Reviews (page 10 of 13)
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
2.5/5 Not too into only instrumentals with lots of noiseeeee. Fav: Little Umbrellas
fun and quality music but also forgettable. will need to try again
It's pretty nice, groovy background music, but although I enjoy it and realize it's objectively good, I wouldn't really listen to it again. I can't really think of a context in which I would listen to purely instrumental prog rock. Still, it's pretty cool.
Goeie vibe
Jazzy, improvisional sounding, jammy
Are the rats sexy? Sweaty? No. They love a really long solo. 7/10
Fun instrumental album
i liked it better when i hallucinated there being no vocals 🫠 i was still vibing and grooving though
alright thanks mark
I believe this was my first time listening to Zappa, I actually quite enjoyed it even though some songs sounded like birds being strangled. Favorite track: Willie the Pimp
Mid
Definitely not my style, but I recognise it's musical richness and variety
Glad I listened to this, it was at its best when Zappa let the instruments create a story
I would have given Hot Rats a 2.5 but since this site forces me to round up so I'm giving it a 3. This was definitely the most experimental of all the albums I have reviewed up to this point, Some paid off, some did not. The music was cool but i felt that some of the songs went on for too long. I did like the vocals though, too bad they were only used in one of these songs. Best Song: Willie The Pimp Worst Song: The Gumbo Variations
ok didn't listen to all
Musically complex and impressive but possibly self-serving
Interesting.
It might be sac religion to say this, but I was never the world’s biggest Zappa fan. He’s great, and this album is by all definitions, great. But it’s a jam record. He was doing things in his day that no one else even came close to, and the inspiration he had on many modern artists is nearly is unrivaled. So why am I not a fan? The music isn’t too “unlistenable” or “weird” for me. In fact, this album is very much on the more normal side of Frank’s offerings. I’m not exactly sure I know what it is that deters me from it. I think I just get sort of bored with jam songs, even if they have a lot more to offer than a Grateful Dead or similar jam bands. There are elements here that are a blast, but it doesn’t feel cohesive, or like it really has a point. Maybe for me I’ve just heard all this so many times now that this just feels kind of…there. Anyway, listen to it. It’s important, and I’m sure I’m an outlier here.
Wrong mood for this today. I think instrumental rock music just doesn't work as well as in other genres. Rock is there to be sung over. I can handle it when it's a mix, Santana for example. Frank's amazing at guitar, but by the end I wasn't even concentrating on the music.
Like being in a crazy movie (no lyrics) enjoyable but scattered. Wouldn’t come back but would explore other albums. 3/5
I've never been a fan of Frank Zappa's pseudo-intellectual bullshit or his pointless canoodling. Is he a talented guitar player? Sure. Does he play music that is actually enjoyable to listen to? Not generally. Having said that, this album was better than most Frank Zappa. There are some really great moments mixed in with the bullshit. 3 stars.
Hot rats
An interesting contrast with the xx--maximalist. I can appreciate the musicianship here. He is very talented, and doing this in 1969, no less. Personally, I think it's missing some soul or a reason to listen if you aren't a musician interested in technical craft. Compared to other similar acts, like King Crimson or Yes, this album lacks emotional depth.
I liked it. Really cool guitar riffs and stuff.
No really my style I’m use to but was entertaining.
I really liked Peaches En Regalia. The rest is fine.
Willie the pimp is great
Little Umbrellas was kind of cool, but not for me
Good album. Never actually listened to any Zappa before and it is definitely tied to the sound of the era.
Not my thing but well made
Yep, it's Zappa. About how I remember him.
Some tracks were excellent grooves, and some were horrendous horns.
Eh
Interesting Rock Album
pretty fun, like a movie soundtrack. saved some songs, the first two tracks are definitely my favorites. the rest blended in together, i guess i zoned out in the middle of listening to them.
Reminds me of some RPG music making. Not too bad.
Uncle remus is a classic, cosmic debris is also great, not my favourite Zappa album but still excellent.
Much more interesting than I expected
I had no real expectations going into this and enjoyed it. I listened while working and found myself often distracted by the music, in a good way. I liked the electric guitar, the jazz, the funk. Solid stuff.
