Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Polarising album for me, really liked some songs (Willie the pimp) but disliked others (gumbo variations)
Great thinking music
Agree with others who have said this feels like a score to a movie that doesn’t exist. Did like large swaths of this. But the few times someone started singing I was aggressively turned off. 3/5
Good guitar in this. But other than that 😬
Enjoy the ‘satirical meets impressive musical proficiency’ that’s included in nearly every Zappa project.
This is #day131 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... how about "a movie for your ears"? Honestly, this is my first time listening to Zappa, and if it weren't for this challenge, I probably wouldn't have. But I don't mind that I did, because now I know more. This album is a virtuosic, funky fusion, very much of the '60s and the hippie era. And I'm definitely into that. Plus, the album cover is just awesome. I'm giving it a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day132.
Whilst jazz fusion does make me break out in a rash, this was miles better than the other Frank Zappa stuff I've heard.
I would describe it as Jazz rock. More enjoyable than Jazz, but after a while still a bit much
It's cool for what it is, but I don't find it too exciting or emotionally gripping so it doesn't quite become memorable for me
normal beats
Solid instrumentation and just crazy enough lyrics
Oh! Frank Zappa! Now there's a recording artist one is *supposed* to really like but I've always struggled with his work. This album is in my collection, but I cannot remember the last time I played it. Time to break it out for a play...I think I originally bought this because Captain Beefheart does vocal on Willie the Pimp, which is my favourite track here. The rest of the album's tracks are instrumental, and with strong jazz-rock leanings I'm ambivalent about them.
Good in a weird way
5.5/10. The second track is pretty good but too avant garde for my tastes. Kind of sounds like background music but the guitar is very well done throughout
It's ok. The songs are really long and I have to be in the right mood for this kind of music.
I don't usually listen to this genre, but I liked it
Cool album. I don't think I'll want to hear it often, but when presented with it, I enjoy it.
Hoeveel ik Frank Zappa als artiest en alles waar hij voor staat in dat wereldje, zijn muzikale traject valt altijd net een beetje buiten mijn preferenties. Zijn anti-jazz is uniek, komisch, prikkelend en zeer kundig, maar het is ook erg uitdagend. Het vraagt wel erg veel van iemand die allergisch is voor 5 minuten aan ''doelloos'' gerammel. Maar dat neemt niet weg dat hij op dit album wel een beetje breekt met die trend, en zowaar langere prog-jazz/rock op de mat legt die wel aanspreekt. 'Willie The Pimp' is gewoon een banger, en Captain Beefheart's featuring is echt precies wat de track nodig had. En 'The Gumbo Variations' grooved behoorlijk. Maar over de gehele lengte is het gewoon niet écht mijn dingetje, al doet het een goede poging me over te halen. 6,5/10 Highlights: Willie The Pimp The Gumbo Variations
Dit is zo onwijs muzikaal. Het is rock 'n roll infused met jazz. Het is experimenteel maar ik vind het geen moment vervelend om naar te luisteren. Tuurlijk is het geen smooth-jazz maar ik vind het juist tof dat je de zoektocht van Zappa hoort naar de lijntjes. Soms is het daarbinnen, dan weer net daarbuiten. Ook al is het niet een album wat je iedere dag wel een keer wilt opzetten, de muzikaliteit spat hier vanaf en dat vind ik heerlijk tussen al dat hardrock-geweld waar ik me -eigen schuld- nog doorheen moet ploeteren. 6,5/10 Highlights Willie the Pimp The Gumbo Variations
Classic Zappa
Great music for in the background, but didn't really strike me and keep my attention
Intermittently interesting hippie noodling.
most of this is bluesier than i like, and i worry i'll never learn what makes a jazz record objectively good vs. not good, but "peaches en regalia" is quite lovely
Did not expect a mostly instrumental album. Not soothing enough for thinking/working music. But it’s ok.
3.5 After the laborious, 2.5 hour, drums and bass exercise of yesterday, I just wanted something palatable and easy. Then I got Frank Zappa. My heart dropped. I don’t like Zappa. But I fought on anyways, bc that’s the project! Turns out - this is actually pretty good! It’s just jazz Zappa, not troll Zappa. Is this what they call “acid jazz?” I liked it! There’s a couple moments where he gets silly and annoying but for the most part this is straight forward instrumentals that I honestly quite enjoyed!!!
I feel like I've gone into a jazz bar on acid
most sane Frank Zappa album
What a relief! Was dismayed to see Frank show up after suffering through a Mothers of Invention album last week. This album is a pleasant, mainly instrumental, bit of jazzy psychedelic rock music. Turns out not having Frank’s vocals was an essential improvement. Impressive guitar work here.
Good, solid rock
That's not my taste in music. But ok. Psychedelic.
Tering, wat een gitaar
Interesting listen from 1969
Really incredible technical album. Can't say I loved it?
Didn't hate it half as much as I expected. No desire to listen again but enjoyable as a one-off
Again, because I'm in a good mood today.
This was fine, but not sure why this was on this list.
I’ve never heard Frank Zappa before but I think if I had to guess I’d have expected it to be exactly this
There was some good stuff, it was just a bit lackluster
Enjoyable. First track is a standout
5.5/10
I really liked this, but it could either be annoying or really great - 3.5/5 Standout tracks: - Peaches in Regalia 5/5 I'm obsessed - The gumbo variations 2/5, the saxaphone in this was horrific
Very vivaby. Very jam band.
Zappa in general I am in to, but I don't know, for some reason I wasn't really feeling this particular flavor of jazz fusion this morning. In general though this is a great and important record. I'm in to it.
Interesting but not for me
okay, just not my thing
I personally don't love a mostly instrumental rock album. It was good, and extra points for how cool the album name is.
I remember getting this album after buying a later one ("Jazz From Hell") and reading a review that said that "Hots Rats" was his best album (along with "Uncle Meat"). I can definitely see why the reviewer said this about "Hot Rats" (not so sure about "Uncle Meat", though), but after hearing this album years ago, I realized that I'm simply not much of a Frank Zappa fan, much as I want to be. So while it's interesting to listen to it again, I remain bemused and largely indifferent. "Willie the pimp" is probably the best of the mercifully short playlist, in part simply because it has lyrics (and sung by Captain Beefheart no less), but also a pretty great jam. Sorry, Frank--your genius is wasted on me.
