Reviews (page 8 of 13)
I enjoyed the opening of some songs, and how he included indigenous sounds and modern beats.
Первый раз услышал его у Карвая и с тех пор так и не понял в чем его фишка и почему этот чел такой известный
Галя, я не выкупаю
звучит даже интересно, особенно для своего года, но скорее 3.5
zzzzzzzz, canta horrendo los dos segundos que salió. Y sí es buena base pero hola? Okay es claramente un álbum para usar de música de fondo lo comprendo, entrenido cmo después de la 3era canción. Dios qué es esto, es como CAMP, interesante pero RARO. Es que no puede durar 12 minutos es fastidiosoo ajajja. Mejor el instrumental del video de los europeos en vacaciones, un tre por los instrumentos que me imagino el tipo es multi instrumentalista y la cabra...me salió Peaches en Rgealia en spotify DJ y...me gustó porque estoy en otro mood. 3
Was dreading the Zapster (I’m not on as many layers of irony as him) but this was ok. Nothing special. Background music
Put on the first track and immediately recognized it, along with all the melodies and changes. Growing up, a buddy let me borrow a Zappa compilation and this had to be where I know it from. The whole album jams, especially the first track. 3.6/5.0
Great
funny, weird guy i liked it
Zappa is a hell of a guitarist. I bet seeing him live in 69 was something else. I feel like this is best seen alive as opposed to spun in your living room via album 55 years later. It would be a 5 star if I was in concert I bet.
this was fun and crazy!!
A wild run through the genius mind of Frank Zappa.
Peaches En Regalia is fun track.
Good percussion, riffs, compositional ideas, the voice is excellent with the style. After several listens it may seem tiring to the ear because of its excessive instrumentals resembling an endless suite, although they all seemed to tell a story despite not having lyrics
An incredibly creative album, I enjoyed listening to this SO much!! Loved the jazz and the mix of the songs together. First time Ive given an album 5 stars without the dopamine hit cos this is simply... fascinating to me
Just like a hot rat its 3 stars from me.
Hørt på solsenga på Granka. Kul, men litt mange veldig lange soloer, måtte spole etter 8 min med gumbo variations.
Ganske trivelig og kult, men det blir fort for mange endeløse soloer også.
its nice background music fav song: The Gumbo Variations
First side is very good then it drops off
First track is really fantastic, I admire the rest but it's a big drop off
I enjoyed it
this was fun for a monday, cool, funky
I don’t know anything about Zappa; I just have this notion in my head of some strange dude doing some strange music. Which may usually be the case. This was an interesting fusion of jazz and rock. It’s a bit chaotic and off kilter, but that’s ok, I was expecting that from him. It was definitely more accessible than I thought it would be. And I was pleasantly surprised there were vocals on only one song. This 3 would be a 2 or less if there were more.
An extremely enjoyable listen despite being mostly instrumental. This was my first pass at Frank Zappa and I was pleased with the songs. His use of a variety of instruments made this collection more entertaining and the beats were captivating on every track.
empezó muy cool, si tenía sus vibras bacanas, bien, temas muy muy largos
it's pretty fun background music. not my favorite but not bad at all. peaches in regalia and little umbrellas were my favorites
The world needs more Zappa. I need to listen to more.
Eh, it's fine. A collection of instrumental jam (minus one vocal section with Captain Beefheart on "Willie The Pimp") that serve as enjoyable background music. It's "jazz-influenced" but the more jazzy numbers don't really hit the mark. Best bits are the instrumental section of "Willie the Pimp" and "Son of Mr. Green Genes."
Love some of the guitar work
It's 1969. Everyone is dropping LSD and giving each other STIs. Frank, on the other hand, is straightedge and making... whatever the fuck this is. I liked the jazzier weirdo tracks more than the psych tracks, which is odd for me. The guys was obviously a genius, even at this young(er) age.
Alright
Sounds like cool 70s TV and movie theme songs.
Em, I think that might have been great... It's harder work than I need first thing in the morning.
