Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Wtf is this shit i love it. So dumb, Fave Tracks: Who Needs the Peace Corps?, Mom & Dad, Let's Make the Water Turn Black 4/5
First real song gave me very high expectations but feels like they ran out of ideas throughout and tried too hard to be weird. Started it at 5 stars for me, how did it fail?
Every time I see an album like this, I try to figure out who it was actually for. Late 60s, you’ve got the hippies on one side and the squares on the other. This clearly isn’t made for the hippies, they’re being mocked the entire time. But it’s not like a conservative in 1968 is throwing this on either. It’s too weird, too chaotic, too all over the place. So what you’re left with is this very small slice of people who don’t fit anywhere...not with the counterculture, not with the mainstream. People who are just kind of outside of everything which is a really, really tough audience to aim for. That’s what makes this album interesting to me. It’s not trying to connect, it’s not trying to sell you anything, it’s not even really trying to be liked. It’s trying to make fun of everything...culture, music, trends...and just kind of stand off to the side and laugh at all of it. And while I don’t love that approach, I can respect how hard it is to pull off. It’s one thing to make a great album that people love...It’s another thing entirely to make something this anti-mainstream, this weird, this intentionally difficult, and still have it land enough to be remembered and discussed decades later. In fact, I would argue that it's much, much more harder to do that. Musically, it’s not terrible. There are even some funny parts scattered throughout. But it’s inconsistent and I wanted to hear more of Zappa on guitar, less of the constant interruption and satire. It feels more like a concept than something I’d ever want to sit down and listen to again. So yeah, this isn’t for me. But I get it. And because I get it...and because of how hard it is to make something this outside the lines and still have it matter at all, I’m giving it a 3. Not for enjoyment, but for respect.
I love Zappa but
not my favorite zappa by any means. lyrically the topics are as prescient as ever. i prefer the more jazzy, rock output of zappa - not big on the humor overall, but this album does it well.
i gotta thank Frank Zappa, enduring this trash album made all the music I listened to after it sound so much better 2 / 10
Not my favorite style of Zappa, too in-your-face, obnoxious, not enough focus on musicianship or composition.
Too mental
*insert Gattuso gif "Sometimes Maybe Good, Sometimes Maybe Shit"
Whatever zappa
Wow, el album arranco tipo what the fuck y termino tipo WATAFAC. No son canciones que escucharía por mi cuenta ni pondría en mis playlists, pero el disco en sí fue un viaje. Posta me hizo pasar un gran momento, y a diferencia de otros albumes medio asi extraños, los sonidos no eran ruidos, se podían disfrutar. En un momento te hace mover un poco las chachas. Pero bueno, repito, no es música que escucharía, pero como disco en sí gran viaje. WOW. 8/10.
I figured a Zappa record would be coming at some point. I love that there is a song that features the word "discorporate" and they are clearly doing their own, inventive, crazy thing. But I think it is more fun to play than listen too.
I listen to tons of music, and I would still say Frank Zappa is my favorite after all these years on Earth. We're Only In It For The Money is maybe the most accurate telling of the 60s from someone who would qualify himself as a Freak, the "hippie" scene from Southern California that were around at the same time-frame as the hippies. The social messaging is Zappa at his most clever songwriting (before he did significantly more sex jokes). I think it's a misconception that hippies are seen as some target like a South Park episode. Much of the satire is hippies that are in it for themselves and not the greater 60s social/political nature of their perceived radical lifestyle.The companies that get rich off their fashion or drug choices ARE the ones that are only in it for the money. These are the people that would grow up to be the stereotypical boomers that grew up privileged and say the kids today have it easy, you know the type. Zappa ironically might have ended up that way, but he died of Prostate Cancer in his early 50s. Why does it hurt when I pee, indeed. Aside from the hippies themselves, Zappa makes it pretty clear in 'Concentration Moon' and 'Mom & Dad' that police brutality towards hippies was common, but also the attitudes of condescending conservative parents rejection of their child's ability to be themself. As absurd and silly Zappa's music is, these are probably the most poignant lyrics he'd ever write. At no point is Zappa against the hippies other than saying they're silly at best and misguided at worst. It's a message of personal freedom: you can be absolutely free, only if you want to be. Most of the other satire is much more direct, attacks at vanity and what inner beauty really means (What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body?, Hot Poop (the backmasked message if listening to the censored version), Lonely Little Girl), domestic abuse (Bow-Tie Daddy, Harry You're A Beast). Let's Make The Water Turn Black is a real story with Zappa's neighborhood friends doing gross things while The Idiot Bastard Child on the album is a continuation of that story, but is also about Richard Nixon. Fuck that guy, while we're at it. The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny was never finished because the budget ran out and the studio didn't want Zappa to do more weird studio/engineering shenanigans on a Velvet Underground-sounding avant-garde piece. The only other way to get it is to read Kafka's In the Penal Colony. Finally, this is a great album. There's no comment section under these reviews so I'll also add a hearty "fuck off" if you don't agree with me. I'm needlessly petty on an obscure music platform because I can. This album rocks, not my favorite Zappa or Mothers of Invention record, but it's probably his best or second best crticially acclaimed album for a reason: The Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Hendrix, The Doors, anyone else you could name would never talk about these subjects honestly and directly. There was a lot going on in the mid to late 1960s, We're Only In It For The Money is a great chronicle of all the madness condensed to an experimental rock record.
