Hot Rats

Frank crappa. Guitars good can take or leave the rest. Only song liked Willie the pimp. 3.5/10

Wonderful. I've tried to get into Zappa a few times but never enjoyed my way through a whole record. I did with this. Good to work to as well, surprisingly.

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.

5/5. Fantastic and excellent jams and instrumentals, each unique in their own way without getting jumbled together. Amazing solos on Gumbo and Willie, and honestly beautiful sounds coming from Peaches and Umbrellas. Overall, a glorious musical experience with new favorites every listen, something here for everyone, while sticking with that Frank Zappa sound.

ZAPPIN'

it was.......interesting

Awesome album listened to it twice in fact. Been a mainstay parking lot jam since 03'. The guitar solo in Son of Mr Green Gene's is Fire! Peaches is amazing. 2nd favorite Zappa era?

Good instrumental music, some very nice moments. Don't think I'll listen again though.

GOD DAMNNNN: This was such a pleasant surprise. I had heard of this album before but didn't think it would be so good. A jazz style rock album seems like it is made for me and thank the lord I found this. The chord progressions were creative and it just sounded like a pure boogie sesh.

I thought this was alright at the beginning but then it went full jazz

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

No

2.5/5 Not too into only instrumentals with lots of noiseeeee. Fav: Little Umbrellas

gostoso

Not my style

Really liked it. Reminded me of omar Rodriguez Lopez music a lot of times.

I give up. This is dogshit. Nearly all of these records are guitar bands from America. A tiny cross section of what's available. Ok, they might throw in the odd Zappa to show how wacky and irreverent the list is but it's just the same beef, different gravy.

fun and quality music but also forgettable. will need to try again

Divertido, sabroso, raro. Lo amo.

Was für ein Hippie Gedudel. Es tut jetzt auch nicht unbedingt weh, es ist aber auch einfach nicht geil. Aber immerhin weiß ich jetzt, was Frank Zappa für Musik gemacht hat.

Cool!

This is crazy! Might be the best Jazz-Fusion album of all time and definitely Zappa's best work. The guitar with it's jazzy chords and the beautiful arrangements make this a truely one of a kind experience. Like Peaches en Regalia is sooo good and Willie the Pimp is the only song with vocals and Zappa isn't even the one singing it's fucking Capitain Beefheart!!! I really don't get why a lot of people don't like this album on this site: It's perfect through & through! favourites: Peaches en Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Gumbo Variations & the rest too least faves: none... really none rating: light to decent 10

Much more accessible than expected. Just a fun and weird time, with strong 60s psychedelic and funky jazz vibes, like living in a bizarre spy movie. Some tracks are too long for their own good, but otherwise a very enjoyable time. I'm sorry for judging Zappa harshly prior to this. 04/11/23

I went into this not knowing what to expect. I did like the Green Genes song, but honestly the rest of it was just too random and noodley for me - there was one point in the Gumbo track I thought I was going to go insane.

Excellent. Crazy busy bass parts. Weird and jazzy but not crazy weird like some of Zappa's other stuff.

Dirty, raw instrumentals

Haven't given Zappa too much of a listen. Liked this. Very fun instrumental jams.

Instrumentaali

Loved the jazzy chords mixed in with rock elements like electric guitar and drums. I missed vocals somewhat, but it's also refreshing to listen to something designed without them, too. Very happy to have learned about this one.

Yup

Frank

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.

ehh too jazzy for me, first couple of songs were fun but it got too repetitive and way too long, not to say it’s bad but i cannot imagine a situation where i’d want to sit and listen to 12 minute long jazz instrumental songs, it at Least has to be rock or classical music xD

I keep forgetting about the connection between Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. This album reminded me - it sounds like some of Beefheart but with everything smoothed over, all the weirdness and discomfort replaced with technical musicianship. It's fine but I can't think of any reason to listen to it. Uncharitably rounding down to 2. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Not all of Zappas records are good, but this one is.

Frank Zappa seems like a guy where if you were spending a day with him you’d be saying a lot of, “Ha ha, ok, let’s settle down, Frank…” I like this one a lot.

Goeie vibe

Iconic. Influential.