Like many misguided students in the early 2000s, I had a Zappa phase, so this wasn’t totally new to me. Albums like this can be pretty hit or miss, but I had a good time throughout. Favourite track: Willie the Pimp
Again, a bit weird. Some good stuff, some crap. Overall ok, think I expected more.
Well aware of Frank Zappa but never really go into him. Some interesting songs here! Worth another listen soon i reckon!
My biggest gripe about Zappa is usually his lyrics and voice. This album was immeasurably improved by him essentially keeping his mouth closed for most of it
Okay ja interessant wel, maar langzaamaan werd ik er gek van!
groot zappa fan maar dit is niet m'n favoriet. wel lekker gitaarwerk
Sort of as expected. Not my fave, but glad I gave it a listen.
Was not at all familiar with him before this. It's got a lot of that psychedelic sound, the violins made me think of Kansas. Interesting stuff.
muy muy muy instrumental cosa que no me termina de cerrar pero el rulo zappa sabia guitarrear como nadie
Cool groovy background music.
Jam jazz, a freshman year at University classic. Kind fun, heard most of this before l. 3/4
good shit frank. feels like the invention of the genre agnostic jam band performance. very neat. favorite song is Son Of Mr. Green Genes
Rating: 7/10 Get me off of Frank Zappa's wild ride. This was really interesting and wacky experimental shit though, just super out there. He's a lot better when he's just jamming out and seeing where he progresses these wild songs than when he's being making comedy music
Kinda cool actually. Didn't change my life but it was fun to listen along to and was weird and creative enough to win me over eventually. The funny little kazoos are weird but also fun to see how modern bands still love to throw em into songs even now 5.8/10
I'm a big Zappa fan but this was never an album I held in much esteem and listening to it again in 2026 hasn't changed that. It lacks many of the things I enjoy most in Zappa's music, notably his unique lyrics and vocal delivery, and the complex, musically-unorthodox and virtuosic compositions. Hot Rats is paradoxically overly structured and yet meandering, carefully curated yet half baked. Nearly every song devolving into aimless noodling but never steps outside of its tightly constrained parameters. While it seems uncharacteristically unimaginative, there's some high points for sure. Little Umbrellas is wonderful, some of the licks in the guitar solo on The Gumbo Variations showcase Zappa's trademark guitar stylings at their best, and Captain Beefheart's verses on Willie the Pimp make for a great opening few minutes, before it nosedives into a loose jam that doesn't really go anywhere. It's still Zappa at the end of the day, so it's not bad. But I've never understood the hype for this album and I don't think I ever will.
dang dude long song 3/5?
Not my favorite Zappa
Many times when I give out a 3 it's because an album is just fine. Middle-of-the-road albums that are not bad, but not particularly good either. Hot Rats is not one of those. Hot Rats is anything but middle-of-the-road, I'm just not sure where I land on it. Look, the man named his son "Dweezil", he's clearly some kind of eccentric genius... or at least he's definitely eccentric. It's really interesting music, which I'd definitely enjoy in smaller bursts. As an album? It's just a bit much. I only need so many Frank Zappa guitar solos. Still, very interesting and technically clever music.
Peaches en Regalia is obviously great but the rest is kind of just Zappa mush that I didn't care for.
Enjoyable listen
wombo combo jazz en rock
3,5
Not really my thing but can’t deny the musicianship and intricacies to this album. Doubt I’ll ever go back to it but that’s just due to tastes and preferences.
I think the name frank Zappa scare me for some reason… but this was good and I enjoyed it!
I’ve never considered myself a Frank Zappa fan, but Hot Rats was a genuinely enjoyable surprise. I went in expecting something far more guitar-heavy, yet what stood out wasn’t quantity, it was quality. When the guitar does arrive, it’s sharp, expressive and superbly played. This is jazz fusion I can really get behind. The musicianship is exceptional throughout, and the largely instrumental format allows the arrangements to breathe. There’s space, groove and a real sense of experimentation without it feeling self-indulgent. “Son of Mr. Green Genes” instantly caught my ear and I can’t help thinking the opening has a similar feel to the intro of Toast of London, which made me smile. “Peaches en Regalia” is another standout: bright, melodic and brilliantly composed. Favourite tracks: Son of Mr. Green Genes; Peaches en Regalia Least favourite track: “Willie the Pimp” The vocal delivery and drawn-out feel make it less enjoyable than the instrumental highlights it leans more into chaos than cohesion. Album artwork: A striking and colourful cover
Great first couple of tracks, but loses steam on the second half.
