Hot Rats

Ponderous

Never heard this before, and never heard Zappa instrumentals. Groovy, man.

I never invested too much in Zappa for no reason at all - he was always on my "must explore" list. Glad the 1001 list is forcing me to listen to his albums and this is my favourite one so far. What a stunner! Solid basis by a great rhythm section with of course amazing guitar (and sax) "solos" (can a solo entail an entire song?) Great jazzy psychedelic rock, I love it, a big fat five.

Good jams across the album, would have been a 5 but those last few minutes of The Gumbo Variations became a bit of a slog. Excited for more Zappa!

Zatiaľ príliš veľa rôznych , zvláštnych zvukov. Neviem sa s tým stotožniť, asi nie môj štýl. The gumbo variations práve zabili moje uši. Ak to má byť hudobný film tak iba ak som sfetovaná v púšti a je to horor. Kritik zo mňa nebude 😔 Pardon nepáčilo sa mi to, príliš goofy na mňa

Incredible psychedelic side 1, track 2 in particular a banger, slightly less keen on side 2 but overall really liked this

I’ve never listened to a full Frank Zappa album before. He’s obviously a genius, and obviously insane — in a positive and influential way. This has more jamming than I’m into these days, but it’s really very good jamming. I’ll give it a 4.

Ziemlich psychedelisch

It’s fun and energetic. I just don’t see myself returning to this album.

How have I never heard this? Incredible guitar work- gambino variations is CRIMINALLY good

Fantastic progressive rock album from one the greatest guitarist and composers in rock.

Could not care less about this guy in 2026.

lovely guitar riffs, but I prefer songs with lyrics, some songs are soo long to not have some lyrics, melody is amazing tho

Es una banda, tiene muchos sonidos. Voy a necesitar escucharlo muchas veces para poder identificar todas las cosas que están sonando. Es para escuchar dedicandose a eso, no para poner de fondo haciendo otra cosa.

Good album

what an eclectic mix of sounds and beats. i don't know what i expected from this but it definitely wasn't this. i feel like i'm at a psychedelic carnival surrounded by all sorts of different people and sounds.

I found this instrumental album to be hard to listen to with the horns playing the same thing over and over

I’m familiar with some Zappa stuff. Never listened to Hot Rats before. Really enjoyed it!

Musically brilliant and there's so much more to come - collaboration with Captain Beefheart, 200 Motels, Flo and Eddy, the Mothers, the satirical writing worthy of Swift - this isn't my favorite Zappa, but it's still a five.

Review: 4 Instrumentals crazy good, never get boring, he knows when to switch it up even when the songs it 7 minutes long. Sadly, his voice leaves isn't very nice and doesn't suit the songs but, he can make some good instrumentals. Nice mix of Jazz and Rock elements. Son of Mr. Green Genes was a really good the ending was perfect, very theatrical. The Gumbo Variations was a spectacle as well, his use of different instruments and making them mesh so well is highly impressive. Final Thoughts: This guy's knowledge about Jazz knows no bounds. The solos and everything about the jazz/rock instrumentals were phenomenal. I wasn't expecting this from the album cover. Also, Frank Zappa you're not a vocalist no more lyrics outta you please. Although the album was good i personally won't be listening to it hardly ever tbh. It was a good experience nonetheless. I wish the songs were shorter.

This album was really cool to listen to. It was something new for me since most of the tracks are instrumental, with very little lyrics. Even without focusing on words, the music itself was fun. It was groovy and enjoyable all throughout. Definitely a fun listen.

4/10 good album , good sounds but I don’t see myself going back to his album. Added 0 songs from this album to my library

I am not sure what I expected. But I liked what I got.

Good, just wants my cup of tea!

gnarly

Last two tracks were so good, but the rest were whatever.

His second album. Psychedelic Rock. Willie The Pimp is a really nice jam as is Son Of Mr. Green Gene's. From there it loses it's vibe a little for me. I do like Zappa, I love Freakout, Mother's Of Invention. This album is good though.

I was really surprised and liked this quite a bit. Almost 5 stars

мой

Good stuff. Haven't heard a lot of Zappa but I enjoyed this.

I owned his album Zoot Allures and enjoyed that one. I liked this better. I have already listened to it a second time.

*listened before the project* Crazy in many ways, and it’s one of my favorite albums of this year

I’m no expert, but I found that the songs seemed kind of all over the place… maybe it’s just not my style.

Zappa is not for everybody

Not half bad if not for all the squeaky jazz sax that sounds like a distressed antelope.

Not one I particularly enjoyed. I can understand that in the late 60’s this would have been quite groundbreaking. I have a hit and miss relationship with Zappa’s music.

Initially loved this, but as the album wore on either it became more chaotic, or the novelty wore off, either way unlikely to cpme back for repeat visits

bit weird but the whimsical cool kid kind of weird

The whole of side 1 is great. Just the right amount of indulgence and weirdness, but it really grooves. Side 2 is alright, but the Gumbo Variations starts to drag a bit and It Must Be A Camel veers a bit far into "two time signatures playing at the same time" weirdness for me. I think maybe I need more Zappa in my life.

Absolutely stupendous album start to finish

Zappa’s long meandering jams were never my thing really. Respect to to musicianship though. This grew on me toward the end when I paid less attention and had it on in the background doing chores. I don’t thank Zappa respects his audience.

The list gave me a beautiful Christmas gift by letting me listen to one of my favorite albums. If you’re only gonna have 2 Zappa albums on this list Hot Rats had to be one.

Ooh is this all instruments? Nvm. Only 6 tracks but 40 minutes that's kinda crazy. Okay his voice is annoying. But it's okay it sounds like it is mainly instrumentals. This is vibey. Is this what they play at an american diner? Instruments yum. That was fun.

so funky sounding, so cool. definitely one I'll throw on when studying from now on

Good casual listening in a fun zany way. Frank zappa is always a fun listen. Chaotic yet fun! Zappa is a madman

Rock & Roll jam band

Funky, jazz feel. Very entertaining

Really liked this album, much more than I expected. Such a cool blend of jazz, funk, and rock. It definitely started to blend together at the end a bit, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Top Songs: Peaches En Regalia, Willie The Pimp

Overall Rating - 3.91/5 (7.83/10). This is about what I expected when Frank and The Mothers came up on my feed.

It's pretty much a jam session, mix of psychedelic, blues, jazz and more, really good listen. Much more accessible than some of his other stuff.

It’s fine, but I’m personally not int jam bands

Damn the rats really are hot in this one

The Gumbo Variations realmente fica cansativa depois de um tempo. Meu primeiro Zappa, mais de década atrás, e muito bom, mas talvez não seja nem top 5 da carreira dele.