The songs are just weird, some of them I can't even consider "songs" really. Hard pass. Best song: Bow Tie Daddy
It's got innovation and witty lyrics, but as a contemporary Rolling Stone reviewer noted at the time, the shock and wit front-load the experience — subsequent listens lose value fast. The melodies aren't something that makes me want to come back to this often.
Awesome. Not sure how to explain what this album did for me other than “it explained a lot.”
Oh man this is shit. You can hate on the populist approaches of society in a far less childish manner than this, surely? Nearly gave up on several occasions.
⅛★
Absolute garbage album. I'm not sure if it's meant to be satire but if it is I'm missing the point entirely. The production is horrible, the songwriting is downright bizarre, and whatever meaning the artists are trying to portray is not coming through at all. There are moments that are so baffling it feels like a random collection of weird noises and sound bites that don't relate to each other whatsoever. That's genuinely 39 minutes of my life I won't get back.
me he divertido
i was expecting worse i guess. i share his hippy sentiment
3.1 2x
I'm not sure what I just listened to but my ears feel violated
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Wooooooooo!!! Okay. Mothers of invention. Dope shit. So, I think this band's awesome. I also think it's thoroughly hilarious that the same people who threw "Rumours" (great album but that's besides the point) at the top album of all time spot have to listen to this. Sheesh, it really is a beautiful world. Almost 5,000 1-star ratings on this. It really makes you smile. It also has merit though!! Really great satire, and some genuinely good tunes too (see: "Who Needs The Peace Corps," "Absolutely Free," "Lonely Little Girl," "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," "Mother People"). The concept of satirizing everything popular and stupid at the time is pretty solid too, especially in the cases of songs like "Flower Punk," or, again, "Who Needs The Peace Corps." Overall quite the masterpiece of satire, would listen again! 9.2/10
People are insane for liking this album
Exactly the kind of album I would never have listened to if it weren't for this. I love Sgt. Pepper's album, is it OK to also to quite like the absurb satirical pastiche of it too? There's some pretty funny lyrics about hippies going to San Fran, loving the police who'll beat up any protestors. Some marvellous song titles, Idiot Bastard Son was a particular stand out title. Probably a 3 but going to give it 4 stars.
Not my thing
3/10
Stupid, experimental. 2.
This music is art with a purpose. Such a well crafted piece of social commentary that sounded ahead of its time. 5/5
Escuchar este álbum es enfrentarse a un ejercicio de sátira radical que recuerda al humor ácido y fragmentado de Monty Python. Es una obra que se siente incómoda y, en partes, desagradable, reflejando una realidad verdadera pero cruda a través de recursos irreverentes como eructos y ruidos incidentales. Sin embargo, en este caso, el exceso termina tapando la calidad musical de Zappa; la genialidad compositiva queda a menudo sepultada bajo el peso de su propia provocación. Lo más rescatable es su humor negro y punzante, especialmente en pasajes donde la ironía sobre el aislamiento o la brutalidad policial resultan divertidos y realistas. Es un disco de contrastes: fascinante como documento histórico y crítica social. Es una experiencia de escucha única que, por su carga de cinismo y estridencia, solo se puede soportar una vez. Una pieza de colección necesaria para entender la contracultura, pero difícil de disfrutar en la cotidianidad.