Really cool blend of jazz and rock, but some songs feel that they overstay their welcome. Likes: Peaches En Regalia, Son of Mr. Green Genes, It Must Be A Camel
You know what, even if I'm not too keen on the stinky cheese-rank smell of this album, it sounds impeccably mixed for a dino album that I was guessing was from the mid 70's, but actually 69 which is a little crazy. But Zappa using one of the first 16-track recorders, which definitely accounts for having so many goddamn instruments but them all sounding clear as day. This dude is so smart but most of the time he's like Jacob Collier because he's too smart to ever be fun to listen to. But at least he's funny, and if you're in the mood for jazz electric guitar (I don't think I ever have been once in my life) he is a phenomenal player.
Great jams but it doesn’t make me want to go back and listen to it more.
I get it, but also I don't
Decent Jazz album. Didnt drag on too long which I like.
Vibes - just vibes on vibes on vibes on vibes. Impeccable
Album 50 Top 3 favorites off the album: It Must Be A Camel, Peaches En Regalia, Little Umbrellas 6/7 OF THE LICC SIGHTED IN THE FIELD??!!?!?!!? I wasn't expecting his voice to sound like it does. I didn't actually have an idea of what it would sound like, but my lack of imagination didn't imagine it as that. This was a jam heavy album. I can get behind that in general, but a lot of this jamming went on a little long for my taste. I like that one effect that I can't describe right now, on the bass, the sploinky one. That's the technical term, too. Peaches En Regalia had an old videogame feel, like something I'd hear in an old Pokemon game. I liked it. It Must Be A Camel was fun for the polyrhythms. He named his daughter Moon Unit. He named his son Dweezil. I can't decide which is worse. At least if you're Moon Unit, you can shorten it to Moon which is nice. But Dweezil??? After listening to this album, I think I understand why, fundamentally as a person, he did it. In conclusion: 50th album? Not bad.
Funky Zappa album solid
Frank Zappa is a legendary guitar player, this album is a great mix of style but it can be a bit overwhelming at the end of one or two song with the guitar blasting notes. But overall great album
I totally get what Frank Zappa was going for, and why he was such a big deal. I do appreciate his contribution to music, but oh this album was tough for me. I think Frank Zappa is an acquired taste, and I just don’t have it.
sympa mais sans plus
Herregud, evighetslånga låtar. Jobbigt att lyssna på. Förstår inte helt grejen med Frank Zappa annat än att jag trots allt blir lite fascinerad. Det är inte dåligt, bara inte riktigt min grej.
Talented but not totally my jam. Still an interesting sound
love willie the pimp
good jazz - neer listened to him before!
Alright mostly instrumental. Enjoyed the vocals when there was some on willie the pimp.
hab nur das 1. Lied gehört
I liked it. Cool jam-band vibe and mostly instrumental.
I just had the weirdest morning commute ever.
If someone was curious about Frank Zappa's musical talents, I would submit this album. It certainly showcases his gifts. However, it is missing his incredible wit and sharp take on things usually present in his lyrics. Though there are a few songs on here with lyrics, they are not compelling, interesting, or as fun as typical Zappa. The music, while it does have its Zappa vibe, is more jazz and session driven. Jazz isn't a bad thing, and it is not surprise that he can pull it off.
Cool breakfast background music
weirdly intricate and funky
Ground breaking
I was in a bad mood and put off listening to this because at various points in my life I've had Zappa's music forced on me including the life stuff where he just plays mind numbingly long guitar solos and the I usually hate the vocals and lyrics on his long ass songs. However, this was all instrumental basically and I found it largely enjoyable background music that occasionally gripped me. The Gumbo Variations was interminably, gratingly long for no reason seemingly.