I hope the other 1000 albums are better

Jazzy, improvisional sounding, jammy

Perfect encapsulation of the late 60's to early 70's. Wide ranging sound. Jam band. They rip!

Are the rats sexy? Sweaty? No. They love a really long solo. 7/10

Weird and funky

Album is wild and crazy. Sounds are all over the place and I find myself grooving along prettt often Loved track 3.

Jazz rock fusion is more enjoyable than I would have guessed. The whole album is a bit too chaotic for me. Track 2 was my favorite.

Frank Zappa was the master of whatever the hell it was he was doing.

"A movie for your ears."

Fun instrumental album

This is my first listen to Frank Zappa. The style of music surprised me. In the end, I came to appreciate how eclectic the songs are - part jazz, part blues, part prog-rock.

started well, declined, gave up, sorry mr zappa

ummmm i'm happy he was able to make the music he wanted!

experimental and groovy. frank's kids are named moon, dweezil, ahmet and diva. that all tracks after listening to this album.

i liked it better when i hallucinated there being no vocals 🫠 i was still vibing and grooving though

ummmmmmmmm. was willing to root for him with peaches and then immediately i wanted off this acid trip!!!!!!!

alright thanks mark

The kind of music they play in the weddings in my place.

One of those artists where I haven't known where to jump in and start listening to. Enjoyed this, perfect Sunday morning jams

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

Too weird.

Peaches in regalia is in my top 5, of best pieces of music, of all time.

Mid

was ok, but not really my taste

Weird and awesome. I loved it.

He's a really great and talented musician, i suppose. Still, that doesn't inspire me to spent time listening to this.

Insane guitar production, this is great!

Eh, funky but not my vibe.

It is very safe to say that I was not expecting to fall in love with a Frank Zappa record. However, that is the beauty of this exercise. All of these songs absolutely slap. It's a magnum opus of saxophone playing. They are completely grooving from the very start of the album. This is wonderful. Favorite tracks: Son of Mr. Green Genes, The Gumbo Variations

Fun and improv based

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

I've listened to some Zappa before. Don't Eat Snow Where the Huskies Go; seen 500 Hotels, etc. This may be quintissential Zappa and I like its flow more than what I've listened to in the past. The complete lack of lyrics doesn't hinder it, it heightens the musical audacity of each riff, each overlap of horns and other instruments. Great stuff.

ok didn't listen to all

Musically complex and impressive but possibly self-serving

Good listen, will listen to it again, nice vibes.

Better- and less weird- then I’d expected

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.

The number of times I reactively raised my eyebrows or made a stank face during these 6 songs spanning ~43 minutes was truly absurd.

Peaches in Regalia is my favorite Zappa song, but Zappa is kinda quantity over quality

Good shit. The whole album could be a movie soundtrack for one of them artsy movies where you’re watching and you don’t really know what’s going on but goddamn it’s good. Willie the Pimp isn’t my favorite.

Funky, not sure if I'd seek it out, but I wouldn't skip if it came on. idk.

Now I know why I have never actually listened to anything by Frank Zappa before, some interesting bits, but songs as whole were boring.

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.

Poor jazz psychedelic rock

I enjoyed this more than I expected. The musicianship and the overall quality of the album was a very pleasant surprise. There is so much music out there that I don't know if I'll really seek out any other Zappa music to listen to, but I can say I wouldn't avoid listening to it if I came across it.

i had a very good time listening to this, but my one issue with a lot of music comes again; i NEED lyrics. so, mr. zappa, i must knock "hot rats" down to a 4.

I didn't think I was much of a Zappa guy, but this is actually pretty great! Very jazzy, groovy stuff. A little weird, as was to be expected, but that's all part of the magic. I have no immediate urge to listen to the Mothers of Invention albums again, but I'd throw this one on again in a heartbeat. Maybe Zappa at his most accessible?

Rubbish

Like being in a crazy movie (no lyrics) enjoyable but scattered. Wouldn’t come back but would explore other albums. 3/5

nice little tunes

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

Вторият албум на Запа, който той казва, че трябва да е като филм за ушите на слушателите

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.

Immaculate fucking genius

I liked it. Really cool guitar riffs and stuff.

No really my style I’m use to but was entertaining.