Jamming! No lyrics after the first song ? Interesting how polarizing the reviews of this record are! I am enjoying it, i feel like it is one of those that in the right time and place to listen it is awesome. While working, doing stuff around the hours, having on as background is great! I appreciate the artistic expression and its the type of band i would love to see live.

proper raamatulugemise taustakas… hea tempo, pole liiga vali aga pole liiga vaikne/“igav”

meet me at the toilet bowl and don’t be late!

3.7 2x really enjoyed the heavy instrumental-esque style album

After some time has passed, I can confidently say this album is a gem. The instrumentation is sufficiently heavy when it needs to be, always colorful, and knows when to take a step back. The pacing is perfect on this record. You have sprawling fusions of jazz, rock, and blues that span 10+ minutes followed by smooth pieces of jazz. I could listen to The Gumbo Variations and never get bored. It’s a wholly complete experience that operates almost as a soundtrack. It doesn’t need vocals (except track 2) because it’s beyond expressive.

"Omg look at me, I'm like soo random!"

Not really my thing, but it was okay

While never an all-time favorite of mine, this is a go-to party album for me. I love the ride and take it whenever I can.

While I can appreciate it, I just wasn’t that into it.

Awesome and groovy, great for chores and chilling

If this is Frank Zappa, what does Evasive Zappa sound like, am I right!?! But really, I have a lot of respect for Frank Zappa and his general philosophy on life and music, even if “jam band” music isn’t my thing. I’ve watched a lot of interviews of Frank over the years and he’s always struck me as the kinda guy who is very intelligent but got mediocre grades as a kid because he was chronically under stimulated and didn’t apply himself (and also just hates authority). Jam Band music like Frank’s is a great place to go for lessons on improvisation and how to craft a solo… but for the life of me I can’t understand why people listen to it purely for fun, especially without drugs; do y’all read textbooks before bed too? This album is very guitar-centric, but I do want to highlight some fun instrument spotlights that stood out to me, like the clarinet parts on “Peaches En Regalia” or the glockenspiel (maybe it’s just a keyboard that sounds like a glockenspiel?) on “It Must Be A Camel”. Both feel like underutilized solo instruments and I enjoy the change of pace. This was a fun listen and a wild way to start a Tuesday. I should have played it at 4am to see what kind of dreams it would have evoked. Maybe another day. “Peaches En Regalia” “Little Umbrellas” “It Must Be A Camel”

I dont think I'm cool enough for Frank Zappa's music

good music but it's ultimately not for me

ful instrumental album, deluje kao neki film (promene u ritmu, instrumentima, atmosferi), nisam siguran da li sam ga dobro skapirao, ali je bas zanimljiv projekat, i stvara zanimljiv vajb mogu da zamislim film bez zvuka sa samo ovim albumom iza

mmm not my favorite at the moment but i can imagine liking it at a different time

4.0 - Very Good

One of FZ’s best, and deservedly on this list. Easiest 5 so far. This was the first Zappa album I heard. Perhaps the best introduction to his work, and there are several directions to take from here which could determine the outcome for the listener drastically. Oddly, I unknowingly bypassed a lot of his more accessible early-mid 70’s work until much later. Hot Rats is colossal. It’s uplifting, intricate and unique. Still as exciting to me as it was when I first heard it.

2.5 stars Really, this isn’t for me. I enjoyed some bits of it- I don’t mind the whole jazzy prog thing. But it’s a little much and not enjoyable as a whole. Just not really for me.

solid

5.7/10

Do I like this? Do I hate this? I really don’t know. It doesn’t annoy me enough to be rated 1, I don’t love it enough to make it a 5. Everything else in between is an option though. Ummm…..3 bags of popcorn, two sodas.

Really really dug this.

Woah. This is right up my alley. Rock with the backbone of jazz? Jazz that rocks? Hoooooooly Toledo. Obviously I've always known the name Frank Zappa, but little did I know that this guy would probably make for my perfect next musical obsession. This is very, very, very cool. Intelligent, diverse, and solid all around. Looks like I have a lot more listening to do.

At least it doesn't have much Frank Zappa talking or singing. I'm not a very technical music appreciator so maybe there's a deeper layer to enjoy but this comes off as just a band in a really narrow groove pocket for 40 minutes. I guess with Zappa there's really just no pleasing me because at least this doesn't have kazoos or the default Zappa note flurries. But then this album doesn't do anything strange or forward-looking at all and then just kind of sounds like a bunch of other stuff happening at the time and it wears out its welcome especially in 'The Gumbo Variations'. Once we get to 'It Must Be A Camel' it has at least some interesting parts but that's all the way at the end. I'm not a Zappa hater, I think Apostrophe needs to be heard by everyone. Inca Roads with Ruth Underwood is fantastic. Muffin Man at the Palladium Halloween '77 needs to be heard by everyone and I will forever advocate for that.

Two stars for the music, bonus star for the album name.

Maybe if I was on the right psychedelics… but that’s a strong “maybe”.

Masterpiece

fave song: son of mr green genes really enjoy the opening song as well. songs like willie the pimp and the gumbo variations felt too intense without any feeling of resolution. it was just endless noisy soloing. normally i don’t mind it but i need to have regular brain breaks where something more melodic happens. overall, i loved a lot of this album. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Before its time

I would listen to this as background music but its not really my thing. I can see why people in the 60s would love this though

Hot Rats! Riotous funk-jazz weirdness; the only Frank Zappa record I still listen to regularly. "Peaches en Regalia" started running through my head the minute I saw this cover this morning. I love that the only vocals on this record are by Captain Beefheart. Best track: The Gumbo Variations, which should have been twice as long If I heard this in a coffee shop I'd stick around to hear the whole thing unless I'd just played it myself recently; there's a limited amount of Zappa that I can do these days. Five stars

This is an extremely 1969 sounding album. I didn't mind that this was mainly instrumental. I'm glad Captain Beefheart's role on this album was brief lol. I liked the first half of the album, but the second half got kind of weird and atonal.

So fucking good! I'm definitely buying this one❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 5/5

Peaches en Regalia - 5/5 Willie the Pimp - 5/5 Son of Mr. Green Genes - 5/5 Little Umbrellas - 3/5 The Gumbo Variations - 5/5 It Must Be a Camel - 4/5 Average score: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jazzy instrumentals and solos

Hmmm

The instrumentals were cool but I really didn't like the vocals. I don't see myself revisiting this one.

Whhaaaaaaaa!!!! I heard he was good but this is so good.

I honestly dont know how to feel about this.

Perfect blend of rock and jazz. Frank Zappa's best in my opinion. Favorite track: Peaches En Regalia

Very experimental, but not unlistenable. Moderate enjoyment in listening to this. I keep hearing phrases and refrains from other, later works which this might have influenced.