The tone qualities of the clarinet and saxophone are not my favorite things. But it is groovy af, so there's that.
Nice to listen to in the background
Easy to vibe to, some tracks more than others, could listen to again but probably won’t.
Liked this more that I thought I would. 3.17
Zappa’s a seriously unlikeable artist. His ostentatious musical projects are undermined by a pretentious sophistry that lacks any kind of actual substance. The music press have long pegged him as one of the most astute social critics in popular music, but all I’ve ever heard from him is a petulant form of contrarian iconoclasm that would make Christopher Hitchens wince. In short, I don’t really like him. All the same, this is his first instrumental album so you are immediately spared Zappa’s boneheaded attempts at “satire”, and instead you get a record that actually grooves along quite nicely. Does it devolve into listless noodling at points? Of course. But if nothing else this album has given me an appreciation for the frustrating effect of Zappa as an artist. It’s probably one of my favourites that I’ve heard from him, Side 1 in particular was a relentless jolt that only occasionally lost my interest. Even if Zappa obviously believed his music deserved to be read on a more intellectual level, you’ll find this one far more enjoyable if you just take it for what it is: a good jazz-fusion record.
Another “genius” that I don’t think I will get. I actually got this. I liked it. Kinda blusieish. Will the pimp had great guitar work. Pleasantly surprised here. This is what I am here for. Hit the wrong button. This is three stars.
It was another "better than expected" experience. I was expecting it to be completely "out there" garbage and there were several moments when it veered towards that, but it course corrected pretty quickly. Quite jazzy, I was expecting folk \ rock type music. I wouldn't put it in any "greatest albums of all time" lists, but it was eminently listenable.
Just OK.
Never heard this before. More listenable than I though it would be, but probably not something I'd go out of my ready to listen to again.
Not my favorite zappa album. Still pretty good though
Ok listen.
Holy Shrimps Batman, those first two songs are bangers. Everything else after that is eh. I think I just preferred the guitar over the horns a lot more and the first two songs have insane guitar riffs/solos throughout that keep me entertained more than the rest of the album.
A lot of a lot Shreds on guitar Kinda sounds like circus music
Frankie Z guitar jizzin on the Tracks. Peaches en Ragalia is great though.
A little too psychedelic for me
No es nada comercial. Muy instrumental pero interesante.
43:19 album length, six songs. Sigh.
Ok
Enjoyed this (completely?) instrumental album! Not what I expected. Fun, active, a little edgy but never abrasive.
Interesting musicality.
lowkey hard AFFF it’s jazz it’s rnb it’s rock it’s EVERYTHINGGG (word to doechii)
Again something I’ve never heard before. There was a lot going on at the beginning with Peaches En Regalia. So many elements, many of which I dig but felt a bit much & I was worried I wouldn’t like the rest of it. But as we went on there’s some very cool jams, in particular Son Of Mr Green Genes & The Gumbo Variations.
Listened Before? N This was way better than every other Zappa album I've heard. He's usually such a dumbass edgelord, hearing some serious-ish music was refreshing. It's too bad he didn't spend his career writing jazz or he may have been considered a great musician instead of a footnote. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Peaches En Regailia
3.5 Fun album, like a groovy, jazzy, experimental movie soundtrack
I hear the groove, I don’t feel the groove
Frank Zappa's music generally makes me feel like I wouldn't have liked him very much as a person. This album is interesting, but too much noodling for my taste.
It’s a not too bad funky jam.
Gotta give it credit for how different it is, but I wouldn’t just casually listen to it.
Enjoyed this album, though it drifted a bit at times. Will check out more Frank Zappa now though!
One of a handful of shock artists from the 60's and 70's that actually had some talent. HIs music is diverse and complex, and often hard to enjoy. Setting aside his narcissistic personality and cult status, (which I'll admit clouds my musical rating) this album jams along nicely. My older brother had a large poster in the 70's of Frank sitting nude on a toilet, presumably taking a shit. Later that poster ended on the wall of the only bathroom in a shared house, and I had to stare at his ugly naked self far longer than anybody should. My brother had a kinship with Zappa. Weirdos need leaders too. That's America.
ugh, I immediately cringed when I saw todays album. I'm just not a fan! I'll give it a try though. I don't understand the big hype around this guy. There's some alright guitar on Willie The Pimp. And the lyrics say "pussy" so that's cool lol "You're tryna buy some pussy with a third party check" kinda bold for '69 heheh 69. That one is a 9:23 min song! and there's another one on this album that's nearly 13. Son of Mr. Green Genes is all instrumental and pretty jazzy. A pretty specific title for a song without lyrics. Little umbrellas is also instrumental and even more jazzier. I like this one. Turns out the rest of this is jazz. Which I can deal with. Glad I gave it a chance. 3 stars instead of 2 on this one.
Like this one got some funky bass lines but feel like some of the songs drag a bit and I get a little exhausted listening to it
Kinda cool, very jammy and experimental makes it a really interesting listen at least. 6/10
It turns out when you leave the wankery lyrics aside, the music is pretty good.
Had reservations, but actually liked this one. 3.4/5
One thing that surprised me as I entered my 30s was that out of nowhere I started enjoying jam music a whole lot more. However, I don't like it *that* much.
#86 is an album I had already listened to. It's an important piece that clearly draws from jazz influences. I think it's a little too much instrumental for me, I like Zappa's bizarre lyrics. Still a decent and important work.
By far the best Zappa we’ve heard. Still not entirely my thing but at least it didn’t feel like a joke. High 3.
Nog zo'n bekende naam waarvan je denkt: is dit het nou? Vrolijk experimenteel getoeter en gitaarspel, grotendeels instrumentaal. Best aardig hoor, maar er blijft weinig van hangen.