I've always wondered what this guy's music was like, I hear his name referenced all the time. Definitely wasn't expecting so much instrumental, but it was a solid jam session throughout. I like the wildness, kinda jazzy, use of lots of instruments
going into this, oddly enough, i was not really familiar with frank zappa’s music. sure, i had seen him in interviews and seen footage of him testifying at the PMRC hearings, so he became kind of a hero of mine. articulate as hell and seemed to share many of my viewpoints and very prophetic about the dangers of the alignment of evangelical chrisitanity and conservative politics. this was a fascinating listen. it is somewhere between rock, free form jazz, and a jam band. zappa is a freakishly talented musician, no doubt. his band is amazing as well. i would have to be in the right mood for this and am willing to explore more of his work as it is very schizophrenic at times, so not my normal everyday listen. but not bad at all.
This is objectively good music, but just not where I was today to listen to it. I'll give it a go again, but it didn't really do it for me.
I actually liked some of this a lot. Those last few songs brought it down, though. The horn Jazz solos are just not my thing.
Eh not my favorite but was alright
Definitely an interesting one. I could do with less squawking sax throughout the album, but there were some good elements. 3/5
An outlier for sure, Zappa is the antithesis of anti. Zappa is somehow able to flip-off counter culture who's flipping off 'tha man', while simultaneously flipping off the man. Zappa's ability to thread the needle between the two establishments without losing integrity is a feat in itself, but the downside of that is he remains an inaccessible island to himself. Counter culture doesn't like him because he's abrasive and he instantly repels anything mainstream. So who's left...? Unfortunately, your weird uncle is the only audience and nobody seems to understand or want to understand. But the album ... what about that? ... Welp, there's a ton coming out of this album and the performance is wrote. Not sure how many musicians are playing on this, but the orchestration is amazing. I'm not one for jam bands and this isn't too far from that, but it's so well coordinated that it's impressive its hard not to give it a nod of appreciation.
2 minutes of vocals on a 43 minute album. Why not just make an instrumental album. Frank Zappa…that’s why. This is the first time I’ve listened to a Zappa album. I wasn’t expecting as much jazz. Knowing how much jazz influence there is, I expect I would hate it more, but I didn’t. This album is like a runaway streetcar at times. On the tracks. Off the tracks. Back on the tracks. But it never crashed into a building. This is just weird enough to be interesting.
First time i have really listened to Frank Zappa, and i must say, pretty decent stuff.
3.7 - As I understand it, fusing jazz with rock 'n' roll felt like achieving some musical holy grail for many rockers of the 1960's. But for most, the road to that grail was fraught with endless guitar noodling and free-form jamming. There's some of that excess on this record but mostly Zappa has pruned these compositions into tidier movements with enough variations in tone and texture to keep things interesting. Standouts: "Peaches en Regalia", "Willie the Pimp", "The Gumbo Variations."
Very odd, slightly silly, but massively enjoyable. An artist I didn't really rate before, and still don't quite get, but I'd be intrigued to hear more of his stuff.
Cool music and chill vibe
this is so sleazy motel-core. my smooth baby idiot brain doesnt have the capacity to fully immerse myself in an instrumental song over 8 minutes long. fav songs: peaches en regalia, little umbrellas, it must be a camel.
Another one to put in the “probably sounded great in the 60’s when stoned” pile Sounds a bit indulgent now but it’s pretty cool
7.5/10
Weird good 3/5
Good background music, if often high-pitched and cloting
Not something I'd just throw on—it's jam band-like meanderings don't always maintain my interest—but it's decent background music. And while "The Gumbo Variations" clocked in at a hefty 12:53, which I generally find far longer than ideal, it featured the funkiest violin I think I've ever heard. TLDR; Zappa's weird and so was this, but it wasn't bad.
Just lots of jazzy sort of dischordant jams. Had its moments.
Huh
This was pretty fun overall, kind of a psychedelic jazz-rock medley in a way. Not something I think I'll feel the need to revisit any time soon, but perfectly enjoyable listening tbh. 3.5 rounded down as per protocol.