I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would listen to this for pleasure. Psychedelia is fine but it has to also be musically enjoyable, and this just isn't. It's far too weird but without the redeeming features to make that weirdness cool. 'The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny' includes several minutes of just noise and both concludes and sums up the album as a whole
First actual listen-through of a Frank Zappa affiliated album! I overall liked it.
It had everything to be a hell of an album about politics and society. But it turned out to be a politics and society album about hell.
Album thinks it’s too smart for its own good
Pretty psychedelic.
2/5
Lmao love mothers of invention
Well.... I didnt hate it and I borderline enjoyed most of it. The stuff I didnt like was the noise, got tiring after a while. But I will say this is definitely my favorite Frank Zappa project so far.
While I appreciate Frank Zappa for his social commentary and politics, I have never been a fan of his music. Valley Girl being the exception. Hard pass on this album.
Overtly bizarre and funny, sneakily well-crafted with top rate musicianship. Can’t say that I completely understand all aspects of the cultural point of view Zappa is expressing but I relate to the alienation and cynicism about left and right wing cultures. I wrote a paper in college about the production on the Mothers’ first record, Freak Out, and as impressive and avant garde as that album is, We’re Only In It For the Money is leagues ahead. The band’s ability to create a schizophrenic collage of sounds is a profound early example of the use of recording studio as musical instrument, pre-dating Eno’s articulation of the concept by several years.
⭐️⭐️ kinda knew what i was getting into with another Zappa album. yes, this was weird, but it was also kinda uninteresting too? since i didn't consider this unlistenable, it gets a 2
Un desafío a la paciencia
We're Only In It For The Money, and you aren't getting any of mine for this crap. 0.00
dont piss me off....
I'm sure it was fun to be on drugs in the 60s - but listening at work in 2026, this was unpleasant.
Un álbum peculiar, no es malo, no me parece tan bueno, linda sátira, está bien
I found this enjoyable in a different way. Very funny and interesting. I laughed out loud several times and really appreciated my time with this album. That said - I don't really see it as a casual listen that I could find myself putting on for normal enjoyment. Overall quite a trip.
I’m rating this so low. It sounds like they all took a bunch of acid in the recording studio and then took acid again when mixing the album. Horrible.
An album so bad it not only makes me hate this one, it makes me question other stuff I thought I liked by Zappa
Well this was a wild Tuesday morning commute. Absolutely bonkers, more so than any Zappa or Beefheart stuff. Frequently descends into sped up samples of random talking. May have been inspiration for the Chipmunks. Too surreal for me I’m afraid.
Tipo de album complexo de dar notinha. Entendo o conceito e acho muito bem feito, mas ouvir ele é terrível Boa obra de arte, como entretenimento meio merda
This was…weird. A Beatles parody, sort of? It wasn’t awful, but I can’t see myself returning to listen to any of this.
Odd, very odd
I tried but it's just too limp sounding. Production is dated and the humour misses for me. Inventive yes.