Vaak is Zappa te veel experimenteel met rare geluidjes enzo. Die zitten hier ook wel in, maar het zijn toch voornamelijk klassiekere (bluesrock) instrumenten. Er zit een goed tempo in, wel iets teveel nadruk op de blazers soms (klarinetten en fluiten). Maar ook een speelse gitaar, die lekker los mag gaan. Hele vette basloopjes eronder. Het geheel is wel een beetje alsof je naar een actiescene in een matige 70s B-film zit te kijken. Het is een beetje de witte variant van de blaxploitation misschien. En dat vind ik toch ook wel lekker om naar te luisteren. Het vergt wel veel van je concentratievermogen, zoveel drukte qua instrumenten en geluiden. Er gebeurt zoveel, dat het veel energie kost om te luisteren. Ik snak soms even naar een Stardust slaapliedje van Willie Nelson, die ik hiervoor heb moeten luisteren. Ik trek dit niet elke dag, maar gezien de rest vd Zappa gekte, is dit zeker toegankelijk te noemen.
Edgelord music. I could feel the Cheeto dust caking my fingertips and the Mountain Dew staining my teeth as I listened. Sometimes, I mean that as a compliment, especially when Zappa adds in strange instruments and cool tones over tight compositions (“Peaches en Regalia,” “Little Umbrellas,” the first half of “Willie the Pimp”). But most of this record is just meandering solos over the barest jazz structures, to the point where it sounds not only monotonous, but maybe insulting to jazz as a genre? Although Zappa is taking a piss so hard that I can’t really tell if that’s the joke or if he actually does hate jazz, like his irony loops back around to actual hatred. At its best, Hot Rats is quirky and fun, but it’s far from breaking jazz apart. At its worst, it fully believes it’s breaking jazz apart, and if you’ve ever heard any other jazz album in your life, you know it isn’t doing that. It’s jazz and art rock for 4chan weirdos and their archetypal predecessors. It’s not poorly made or a hard listen, but its cute little highlights won’t inspire a relisten, and the rest truly would’ve benefited from being a more difficult, complex listen. But whatever. If I think about it for much longer, I’ll end up hating it, so I’m happy to just shrug my shoulders and move on.
Not saying it's bad it's just mad
interesting-experience music
Frank Zappa as a horror clown? The album is much older than Pennywise. I like some of Frank Zappa's stuff. Some of it is certainly brilliant, but too exhausting for me. That's how I felt about this album. I listened to it all the way through. Some things were great. In the end, I was glad I'd finished it. I probably won't listen to the album again so soon. 3/5
Zappa. Some like him, some don't
Not a bad bit of bluesy background music. I've softened on Frank a little tad more.
Absolute chaos !! Been a long time since I have listened to Zappa, maybe 30 years - I used to like his fun stuff but this was real chaotic. Superbly talented guitarist and musician but this was just too much now I’m in my 50s. Got a headache.
No creo que sea el momento en que lo entienda, tal vez después. Aun así es bueno
It’s a weird album. Mostly instrumental but not so avante garde that it’s unlistenable. More of an off take on composing an orchestra.
This was quite the display of talent, unfortunately as someone that is not musically inclined much of this was lost on me.
Wasn’t expecting a instrumental. Super talented artists obviously.
An instrumental album of absolute insanity
Well, I don't really know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I've heard about how "weird" Zappa was for years, but I definitely didn't expect a jazz-adjacent instrumental album. It's not bad, I'll start there. It's "experimental," sure, but not so much so that it's weird. There are horns, there are some odd time signatures thrown in, it all tends to be a bit free flow-y, but it's pretty standard stuff, really. A couple songs kind of give me a bit of a Phish vibe, which is blech, but overall, It's really just fine.
More like Room Temp rats
A bit too weird for me.
Zappa's name is famous enough that I knew of him and had some expectation of experimental noise rock - but this was jazzier and funkier with a TV theme song vibe. Some songs go too jam band towards the end, but didn't mind this.
It started out cool enough, but then it got to the sax part of Gumbo Variations. It just went downhill from there. I got this about 550 albums into the list, after Captain Beefheart and Trout Mask Replica. I can see how this is a gateway drug to those.
Pretty sweet. It was Good Friday vibes
anal bum a day 6 one of zappa's most eclectic projects. I don't know much about this album but I do know that people LOVE zappa. I'm just going to see how it goes and write what I think after listening. alright yeah it was pretty fire, the playing on this album is great not many thoughts on this one 7.5/10
first song is pretty good
Great musicians that know their stuff but it just sounds too much like a jam band session for my taste.
It was good… but a bit noodly, no?
Just good music. And so different too.
i enjoyed this - type of thing i’d like love but not listen to in my free time
Interesting...
Really enjoyed majority of this album, until the end where I absolutely hated the rogue saxophone going wild Shame because it would have scored higher! 3 ⭐️
Solid jazzy dad rock.
A less weird Frank Zappa
Rock-forward, jazzy, bluesy, frenetic, energetic. Zappa lyrics can get a little silly at times, so this is a nice (mostly) instrumental album. A lot of folks consider Zappa to be a genius, and he may be; he's definitely an innovator and unique musician. Or maybe "composer" is a better term. This was good, but of its time. 3.4
Interesting psychedelic instrumentals mostly. This is earlier stuff than I knew of his. I appreciated the use of clarinets.
Multi genre, soul, jazz, psychedelia. Crazy good bass, ridiculous jams. Willie the pimp is a standout. Challenging but very interesting compositions for a first time Zappa listener. Each track twists and turns and brings you along for the spin. Gorgeous sounding record, everything is mixed so clean. Big weird vibes.
Fun! Violin was kewl.
Interesting, but all over the place
Very groovy, a lot of piano. Sometimes it seemed all the same, which was a bit tiring.
Nuts for 1969, very experimental, can't see myself returning to it though
Look, I am willing to admit that this is some fun spastic instrumental album, if you are willing to admit that it is also exhausting and obnoxious.
#270. He's clearly a good musician, but the question is: do we care? And I suppose I can only speak for my self, but no, not really. There doesn't seem to be anything there to draw you in despite the clear level of talent. 3/5: it's fine, I guess.
Listen I love instruments more than the next guy so obviously this album provides that in volume. It just has to be the best I’ve ever heard for me to sit and listen to an entire project of it. This was good but not great.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would! 3.5 stars.
Three songs in and it is pretty wacky, but not in a bad way. Wacky sax. I liked it overall. Was fun and interesting, but I do not think I would search it out to listen to again.