Not exactly my style of music, but not altogether unlistenable either. Unlikely to ever come back to listen to it again, though.

I really liked Peaches En Regalia. The rest is fine.

Willie the pimp is great

I didn't enjoy this.

Jazzy, proggy, nonsense! Loved it!

What a trip. One thing Ive learned from this list is that Zappa is really good.

No thank you.

This was an awesome album and the description said he tried to make it like a movie track and I could feel that on multiple songs. These rats are indeed hot!

Nice, glad to finally get some Zappa on here! I know him to be a really odd dude, and my exposure to his work prior to today is Trout Mask Replica, a classic weird album that I'm sure will appear on here too. But this album isn't weird at all, it's just impressive rock. Lots of virtuoso instrumental performance, great riffs, not a hint of the weirdness that he's known for (aside from maybe the title). Hell, most of this album is purely instrumental! I'm genuinely impressed by this, and I'm saving four of the six songs which is huge. Well done Frank. Favorite tracks: Peaches en Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Son of Mr. Green Genes, The Gumbo Variations. Album art: Very, very cool art. A pinked-out picture of (I assume) Frank standing in a drained pool, looking like a monster. Setting and vibe reminds me of Black Sabbath's self-titled. The color is nice though, and the title borders are strong. "Hot Rats" is such a funny name for an album like this. 4.5/5

Old school creativity

Little Umbrellas was kind of cool, but not for me

Awesome improvisation, what a player wow

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

A tight album of fusion with a light humor touch on songs like Willie The Pimp. I have a mixed relationship with zappa much past this point but this one works.

This is really good! Definetly a 4 .5 which I will have to round up per my rules

I know Zappa is considered a genius but the it’s just not my style of music to listen to in any setting.

Jazzy Rock electric guitar. Quite cool

Yes! Et av mine favorittalbum, hører på dette regelmessig. Er så rart og kult og gøy og fint. Vet ikke om jeg har en favorittlåt, hører stort sett gjennom, men kanskje son of mr. Green genes.

Yep, it's Zappa. About how I remember him.

I like some of the earlier tracks on this album, but rambling free-form slightly-dissonant tracks like The Gumbo Variations and It Must Be A Camel just are not my jam.

Some tracks were excellent grooves, and some were horrendous horns.

Big fan of gumbo, although I am a sucker for some good jambalaya

Groovy rock blues fusion. Pretty enjoyable

Pretty good album. Only knock against it was when it went a little too experimental/improv for my taste, but otherwise a solid album that I’d listen to again.

Love it. Nostalgic. Every song too long yet I love it.

Anyone ever play with a rubber chicken? It sounds like Frank Zappa sure did.

I just don’t get him.

Zappa is a master at his craft and he shines on this album, especially Son of Mr. Green Genes. From the first note I was transported to a muddy field, with the scents of skunk and nag champa wafting to my nose while people dance with hula hoops and batons. As the album progresses he leans heavily on the jazz influences of jam music. Captain Beefheart brings the beginning down a little--I'm not a fan of his voice or style. But overall, a very excellent album.

Eh

A great jazz record that starts off really strong, but doesn't keep me interested throughout the entire thing. It was mostly pretty fast and complex, which I much prefer to more monotonous music, but there were times it got too busy without pulling itself back together for a while.

Funny, a little bit too long but very enjoyable

En osaa sanoa mitään. Jotain hauskoja juttuja. Suurimmaksi osaksi vain ihan jees funk-ilottelua. Ei sentään mene jammailuksi tai show-offiksi: siksi jees ja iloinen lopputulema. Mutta ei herätä tunteita

Menee yli hilseen, vai pitäisikö sanoa ali?

Actually quite an enjoyable psychedelic record

Lots of good moments but he doesn't know when to stop

One of his earlier jazzier albums. Not my favourite but still pretty good 3.5 but its Zappa so I gotta give it a 4

Classic album. Jazz fusion not to everyone's taste but it certainly grows on you

Interesting Rock Album

Charles Schulz once wrote in a Calvin and Hobbes introduction "Bill Watterson draws wonderful bedside tables. I admire that." His point, I think, was that detail matters. Anybody can draw a funny joke, but detail enhances our enjoyment of the experience, and it takes a trained hand to take it to another level. I think about that quote a lot in regards to Frank Zappa. Zappa is well known for not coloring with the lines of rock and roll, straddling disparate elements like avant-garde, jazz, and humor and bringing them into the medium. But I don't think he would have been able to stretch those limits without being skilled at the base medium. He's not someone I regularly play unprompted, but I'm always impressed when I do. Frank Zappa, metaphorically, draws wonderful bedside tables with these songs.