This one goes in the “I don’t believe the year” Really interesting experimentally modern sound. Well produced and honestly ahead of its time. I’m not surprised it’s not more mainstream being a jam album but the sound really carries the album as a whole.
Hade kunnat vara en fyra men det är för instrumentalt och ibland väl knepigt. Men överlag ett gött sound och måste ändå säga att generellt så gillade jag detta
Har lite svårt att ta till mig sådana här instrumentala album. Pluspoäng för låtnamnen dock.
Never have been a huge Zappa fan, but took it for a spin since it has been so long....still not a huge Zappa fan.
I kind of understand why Grank Zappa is so controversial, but for me (at least there on this album) I just found it ok. I liked it, but not my favorite. Just solid.
Nice jamming. I enjoyed it.
Edgy and uneven but lays the groundwork for an influential and varied career.
peaches en regalia was a fruity/game instrumental quite fun and jazzy willie the pimp funky sea shanty rock good but not on repeat son of mr green genes much like a pokemon song little umbrellas very hotel lobby jazz the gumbo variations jazzy shaker crash it must be a camel piano jazz
Excellent jazz playing. Very good technique. Nice and eclectic mix of instruments (jazz fusion so guitar and drums mixed with piano and saxophone). Probably 3 stars out of 5 (very, very good but 'The Gumbo Variations' has some strange sounds from the playing, lyrics on 'Willie the Pimp' are bizarre and not very well-written, I also think this would be amazing as a jazz album -- i.e w/o guitar, drums, etc. ...). The album has definitely made me think that Frank Zappa is good! The vocals on 'Willie the Pimp' are good in its own bizarre way. Overall, very good: all the songs are highlights; this is both because, and a consequence, of the album's cohesion. Why is '13' by Blur not on the 1001 albums?
Bueno tampoco me gustó. Es demasiaaado vanguardista, no entendes bien que estas escuchando. Igualmente el chabon tiene calidad.
Zappa time
Very much on the fence here. I'm going to give it 3.5 and round down, but... I get that the average song length is something like 6+ minutes, and that this isn't radio friendly pop. This could grow on me with multiple listens, and I may well revisit. But for now, I'm going to round down.
I’ve never been able to get into Frank Zappa before but I enjoyed this. A mix of blues and jazz-rock fusion. These songs have a lot going on but jamming out and riffing is at the core of them. Good energy. I dig it.
Honestly grest music to listen to while I study probably not something I would typically just listen to tho but cool sounds:)
Forty-seven wonderfully energetic minutes of classic 60's instrumental jams. Take your shoes off, put some flowers in your hair, and enjoy the ride!
I'd heard of Frank Zappa but was not familiar with his work. The whole album sounded like generic 70's background music.
world class jazz fusion musicianship with some rambling jam band energy and spicy instrumentation. kinda feels like Zappa is making fun of us, but I'm not quite in on the joke. but it's ok, Peaches is a killer song 3.5/5
нормально, делал под всемирную историю, все хорошо шло
Geen superfan van Zappa, behalve sommige nummertjes
A+ on the album and song titles. I was scared because Zappa was pretty wild but this is just a cool progressive instrumental jammer. Features talented guitar playing and crazy sax. Favorite song was Peaches en Regalia.
Zappa rules.
Hot
Interesting psychedelic rock/jazz. Zappa has some amazing guitar playing and the prog songs were impressive. Not something I would come back to and listen to on the regular.
Better than expected.
Interessant, dass er sogar auf den Aufnahmen improvisiert und immer anders spielt. Macht auch keiner mehr
Hit and miss, some real talent in there and I admire the freedom and creativity
I like it. I've discovered a new genre I like apparently.
Best Song: The Gumbo Varieties. I like the mix of jazz with just plain weird. Worst Song: Willie The Pimp. It just sounds like a jazzier but worse Tom Waits. Overall: Not great, not terrible either, although there are few circumstances in which I can imagine myself listening to this again. Maybe while cleaning? I don't know... There's better jazz and weirder prog rock out there.
Despite knowing the name "Frank Zappa" and his reputation to shred, I've never intentionally listened to him. This sounds exactly as I imagined. I enjoyed the album and I respect the shredding, but if I am being completely honest with myself, I will likely not revisit this album again.