Zappas done better
Some of it was interesting, some of it was really annoying, a little was great.
Never took much notice of anything Zappa did whilst he was active. What I had heard did not appeal. A few years ago I was at a Christening party and had a conversation with a stranger about music. I was telling him of my love of Progressive Rock and he said I would like Zappa then? He was surprised that I didn’t as he classed it as prog. Since then I have heard/read many features (including UK Prog Rock Magazine) who all cite Zappa as a Prog trailblazer. So I have since been listening to Zappa in hope I could do a massive catch up. But thing is I still don’t get him. This album is good and I want really to like it but I cannot go beyond just above average. Some good extended guitar work which deserves more than a second listen. Also like the jazz influence. Not bad but I still fail to see the Prog Rock within it. 3/5 24/6/24
Peaches in Regalia sounds like the soundtrack for an indie sidescroller game. Not a fan of Van Vliet's vocals on Willie the Pimp but its only a small portion of one track. Most of the rest of this is jazz, more or less. I found bits of it enjoyable, but mostly self indulgent.
Musically really interesting, but not something you’d be listening to on repeat. 3.5
Teilweise etwas zu lange Stücke und mir etwas zu jazzig.
Frank Zappa es una figura singular en la música. Virtuoso y multiinstrumentista, outsider por decisión propia, sus discos permanecen ajenos al éxito comercial pero no de crítica y aclamación por unos pequeños pero fieles seguidores incluso hoy en día (suyo fue uno de los primeros conciertos virtuales con Hologramas). Hot rats presenta otra portada icónica (no es Zappa ni tampoco es una tumba) y una serie de temas, todos instrumentales salvo Willie the pimp (cantado por Captain Beefheart, pero con un espléndido solo de Zappa de 7 minutazos). El tema más conocido del disco y de su discografía es el inicial Peaches en regalia, aunque en mi opinión la clave es The Gumbo Variations (una maravillosa fusión con saxofón, violines, guitarra, batería...) como el resto del álbum es un ejemplo de composiciones complejas con toques de rock, jazz, progresivo y algo de blues. It Must Be a Camel cierra el disco con otra gran canción en la que en apnas 5 minutos cabe de todo. No apto para todos los gustos (es un disco perfecto para melómanos y también para expertos de conservatorio, jazz, chanantes, cuñaos y postureo) , pero al menos se debe intentar una vez en la vida salir de la zona de confort y este disco te lleva donde tú le dejes. Editado en 1969 año de otros discazos como Abbey Road, Tommy, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), Nashville Skyline, Let it Bleed, The Stooges, otros tres de la CCR, dos de MC5, otros dos de Led Zeppelin, In the Court of the Crimson King, Hot Rats, Trout Mask Replica, Ummagumma, Stand, Hot Buttered Soul, The Gilded Palace of Sin, el 3º de la VU, Dusty in Memphis, Elvis in Memphis, Odessa, debuts como los de Nick Drake, Van der Graag Generator o Can...
listened while playing sudoku (intensely) and not much stuck with me. it was all fun but just not riveting for me.
Liked this a bit more than I thought I would...
3.5 I've never listened to Frank Zappa and didn't recognize any of the top 5 songs on his Spotify page by name, but I saw a shoutout to Captain Beefheart in the description, which made me nervous. Really loved Peaches En Regalia. The rest was a little weird but no where near as bad as I was expecting. Even enjoyed a lil Beefheart.
Hauskaa progressiivista rockia. Osittain aika jazzia myös esim It Must Be a Camel ja Little Umbrellas. Paras: Son Of Mr. Green Genes
That was a fun album
As odd as the Zapman is, he sure knows how to rock out with some funky jazz rock fusion. This album being mainly instrumentals was a pretty good showing of how good musicians can make jamming sound so good. This wasn’t anything exceptional as a whole but it’s a fun listen to enjoy the sounds of some funky guitar piano and drum work. 6.6/10
This was surprising, at least good background music. The instruments were well played.
I enjoyed listening to it except his saxophone skills it was so whiny and off key
I was gonna give this a 4 until “Gumbo Variations”. That song single-handedly brought this down a star. The saxophone sounded awful he sounded like a dying sheep bleating out its last breaths. Also the fiddle (or violin I dunno even what it was) sounded equally as bad and the song just kept going and going and going. Otherwise I found the first half of the album quite enjoyable. It was fun, funky and sounded good. For that it gets a 3.
had no idea what to expect with this album but was very pleasantly surprised. the layering of instruments and melodies kept it very interesting. vocally-could have done without vocals on Willie the Pimp. 3.5 stars due to that
Already listened. Grade B
"Like James Brown for neurotic Jews" sums Zappa up pretty well. Love the horns, a little too crazy and wild for my tastes to really love it. Good background music.
Zappa had some licks
Pretty jammy
Too jazzy?
Alright
Giving Mario Bros. background music in a very good way
Still amazing riffs??? I'm not great at paying attention hahaha.
A lot of guitar rock out over jazzy proggy tunes. Practically cop show jazz. Did I mention there's a lot of guitar rockin' out. It's Jazzy and pretty much an instrumental album. Jazzy and chaotic sometimes.
Fun, groovy rock album
Okay, intramental.
Though I was able to enjoy some of this album, I still don't understand why there are so many people who see Zappa as God... Having said that, I did appreciate the music.
Totally instrumental except track 2 which had captain beefheart on it (Camden reefer) Enjoyed this but think I made the mistake of putting on the next album which was the machito one - it was an instrumental overload and my experience beyond suffered
Super experimental but quite enjoyable
More unexpected groove! Has some contemporary musical moments (for being a 1969 album) and some really nice and fun music! “Peaches En Regalia” is definitely my favorite, as I think it’s the grooviest tune of the album. I think it’s interesting seeing how short the album is, only having 6 tracks, but longer songs to make up for it.