Fucking incredible. 5/5

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.

background music that you would get annoyed with

Too abstract

Unlistenable

Wasn’t digging the all over the place jazz

Funky jazz, really lived up to my expectations!

A bit of a fever dream with many things happening all at once. Focusing on each corner of the recording studio makes it easy to digest and enjoy the collection of talent, but trying to take it all in at once is an effort. All in all, a very melodic and fun neurotic album.

Mmmmmmm funky

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.

Just Zappa and friends wanking on their instruments for what averages out to over 7 minutes per track. Thankfully, it’s mostly instrumental.

Much more interesting than I expected

Pretty snazzy

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.

Frank was a musical savant. This was a good album. Musically just amazing.

I fucking love this album. 5 / 5 before I re-listen. Album opens with the jazzy instrumental Peaches En Regalia that ditters its way through three and a half minutes of pure bliss. Willie The Pimp takes a large chunk of the first side of the album with a super jammy song that references the album title internally. Vocals provided by Captain Beefheart do service over the more structured parts of the song; however, the majority of the song is just Zappa being Zappa and jamming his ass off alongside a groovy drum and bass accompaniment. I could listen to this song all day. Son Of Mr. Green Genes is apparently a rearrangement of a Mothers of Invention song. Pure instrumental on which Zappa once again does great service behind his fretwork. He's supported by strong instrumentals throughout. In particular the bass never lets things rest and propels the whole narrative. I'm a whore for some solid jazz fusion. Little Umbrellas is short and pretty jazz song that opens with a lugubrious bassline and is extended throughout by winds and keys. Relative to Willie The Pimp and Son of Mr. Green Genes, this feels like a very restrained and carefully put together song. This is the song you'd bring home to mom. The Gumbo Variations is the antithesis of the control from Little Umbrellas. On this sprawling jam number, Zappa opens with saxophone front and center blaring some beautiful noodling out of the gates over a drum beat that gets your head nodding. Bottom drops out a bit around the 2:40 mark to a smooth bass progression, but the sax work doesn't halt until the 4 minute mark when electric violin takes over the solo improvisation. This section in particular reminds me of Mahavishnu Orchestra's The Inner Mounting Flame (amazing album FYI) in tone and execution; amazing that this precedes it by two full years. Drum fills in the background are highly serviceable -- so much groove you could cut it with a knife. Zappa takes the reigns around the 9 minute mark for a bit before handing back to the electric violin to burn the house down. The album closes out with It Must Be A Camel; another jazz-infused song. This song follows a more structured format led primarily by horns and a bass progression, but gives way through the mid-section to some brief exploration. Zappa was an alien; I submit this album as proof.

This album was cruising to a 5 star rating with stand outs of Peaches En Regalia and Son of Mr. Green Genes. I really liked the variation in each song, and how each song was an absolute jam. The back half of Gumbo and the entirety of Camel were just a little too loose for my liking. Don't get me wrong; I still liked those songs, but they just weren't good enough to give it a 5 star. 4.49 stars for this album.

What a mad start with the first 2 songs. Then goes into an album jam session with Mr. green Genes. Then that jam session never really ended he just added a bunch more instruments. Zappa seems like a crazy guy which is awesome. But I am not surprised that he named his daughter MoonUnit

This album fuckin rules. I had only listened to Apostrophe by Zappa before this but this solidified that I need to listen to more. So much happening that it's hard to put into words even. Would go 4.5 but I'm rounding up because of the experimentation of this all.

So ahead of his time. Wille the Pimp and The Gumbo Variations are jams

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

Basically a 45 minute guitar solo. Something to have lulling in the background.

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.

4/5. Every song was a fun journey except for the last one. I was expecting to hear lots of Zappa’s voice whom I am not a fan of, but loved that maybe 2 minutes of the entire album involved singing. The rest of the album included all jam songs, mixing in trumpet and saxophone elements.