Ágætis progg. Ekkert óþolandi á þessari plötu, sem er mögulega fráhrindandi fyrir Zappa-fólk.
Not how I remember it!
Psykedelisk rock, god jam, fræk guitar
YEAAAAAA BOIIIIII I LOVE FRANK ZAPPA. This man is a walking-talking-blistering-blathering poet. And he knows it. And he OWNS it. I genuinely enjoyed this top to bottom, I'm not even trying to be silly and goofy, because those riffs and solos went so hard. I only wish there were more lyrics, because I know this man spits bars just as well as he strikes chords. 'Apostrophe(')' is proof, because 'Uncle Remus' and 'Stink-Foot' have absolutely ZERO business coexisting like that. This absolutely would be a 4, but I'm going to have to go down one because I know it would be that much better with lyrics. On a side note, everyone go listen to 'Billy the Mountain' right now if you are fiending for 20 minutes of pure bliss. That song basically encapsulates my freshman year: a beautiful disaster.
I think this album can be best explained with a lateral example in the art world. When we think of famous painters, Pablo Picasso comes to mind first for many of us. Picasso was renowned for his Cubist paintings, founding the style which had never been a concept before him. Picasso started his career in his teenage years doing realistic portraiture, and he was quite good. He clearly had a gift for art. As he aged, he continued to paint portraits, but they gradually became what many of us would deem “sloppier”. The brush strokes became longer, the colors were blended less, and the paintings were overall less realistic. More years passed, and her began to play with distinct color schemes, tending to show feelings of somberness with blue hues throughout many of his famous works. The focus was less on the figures he was painting, and more on the emotion he was conveying though the portrait. As he aged into his elder and twilight years, he had fully moved away from realism. Cubism was born, and they are what Picasso is known for most today. If you look at a famous Picasso painting, you may be tempted to say “I can do that”. And maybe you could replicate something like that. But you would never have come up with it on your own. It took years to master his craft, and once he mastered it he was able to experiment further. Once he mastered those experimental phases, the last thing there was to do was to pioneer a new movement. Frank Zappa is Pablo Picasso. His music is quite silly, it sounds like a mess at times, and many people would be tempted to say about some of the songs “I can do that”. But you can’t. Because Frank Zappa has mastered his craft, and having done so he embarked on an experimental phase. Unfortunately, that is where this album stops for me - the experimental phase. The movement came afterwards. God bless and rock on.
I really enjoyed this until I didn't. Small doses, I guess.
SO THAT SONG WAS FRON THIS ALBUM
3-4
cool
Liked the first half but got pretty tired.
I get it, but I kinda don't get it
after the first few chords i was worried i was getting fast show jazz man 'nice!' stuff but luckily it went a different direction. i was really enjoying this funky ass shit until it went off on one at the end. well, Zappas gonna Zappa.
Ooooof I love rubbing hot rats on my bellend. It makes me feel powerful and sexy. My face is a little numb as I push a little bit of shit out if my hot bum bum. Jingle jangle.
Favourite song: Peaches en Regalia
Classic Zappa really. Some of it sounds great and some is a bit grating but overall fun to listen to. Probably more on the side of enjoyable and at least unpredictable if nothing else
The original nutcase. Interesting jazzy listen. Sot Peaches en Regalia Son of Mr Greens Genes The Gunbo Variations 3/5
This albums cool but I like it better when Frank’s singing cause I need bars
Instrumental jazz album with limited vocals. Zappa's a legend and a great musician, just not really a type of album that makes me want to listen over and over.
Très bien, mais inégal. J'aurais aimé qu'il chante.
некоторые прям захватили! надо расследовать Фрэнка Заппу и его 60+ альбомов
Groovy but not particularly grabbing.
I like the violins. I always like Frank Zappa songs when they’re playing, but I’m never interested enough to listen to them after the first time. Maybe it’s too instrumental for me.
Ooooookej, den rösten var ju intressant…. De instrumentala låtarna är bättre, men ibland lite långa.
Funky!