Impressive instrumentals and very little vocals. Even more impressive considering Zappa performed, wrote, and produced it all. Not my favourite record by a long shot, but the skill is evident here.
I like how fun it is, although kind of annoying at times, the riffs are fun.
5/10
Very eclectic. Really enjoyed.
It’s aight
Good cleaning music💯
It's a hot mess! There's clearly an abundance of talent but Frank really needed a mate to tell him to quality not quantity. Given he put out 3 albums in 1969, I'm of the belief that could have been one, and a mighty good one it could have been.
Outside of his novelty songs like "Valley Girl", Zappa's mostly unknown territory for me. I really dug the instrumentals on this album. Favorite song: "Son of Mr. Green Genes"
Pretty good. Just not sure i would seek it out.
Not really as weird as I expected. Simpsons: Yes
Wish I listened to this back when I still did drugs. Willie the Pimp drops this album down by a full point. I like this more then the other loose structured albums.
Love a short album. In another world Frank Zappa plays dr. frankenfuter in rocky horror
Oh bro can shred like this ???
Ahead of its time. Very influential and unique listen. 8/10 [KEEP]
Tried and didn’t like it
Didn't hate it! Was perfectly fine to work to.
it’s weird but that’s what makes it so charming and groovy
First experience with Zappa. Wasn’t disappointed.
Had never heard before, enjoyed the first track, Peaches en Regalia, as well as Little Umbrellas, which had a very Barney mille/WKRP vibe lol.
It was an interesting album to listen to. There were lots of different styles of music.
Favourites: 1. Peaches En Regalia Least Favourite: Little Umbrellas
Wonky and honky and skronky and pretty fun
Ganske nice, fulgte litt dårlig med mens jeg jobbet men tror jeg kommer sjekke det ut igjen
Dette er kult som et album, veldig ålreit lytt.
Coherent and interesting
It's good
Ziemlich psychedelisch
lovely guitar riffs, but I prefer songs with lyrics, some songs are soo long to not have some lyrics, melody is amazing tho
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
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.
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
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.
Rock & Roll jam band
proper raamatulugemise taustakas… hea tempo, pole liiga vali aga pole liiga vaikne/“igav”
While I can appreciate it, I just wasn’t that into it.
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”
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
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.
Two stars for the music, bonus star for the album name.
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
Hmmm
The instrumentals were cool but I really didn't like the vocals. I don't see myself revisiting this one.
I honestly dont know how to feel about this.
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.
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"
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)
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.
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.
Weird (complimentary). Some songs went on for too long, otherwise I'd rate this higher.
A little weird
einfach Zappa: nicht zuviel hören, dann ist es sehr gut.
Technically proficient and cool, this rock jazz album is just fine
😏
Too jazzy for me.
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
This was mostly great. Love the guitar work.
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.
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!
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.
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)
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
Good
I don’t know how to explain this except for saying it was a lot of guitar solos.
Not sure !!
Bueno
I can see that this would have been fun to make, but it’s not all that much fun to listen to.
My first Zappa. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Certainly a better jam artist than Phish.
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 :(
3,5
Jazzier and Funkier than I expected. I guess I never listened to Zappa before.
Good Psychedelic rock but a bit too fussy at points
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
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
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.
Very, very good instrumentation, but I enjoy goofy lyrical Zappa more. 3/5
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.
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.
Chill album, chill music
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.
Jazzier Phish. Some is good, some is just too much noodling.
It was ok. Liked some of the songs.
As irreverent as it is creative - which I understand is a fair summation for Zappa’s entire musical career. To this albums credit, it’s much better than many pop-leaning psych rock albums of its time. This at least has some original ideas, even if it sorta beats them to the ground at points. Some guitar solos too long, some musical tangents go nowhere, but the opener and “Little Umbrellas” were a great listen - the latter felt very appropriate for Halloween listening. 3/5 why not
A proper cinematic jazzy frantic adventure down the fretboard. From Rock and roll origins to the dusky back rooms of a late night bar. Tunes feel like you can melt into them a bit. Couple of things that would be cool to sample.