Instrumental albums are not my thing. However, this was "decent". Also, rock is not necessarily my style, so this probably is much better than I'm making it seem. It's a 2.5 star for me.

Complex, technical, energetic may be the best album he did. Wish Zappa would have focused on quality and not quantity. Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon is a book everyone who's a fan of 60's music should read or listen to

This is another album where you have to respect the innovation for the time it was created and acknowledge how groundbreaking it must have been etc. But if you just listen to it without qualifiers its not terrific. Might be interesting to listen to on drugs but not something I would seek out to listen to again. Best song: Peaches En Regalia (i guess?)

okay frank! fuck 'em up! half sick video game music, half extremely obnoxious saxophone that made me almost skip "The Gumbo Variations"

Go! Frank! Go out and Zappa to the extreme! Solid jazz fusion album- the 2018 Youtube algorithm has kept me on Casiopea, but I am happy to have this album in the rotation now.

This album feels like it’s from the future. It’s got range and attitude. I had a review written and saved but somehow I lost it, but after the first few chords of Peaches en Regalia I knew this was the business.

The first 2:30 of The Gumbo Variations is goose music for geese. Honestly, this was pretty great! I wasn't big on what vocals there were here, and I probably would've preferred if there weren't any. The sax went off the rails for a while as well. But those are really my only critiques; 40 mins of some sick guitar shredding.

this is one of those albums for which i would have loved to have been alive when it released. can you imagine finding these jams with your pals in your dad's odoriferous den in your split-level house? damn. this is a fuckin' bop. king giz gets a lot of love for "doing every genre" across their discography, but Zappa *could* have done that-- and probably better-- if he'd ever wanted to. the musicality here is wildly good and so so interesting. great listen. also, killer album name.

Frank Zappa has always lived in the mythology of rock n' roll as a legendarily weird dude in my head. I've tried listening to this album a few times hoping for some revelation that would lead me into loving his sound, to no avail. Don't get me wrong, I did NOT hate this album. I didn't even dislike it. I just think maybe it wasn't something that grabbed me and entranced me like it seems to do for others. There are a lot of cool and interesting sounds here. Bro is all over the place and I respect it tremendously, but it will not be affecting my rotation, and thus I must give it no greater than a 3 (that's my rubric dammit and I will act on it arbitrarily)

I’ve never heard a Zappa album with so few vocals, but I enjoyed this a lot. Not super familiar with him overall. The music does tend to dip into the “Yoinky Sploinky” zone a bit much for my tastes, but those incidents were thankfully few and far between.

"Peaches En Regalia" was presented to me at a young age as a perfect song. I surely didn't know enough about the world of music to disagree with my dad who seemed to have a limitless knowledge of music and its stars. I still don't think I know enough now to say otherwise, but damn I love listening to Zappa. I love how much he pushed boundaries in his compositions, how ahead of a his time it all sounds (even if it hasn't aged as well as other late 60s/early 70s albums). I love me some electric violin. This album benefits from the lack of lyrics, which certainly makes other Zappa less enjoyable. I could listen to "The Gumbo Variations" all day.

A rip-roaring journey if I’ve heard one. I loved how it’d go from jazz to blues to rock in sudden, energetic stutter-steps. I wasn’t aware of your game, Mr. Zappa. The solos kicked ass, and it was immediately clear how influential Zappa is because they shared a lot in common with the neo-psychedelic stuff I love.

The Gumbo Variations was crazy. Kept this album up by itself

Enjoyed this one, but I think the songs ran on for a bit too long.

Not what I expected, but pretty good.

Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Expectations were low

Zappa. Man, what an album. Was it Jazz? Rock? Blues? Country? I have heard many of his later works and I definitely liked this one better, but I think it was the Brown Acid left over from Woodstock (it’s bad, man). The funny part is I kept hearing so many modern bands in here, especially Radiohead KidA, and Dave Matthew’s Band Under The Table. Was Zappa the king of jam bands or just so stoned he forgot to end the song? Key tracks for me was Gumbo Variations because the song kept moving across instrumental voices, and Willie the Pimp, which now makes sense why Zappa is on so many Best Guitarists lists. The hard part is I enjoyed the songs but I found myself wanting them to end at some point, and some just didn’t seem like that was going to happen. I get why this is on the list, but I am going to stick with Dweezil rather than Frank for a Zappa fix. Maybe it’s a GenX thing…

Random thoughts: * Is this psychedelic jazz? Whatever it is I liked it! * I've always been a little bit intimidated by Frank Zappa. There is so much discography and he's so weird. I just didn't know where to begin. I obviously should have started here. * There is just enough weird on here but not too much. * There was also a little jam band feeling in here with the solos and such. * I continue to be amazed at the variety and cool new music that was being made in the late 60s. I see why it is a musical period that is so beloved. * I'll have to remember to put this one on every once in a while.

Pretty cool jam album

I like the shorter songs. Cool bass lines and fun lyrics.

Yes yes yes.

Weird (complimentary). Some songs went on for too long, otherwise I'd rate this higher.

Classic Zappa. Zany, meandering, jazzy awesomeness.

A little weird

einfach Zappa: nicht zuviel hören, dann ist es sehr gut.

This album slaps. Gotta listen to more Zappa. The only thing keeping this from a 5 was that a few songs carried on a bit too much.

This was a wild ride. But so goes any Zappa masterwork.

Technically proficient and cool, this rock jazz album is just fine

Very much ahead of it's time. A lot of jazz, fusion influences and sources.

Enjoyed

God I hope there’s more Zappa on this list.

The “Shiznitalbam Snip Snap Zappa”

The fact that this album cover looks like it could be for a Korn release 30 years later tells me we’re in for a wild ride. The Mothers of Invention changed my life. Their satirical doo wop and psychedelic insanity opened my third, fourth and seventh eye to the universal truths held therein. I became a totem in my own fictional religion. I found out I was indeed a rock. Now it’s time to flash forward to some accidentally flash-fried rodents a la the Dallas Sportatorium and learn some shit about Gumbo. I can’t wait. Peaches En Regalia - They rule over the peach kingdom with jazz fusion. What is it fusing with? I never really knew. Regal in its way, bizarre in more ways. Willie the Pimp - YES. WOO. YEAH. Saying “little pimp” with a rhythm that goes this ballistic is a surefire seven fingers up. I gained my sixth and seventh digit in a gamma explosion in a secret cigar facility under the sands in Kyrgyz foothills. Those Central Asian cigars will knock you on your ass if they ever see the light of day. Son of Mr. Green Genes - No, no. Mr. Green Genes is my father. Call me Billy. Yes, it’s short for Bilirubin. Bilirubin Q. Genes. You know, now that you know my name, I feel the freedom to say stupid things like “I’m actually really loving this bizarre jam album, despite saying that every other jam album kind of sucked.” Little Umbrellas - We’ve got sinister bass-driven grooves on this thing? The Gumbo Variations - Finally, I discover a song about gumbo. Errm it seems like I’m late to the party. When I do the millennial/redditor “Errm,” please know it’s ironic. Despite my cornball atheism and bad jokes, I still see myself as above the miasmic abyss known as Reddit. It Must Be a Camel - Ahh the smooth, relaxed smoothness of a Camel cigarette. If your emphysema has that oaky timbre, you know, it MUST be a camel. This guy was a genius. This is so incredibly unique and it seems as though nobody even tried to copy him. The musicianship all over this thing is fantastic as well. Just a super engaging record from the moment that rat fell from the pipe into the deep fryer, right through to the cigarette ad. Bon appetit! 4 HIGHLIGHTS: Peaches En Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Little Umbrellas

Complex Sounds!