3 Zappa does jazz - aka, a person I haven’t been the kindest on does a genre I’m not the biggest fan of… and it turns out to be probably the best thing I’ve heard from him. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not earth-shattering by any means, but for 43 minutes and 19 seconds, I found myself in the mildest of grooves - hell, even Captain Beefheart’s garbled singing on Willie The Pimp kind of worked for me. As someone not normally drawn to a lot of instrumental music, I thought this was paced well and that each song felt unique - not quite to a point where I feel I have much to comment on in particular, but if you’re a fan of jazz (or even jam records), I would imagine you'd probably be a big fan of this. For all the shit I’ve thrown his way, I’ll give Zappa credit for his musical evolution and maturation here. I definitely wouldn’t say that I’m any kind of newfound fan of his by any means, but I would consider this at least deserving enough of having him removed from my list of “Worst Artists” on the site. That probably won’t happen given that it’s technically The Mothers of Invention that are listed, but I’m willing to acknowledge the invisible asterisk.
I can appreciate the technical prowess but it doesn't make me feel anything
Experimentele jazzrock waar gelukkig amper bij gezongen wordt. Experimentele muziek kan sowieso al wat zwaar aanvoelen en als de zang dan ook nog te experimenteel is wordt het een doodvonnis. Gelukkig is dit dus 90% instrumentaal, als het niet meer is. Het wordt niet gruwelijk abstract en dat is ook een plus. Geen gekloot met continu wisselende maatsoorten oid. Bij 'The Gumbo Variations' klinken de koperen blazer en het viooltje alsof er iemand met een kettingzaag achter Nils Holgersson aan zit. Ik ben uiteindelijk opgelucht als die 13 minuten erop zitten, maar ik kon het enigszins hebben omdat de instrumenten redelijk netjes om de beurt een solo afsteken. Het album viel me mee en ik vond het voor één keer wel leuk om te luisteren, maar een 4 zou waanzin zijn.
Eh maybe just not my thing.
pretty groovy, mostly enjoyable
Maybe a tad too experimental for me
Only one song has vocals, raging background music
A very strange and interesting musical trip. Definitely felt like an acid trip. I am glad I listened to it. I liked the more chill songs like little umbrellas and peaches en regalia. Other songs are a bit too full on for me.
Great musically but much rather listen to this live in a bar than playing the whole album
Если послушать 1 раз, то хочется оценить низко. +мы не шарим за контекст, который любому американцу прям с детства знаком это интересная работа для тех, кто шарит (я не такой)
Крепкий просто фьюжн. Но я не понимаю его без контекста, так как уже были более крутые фьюжн алкоальбом: квас с виски
Agradable. Instrumental rockjazz fusionprogressive rock.
Väldigt intressanta solon. Även om låtarna är långtråkiga första lyssningen så blir de bättre sen. Tycker dock att Joes Garage är mycket bättre.
frank zappa was on some good drugs
They can jam that's for sure. 2.5 rounded up
I can’t say that it is bad but I really can’t stand this kind of music
It was pretty alright.
I like Zappa, but I‘m not musically strong enough to survive a whole album :D
Better than I thought, honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy those rats but they were pretty hot! Good background music
Quirky and interesting. I find Zappa much more tolerable when I don't have to listen to him sing. Probably wouldn't listen to this again but there is some cool instrumental music and great guitar solos on this record.
Before hearing this, if you had asked me what I thought Zappas music was like, there is no possible way I would have said this kind of thing, no chance I would have guessed this genre. I think I might have said complicated metal music, but this is not that. And I like it
3.4 - Struggled, too much going on for me. I'm starting to think I should avoid this list when I'm in a bit of a funk, it has too much of an effect on my rating. Sick guitarist though and I always loved Muffin Man
I like the style of this album much more than I like the actual songs or songwriting. Rock-jazz rather than jazz-rock. Fave tracks: Peaches en Regalia 3.1/5
Technically, Hot Rats is very impressive. The audio fidelity is unmatched by anything I've heard from its time. If you told me it was released yesterday, I would believe you. Musically there were some great moments as well, but overall it was tough to listen to. I get that it's experimental, but I don't see what useful findings they made, if any.
Agradable. Instrumental rockjazz fusionprogressive rock.
Peaches En Regalia - 4 Willie The Pimp - 4 Son Of Mr. Greene Genes - 3.5 Little Umbrellas - 3.5 The Gumbo Variations - 3 It Must Be A Camel - 3.5 Average -3.58 Groovy 👌
strange, not usual, but at the end you listen it
cool
I guess I see why people like this! It's cool and fresh without being too weird. Not my thing though. I'm not big on instrumentals.
I've heard a fair amount of Zappa, would love to have seen him live. Some friends went to see him back in the 80's, but to get tickets from the touts would have cost a weeks wages. So they didn't get to see him. Anyway to the matter at hand, a very jazzy album this one, and though I liked it, I do prefer his songs. And there was only a small amount of vocals on 'Willy The Pimp' provided I believe by a certain Captain, of the Beefheart variety. To be fair can't really justify anything better than a mediocre 3.
I liked a song or two on this but the 10 minute long annoying songs put a dent in the rating. I get it, it's experimental, but it sucked to listen to. 2.5 stars
It's jazzy, more jazzy than I like.
Peaches en Regalia - I was expecting hard rock but like this much better. The saxophone break was so inspired. Cool. Willie the pump - this voice is more what I was expecting and I do not like it. Long guitar solo is good but generic imo. Fiddle, yes! The gumbo variations - this one gave me a big of a headache tbh The last dinner party - very creative, very different Wiki says about Zappa “supporters of his music admired its compositional complexity, while detractors found it lacking emotional depth” and that’s how I feel about this album. Giving it a 3 for its creative sound, strong production, and overall musical influence.
Chaotic
Kinda wierd, but pretty cool
I don’t think I had ever actually listened to anything Zappa before this, but this was good! Not a huge fan of his vocals but I liked the instrumentals
Loved this one! Thought that it was a very fun mix of songs
Good jammy music, a bit weird. i like the bluesy "willie the pimp"
Прикольно. Как будто фильм с Луи Де Фюнесом посмотрел
Super fun and weird! Didn't realize that I enjoy that I'm a fan of Zappa. How was he making this shit in 1969?!
really short , offers 6 songs of some real jazzy stuff. appreciate the horns in the opening track. also I enjoyed Willie the Pimp, I distinctly remember hearing that song being played on a vinyl in my basement as a child. not much else stuck with me though.