Why did no one tell me how cool Frank Zappa was ???? Best track: Peaches En Regalia

meh

The gumbo variations is on of my all time favorite songs and captain beef heart on willie the pimp is awesome. However this is not my favorite Zappa album. Weasels ripped my flesh is to me a better album. Either way any Zappa album is worth a listen

Hot meat, hot rats Hot cats, hot grits Hot roots, hoy shoots Bass and drums really rock throughout the entire album

I’ve never listened to Zappa before because I just assumed I wouldn’t like his music. The album was not really in my wheelhouse but I’m glad I’ve heard it. Much different than I thought it would be. I liked the horns and although I’m not a jazz fan, I liked some of the jazzy riffs. The coarseness of the vocals on Willie the Pimp are perfect for the song.

Heard before: yes My tolerance and downright interest in improvisational wanking has sky rocketed in the last year or so, so a re-appraisal of 70s rock/jazz fusion is due. And this one delivers. Incredible to read about the process of overdubbing and live improv on this one (only Ian Anderson on all horns!) - it all feels so loose and purposeful. I expect a level of total control from Frank in the studio, but it sounds so organic here. Top tracks: Peaches en Regalia, The Gumbo Variations, Little Umbrellas

I was and I am still not a Frank Zappa fan, especially the jazz-fusion style of this predominantly instrumental album, as exemplified by the track "Peaches en Regalia" which is familiar from various compilation albums. The only non-instrumental is "Willie the Pimp" and features vocals by Captain Beefheart. Some tracks, especially "The Gumbo Variations", reminded me of the album "Between Nothingness & Eternity" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Jazz fusion. Fast paced. Impressive musicianship. Opener "Peaches En Regalia" is the standout.

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

I forced myself to do it but it's such a cacophany. Zappa was a genius, but it's rare when I have a taste for it.

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.

Chaotic instrumental rock/jazz fusion is not my thing.

Goes off the rails the last couple tracks.

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.

no em gusta Zappa

First time i have really listened to Frank Zappa, and i must say, pretty decent stuff.

Whoa, Hot RATS! Before now, I’d only ever listened to Freak Out! by The Mothers Of Invention (prompted by this here generator) and found it interesting enough, albeit slightly gimmicky. Hot Rats is legitimately unique, entertaining and straight up GOOD as an album. Didn’t think I’d enjoy this as much as I did. I now won’t be dreading anything else by Zappa!

Frank Zappa is without a doubt a genius in music but I can't get into most of his music. This here is one example. The tracks sound like giant jam sessions with some horn arrangements on time - which can be great. But I think I just got lots of other experience with that already by listening to many prog rock albums. Hence I can't rate it this one that high.

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."

Te veel instrumentaal Zappa

Honestly kind of irritating to listen to a whole album of this.

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.

Hot Rats is an incredibly innovative album in the jazz fusion world. Zappa and his mates have crafted a fun filled, action packed, beautifully orchestrated album with influence that cannot be overstated. I believe, in almost all cases, tracks over ten minutes could most likely be shortened. However, if we’re dealing with jazz. If it’s jazz in which we are dealing with. Jazz being the if in which we deal, then I don’t mind it. I never felt bored while listening. I’ll listen again as I’ve enjoyed it before. 5/5

Really solid jazzy record. Peaches in Regalia is a certified banger.

it's                   shit

At times it felt like it just sounded like a band warming up before a concert. Not sure how I felt about this one.

Hey lets jam for 45 minutes make up some silly names and call it an album.I liked Willie the Pimp. Good jam

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.

The Gumbo Variations is one of the best songs ever.

It's okay. Not horrible, but not awesome. I'd listen again if someone wanted to though

really fun and weird

Kind of infuriating. Won’t be returning to Frank in a hurry.

Zappa's masterpiece

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

Interesting but not likely to seek it out again.

Some sublime moments between some baffling ones. I liked it a ton

i didn't like the only instrumental songs, but the rest were great

I’ve only heard of Zappa from an old Saturday night live episode and people on Reddit who can’t stop talking about him. This is weird stuff like if someone gave an angry Cole’s up person a saxophone.