Chaotic genius

Never listened to a whole FZ album, but it's kinda cool.

Nah

I shuddered at the thought of this because I’ve utterly despised all of Zappa’s works that I’ve heard so far via this project, but finally I stumbled upon the one and only collection that’s moved me. This was actually really good. It perfectly fit my chaotic ‘thinking while walking home from work’ mood that I was in today.

Tiene una musicalidad nice, al principio de la segunda canción tiene una voz en el background medio heavy metal rockero, que no es mi vibe. En general muy buen CD, me sorprendió que en su mayoría fuera instrumental

😏

A glorious ride into Zappa's mind!

Finally some Zappa. Most of it is perfectly fine jazzy prog rock but it loses a star because of Willie the Pimp which is incredibly stupid and long. I don't get the obsession with this guy sorry!

Would be a 5 but this album required attention and giving into the music a 4 because its great but not 5 bc it requires effort

The gumbo variations were on the wrong side of squeaky for me on the sax and strings. This brought it all right down for me.

I had no idea what to expect. This was a real treat, drums holding together a variety of styles from funk to free form jazz. Solid 4

First ever jazz rock album. Maintains interest throughout.

There is a real driving force on this record, a rush of energy. Its a jazzy, jammy rock record that is scatty but completely structured in its erratic nature. There's a nice mix of smoother moments with wilder brasher moments - Zappa is not afraid to blow your head off. Interestingly, over 50 years later it strikes me the influence Hot Rats has had over the very best of video game music. Its got that wistful exploration that makes you want to drive your character to the next level.

If it’s jazz fusion then it’s my favourite jazz fusion record

Never listened to Frank before... I will again.

An outstanding jazz fusion album. Peaches En Regalia into Willie the Pimp are such a hype way to start the album. The second half if the record never comes close to the highs of the beginning, but the whole album feels like a technically played warm hug. 4.5/5 - 5/5

126 Hot Rats indeed. Una falta de respeto haber escuchado parte de este disco con el parlante de alexa del living. Hace muchísimo tiempo que un disco instrumental (exceptuando algunos que he escuchado ahora con este challenge) no me enganchaba tanto. Escuchar cómo salta de un instrumento a otro, y ruiditos en distintas partes, con texturas diferentes. Lo escucharía de nuevo si no estuviera tan atrasada en esto.

To me, this music is forgettable. Nothing stands out to me. What I know of Frank Zappa is how he was outspoken about subjects that meant a lot to him. That, and the Valley Girl song that was “sung” by his daughter, Moon Unit. I’ll never revisit this album. I was actually surprised this album was not more avant- guard given who produced it.

Really enjoyed the longer jazzy songs on here

Instrumental album of just guitar solos not for me

sounds like a good jam band going for 43 minutes.

Great! This album has been a favorite from the day it was first released. It's the one where Zappa was a _great_ guitarist. It also introduced me to Captain Beef heart.

Too jazzy for me.

A bit weird, but better than I was expecting it to be.

An almost entirely instrumental jazz odyssey, and therefore since he doesn’t spew his contemptuous lyrics at the audience, one of the best Zappa albums.

Alright listen.

This was a fun little jazzy rock album. I enjoyed a lot of it but it was a drag at times too, I would probably really like this with repeat listens but for now it’s alright.

Long jazzy songs

greatness

Musikalisch/handwerklich gut, aber kein herausragendes Lied dabei.

This was mostly great. Love the guitar work.

90% Best: Peaches en Regalia; Willie the Pimp; The Gumbo Variations Must-Hear? Yes

A collection of jam sessions that never really go anywhere. But I do admire Zappa, just not my cup of tea

Enjoyed this one. The instrumental aspect was quite interesting.

not as crazy as other zappa records which i like. Doesn't do a whole lot for me personally but really really good musicians obv.

First Frank Zappa! And potentially the last one here... But a legendary entry, nontheless. Probably an easy 5 stars for this great and unique work of art.

Pretty good way more instrumental than I expected.

Schönes Album, viel Instrumental, teilweise Tarantino Vibes, eher prog

Fire!!!

funky instrumentals. Tbh I liked franks Zappa’s other work more Favorite Track: Willie the Pimp

This list has taught me that I quite enjoy Frank Zappa. I liked this one!

I know absolutely nothing about Frank Zappa, but I enjoyed this. It's pretty unhinged, in a good way.

Self indulgent shite. I didn't even make it through the full album. 11 minutes long songs, most of which are torturous to listen to. Would leave a venue if this was on live.

Can hear the influence Zappa has on Phish especially on this album

Just had Sgt. Peppers yesterday and then this one! I'm also already quite familiar with. Tempted to give this a 5 Hoping to get some more Zappa, plenty of albums I haven't heard yet! This might the best pure "guitar" album ever honestly

What an amazing find. This felt like a 70's action movie soundtrack. This is why I'm happy to have discovered this site... Would I listen to again? Yeah, baby.

I think, to a lot of people, Frank Zappa himself may be the most difficult part of Zappa's music. Which is my theory as to why the largely instrumental Hot Rats is often considered his most accessible, and even his best by some. As far as I can tell, the trick to Zappa's music is usually that he composes some mind-bendingly intricate, jazzy, and enjoyable, experimental rock music: then he records vocals over top of it where he sings about piss jokes and fucking kitchen appliances. I suspect that this may be a turn-off for some people. So, without any vocals by Zappa, Hot Rats puts nothing in between you and the compositional ability, raw instrumental talent, and remarkable nuance that defines Zappa's best songs at their heart. The only track with vocals is Willie The Pimp, featuring the infamous Captain Beefheart, and that song is just sick as hell. Everything else here is just raw Zappa instrumental songwriting. And it really is something worth celebrating. The level of consistent songwriting, and compelling interplay between performers is incredible. Even at its jammiest moments, Hot Rats is focused and compelling. For being so intricate, it's shockingly emotive too. I'll simply say, this is an *easy* 4, but much like with most of Zappa's catalogue, I need to spend a little more time and dig a little deeper. I get the sense that this is the sort of album that just gets more rewarding on repeat listens.

appreciate the weirdness but i'm definitely not on the right drugs for this one

ykw, i like this white band LMFAO. it was funky and reminded me of the peanuts at some points! it felt very jimi hendrix too how fun!