There's no doubt that Frank Zappa is a brilliant musician. The beats he creates are all head bobbing and hip swaying etc. However, his vocals are all 'comedic' in their weirdness. It's not what I like. I'm wondering if there is an album produced by Frank Zappa, but not performed by him. Even still, the songs on this album are way too long.
Now that's some jazz I can get into. Very experimental.
Better than I expected. I'm not a fan of Zappa; I think this album being mostly instrumental helped. Some of the sax was a little too obnoxious but otherwise it was a decent listen.
nope
I liked _bits_ of this. But then there was some stuff that veered a little too far into the free form jazz that I just can't be doing with. For most of the journey though it was a decent enough wander.
Surprisingly enjoyable.
I've been dabbling in Zappa lately so was excited to listen to this. Turns out not my favorite! Willie The Pimp is one I was already familiar w/ & is def my num one for the album. I despised The Gumbo Variations...minus 10 stars for that jam.
Devo avere più tempo… primo ascolto pesanti Mi dà un po’ sui nervi
Meh.
Psychedelic jam music. Early prog-rock. I like the fullness of the instruments; horns, guitars, synths.
Love a good instrumental but was not prepared for the sheer amount of saxophone
Love the instruments used in peaches en regalia Chaotic but in a good way!
Wasn't what I was expecting. Landed up enjoying it more than I thought. Put me into Bobby Brown Goes Down, which is now added to my favorites playlist Seems like an interesting bloke Classic name
Wild and inventive with some splendid passages.
Quite easy going, it'd make for good background music at times but that's about it.
I don't know this album and just got one listen in. Liked what I heard and will definitely give it a few more goes.
Nothing grabbed me
This album is kinda cool but I think I’m more a fan of Zappa’s other work. This is more jazz than expected and I did find myself skipping towards the end of The Gumbo Variations. Highlights: Peaches En Regalia
Nice and jazzy
I've always thought of Frank Zappa as basically absurd/silly. Which is sometimes fun, like a weird candy, but not a main dish. This was not absurd. This was good. Still playful at times, but not silly. 3 (good)
Like it a lot more than I expected. Would I put it on again? Unclear. 3/5
I need to start writing my reviews at night….. I remembered I liked it?
This album is technically marvelous and musically vibrant. Any given track features only a handful of performers, and yet each sound like a group the scale of an orchestra was involved. I really appreciate that the instrumentals were left to stand on their own.
Jazzy
Good background noise
Ambiance idéale pour se relaxer dans le sauna (chambre)
Started well, but the guitar solo's plus saxophone get boring fast
So Hot Rats has a big groove to it which goes down well, doesn't really drag all that much and is largely enjoyable. Doesn't scale great heights but it's definitely better than a lot of Zappa stuff by reputation anyway. Son Of Mr Green Genes a personal favourite on the way to 3/5.
I was not expecting to like this having read the description that 'because Hot Rats largely consists of instrumental jazz-influenced compositions with extensive soloing, the music sounds very different from earlier Zappa albums', but actually it's really quite good, isn't it? Suffers from the same issue as almost every instrumental album in that it goes on a little too long and gets repetitive in places, but the sound is great and it's a super background soundtrack to get some work done to. Loses it's way a little towards the end, but I think it gets a comfortable 3.
Kiinnostavahkoa jazziinkin menevää rockia
Sometimes I think that I might respect the music of Zappa more than I like it. Some of his music is outstanding, while some of his work doesn't do much for me at all. This is something of a middle of the road album for me. The first 2 tracks are pretty great but then I start gradually losing interest. I'll be blunt, I like the humorous Zappa best. Give me Sheik Yerbouti any day. This is fine but it's not quite what I want from the man.
Cool instrumental stuff. Frank Zappa is much more talented than I have him credit for
Oh, so it's just jazz? Way less obnoxious than I expected it to be
Amazingly as he has such an off-putting vibe, this is a good album.
Also not the biggest fun, but nice to have listened to.
Dense jazz fusion and a rock blues track. Has some great moments and love the groove on 'Little Umbrellas'. Nice to appreciate Zappa without having to ignore odd things said in silly voices. Not sure ever going to get repeat listens from me, but appreciated it.
Peaches En Regalia alone gets 5 stars...I'd go 3.5 and almost 4 on this album but I am not sure I would come back and listen again so holding in the 3 star range.