Zappa is the kind of music lots of cool kids were listening to in college but it never resonated with me. This still holds true. I was also surprised this was an instrumental album. All props to him, the frenetic musicianship and his wide influence, but not my cup of tea
So far, to my ears, everything that I’ve heard from Frank Zappa has been absolute crap. I’m going to try to listen to this with an open mind, but you can’t blame me for being hesitant here. I’ve heard so much about Zappa being incredible, but I’ve simply yet to hear any evidence. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Willie The Pimp This album surprised me. Whereas other Zappa music has felt like musical nonsense and noise, this had much more structure and was generally a lot easier to listen to. I guess that, depending on your thoughts on his other music, that might make this album a bit divisive with his fans. My take on it was that it was decent rock music infused with a bit of zany, but not too much that it became a mess.
man. this guy really likes to play guitar. should listen again when inebriated.
Much better than I thought, I liked the jazz feel
Good for some background music.
Jazziest rock album ever. Or is it the rockiest jazz album ever?
jazzjazzjazzjazzjazzjazzjazz hell yeah
Its Frank Zappa, so its good. Does not stand out much.
Okay
To be honest I'm not sure what I expected this album to be, but it certainly wasn't that. It's so chaotic, but in a way that I can't decide whether I like it or not. Some moments definitely feel a bit too experimental for my liking, most notably "The Gumbo Variations". On the whole though, this album is funky, dynamic, and really, REALLY weird. And if in the right mood, I can see myself quite enjoying it.
Never been much of a Zappa guy, despite several of my friends' best attempts. Just could never get into the whole weirdness of it. This one, being mostly instrumental, was easier to digest. Unexpected banger: The Gumbo Variations
Classic Zappa
Very progressive sound.
I thought I hated Frank Zappa but this album has completely turned me! Fast Funky Jazzy Brassy Rocky groove grandiose layered complex dynamic energetic extravagant and loud but NOT relaxing?
I've never been able to get into Zappa. This is probably the 4th FZ album I've listened to. I enjoyed this one the most but it's not something I'd put on.
This record’s roll call asks for many to be in attendance: acid heads, Jazz heads, Rock ‘n’ Rollers, night trippers, freaks, jam band enthusiasts, and cult of personality Zappa fans. Though it’s still early stages in Zappa’s career, here he lets much of the cat out of the bag. There’s little debate that Zappa was a god-tier guitarist and talented group leader. But those who come to this early record with fresh ears might be puzzled to find the promised genius—the songs don’t adhere to one genre with such purpose as to lose their purpose at times. If you’re looking for memorable melodies or choruses, or even vocals, forget it. It’s a trip, but you have to be up for it as it never feels like casual listening and it rarely lets you just rest in the music. It’s demanding, just like Zappa would continue to be.
Jazzy and I guess groundbreaking at it’s time. The first track sounds like a schoolband in the end of the year ceremony lol. Not bad but has its lows
Con più di una traccia sono ritornato con i ricordi dei telefilm polizieschi americani. In generale quello che davvero colpisce è una meravigliosa dinamica del suono. Un disco che non si può ascoltare in ogni momento della giornata, ma comunque musica viva e gioiosa.
Good
Interesting, but it didn't vibe with me.
I have heard some Frank Zappa before but probably not this album. This one is lower on the weirdness meter than some other material I've heard. The music is mostly instrumental and it's pretty good. The violin is a bit heavy handed and some of it goes on a bit long, but it's not bad overall.
I respect Zappa but I'm not always interested in listening to what feels like hippy circus music and slick guitar instrumental jams. But when I do I prefer the skronkiest moments Frank can deliver.
Technically sound musicianship. Typically odd vibe per Zappa.
Decent tbf. Would listen again
A mi (valen) me gusto pero me parecio repetitivo, zapato hace otra cosa dale, ya entendi que sos super virtuoso Nahiara obvio no lo termino de escuchar pero dijo que le estaba gustando
This is the first Frank Zappa album I've ever heard. A lot more instrumentals than I had expected and the band is clearly talented. Without hearing any of the other Zappa albums, I can't say if this is essential. Weird jazz fusion and good for background music.
I can all around appreciate the musical talent and innovation, but Zappa exists in the same realm as the Dead -- I get why people dig it, but it doesn't tend to align with my tastes.
Love frank but don’t really know this record I like it but I like other Zappa more. Solid 3
This is my first Frank Zappa record. It's an astonishing display of musicianship, and while I don't know if I'll revisit or not, I enjoyed my time with it. Highlights: Peaches En Regalia, Willie The Pimp
Better than I remembered him to be.
I had a friend who was a huge Zappa fan, but I never quite got there. I think I've listened to Sheik Yerbouti and Joe's Garage and they're fine. My old band used to cover Camarillo Brillo. Before that, I remember the Monkees episode where Zappa plays Mike and Mike plays Zappa--definitely odd. Anyway, this album is a great background listen, or waiting for a film soundtrack--I could see Tarantino using it for something. I think I like it more because Zappa isn't saying weird things and the only singing is from Captain Beefheart (also weird and maybe not necessary). I assume there will be more Zappa to come, so we'll see if my feelings change.
Kind of weird and experimental, but not as bad as I was expecting. Maybe because it was mostly instrumental? Frank Zappa is a weird dude. Three stars.
I've listened to a fair bit of Zappa, but not this album. Wikipedia calls it "cosmic rock", which is appropriate. The album starts with an instrumental track with lots of keyboard - I liked it a lot (and more than I thought I would). "Willie the Pimp" has the only vocals on the album, along with some very long Zappa guitar solos. The next track follows the same theme of lots of Zappa guitar, but without the vocals. I was surprised to like the electronic experimentation of Little Umbrellas. "The Gumbo Variations" was my least enjoyed track from the album - I found the tenor sax sections surprisingly annoying, but the long guitar solos in the 2nd half were pretty impressive and way too long for me. The final track, "It Must Be a Camel" is an awesome title but it didn't do much for me (but Wikipedia's description makes me think Z would enjoy analyzing the musicality).
