and I immediately thought be at the hell is this? Lol but it was actually better than I thought it was going to be lol decent album though

3.5/5.0: Very Good

a little weird but a lot of fun. i went in knowing very little about captain beefheart but it was really enjoyable. it’s my understanding his other album on the list is a lot weirder and not as fun, im looking forward to it

TMR >> but a slightly more conventional Beefheart is most certainly welcome

What a wild album

It was weird. I think getting so many experimental ground breaking albums in such a short time is taking it's toll on me. 4/10

Didn't grab me at all.

Milk is starting to go bad

Nichts ist hängegeblieben. Es war einfach da und es ging vorbei.

This album was quite the experience. There were a number of super weird songs that felt surprising for ‘67. It definitely had an experimental sound to it and I liked it. The lead vocalist had a very gruffy sound. The bands bio said the vocalist had an impressive octave range and I am a little disappointed that I didn’t hear that too much in this. I listened to this on a nice walk through an unmapped part of my neighborhood.

What a mess of an album

You can hear the early beginnings of punk rock mixed in with blues/jazz. It's such a cool and unique sound, I think this opened the door for a lot of experimental stuff coming in the years after.

This is almost the ultimate border of creativity.

I don't consider myself an *out and out* Beefhead but I think his more accessible albums - particularly this one and Clear Spot -are genius slices of avant-garde Delta blues psychedelia. Abba Zaba is one of the songs of the 60s for me and as a whole album I don't think this is far behind.

The final track on this album “autumn‘s child” encapsulates my entire experience with this release. At times I was left thinking WTF is this? At other times I’m thinking OMG this is amazing! The album itself often wanders too deeply into psychedelia for my tastes, but is rescued by some fantastic rhythm and blues based tracks, and the 60’s beauty of “I’m glad”. I much prefer this release to the only other album of his that I’ve heard which was trout mask replica.

Fine, weird 60's freakout. I'll be honest, the name Captain Beefheart has always steered me away. That's probably the point.

Very strange band, and music. Figure you can only enjoy it ,unless your high.

I saw the band name and was instantly like, "oh god, another 60s band" Kinda funky. kinda weird, kinda aimless? 2*