"I know smart people who like Zappa. People who read books and shit." - Tommy Cordery. Not the voice I expected. If I had a moustache, I would want his. Makes me want to close my eyes and play the air guitar. Son of Mr Green Genes - the piano runs are big ASMR brain ticklers. This sounds like: I used to not like anchovies but now I'm dipping my fingers into them.
Peaches en Regalla is amazing. I’ll be honest though my favorite version is phish with the giant country horns. Oh ha, very good album mostly instrumentals all very interesting. None of what I expected from Zappa.
Frank, he a zappa me! Italian me be like
It felt cool listening to this but I did find it dragged on a bit
Pretty good album with some funky jazzy themes. Hated the kazoo thing but loved the second song. Upon second listen 7.8/10 = 3.4/5
Jammy
Standouts Peaches En Regalia The Gumbo Variations
Frank Zappa was always an artist I had a vague knowledge about, but if you were to ask me who he was the best I could muster up would be “He said Mercedes-Benz weird once”. So this was going to be a time. That being said, this is a fun record! A very long record, but a fun one nonetheless. I actually found myself laughing aloud at “Peaches en Regalia”—something about it just made me smile. “Willie the Pimp” was interesting, but not for over nine straight minutes. “Son of Mr Green Genes” however, is exciting and upbeat, with enough changes to the music that kept it fresh and entertaining as the minutes passed by. …Halfway through this album I remembered that Frank is indirectly responsible for “Smoke on the Water”. Thankfully he didn’t die in that fire.
See, now this is alternative 60s rock that's actually fun and interesting. This album is definitely a work unto itself and should be listened to as such, which limits how often I'd listen to it. Nonetheless, still a good time!
Hot Rats is often praised as one of Zappa’s most accessible records, and it does show off his skill as both a guitarist and a bandleader. The jazz-rock fusion is tight, with long instrumental sections that give plenty of room for solos and improvisation. “Peaches en Regalia” is the clear standout, a short, playful burst of melody that feels instantly memorable. The rest of the album leans heavily on extended jams, with “Willie the Pimp” bringing Captain Beefheart into the mix and tracks like “The Gumbo Variations” stretching out for what feels like forever. The musicianship is impressive, but the sheer length of the jams can be draining if you are not already invested in Zappa’s style. There are moments of brilliance scattered throughout, but also plenty of stretches that feel more like self-indulgence than inspired creativity. Hot Rats has some great highlights and an important place in Zappa’s catalog, but as a whole it can feel uneven, more interesting as an experiment than as a consistently enjoyable album.
Zappa is another of my (many) blind spots. The songs are pretty good, I see the vision. It gets really noodly and indulgent but not in an off-putting way. I like the jazz influences. The guitars sound great. Oh, there aren't any vocals. Thankfully short tracklist which should be mandatory if you have any songs over the 8 minute mark - which make up half this album.
Very fun instrumental tracks with good variety in play, solid experience but this album isn’t a milestone for me
Funky Zappa improv goodness.
Not what I expected it to be. Pretty enjoyable, not something that I would always put on but if I am dying for jazz this is fun. Peaches En Regalia and Willie the Pimp were solid, The Gumbo Variations had a bit too much squeaky sax for me. There is a lot of squeaky sax. Bass is SOLID on all the songs to be honest so unfortunately I couldn't rank a song based on the bass alone. Noticing a trend with albums loving to have songs that are 10+ minutes long. Whatever floats your boat I guess. Nothing on here that made me go omg this is a show stopper. Overall a 7.42/10
I can see why this one is a landmark — the opener “Peaches en Regalia” is tight, inventive, and joyful, and the whole record shows Zappa’s adventurous spirit. That said, the extended jams start to feel a bit much for me, and the busier bass parts gave me flashbacks to playing with bass players who never quite left enough space. I liked it overall — somewhere in the 3.5/5 range — but for ranking purposes I’ll call it a 3. I wouldn’t go out of my way to spin it again, but I also wouldn’t change the station if it came on.