Coming in completely cold without even an inkling of the genre. After listening, I still don't know the genre really but I certainly heard things that I feel like influenced music I listened to in the late 90's/early 2000's (specifically Jam bands). Upon doing a bit of research, it seems that along with The Grateful Dead and Cream, Zappa was pushing the boundaries of rock in the direction of long, improvisational tracks. The sound was incredibly unique. Track reactions: 1 - Interesting... instrumental and very full of different sounds that somehow decently mesh together. Thumbs up! 2 - Oh I like the funky guitar. The vocals are not impressive by any means but I can tolerate them. I had to look up if this was pre or post Grateful Dead and it seems like they were around the same time. I was curious if the jam-band-like improvisation and extended tracks were coming from Frank to TGD or vice versa. Doesn't seem like it. I'll do a bit more research to see if there is a common ancestor. 3 - Is this just going to be a 9 minute exploration of what a guitar an do? I'm in for it. Did the tempo just change around the 4 minute mark? Seems like it sped up a bit. I'm here for that too. 4 - I feel like I'm in a lounge all of the sudden. I'm no Jazz or Blues aficionado but there has to be some influence here. 5 - Stank face engaged from the sax work here. This is really impressive. Would Boyd Tinsley have done what he did for Dave Matthews Band without the solo around the 4.5 minute mark? I really enjoyed the whole track. 6 - This track might have gone a bit over the experimental line for me at times. Not really my favorite.
His voice is annoying but there were plenty of nice moments
Für Zappa recht eingängig. Ok! (3/5)
This album showed me that I really didn't know much about Frank Zappa. It has a strong jazzy mixed with rock kind of feel to me. I may have to seek out some more of Zappa's stuff. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
Such weird music, but something compelling about it.
A lot of notes. Extreme talent.
There's parts I loved There's parts I hated 2.5/5
1st track was best and could have been a theme song to a 70s action/cop show. It got more bizarre from there but I suppose that's the point. Pulled out every instrument in the world too. Way more listenable than I anticipated, though.
Lot of instrumentals.
Liked the first couple tracks a lot. Nothing bad about the rest just not as memorable on first listen. Rating: 3.4
Es isch halt rein musikalische rap, ich weiss nid wie hoch sowas für mich überhaupt chan grated werde. Riffs undso töned schono nice aber halt so ohni text weissi nid wielang/viel ich da chan lose ohni das es mir langwilig wird. Nid schlecht aber au nid mega guet. 3.2/5
Ganz decents album aber hett mi jetz ned voll umghaue. Aber so zum casual lose eig ganz gut:)
Peaches en Regalia. stiimmt da hani mol glost. tönt huere geil. weird aber cool. Willie the pimp. sehr funny captain beefheart vocals. huuuuere langs gitarre solo aber er macht immer neus züg und d band reagiert uf ihn oder umgekehrt. elektrischi giige time? recht geil. Son of Mr Green Genes. horns und so töned hammer, irgendwie filmmusig für e montage oder intro für e polizeishow vode 70er. s tönt fantastisch und huere modern für 1969. giti solo foht geil ah. ER QUOTET COME TOGETHER BI 6:35 geil. Gumbo variations. bach reference? jammig. aber no funky und so. saxophon findi chli nasal. wird grating mit de ziit. It Must Be A Camel. huere spacy melodie und taktwechsel. de shit isch richtig fusion time. seeehr sehr eklektisch und so.
this? this is frank zappa? i cannot believe he forced us to listen to mothers of invention when he was so capable of creating pleasant, engaging music! music that's different from the usual sound, especially for 1969. music that's nothing like his previous creations! i cannot believe all of this came from him! to be fair, this album did have that usual zappa sound, and surprisingly, i wasn't mad at it. it's hard to describe his usual sound, other than it contains unusual elements you wouldn't normally put together. turns out that when zappa doesn't go all balls to the wall, he can rein in his weird side and create some magnetic music. besides, using a lot of instrumental music allowed zappa to focus on the instruments and, well, that's where he excels. plus, with the jazz component, hot rats did remind me of the band chicago, who did release their debut album the same year as this album.
Man, I am not a Frank Zappa fan, and I dreaded having to listen to this. But really, this wasn't half bad! Frank Zappa was known partially throughout his career as a "composer", and this album shows off some of those chops. There are definitely hints of what is arguably more classical compositions with jazz fused over it, and then even further psychedelic shenanigans sprinkled on top of that. Zappa never took anything seriously, least of all himself, and so the song and album titles are definitely in defiance of and contrast to the pretty decent musical output that this album provides. Fortunately, he keeps his use of vocals to a minimum on this album, but even the vocals here are clearly for satire. I'm definitely nowhere near, nor will probably ever be ready to jump over into being a Frank Zappa fan, but I was really surprised to find myself even halfway enjoying this album.
I liked all the songs with no vocals
Doing this challenge has made me really hate Zappas music. This was much better than the mothers of invention though. I liked the riffs but overall, the songs are too long and don’t go anywhere.
Experimentelle Musikstücke mit großer Varianz. Man muss sich darauf einlassen.
Great album as far as musically allowing free thought. Like a jazz album. Nobody can deny Zappa’s guitar playing ability or his ability to make music, but I did not like the first track and gumbo went on waaaaay too long. I was happy the album was over I felt a relief.
I still didn't "get" it. It's an excellent Jazz album, but I still need to listen to more from Frank Zappa to understand why he is so well-received as a genius.
I have to admit that I have never listened to Frank Zappa, but the instant I played the first song on the album, I was intrigued to say the least. I genuinely feel like I'm being taken on a musical journey. Love it so far and I'm only one song in - can't wait to keep listening. After listening to the rest, I did sincerely enjoy the album. Sounded great!
I like the sound, I listen to these guys 40 years ago, Frank Zappa died in 1993, 3 stars
Very interesting…not a fan at all of the vocal pieces but the instruments are strong and varied in some cool ways! Strings, horns, banjo…love it all.
tengo que volver a escucharlo
Frankly it shocks me that this record is the only Zappa entry on the 1001. This record isn't in my Zappa top five... it might not even make the top ten, depending on if you count certain albums as Zappa or Zappa + Mothers or Zappa + Beefheart or just the Mothers. Do your ears a favor and check out "Joe's Garage" before writing Zappa off!