Brilliant and difficult to listen to in same measure. Maybe that's the point but I don't want to listen to the whole album again. Peaches En Regalia is great though.

Learning what Beefheart vocals sound like on "Willie the Pimp" gives me anticipation for his albums. With that out of the way, this is very clearly instrumental jazz-rock jams with little formal structure. They clearly show technical prowess, but I don't know how much I enjoy them. "The Gumbo Variations" is a bit of a slog to get through, but most other tracks are fun enough.

It's an experimental jazz/jam album. Not for me, personally. That said, I have tremendous respect for Frank Zappa. He's been a huge influence on musicians for decades.

Very weird, sometimes good weird sometimes bad weird but the musical complexity is impressive. Everything is intentional, there’s no “happy accidents” Willie the pimp, peaches and the gumbo variations are the standouts Phish covers Peaches en Regalia, first introduction to Zappa prior to actually listening to it.

Forget Beatles vs. Stones, I'm a strong believer that you're either a Beefheart or a Zappa fan, and I'm a Beefheart fan. This isn't awful, it's just got a novelty quotient that is way above my desired level.

Such sweet sweet instrumentals, what a hero. Can recommend the Zappa documentary to see his clique of musicians in action! This stuff stays fresh forever

Hot Rats, Zappa’s movie for your ears is quite the trip. It starts out with bluebirds (cartoon) flying around your head as you stroll through a peach orchard (real) in full blossom. It’s also starting to get warm, and you’re feeling thirsty. You follow the central lane to the far edge of the orchard, it eventually leads to the rather seedy Lido Hotel. Oh good, just in time to have a cool afternoon drink with your buddy Willie. One drink leads to two. It’s about time to wrap it up and be on your way when another friend moseys up to the table and sits himself down across from you. The Son Of Mr Green Genes (best song) offers to buy the next round. Willie begs off saying he has to get back to work (ha), but you’re OK for just one more. Green Genes tells the tall, exotic waitress to make them both doubles. The drinks arrive, his has two little umbrellas in it, yours is significantly stronger than the last two. He mentions he a regular here. It’s never a good idea to drink this much on an empty stomach, so it’s decided to get something to eat. Today’s special; you guessed it - Gumbo Variations (worst sax I’ve heard in a long time.) It’s still hot for this late in the day, let’s take a dip in the pool and check out the girls. The pool is empty, there are no girls. Deal breaker, time to head out. You thank Green Genes for the drinks and line up a taxi. She (the waitress) shows up a few minutes later, dressed as a belly dancer in harem garb leading a camel. “Where do you want to go?” she asks. Yep, Frank is weird. (2.8*s)

Frank Zaps you with a rock-jazz jam sesh on this album. It has some pretty guitar work supported by the sax. Recordings such as this make me wonder how much was really put into it thought wise. Did Zappa and his band take a bunch of drugs and just play around in the studio? How would you even recreate this with such long songs that don't really go anywhere? Overall, I can get down with Hot Rats but it's also not a must replay. I do like the creepy cover with a Beetlejuice lady climbing out of a basin. 1.95 hot ratstar(s).

Zappa has a reputation for being eccentric and weird. I figured he would inevitably end up on this list and was looking forward to consuming something from his collection. I definitely didn't expect this to be an instrumental jazz fusion album. Figured this might be a bit of a snooze but I found myself enjoying Hot Rats in spite of myself. The jams, while at times a little long-winded, are pretty catchy and fun. There was enough in this to keep me listening through the full duration. It's nothing special but manages to scratch a certain itch. I'm interested in hearing something else by Zappa that is closer to his signature weirdness. Preferably something more like the first few minutes of Willie The Pimp. 2.52 stars

It was cool, a bit corny in a sense but I think that's mostly because so many artists have done something like this or inspired by this. Bro can shred.

He has a unique voice and I appreciate the wacky energy.

Basically all instrumental. You can’t deny Zappa’s prowess in guitar playing. It was a good experience, but niche enough I can’t put it up above a 3.5/5.

Solid, but didn’t really grab me. Enjoyed it though.

Really good instrumentals, very experimental, felt really psychedelic

Dont like instrumental albums

Good

Jazz unexpectedly intricate

The only Zappa record I'm familiar with is Joes Garage (which I really love) so I'm expect to listen to this but also nervous and have absolutely no idea what to expect. Pretty crazy first track (Peaches...). I worry I will get tired of this quickly though if it's an indication of the rest of the album. Burst out laughing 3 seconds into song 2. Should have seen that coming based off the song title. I'm so fucking nervous. This groove is pretty sick, percussion layers, unhinged vocal performance (Captain Beefheart) with a meandering solo over top.. chaos. Knowing what Zappa was all about, I'm sure this solo is in like Phrygian sus7 over Pentatonic9 minor or some shit but to me it sounds entirely random. It could also just be him fucking around. No clue. This is going to be a tough listen even though I want to like it because Zappa is just interesting to me. Actually halfway through Willie The Pimp things kinda settled down and the solo makes more sense to me, with the tack piano/harpsichord just doing straight quarters. I'm quite sure every person on this recording was stone cold sober, but this sounds like a 3am drunk jam. Distorted violin making an appearance near the end is cool I guess. Unnecessary but cool. These recordings/productions sound ahead of their time imho. Like very mid 70's, so like 6 years ahead. (after reading the wiki this was one of the first albums made with a 16 track machine, most albums at this time were still 4 or 8 track, so that's definitely part of it.) I feel like I'm just going to be pointing out crazy things that I like/don't like for this review. Like wild arp synth on Son of Mr Green Genes. GREAT guitar solo tone around halfway. Cheeky ending. Side Note - apparently Shuggie Otis played bass on the first track and was only 15 years old at the time. His album Freedom Flight is cool. and came out 2 years later so I guess he was 17(?) which is wild Into a more classic jazz vibe with Little Umbrellas. Feels like a spy movie/film noir but I'm into it. A nice break from the insanity. Rippin piano/Hammond parts are cool. Some cool crunchy sax/wind parts. Gumbo Variations - I'm kinda into this (it's 12 mins so maybe that will change lol). Sick part part/chords. You can hear someone cueing/counting in the background at times. Wild sax soloing. I can't make heads or tails of what's going on musically, but I did stay engaged on this one! The mid-way guitar solo in Camel starts off sounding like I would play if I was pretending to play jazz. Then there's some crazy pitch bending going on that almost sounds like a digital guitar/pedal? These guitar tones are fake sounding and I'm so curious what they did to achieve that. The album felt like it kinda just.. ended. Not sure what the point of any of this is, but I actually mostly enjoyed what will certainly be my one and only listen. Giving it a solid 2.5.