Great progressive/jam rock album with some string jazz influences. All the songs especially the longer ones have a similar structure where a riff or idea is established, followed by an extended instrumental sequence, and then the intro riff again. It works great and despite the length of the songs it never lost my attention. I especially liked Willie the Pimp.

Outlandish in theory and in practice.

Had no idea what to expect but loved it. Weird and full and interesting

Pretty jam-band feel throughout most of this. Just a nice little groovy ditty

7.5/10

Considering the amount of involuntary Zappa I’m subjected to living with Craig, I was surprised how much I really liked this album. Pretty incredible composition.

Weird good 3/5

First Zappa album for me. Loved all the different instruments used. Very eclectic.

this unironically annoyed me so much 1 and a half stars

Good background music, if often high-pitched and cloting

Frank Zappa is kind of funky. I like.

My brother’s favorite. But at my age I can openly admit that really am not into Zappa. Or my brother, for that matter…

Prog masterpiece and frank zappas best work

Not perfect (some of the longer songs felt like they dragged a bit too long), but I adore so much of what Zappa accomplishes here that it basically doesn’t matter! Strange without being alienating, unconventional yet intensely catchy—this was great! (Favorite Tracks: Peaches zen Regalia, Son of Mr. Green Genes, Little Umbrellas, The Gumbo Variations)

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.

I really liked this. It was far less wacky than I expected. I'm a fan of acid jazz, so this is good listening. Adding this to my "chill" playlist.

Just lots of jazzy sort of dischordant jams. Had its moments.

I had heard of Frank Zappa, he was well before my time, but I would have heard older people talk about his music highly. For me, I just don't get whatever the sound or genre he tried to achieve. I did like the horns on many of the tracks, but the tracks were mostly lengthy and wandered aimlessly for what felt like an eternity, and to be honest, sounded more like a group of musicians having a jamming session, taking turns to bounce off each other as the lead in an impromptu arrangement. Although elements of this album are tolerable it wouldn't be something I'd choose to listen to.

Ok background music

The second song, Willie The Pimp, had some excellent guitar. I’m not sure if Frank Zappa is the architect behind that great guitar ballad, but I do know he has a child named Moon Unit.

Zappa is one of the GOATs. This album is much more palatable than a lot of his stuff which is nice for when you just want to vibe, compared to his headier material. I'm also always into albums that push recording technology and techniques forward, like this one did with its use of 16 track recording.

I like it. There's so much going on. Favorite song: son of mr. green genes.

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.

Mostly instrumental, very jammy

Simply superb

Yeah still not a fan of music with no lyrics. It wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t listen again.

Awesome, loved it!

Really felt like high quality smooth listenings. Great sound. I’ll be revisiting for SURE. My grandfather would have loved this (he probably did)

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.

It was some nice jazz. I was expecting a little more vocals just because it’s Frank Zappa. 7.5/10

Great album, possibly Frank Zappa's best. Certainly it's his most cohesive, stylistically coherent work. It's a rich, groovy, jazz-soaked sound, with strong musicianship and less of Zappa's tendency to lean into the silly/absurd. I think having the bulk of the album be instrumental allows Zappa to express his irreverence musically instead of through lyrics, which really works. That said, the one song with vocals ("Willie the Pimp") is probably the best of the whole album. Overall, a twisted adventure that also happens to rock. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Willie the Pimp, Peaches en Regalia, Son of Mr. Green Genes, It Must Be a Camel, The Gumbo Variations, Little Umbrellas

Just not into it.

-so far…….very interesting -sounds are funky but i do prefer lyrics in my song -peaches en regalia sounds like video game music and that is a compliment -favorites: willie the pimp -only like willie the pimp because theres Some words and the guitar is fun to listen to -i really like sounds! but i don’t like just 8 minutes of sounds with no lyrics -its the reason i don’t love classical music -son of mr green genes is kinda cool tho

Fun music

I’m not a Zappa fan so let’s see how this goes…honestly pretty groovy

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.

I never know what to expect from Zappa. But I liked this. Superb guitar playing. Can totally hear how this inspired the likes of Steve Vai and John McLaughlin. Also hear some King Crimson vibes. Solid album.