I mean, it's some good instrumentation, but it does feel incomplete to me without vocals. Guess I'm just too much of a pleb to get it.
Not what I was expecting, but post-Hendrix and maybe Miles jazz-rock instrumentals.
This is Jazz/Prog-Rock. Not bad by any means, but not really my style. 3/5
I remember the first time I heard Frank Zappa. I was shocked at how cogent it was, given what you always hear about the guy. The instrumentation, songs and arrangements on this record are really elaborate and beautiful at times. I like those moments. But then, there are songs like "Willie the Pimp" and I'm fine never hearing those again. Zappa was a collaborator with Captain Beefheart. I think he might sing on this record too. I recognize his voice. I prefer Captain Beefhearts records.
I always dismissed Zappa as being unnecessarily weird, but I actually kinda dug this album. It was definitely weird, but also had a New Orleans bluesy/jazzy thing that was actually unique and interesting.
05/23/2022 Kinda fun but also kinda boring and a little too weird.
I want to like it more but it just didn’t hit right for me. There’s a lot of cool ideas in it, and I think it’s “objectively” a better album than I’m rating it as.
I’d give it a 3.5 if a could my feelings towards this album are better than neutral but only marginally so
not really sure how to rate this so i’m giving it a 3, but it’s an album i could see myself coming back to after i learn more about jazz
C'est intense, beaucoup de guitare mais la musique est bonne. Un peu etourdissant vers la fin. 3
Agradable. Instrumental rockjazz fusionprogressive rock
There are moments when the stars align and the muses themselves come down to touch the lips and fingertips of artists they favor. This is one such album—or rather, the way “Willie the Pimp” and “The Gumbo Variations” go together. Willie is the only actual voice on this whole album, but “Gumbo” is him speaking in a different way—speaking with his feet as he walks his neighborhood, speaking with the back of his hand when he has to put his hos in line. I wish I hadn’t given my pimp costume to my friend. I had this amazing pimp costume I wore at Halloween. It was made of (fake) crushed velvet, lined with zebra-striped felt—and platform shoes to match. The ridiculous, wide-brimmed hat was lined in glittery gold ribbon. I’d wear it right now while listening to this album, the way Buscemi puts on lipstick and listens to “Telephone Line”.
I know of Zappa but I've never listened to an album before - I've heard a few songs of him with Steve Vai but that's it. Anyway... psychedelic jazz eh? It was surprisingly fun, at least for the first half. The first song was amazing. Sadly by about halfway it just seemed like extended freeform jams, and I lost interest. One song in particular went forever. Not bad overall, but I'd never listen to the entire thing again. But 3/5 for being a nice surprise at first.
Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it. Some great guitar work, but too jazzy for me. I want lyrics.
I always feel like I should like Frank Zappa, and then I always just think he's kinda okay when I listen to him. He's a skilled musician and composer, and he surrounds himself will great people, but I always feel like he's just a bit...much. 3/5
3.5/5
Frank Zappa mades a original and rich compositions. I never listenend to Zappa but I knew about him.
Not my cup of tea. No doubt it's brilliant playing and turned lots of hippie kids into jazz fans, but not my cup of tea.
I love Zappa's imagination, but I'm not quite sold on the quality of the recording, the inconsistent use of the electric violins, or the wide-ranging song lengths.
3.4 - solid and epic instrumental album, but my favorite track was probably the only one with vocals - Willie the Pimp
Awesome, had forgotten how good it was. Kids not so keen.
Bueno
Not my favourite Zappa but cool instrumental album.
Weird and cool.
Solid
I'd heard of the name Frank Zappa, but never any of his songs. It was an interesting - mostly instrumental - ride that has some great guitar solos with a pop of sax and surprisingly organs. Wouldn't mind some of these popping up on a playlist randomly. Best: Peaches En Regalia Worst: Willie The Pimp
objektiv gut, subjektiv null meins
Merkilega áheyrilegt, svona fyrir zappa :)
Ein ungewaschener Nixon Albtraum jammt sich ausm Rattenloch wie ein Entertainer auf Dope. Ziemlich gniedelig und gut. 3.4