Peaches En Regalia was all I’ve really spent time with. I remember loving it like 10 years ago. I tried Hot Rats at that time but Peaches was all that sticks. The melodies are so memorable and it’s still a fun listen, but I’m acruay drawn to the B side so much more now. Specifically Little Umbrellas and and It Must Be a Camel. Those were big standouts. A 15 y/o Shuggie Otis played bass on this record? Crazy. Pretty cool but I most likely will not return.

I have listened to this before when I first discovered Zappa, but it’s been a solid ten years Peaches En Regalia still hits Vocals are absolutely nuts on Willie the Pimp. Quite a character A lot of blues-derived stuff on this one. Sooooo much pentatonic Some shredding no doubt Love the swampiness of Gumbo A fun listen, doesn’t stand with some of Zappa’s other work for me from a compositional standpoint. Comes off mostly as a blues rock jam band on this one, which is fun to watch in a bar but not something I’m throwing on regularly.

I don’t know how to explain this except for saying it was a lot of guitar solos.

This was decent background music but that's about it.

Interessant album. Ganske bra, egentlig. Det jeg skulle ønske jeg fikk fra Herbie Hancock.

Glad it's over

Nice. Havent heard this in a while. Peaches is a great opening track and Willie the Pimp a great second track. Captain Beefheart’s cocals suit thos so well. Son of Mr Green Genes has some cracking playing but the drums and bass are a stand out for me. So solid, really driving the songs, allowing Frank to float around on guitar, really play some interesting melodies and scales from regular rock to almost Egyptian sounding. The Gumbo Variations ia probbly my favorite track on this album. All credit to Frank for the compositions and arrangements but the back band on this album stand out for me without overpowering the main cast type of standout. That’s a solid skill. Lordy the violin on this track. So solid good. Looked ip thebnd. Bass player oneof the wrecking crew, srummer played woth Coltrane, etc. bass player dodnt know Frank, got a call to go to thw studio, 2 days recording and there’s Hot Rats. All of which is not to say Zappa is lagging here. Great grungy dirty aound on Willie, lovely clear tone on Camel. Probably one of the less avante garde albums by Frank and for me one of his best albums. If you’re looking for a jazz rock fusion album it would be hard to find better.

This is probably one that it is important and revolutionary, but I didn't enjoy listening to it. I can admire and respect the guitar playing, but this wasn't for me

Actually really enjoyed this, and from what I know, this is about as "straightforward" as Zappa gets. It's jazzy, funky, bluesy with a layer of experimentation in there, but not too experimental. Excellent instrumental performances all around, some violin shredding from Jean-Luc Ponty, great drumming. Willie the Pimp is an absolute standout song with a super cool groove and amazing Captain Beefheart vocals. I dig it.

Try to concentrate or work while having this play in the background challenge: impossible.

Reminds me of the time I took acid, and threw up on the cat.

Not sure !!

Already got

Bueno

I had a friend growing up who was part of the cult of Zappa and that was pretty much all he played. I had trouble understanding what he liked about it and we would always joke about his "weird" musical taste. Having listened to this album, I think I found my gateway Zappa. This album is incredible. The compositions, the bass, the guitar solos, its outstanding. Peaches in Regalia, Willie the Pimp, and The Gumbo Variations are a particular highlight for me. It must be a camel has that familiar strange time signature, discordant melody, and key playing that I typically associate with Zappa, but it still has the jazzy drums and bass driving it forward, so I even like that one. All in all, this is a great album and I think I need to explore more Zappa!

I’ve only heard of Frank Zappa from The Mothers of Invention album on here that I absolutely hated so I was dreading this going in. Fortunately this was brilliant for the most part. The only song that didn’t hit for me was The Gumbo Variations, it went on a bit too long for my liking. Top Track - Son Of Mr Green Greens

I liked this. I like Frank Zappa...

Sick album. I've heard some songs by Zappa, but Willie the Pimp has converted me to a believer. the guitar scattered over this album is super solid. The bass player and drummer do a great job holding it down the whole time. Fells like a very different brand of the kind of stuff that Hendrix was doing. I didn't think the entire album was a masterpiece, but the moments that were good, were Really Good. and even the lower points were filled with experimental jazz with rock solid grooves. Some of the horns lost me a little, but otherwise, rock solid jams and really awesome playing. I think that seeing this live would easily go down as a top concert experience. I do think at times this album is a bit over the top, but that's how they get it's best moments as well I think. I could understand people not loving it, but I do think it is a great album to be on the list, as it is pretty boundless

Brilliant. Great stuff. The rock side of Jazz Fusion and a perfect complement to Bitches Brew.

Creep

Loved this album, a little bit sonically exhausting just because of how much is going on and how many different musical ideas get expressed. 4/5 though, big fan. I’ll be listening again

Late 60s psych rock. Just don’t like this genre.

I can see that this would have been fun to make, but it’s not all that much fun to listen to.

Just kinda noise

Evil jazz. Chaos prog. There no doubt Zappa is talented, and wildly creative. Kinda makes sense that the only vocalist Frank got for this was Captain Beef heart, another agent of chaos. Unbelievable creative in its jazz endeavors, unbelievably genius in its prog rock adventures. This album has grown on me so much.

Very progressive guitar solo heavy psych rock jazz fusion. Didn't really feel it.

This shit fucks. 4 Stars.

My first Zappa. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Certainly a better jam artist than Phish.

First half amazing, second good. 3,9

Very good

f u vini

я видимо глухая к джазу это пипец для меня

achei bem chato :( willie the pimp tem uma ideia boa mas fica muito chato com os 10 minutos de fritação outras músicas tem timbres e arranjos muito legais, mas o que mata é a fritação infinita, fica muito chato :(

i really liked this? kinda surprised. lots of funky jams

Had no idea this was all instrumental. This album is about as jazz rock as it gets. And Frank can really play guitar. All in all this was pretty awesome. Not sure when I would listen again but it warrants more listens…

Five stars for Peaches En Regalia alone

4 Stars (11/15)

Was ist das? Nach einem Track dachte ich, dass da noch was kommt, es wurde aber nur noch schlimmer und ich habe nur dem Ende enggegengefiebert.

Man… Hot Rats slaps so hard I haven’t listened to this or as much of Zappa’s catalog as I probably should, but I do think Hot Rats is my favorite Zappa project that I have explored. It must be the best instrumental album of the psychedelic era.