Maybe the first time I’ve properly understood psychedelic rock as being music to take drugs to, and not music about taking drugs
A good mix between hella experimental stuff and solid music production.
Honestly, not a terrible jazz fusion album. So much better than his The Mothers Of Invention stuff.
Was looking forward to a Zappa record, but I was a bit disappointed. 'Willie The Pimp' had my interest piqued as it actually had a really cool riff at the start, and Zappa singing silly lines. Overall the record had an interesting corny sound with flutes and some oriental instruments, but it was just way too much improvisation and noodling for my taste. An album almost entirely consiting of guitar solos? Come on. Weak 3.
I fully expected to hate this, based on what I already knew about Frank Zappa - and that’s before you consider him being the producer of THAT Captain Beefheart album. However, against my better judgement, I quite enjoyed it. Some tracks, particularly at the end, went on too long and the whole thing was largely bonkers… but I liked it.
6 songs, 43 minutes? I can't lie, that's not a good sign in my book. And then 5 out of 6 being instrumentals was another nail in the coffin. And finally, the one song with vocals being sung by Captain Beefheart? It's like a recipe for disaster (or a 1 star rating at least) in my head. However... I actually quite enjoyed this. Zappa I knew by name but would have struggled to name any of his songs, and therefore simultaneously had no idea what he'd sound like but also never would have expected it to sound like this. It's very funky. It's getting an automatic 1 star deduction for including a nearly 13 minute track where it sounded like someone was trying to murder a saxophone though. 3/5
Não faz meu estilo
6.5/10 Highlights: Peaches En Regalia
YeH. I mean, yeah, but ok.
Peu ou pas de paroles, quelques mélodies sympa
OK tier en fond sonore
Favorite songs: Willie the Pimp, Son of Mr. Green Genes Least favorite songs: The Gumbo Variations 3/5
I mean it’s not bad, but there were a lot of parts that felt… weird and unthoughtful. Doesn’t make the album as a whole bad, I quite liked it, but these moments knock it down to 3 stars
Proto stoner rock, pretty good.
- kurzes Album - kaum Text - eigentlich voll die coole Musik aus den 70ern, gibt mir irgendwie Mandys (Burgerrestaurant) Vibes - Jazz inspiriert? - Fav: Littlr Umbrellas? - Least: The Gumbo Variations (und dann noch 9min…)
"What instruments would you like, Frank?" "Yes." Frenetic and surprising. Not super my thing but respect the weirdness of it. A couple of ridiculous guitar solos in there to get the head banging. Never really listened to Frank Zappa before but this has piqued my interest in his other stuff.
i expected a bit more vocals
Started off very strong with the psychedelic beats and beautiful solos. Progression of the music is also fantastic. But in the second song when he begins to sing really ruined the rest for me. Overall instrumentation is the best part. Not typically my style of music but didnt mind it nonetheless.
Not bad at all. Just some groovy tunes. Fourty-five minutes of em at that. Big thumbs up from me.
Mainly instrumental tracks. Some of them seemed interesting enough. Blend of rock, jazz and classical Sounds quite dated However as Igor Stravinsky said "a lot of musical pieces end long before they finish. Although I am not sure he was referring specifically to Frank Zappa
Pretty intense cross between psychedelic rock/jazz. No doubt crazy musical talent and free-thinking, but not something I could listen to for a long time.
Crazy trippy jazzy fun
77/100 pretty good, all songs have been saved to my jazz playlist, better than back at the chicken shack placement: 5th out of 7 albums / 5/7
Somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me. Good and kinda jammy, but not memorable.
Rats off to you Zappa in the crappa PaZappa the Rappa
10/08/2025 As synonymous as he is, nothing stood out for me here.
Still haven't full dove into Zappa but this is nothing If not interesting and full of ideas I can get behind and other sounds I'm not feeling, if I come back to it I might change my mind but for now, it's fine
I wasn’t expecting to like it but I got my groove on 🕺🏻
I like this more than the rest of the Zappa I've heard on the list. He's an artist I can't really get. The playing is without a doubt skillful and it's creative and interesting, but it has something else going on I struggle to click with. Not a bad album at all but it doesn't do for me what I'm sure it does for some.