Nice jamming. I enjoyed it.

Considering I hated the Mothers of Invention, this was a huge surprise. Virtuistic, clever, groovy, complex.

Edgy and uneven but lays the groundwork for an influential and varied career.

This would get a perfect rating for me a few years ago. Revisiting it, however, i feel like just a bit of it's initial magic is lost on me, even though i still think it's an amazing record.

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?

Frank Zappa is one of those artists who for whatever reason intimidates me. This was my first real experience with his music and it was a good one. He is an excellent guitarist and this is a great album to put on in the background and vibe to.

Wow a Zappa album I can get behind. The Gumb Variations gets a little played out towards the end but sure.

i can see how king gizz might’ve been influenced by him groovy as hell jazz on the last track? perfection

This album is insane. He had a couple of albums like this one where he left his potty mouth behind and just played the crap out of his guitar. His guitar playing is top shelf and the way he fuses with jazz is extraordinary. Zappa plays his best, imo, on Willie the Pimp which is the only song that had lyrics. Leave it to Zappa. I saw that his son Dweezil was touring playing this album but it was either Covided or I never got a chance to get tickets.

In 1969 this would have been pushing the envelope, with the combo of rock, jazz & proto-prog. There’s some crazy guitar playing and Underwood fills out the sound nicely with keyboards and sax. They create such a big sound for (mostly) just the two of them – it’s easy to see why a lot of musicians & technicians of have praised it. Peaches & Regalia is a great start, the theme sounds worthy of a British 70’s spy series. Along with Little Umbrella they sound like they could be Weather Report songs. The others can go overboard at times: the 7-minute guitar solo in Son of Mr. Green Greens; the grating sax solo in the Gumbo Variations. I guess if you’re going to have only one song with vocals, Captain Beefheart is your man!

Given that Zappa has released over 60 studio albums, not all are essential, but Hot rats is one of his best works. Peaches en regalia has always been one of my favourite Zappa songs, and because it’s instrumental it doesn’t have any of his sophomoric humour and it shows how good a writer and musician he is. The rest of the album is also very tight

Bueno tampoco me gustó. Es demasiaaado vanguardista, no entendes bien que estas escuchando. Igualmente el chabon tiene calidad.

Not always "good", but always interesting...

Far better than expected.

Totally different from anything else he did. Frank does jazz.

Weird and amazing.

I bought a copy of this album a few years ago purely based on reputation. I was not disappointed. Incredibly fun prog / jazz / fusion jams. 4.5

meh

Zappa time

Zappa is one of those people I feel like I should be a bigger fan of but never full clicks with me. I never "want" to listen to more. I listened to this. It was great! Like... really good! And yet my first instinct after the album was over was to go listen to Gordon Lightfoot (rip), and not more Zappa. I am waffling between 3 and 4 here. I think my brain says 3, since it didn't connect with me that much, but my heart is saying 4 because I know it's great and I think the fault lies within my stars.

Groso. Histérico. Guitarra a foul

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.

Frank Zappa is really cool but I always find myself liking the prog elements in his music rather than the basic building blocks of the songs. He never blows me away with harmony+melody. I think that's why I appreciate bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys, because at the foundation of their music the melody and harmony are so great on their own. "Peaches en Regalia" is a good example of what I'm talking about - the melody is pretty straightforward and forgettable. There's banjos and synths and fun roto drum toms and maybe even a shamisen i hear? That's cool. It's kind of like looking at a complex painting and only being intrigued by the colors of the paint though. "Willie The Pimp" had a cool intro- I like the vocal parts but then it pretty quickly goes into a straightforward 1970's ish classic rock jam. "Son of Mr. Green Genes" is more of a classic rock jam. "Little Umbrellas" is nice, I like the dissonant harmony on the woodwind instrument in the start. This is great! Something different and intriguing that isn't tied to a difference in timbre/instrument voice/another layer. I might be a little biased at the moment because I've been writing a lot of videogame music and a key concept in the kind of music I write focuses on having fewer instruments doing more interesting things, rather than having the interesting things extrapolated onto MORE instruments. I think hearing this live would be an ideal experience. It's another album that confirms that I'm not really a fan.