Is this jazz? funk? soul? rock? psychedelic? stoner? I think its all of them combined together, jazz fusion is probably the safest label. This feels like a classic, one of those albums that is a benchmark and defines what experimental art music can be. I love the instrumentation i’m pretty sure i'm hearing flutes, clarinets, saxophone, violin, and the signature guitar tone, everything sounding intentionally weird, crazy, strange, slightly unhinged and uncanny, but technically brilliant and very fitting. It’s like being dragged through a parade by jazz musicians on acid. I love the journey this album takes you on, to me what stands out most is how playfully groovy and engaging it stays even though it’s almost entirely instrumental. Each track feels distinct, very diverse and has a lot of personality. Willie the Pimp caught me off guard with how heavy it is compared to the rest, while The Gumbo Variations leans heavily into funk, however Peaches En Regalia is definitely my favourite.

A "movie for your ears". Nobody can describe this frenzied madness better than the man himself. Madcap jazz fusion with a frenetic level of energy, layers of spacey soundscapes, with soaring guitar solos and dirty saxophones, the instrumentation only broken up once by the gritty snarls and shrieking of Captain Beefheart in the fantastic "Willie the Pimp" - if this is a movie, it's one that you can't eat popcorn during, in case you miss something while you chew.

I've been waiting for this album. I can finally give it a 5 star rating it deserves. I love Zappa, and this is one of his finest.

3,5

Var nice men helt ok

This mostly instrumental record is a mix of overly-fussy and overcooked compositions on one hand and ordinary rock jams with extended soloing on the other, neither of which makes for compelling listening. Zappa's guitar noodling never goes anywhere in particular *and* takes forever to get there, making *Hot Rats* a real test of patience.

It's kind of jazz. It's kind of rock. It's kind of fusion. It's kind of good.

Jazzier and Funkier than I expected. I guess I never listened to Zappa before.

Brilliant!

Good Psychedelic rock but a bit too fussy at points

“That’s where I got the idea for ... the title for the “Hot Rats” album: There’s a recording that I picked up in Europe that had ... “The Shadow of Your Smile” with Archie Schepp playing on it, and he played this solo that just sounded to me immediately like there was this fucking army of preheated rats screaming out of his saxophone. That’s what it sounded like.” Bill Hader adds his perspective: "Girls do not like Frank Zappa. You can't get a girl in a car and play Hot Rats and be like, 'Willie the Pimp.' And they're like, 'Is there any music to this? Is there any lyrics?' I'm like, 'Oh, that's a guy singing. His name's Captain Beefheart.' And they're like, 'Can we put on TLC or something?'"

Overall score: 2/5 I get that this album is a classic, but I find that it just kind of drifts into the background. Some great jamming and musician ship throughout the album, but it gets to the point where it feels like I've listened to a never-ending guitar solo or horn section. It would be a great album to see live, but it's not something I'd return to.

not very memorable

The more I listened the more into it I got. Good walking-with-purpose music but felt like it was just the right length before I was ready to listen to something else. Good stuff

I was excited for this one but it was honestly just really boring. Maybe I missed something? The instrumentals were too all over the place to really get into. I didn't have any highlights. Sorry Frank

Superb, just superb.

4/10 - it's alright, reminds me of typical 60/70s hippy guitar band, heard his name but first time listening to him, always thought he was a caricature of the era

I fear I may be a Frank Zappa guy now. Devastating

3.5/5 This album is really good, an eclectic sound, playful nuttiness but really soulful rhytmns. I think at times it can be a bit too playful but overall a good listen. I like a lot of lounge and international jazz and this feels like the rock extension of that. At some points the instrumental solos roll one after another and I do think I’m listening more to a jazz album in that way

Didn't realize how jazzy he is

Practically instrumental (bar a turn by Beefheart on Willie The Pimp, and possibly all the better for it. Peaches En Regalia is one of the great rock instrumentals, Willie has a grimy little Dr John groove, and the whole album has moments of pleasantness. Overall it suffers from meandering in places, and Zappa never really was one for quality control, but it's one of the better Zappa albums so far. A very very high 3

3 songs in and I think I get it. It’s busy, maybe too busy for me. Verging on “maximalist pop jazz.” Not my thing.

Very noodly, no doubt brilliant guitarist but somewhat overkill. Prefer the captain.

love him or hate him, zappa is original as fuck

Pre: About time I dug into some Zappa Post: fun jazz abstract guitar jam album, reminds me of king crimson

Zappa, a genius, has never made music that appealed to me, a man of a much lesser intellect. I'm sure it's great on some levels but not for me.

Really good. Not a 20 but not sure why?

Zappa sure knew how to keep things interesting, and with such high quality musicianship to boot.

An absolutely excellent (mostly) instrumental album. Zappa’s virtuosity is on full display throughout, and is by far my favorite album instrumental wise out of the little Zappa I’ve heard. A must listen for any fans of experimental, avant-garde, and or progressive rock.

HORNY FOR HOT RATS

Very, very good instrumentation, but I enjoy goofy lyrical Zappa more. 3/5

One of my IT teachers would always play The Mothers Of Invention album Weasels Ripped My Flesh in class. It was weird, I don’t think I knew if I liked it, but it made a huge impression on me at the age of 15 that the name Frank Zappa was branded into my brain for a time where I would seek out my own taste in music. Years later, when I had started collecting vinyl records (of course) I bought a copy of Hot Rats for £4 before the price of vinyl got stupid. The striking pink and white of the cover along with the bizarre photo of Frank Zappa looming out of that pool let me know I was in for a wild ride. Every song on this album rocks so much. It’s a jam record, it’s jazz, it’s garage rock, it’s all of music at once but also its own thing. Listening to it this time I still found it utterly exhilarating, and listened to it all again as soon as it finished. A wonderful record.

This is muppet music. I love it. Super long instrumental songs are still not my cup of tea. They get repetitive to me! But This was well executed. It's cool, it's orchestral, it's zingy, but it also got a little tiresome as the album progressed. I would love to witness this live but it's better served in that format than here.

Zappa is niche. He is music for music nerds. That very much means that this album should be on this list. He tends to have perverse, Bizarre lyrics, luckily all but one is an instrumental. First & foremost he is a composer, who surrounds himself with the best & expects perfection. All of this is for his amazing musical experience but still niche. Amazing great album that the average person would struggle with. Which is why it gets a 4.

3.5

One of Zappa's best and it actually hold up really well. Probably the only time I have enjoyed Captain Beefheart's vocals.

I can’t do this.

it's okay i guess? i'm just not a fun of jazz really. fun, but, uh, not smth i'm comfortable listening to on a regular basis

Fine

Well it's not what I expected. Very 70s, mainly instrumentals. Interesting.