The instrumentation is really good. Any moment with vocals took me out of it. Son of Mr. Green Genes was the high point for me. After that my interest slowed. I still don't know why I've heard the name Frank Zappa so much through the years.
Sexy guitar what can I say
Composed beautifully but not my thing 6/10
Some pretty great noodling here, but I would have liked some more vocals
I enjoyed this album and thought it was pretty fun and interesting. It was mostly jazzy compositions and very little vocals, but that didn't take away from the listening experience for me. It did lose me at times, though it kept bringing me back by doing something that caught my attention again. I thought it was pretty good. Not sure I'd call it great, but definitely a pleasant listen. Overall: 3.4/5
How do you even cathegorize this music... it's whatever he felt like playing.
Something listenable for once!
While "Hot Rats" undeniably showcases Frank Zappa's masterful and intricate arrangements, particularly in the instrumental jazz fusion explorations, I unfortunately felt emotionally disconnected from the overall listening experience. The extended track, "Variations of Gumbo," while ambitious in its length, unfortunately veered into territory that reminded me of 1970s porn. Although I am open to revisiting it in the future to see if my perception changes, right now I'm just exhausted!
Apparemment, c'est censé être la rencontre du jazz et du rock psychédélique. Le problème, c'est que c'est surtout du jazz avec des touches de rock, plutôt que l'inverse.
really nice grooves i thought i would like this more but maybe im not gonna force myself to rate it higher
Not for me. Would not buy.
Not what I expected from Zappa. Much more instrumental.
Hmmm, kind of liked it.
"Tryna buy some pussy with a third party check." Kind of sums up the entire album, I like to imagine that this was someone's uncle and this went HARD for the late 60's to early 70's pipeline. But that check has bounced and some bits are just funny.
Anyway, Hot Rats is pretty good for a Frank Zappa album. Frank not providing any vocals automatically bumps it a star or two. "Peaches en Regalia" and "Willie the Pimp" are the standouts for me, with Captain Beefheart swooping in to save the day on the latter. 3.5 stars.
The most I have ever enjoyed Zappa, but he has a limit. 3.5 stars
Hot Rats is pretty good for a Frank Zappa album. Frank not providing any vocals automatically bumps it a star or two. "Peaches en Regalia" and "Willie the Pimp" are the standouts for me, with Captain Beefheart swooping in to save the day on the latter. 3.5 stars.
3.5
Wild, but that last track totally lost me.
It’s unlikely I’ll ever have the energy to listen to t something this fast paced, but if I ever do, this will be where I go.
The first song started and I figured this album was going to be a hot mess. But then it got better for a few of songs until that horrible screechy sax started. So my initial instinct was correct, this is a hot mess.
Well its interesting, I'll give it that. Would not listen, once is more than enough, but not an awful listen either.
Not bad, but not my personal liking.
At times, 5 stars. Others, 1. I don’t know where to rate this.
This is the worst blues album I have ever heard.
First time ever listening to Zappa by choice. Mainly bc I never wanted to be one of those Zappa guys who swears by everything he does and can't go two minutes without mentioning his name. On one hand, Peaches En Regalia is one of the greatest pieces of music I have ever heard and I loved every second of it. On the other, I was 6 minutes into Gumbo Variations before I started to enjoy it and then it just kept fucking going. So idk, its massively excessive and wanky, but somewhat captivating and well put together? I don't know if I can give it a 4 as an album but there is a lot here I like. Will probably find my way back to it at some point in the near future.
Jazzy, Jammy, Instrumental, Flowing, congruent. Don’t know where one song ends and another begins.
Frank Zappa as a public figure was interesting. This album, not so much.
Ett par höjdpunkter och allmänt en härlig vibe. Weird men välgjort!
Bra för instrumentellt
Instrumental jazz with weird lipstick.
Really enjoyed listening to this album for the first time.
