Reviews (page 12 of 14)
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."
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.
"a movie for your ears"
Very cool
Better than expected.
It’s 1969 and the Mothers of Invention are dead, having given birth to Frank Zappa’s solar eclipse of an ego without knowing what to do afterwards. Now, the virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, satirist and beloved anti-establishment figure spreads himself all over the close of the decade, mashing himself up into extended, bluesy, psychedelic-leaning jams. “Hot Rats” is perhaps Zappa’s most famous record, as much a brush with the mainstream as he’d ever be willing to admit. It’s also the only record of his I’d heard before this project, so I’m going in with some much-needed familiarity. First off, “Peaches en Regalia” is an absolute triumph: dense and diverse, memorable and accomplished. It brings all the talents of Zappa as a guitarist and an arranger into sharp focus with a structured, rigorous composition, cycling through distinct hooks with endless panache. Some are on flute, some on guitar, with a glorious saxophone break: it all works brilliantly. It’s become one of Zappa’s signature tunes, and deservedly so. The jazz number “Little Umbrellas” is of a similar length and equally disciplined, with a sleepy double-bass giving way to languid saxophone, organ and flute solos. The rest is nowhere near as structured or embellished, hanging on improvised jams with a smaller core group. While it begins to border on indulgent and shapeless by the end (“It Must Be a Camel” is a little superfluous) the performances are accomplished and expressive enough to allow Zappa and co. to pull through. Captain Beefheart’s vocal feature, at the start of “Willie the Pimp” before he seemingly gets bored and goes for a joint, gives a wonderful gruff flavour, and listen out for the ratchet playing early in the jam section to drive this one home. “The Gumbo Variations” has such a strong attack in its opening riff, with excellent saxophone, violin and guitar solos, and fluid bass work, that I can’t harbour too much animosity towards its length. “Hot Rats” was described by Zappa as “a movie for your ears”. While its lack of lyrics is a shame, at least this allows Zappa’s guitar work (arguably his greatest asset) to take front and centre alongside an ensemble of very talented musicians. Mercifully, no lyrics also means no dodgy misogynistic overtones like those which muddy the waters of his other work. What we’re left with is a group of great musicians playing to their hearts content, and it’s difficult to argue too much with that.
i don’t love Zappa’s stuff when he’s singing but this album is mostly instrumental so i liked it a lot!!
I've tried, but no.
Interessant, dass er sogar auf den Aufnahmen improvisiert und immer anders spielt. Macht auch keiner mehr
I mean, he can play guitar? Cool.
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.
I should listen to more zappa - 4 stars
I've never listened to a Zappa album from start to finish. Let's see how I get on with Hot Rats.
perfekt att plugga till
Yes, it's groovy and one admires the unique vision and commitment to same. And yes in a more just world Zappa would've realized richer commercial rewards, but it's not hard to understand why he wasn't. This is sprawling and fun and certainly interesting (perhaps that's the dominant trait) but it's also sort of indulgent and abstract. And while vaguely jazzy (mostly in its free-forming), it's not jazz actually, so those of us who prefer jazz would not be fully compelled. "Gumbo Variations" is best of a pretty strong lot overall.
Wow never heard anything like it before
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.
The instrumentals are really amazing here. I love the guitar work and the electric fiddle in "The Gumbo Variations" is sweet. Zappa's voice sounds kind of scary sometimes, but he really does not sing enough for it to take away from the album.
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.
1/5 Ugh..... Uuuuuuuuuugh. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! 🤕
Too much "widdle widdle widdle" for me and not enough lyrics. The musicianship itself wasn't awful so not a straight 1 but this was not my thing, had songs that went on too long and kinda irritated me at times. Meh.
I used to have this CD
Ágætis progg. Ekkert óþolandi á þessari plötu, sem er mögulega fráhrindandi fyrir Zappa-fólk.
nothing that great 12 minute songs meh
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.
It's not my usual cup of tea at all, but I'll be damned if I say I didn't enjoy it, the long ass songs can drag and honestly, that's not bad. The skill on display goes crazy
an all time favorite of mine. The music is simply extraordinary.
My favorite Zappa album (tied with Apostrophe). We even get a Captain Beefheart appearance. 9.5/10
I really enjoyed this until I didn't. Small doses, I guess.
Liked it a lot more than I thought I would
Fun, weird, funky shit
Great jazz-rock, I played this album twice today.
SO THAT SONG WAS FRON THIS ALBUM
heat i love jazz
3-4
Never been a huge fan of other Zappa albums, but this jazz-fusion one was pretty damn good.
cool
Honestly, if I want to listen something without paying any attentions to lyrics, this is it. It's fun and rocks.
Liked the first half but got pretty tired.
I get it, but I kinda don't get it
- not really my jam. Fine. Just not for me. - FZ/HR was referenced in something I read and I cannot remember it and it’s driving me mental
Not my style
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.
Hot rats. Yes, please.
Favourite song: Peaches en Regalia
I appreciate it but isent quite my genre. The long bluesy songs isent my cup of tea
Pretty brilliant really. Nice stinky stonky music and no weird Zappa-risms/questionable lyrics.
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
- Only ever listened to Apostrophe before and it was years ago - Not a big fan of instrumental albums - Another one that I could imagine clicking for me at some point, but right now not for me - Fav songs: Willie the Pimp, It Must be a Camel
I wouldnt listen to it regularly but I liked this
Been thinking for years that Frank Zappa was a modern day rapper. Was surprised he wasn't, but not pleasantly.
Long instrumentals that don’t flat my boat. Second song is what I imagine Snellius has named his todger
The original nutcase. Interesting jazzy listen. Sot Peaches en Regalia Son of Mr Greens Genes The Gunbo Variations 3/5
So good
I'm on the fence about Frank Zappa. This album has lots of what I like and little of what I don't. The Gumbo Variations wander off a bit in places. 4.5
Love this Zappa album
This albums cool but I like it better when Frank’s singing cause I need bars
The prowess is so evident, it’s fun and funky but a bit ephemeral
Lots of boring guitar, only really functions as background music but isn't good at that
9/10
Weird, crazy, but very good. I found this album very enjoyable to listen to. Every song was great.
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.
A delicious rush
Really loving this one
некоторые прям захватили! надо расследовать Фрэнка Заппу и его 60+ альбомов
Incredible prog rock, very original and peculiar fusion of jazz and rock. Zappa is the genius
Very good
The very unappreciated Frank Zappa. I hardly heard any of his stuff growing up in the 70’s.
It's a rich brew
Just the right amount of psych.
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.
So this is Zappa? Huh. I guess I wasn’t expecting it to be so jazzy. There are moments on track 1, and the start of tracks 2 and 3, where the 'non-rock' instruments (violins, flutes etc) mesh just right and I really dig it. The rest of the time I found it veered too much towards either generic rock soloing or free form jazz, without finding an enjoyable balance. A quick Wikipedia tells me today would’ve been his birthday. Happy 82nd, Frank.
I tried to get into FZ in the past. None of his musical phases do it for me. I like jazz, I like rock, I like prog. I don't like Zappa. This is no different. The opener, Peaches is fine then it becomes so tiresome. An indulgent wankfest. Sorry. Its probably me. 2
Not this album
Ooooookej, den rösten var ju intressant…. De instrumentala låtarna är bättre, men ibland lite långa.
Funky!
I'm not an instrumentals guy, so it wasn't up to my speed.