Listens: 5 Standout Tracks: Willie The Pimp, The Gumbo Variations I thought this album was awesome. I was a little worried that it was nearly entirely instrumental, but that didn't end up detracting from the experience at all. The whole thing felt very jammy and improvisational. It's probably worth mentioning that I have literally no known prior experience with Zappa, and so if more of his stuff is like this, I am here for it. Willie The Pimp absolutely slaps (with his pimp cane obviously).

I definitely was not in the right state of mind to fully give this a fair shot today. The first half I could appreciate, but the latter half aggravated my pounding headache. Will definitely have to revisit and revise my review later on.

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Joa, schon gar nicht so geil.

Noo

I enjoyed parts but a bit of a slog

Big Zappa fan. This is one of his best.

Gefällt mir gar nicht

Great album! One of my favorite Zappa albums!

Not my style

Chill album, chill music

Makes the music in my head feel sane. I could close my eyes and imagine the Muppets playing this music. Cheerful and gratifying.

Lekker!

Bon, on va remettre les pendules à l'heure. Il y a des disques qui sont comme ces films d'auteur chiants à mourir que tout le monde prétend adorer pour avoir l'air intelligent en société. Vous savez, le genre de film en noir et blanc, sous-titré en ouzbek, où un type regarde un pot de fleurs pendant trois heures. "Hot Rats" de Frank Zappa, c'est un peu le "pot de fleurs" du rock. Un disque totem pour intellos de la musique, un truc qu'il faut "comprendre" pour être digne. Et si tu n'aimes pas, c'est que t'es un con, un plouc qui n'a rien pigé au "Génie". Eh bien soit, je suis un con et je vous emmerde. Mais reprenons depuis le début, Frank Zappa, le grand manitou moustachu, venait de dissoudre son groupe, les Mothers of Invention. Il en avait marre des boulets, il voulait faire sa musique, la vraie, la pure, sans compromis. Résultat ? Un album quasiment instrumental, une démonstration de force technique qui laisse l'auditeur moyen sur le bord de la route, en train de faire de l'auto-stop en espérant qu'un camionneur fan de Motörhead le sorte de ce cauchemar. L'album s'ouvre sur "Peaches en Regalia", et ça commence presque bien. Une petite mélodie entraînante, un truc qui pourrait presque passer pour de la pop si elle n'était pas déconstruite, triturée, et violée toutes les huit mesures par un changement de rythme improbable. C'est comme essayer de baiser un robot qui changerait de position toutes les deux secondes sans te prévenir. C'est virtuose, mais c'est épuisant et, au final, tu n'as pris aucun plaisir. Et puis, le miracle, la lumière au bout du tunnel de la prétention : "Willie the Pimp". D'un coup, Zappa se souvient qu'il a des couilles et qu'il sait jouer du rock'n'roll. Il invite son pote Captain Beefheart à pousser une gueulante. C'est sale, c'est lourd, et surtout, Zappa nous balance un solo de guitare qui dure une éternité, mais une bonne éternité. Le genre de solo qui te fait pousser les cheveux, qui te donne envie de voler une bagnole et de rouler à fond la caisse. C'est la seule fois sur tout le disque où la musique semble venir des tripes plutôt que du cerveau. Un point pour ça, et c'est bien payé. Après cette bouffée d'air frais, on replonge la tête la première dans la fosse septique du jazz-fusion. "Son of Mr. Green Genes", "Little Umbrellas"... Je n'ai rien à en dire, parce que mon cerveau a activé son mode veille pour se protéger. C'est une succession de notes, une architecture sonore impressionnante, mais c'est aussi vide d'émotion qu'un discours de politicien. C'est de la musique pour lire des bouquins de philo, pas pour boire des bières entre potes. C'est de la musique qui se regarde le nombril en se trouvant formidable. Heureusement, il y a la face B et "The Gumbo Variations" et ses dix-sept minutes de jam. DIX-SEPT. Normalement, c'est le genre de truc qui me fait fuir, sauf que là, ça fonctionne. Pourquoi ? Parce que ça pue l'improvisation, la vraie. Ça sent la sueur, les musiciens qui se cherchent, qui se répondent, qui se poussent dans leurs retranchements. Le violoniste est en transe, le saxophoniste semble vouloir accoucher d'un alien par son instrument. C'est le bordel, mais c'est un bordel vivant, c'est un dialogue de sauvages, pas une récitation de poésie. Un deuxième point, va. Et peut être un troisième point... Pour le doigt d'honneur, pour le courage d'avoir sorti un disque pareil, un album exigeant, complexe, anti-commercial au possible. Zappa n'a jamais cherché à plaire, il faisait sa musique, et si ça te plaisait tant mieux, sinon, va te faire foutre. Cette attitude, je la respecte profondément mais ça ne m'oblige pas pour autant à trouver ça génial. En conclusion, "Hot Rats" est un album crucial pour l'histoire de la musique. Il a prouvé qu'on pouvait mélanger les genres, repousser les limites techniques et formelles. C'est une leçon, mais parfois, les leçons c'est chiant, et moi, la musique, je ne l'écoute pas pour apprendre, mais pour ressentir. Avec ce disque, j'ai surtout ressenti l'envie pressante de passer à autre chose. À un bon vieux disque de The Cure, par exemple. Un truc simple, direct, qui parle au cœur plutôt qu'au cortex cérébral. Allez, sans rancune, Frank. Mais ton disque, il va prendre la poussière sur l'étagère. Verdict : 3 sur 5 et c'est cher payé.

Gran álbum.

Never been a big fan of Zappa based mostly on ignorance. I don’t think I liked this album but I’m not quite sure. I was surprised that it was mostly instrumentals and parts of it did catch my attention. This is an album I would have to listen to a few more times, but I probably won’t.

This is great! I remember it all but it's been a really long time since I listened to the whole album. Most of the songs are lyric free which I like, as it's hard to sing along to Zappa without feeling awkward. I'm not a Jazz expert but I find this accessable.

Ok

Great psych blues rock to listen to driving to Chicago on a sunny afternoon

Jazzier Phish. Some is good, some is just too much noodling.

Super Album, super Musik

A few Zappa albums have come my way on the 1001 and I’ve not really been impressed. Hot Rats though is a different breed. Enjoyed from start to finish.

hes cooking with this one

Damn, that was pretty awesome. Very close to 5

I know this album, it's my 8am alarm Only today found out the cover model isn't Zappa Those eyes that so often peered out at me to herald a new day Aren't the eyes I thought they were What consolation can I take? Just another happy illusion of my youth mercilessly corrected Beaten and warped to closer resemble the truth Just another; add it to the list. What a sound though!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s been a while since I’ve listened to this record and I was really blown away by how strong of an album it is. Musicianship is off the charts, pretty typical for Zappa, but the songs are really melodic and much better than I remember.

Zappa. Nuff said. (plus Shuggie Otis on bass!)