This is a half decent album. There are a lot of long instrumental pieces which were not bad, but carried out too long for sure for some of them. On the other hand there are some instrumental pieces that were epic! ("Peaches En Regalia") It has also popped in my heat whenever there was singing that it is so Beetlejuice core.
I liked this more than I liked The Mothers Of Invention albums we've had. I don't think I'd listen again but there were songs on it that I enjoyed. It was experimental without being as weird as the Mothers songs. I thought a lot of the songs went on too long though. Some of them I enjoyed at the start but I had either gotten bored by the end or it had moved to a place I didn't like as much. Fav song: Peaches En Regalia Least fav: It Must Be A Camel
Better than I expected. Still pretty kooky though :)
Pretty cool but not sure I'd listen again
Pretty wild ride, great musicianship in these winding tracks. You can always count on a Frank Zappa album to at least be interesting, and this one is no exception.
Not sure I like the instrument choices. The orchestration is strange and great as always
Still not really sure what I just listened to, but I enjoyed it.
Zank Frappa #hotratssummer
I know Frank Zappa from the PMRC hearings in 1985, but I have never listened to much of his music. This album has some very engaging jazz/blues fusion music that I really enjoyed listening to.
It's been a long time since I last listened to this. It's not bad. Kind of Acid Jazz, except Zappa hated drugs so not an appropriate descriptor. There's some great musicianship on display, but aside from the standout Willie The Pimp there's not a lot of memorable tunes.
Strange and intriguing jazz fusion. Haven’t heard much like this before. Refreshing and somewhat unsettling.
kind of Zappa's prog
This has character and I kind of like it but some of it just goes on too much for four stars. 3.5
Funky
Jazzy psychedelia is not my general vibe, but this hit me at the right moment to enjoy it. 3⭐️
Better than a lot of his stuff
Interesting album. Don't have too much to say about it. Overall enjoyed the fairly experimental sounds of the album. Sections really reminded my of the Ocarina of Time OST. Perhaps it was the generous usage of woodwinds.
Rats off to ya!
Ehh, DIDNT really jell with it
More Vocals would be welcome from Mr. Zappa, still a round thing. Every Song was good but The Gumbo Variations was my least likeable one. They was doing too much but it was still an interesting listen at least.
Album raro pero ta bien
I was expecting something much different than this
Very experimental, very jazzy, very avant garde. I’m sure this blew peoples minds back in the day. I’m giving it a solid 3 because I respect it and respect Zappa for being different.
It wasn’t bad, I just didn’t like the style
Some of this was just grating. Other parts were really good.
Not as crazy as I was expecting. Actually kinda boring and inoffensive but I didn’t mind it. Played it in the background while I scrolled my phone.
Willie the Pimp has been one of my favorite songs for years, not sure how I came across it. Might have been a Spotify mix. But I love the gritty blues vocals from Captain Beefheart not to mention the epic guitar solo afterwards. That being said, I have tried other Frank Zappa stuff in the past and I just do not like it. There is something special about Willie the Pimp though. So I saw this album show up, which I have not bothered to listen to outside of the song Willie the Pimp and thought I'd give Frank Zappa another try. I listened to this album and I could do without all of it but Willie the Pimp, such an incredibly awesome song! I am torn as to what to rate this album, it will be heavily weighted because of the song I mentioned before, Willie the Pimp. I mean I am almost considering giving this album a 4 because of this one song. Hot meat, hot rats Hot cats, hot zits
Niet gelusiterd
Wasn't bad but a bit monotonous.
I normally find these albums that are “weird for the sake of weird” to be obnoxious, annoying, and off-putting. In a strange turn of events I found this album oddly charming, and almost delightful. I have to say I enjoyed the instrumental tracks on this record a lot more than the ones containing vocals. I really did not care for the vocal style used here at all. As for the instrumental tracks, there was really a lot to like here, you can tell it was recorded with relatively rudimentary equipment, but that almost adds to the funky charm of Hot Rats. This isn’t something I’d actively seek out to listen to, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came on. 3*
Interesting music.
High point: Willie the Pimp! I could listen to this kind of jamming forever. No wonder Trey is such a fan.