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!

added to my favorites

ZAPPA! One of the greatest and most prolific musicians in the past century. And that’s no hyperbolic boast, either. Zappa’s discography is about as wide as his range: all of his records riddled with “mad scientist-esque” musical experimentation. Though his songwriting may be marred by a middle-schooler’s sense of scatological humour, his virtuosity on the guitar and studio experimentation remain unmatched. Some albums may be complete misses (Avoid “Thing Fish” for the love of god), but some are complete hits, like “Hot Rats”. “Hot Rats” remains one of Zappa’s greatest records, as a jazz-rock fusion record that can’t be squarely placed in either Jazz or Rock. Zappa weaves together odd chord structures with rock instrumentation, but also includes jazz instruments like the saxophone, the upright bass, and associates. “Hot Rats” has jazz-like improvisation over the songs, illustrated in songs like “The Gumbo Variations”, with a spicy guitar solo from Zappa. Other songs have even become jazz standards, like “Peaches en Regalia”. All in all, whether this is Zappa’s best solo album is not up to debate, though people often disagree on whether it’s because of the musicianship or because only one track has lyrics (from guest vocalist Captain Beefheart). Don’t miss out on this gem. Standout Songs: “Peaches en Regalia” “Little Umbrellas” “The Gumbo Variations”

Love this album, another relatively recent find for me. I've been aware of Frank Zappa for a long time, but mainly only knew him for Bobby Brown and thought he was a bit of a novelty act. However, just before Halloween of last year, while driving out to a haunted house type experience, my partner randomly put this on in the car, because we had both heard it was a great album. It was suitably horrific for the night that was in it, and has been on fairly regular rotation for me ever since. Peaches En Regalia is a great opening, then Willie the Pimp follows it up in a fairly unsettling, but enjoyable, way. One of the best album covers I've seen in relation to the music also; what appears to me to be a clown who's taken too many drugs, attempting to hide in an empty swimming pool. Not sure how accurate that is, it's just what I see. Fits the music perfectly.

I'd heard of Frank Zappa but was not familiar with his work. The whole album sounded like generic 70's background music.

Jazzy cooooooooool 3.5/5

This was not what I expected, but in a good way.

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

More great Zappa! Being a mostly instrumental affair, this one is perfect for people who can't handle the wit or can't stand the zaniness. Fantastic compositions that welcome many listens.

Goat testicles

Hot Rats is not Zappa's best, but it is close. In terms of its contemporaries, no one was doing what Zappa was doing. His music was meant to be taken seriously, but it is infused with a uniquely irreverent sense of humor that is detectable even in the instrumental tracks that make up the bulk of this album. The musicianship is unmatched; Frank Zappa gets the most credit as a band leader, but his guitar playing is phenomenal. Furthermore, this jazz-rock fusion is reflective of a genre shift; as far as fusion goes, Zappa didn't invent it, but his version is probably the most palatable to the average listener.

нормально, делал под всемирную историю, все хорошо шло

Interesting

My dad showed my Zappa and the mothers of invention when I was a teenager, so I was expecting this to be way weirder. I was pleasantly surprised! Yeah some go too long, but others like peaches and umbrellas are really nice!

Geen superfan van Zappa, behalve sommige nummertjes

Tja dit is echt zoiets dat ik gaaf wil vinden, maar ik vind het gewoon helemaal niks. Heb mn best gedaan, maar toch voornamelijk door het album geskipt.

Frank Zappa voor de goat discussie. Dit is wel z’n meest toegankelijke album, en ook mijn favoriete. 5 sterren!

Yeah this kicks ass, holy hell. The production on this is INSANE for 1969. Every song has it's own style and they don't waste your time at all. It's constantly fast paced and introducing new instruments and elements. Dude recorded a 40 minute album and sung 2 lines like a muppet. Willie the pimp is probably the best song though, it just reminds me so much of Primus and there's no way Les wasn't inspired by this to make his own music. I could be really picky and try to find flaws but there's very very few. Groundbreaking music Score: 100 Art: 80

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

4.0

idk yet

J'ai beaucoup aimé cet album qui me semble particulier, seul dans son genre. J'avais l'impression d'écouter une personne qui expérimente, joue pour elle-même, sans tenter de plaire aux autres

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.