Is Zappa a genius or just crazy? Well it doesn’t really matter because either way, I don’t think anyone will listen to these tracks more than once. Some incredible song structure and fun ideas with complex key changes. Really fun combos of instruments, especially with some of them playing in unison. Can’t say I’ve ever heard a tenor sax and a xylophone share a melody line before. But the chaos is just too much to enjoy most of the time.
Invigorating Instrumental
The only frank zappa album I own, I enjoy it. Good guitar / instrumentals. 2.9
Psychedelic jazz, man. The in sound from way, way out
I had heard of Frank Zappa before just whilst hearing about music in general so I was somewhat curious about what sound he created for his music. That was until I realised I had seen his face before from the cover of “Freak Out!” by The Mothers Of Invention which I had got previously on this list and an album which I found to be practically unlistenable upon my first listen, this reduced my expectations massively for this album but I still entered with an open mind. Now what did stand out to me from the first 2 songs was that this album was going to be mainly instrumental which I didn’t have a problem with I was more apprehensive of the 6 song, 43 minute run time. I’ll say that I enjoyed the majority of the guitar and brass instrumentation across the album and I was pretty happy with how the first 2 tracks came across as a sort of futuristic jazz ensemble with some guitar, however, from there on I found it to just be a collection of improvisational pieces that dragged on for a while. “Son Of Mr. Green Genes” did follow suit of the first 2 tracks so that was fine but afterwards it felt like a mess, especially “The Gumbo Variations” which went on for way too long. As music, I’m happy to listen to it but I really didn’t get the most enjoyment from this. The 2nd half of the album really felt like you’d walked into a dusty jazz club and the band had already been up there for 2 hours and now they’re just stringing together anything that goes, I guess for some people that gives it some charm but for me it just sounds messy. I’m glad I gave this album a chance because I can appreciate some of the instrumentals on here enough that I might come back to them but honestly I would’ve given this a 2 if not for the first half which holds the album up way higher than the latter half. I liked this album far more than “Freak Out!” but I’m still not a great fan of Frank Zappa’s work.
I was prepared to be irked. My prior exposure to Zappa is brief and left me with the firm conviction that Frank Zappa is somehow important currency exchanged between 12-year old boys. A rite of passage or something. Resolved to listen openly I was surprised to discover things to like! The opening cheery sweetness of Son Of Mr Green Jeans bicycling its way to a groovy chunk of funk kept me happily intrigued and amused by its narrative story telling. I found similar doses throughout the rest of the album as well. While it still contained its share of jangly parts requiring an angsty 12 year old boy to truly appreciate, I have to say I feel good about this album and I’m glad I listened. I may even listen again.
Pet Sounds is the better album, and Smile was best off shelved. A convoluted album that lacks clarity.
Something of a surprise - I had no idea Zappa was this jazz-influenced but it's clear this is an adventurous and highly accomplished record. I pretty quickly found elements worming their way into my brain and as challenging as Captain Beefheart's singing may be, his performance on Willie The Pimp is memorable and brilliant in its own way. The bluesy elements and dense production definitely appealed to my more classic rock taste, although the composition is looser than I tend to prefer. I can understand why this is an important album and glad to have met it, but we're likely to stay acquaintances, rather than friends. 7/1001
Hot stuff
Me pareció mono, buena combinación de cosas, no hubo nada que me super mamara pero estuvo mono, creo que no lo volvería a escuchar.
Zappa can be very hit or miss sometimes, and with that album cover and jazz fusion as the main genre I was worried. I was however pleasantly surprised. This was a good listen.
Good but bordering on jamming.....we'll see how this 13 min track goes for me Yeah, about as i expected.
Production was very fun and avant garde at times. I did enjoy this listen, but do not see myself coming back to this album often.
Классический роцк, 1969 год. Никогда не слушал франка заппу, но слышал о нём. Ну что тут сказать, сорок минут запилов на гитаре+саксофоне. И вроде неплохо, но ничего особенного. Низ тройки
I like the story albums more sry
Jazz and madness
Nope. I like nuts but this was too far.
Peaches En Regalia // Son Of Mr. Green Genes // 3.5/5
I was really intrigued by this album. I'd listen again.
Very cool but too much for me as a whole album. Needs mushrooms or something.
Probably the least weird Zappa album I've listened to. Some really odd instruments, some moments where I wondered if they were in tune, and some moments that I completely forgot to pay attention. I'll give it a 3/5
Pretty chill and mostly guitar riffs.
First listen Saved 3/6 Top track: Willie The Pimp
Love Zappa
The instrumentals are great but it does get a little taxing. “Hot Rats” is a fire name though.
Possibly the most accessible album of Zappa's catalogue. Some wonderful musicianship.
Very cool jazz experimental pretty out there
I think I prefer my Zappa with the silly lyrics. These all feel like extended jams and maybe I'd grow to like this more on subsequent listens, but the lack of focus sorta had me not focusing. 3/5
Elevator music for cool people
A couple face melters
Zappa is always an interesting listen for me. I love his creativity but it feels like a firehouse of musical ideas sometimes. Hot Rats being mostly instrumental helps this one.
It was good. It has some good songs, others are meh.
It is fun, it is wild, it is probably the best thing I've listened by Zappa. Not in love, but I kinda get why people could fall in love with this. (I don't like numeric ratings, I just give 3 to anyone)
Rating: ** 3 ** Notes: So lala would have loved to have more voice on the album. Okay to hear, but will prbl not listen to it again. Songs which stood out in no particular order (credits to Uncle Gue for the idea): "" ------------------------------------------------------------- Rating Scale: 1- very bad 2- bad 3- neutral 4-good 5-very good additonaly -/+ sign if necessary
Interessantes Album. Finde den Saxophon Sound teilweise ziemlich cool. 5.3/10
kinda cool, and i liked the beginning of most of the songs, but they went on for too long and started to annoy me just a bit, but it was a cool album and most definitely interesting. would not listen in its entirety but would listen to specific songs again.
it was.......interesting
Good instrumental music, some very nice moments. Don't think I'll listen again though.
i looked at the song titles and thought it was going to be unbearable but it was actually Quite Good
Jeg er hård for at spare på antal 4/5
3.5
first album i got. songs are really long. there’s some really nice interplay between the guitarist and the drummer on a few songs, but there are also a lot of experimental sounds that i wasn’t a fan of