## Overview *We're Only In It For The Money* stands as Frank Zappa's most pointed satirical statement and arguably The Mothers Of Invention's masterpiece of 1960s cultural commentary. Released at the height of the Summer of Love, the album was a deliberate counter-punch to the prevailing hippie ethos, packaged as a parody of The Beatles' *Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band*—complete with a thunderstorm-drenched photo shoot that cost Zappa $4,000 (approximately $33,700 today) to create as a "direct negative" of The Beatles' iconic cover . --- ## Lyrics & Themes ### Satirical Targets Zappa's lyrics operate as weapons of mass deconstruction, targeting: **The Hippie Movement:** Songs like "Who Needs The Peace Corps?" and "Flower Punk" eviscerate the counterculture with surgical precision. "Flower Punk" reworks the garage rock standard "Hey Joe" to depict a naive youth heading to San Francisco to "join a psychedelic rock band," mocking the commodification of rebellion . Zappa later explained his stance: "Hippies were pretty stupid... anybody who impugns the process, whether it's a peace march or love beads or whatever it is—that person is the enemy" . **Political Hypocrisy:** The album refuses easy partisan alignment. Zappa portrays both left-wing and right-wing politics as "prisoners of the same narrow-minded, superficial phoniness" . "Concentration Moon"—featuring the famous whispered threat from engineer Gary Kellgren about erasing all of Zappa's masters—evokes concentration camps lurking beneath American suburban normalcy . **Suburban Conformity:** "Mom & Dad" tells the story of parents who "killed her too" after their daughter runs away, while "Bow Tie Daddy" depicts an alcoholic Lincoln-driving patriarch in denial. These tracks explore the generational warfare and parental cluelessness that fueled youth rebellion. **Sexual Repression & Liberation:** "Harry, You're A Beast"—quoting Lenny Bruce's routine "To Is A Preposition, Come Is A Verb"—features backward-masked lyrics ("Don't come in me") and attacks American womanhood as "phony on top... phony underneath" . Meanwhile, "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" envisions a future where "you won't even be ashamed if you are fat"—remarkably prescient of modern body positivity movements . **The "Other People":** "Mother People" serves as the album's manifesto: "We are the other people / You're the other people too." Zappa positions himself as spokesman for "the freaks—imaginative outsiders who didn't fit comfortably into any group" . --- ## Music & Composition ### Structural Complexity The album showcases Zappa's sophisticated musical architecture beneath its satirical surface: - **Modal Complexity:** Tracks employ multiple modal scales simultaneously. "Who Needs The Peace Corps?" shifts between C Mixolydian, C Lydian, F# minor/Dorian, A Mixolydian, and F Lydian within a single song . - **Rhythmic Innovation:** "What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?" features abrupt meter changes including 7/8 time signatures and tempo shifts that destabilize the listener . "Flower Punk" uses complex patterns of "4 bars of a fast 5 (2–3), followed by 4 bars of 7 (2–2–3)" . - **Collage Technique:** The album pioneered musique concrète approaches in rock—songs are abbreviated, interrupted by dialogue segments, orchestral fragments (lifted from Zappa's *Lumpy Gravy*), and sonic non-sequiturs that deliberately fracture continuity . ### Production Techniques Zappa employed experimental recording methods including tape manipulation. Several tracks were sped up by a minor third for the original release—"Lonely Little Girl" and "Mother People" among them—creating an unnatural, slightly frantic quality . The 1984 remix (which replaced original bass and drum parts with new recordings by Arthur Barrow and Chad Wackerman) proved controversial, leading Zappa to restore the 1968 original for subsequent CD releases . --- ## Production & Sound The album's sonic landscape is intentionally jarring: - **The "SNORKS":** Dick Barber's mysterious "snorks" (nasal vocalizations) appear throughout, adding absurdist texture - **Cameo Appearances:** Eric Clapton provides spoken word interruptions ("Are you hung up?"), while Jimi Hendrix participated in the cover photo shoot and gifted Zappa one of his burnt Stratocasters - **Orchestral Interludes:** Segments conducted by Sid Sharp provide unexpected moments of quasi-classical beauty amid the chaos --- ## Cultural Impact & Influence ### Immediate Reception The album was revolutionary for its willingness to attack the counterculture from within. While peers like The Velvet Underground were celebrated for embracing underground aesthetics, Zappa dared to suggest the entire movement was "really stupid" . This earned him significant criticism—hippies, as Zappa noted, "always take themselves too seriously" . ### Censorship Controversy MGM Records censored multiple tracks without Zappa's knowledge or permission: - "Absolutely Free": The line "I don't do publicity balling for you anymore" had "balling" removed, altering the meaning entirely - "Let's Make The Water Turn Black": The reference to "Mama, with her apron and her pad" was cut because an executive mistook "pad" for a sanitary napkin rather than a waitress's order pad - "Concentration Moon": Gary Kellgren's dialogue was re-edited to falsely suggest he called The Velvet Underground "Frank Zappa's group" Upon learning of these alterations, Zappa declined a Grammy award for the album, stating: "I prefer that the award be presented to the guy who modified this record, because what you're hearing is more reflective of his work than mine" . ### Legacy The album established Zappa as rock's premier musical satirist and influenced generations of artists willing to critique their own scenes—paving the way for punk's self-examination and alternative comedy's meta-humor. Its collage techniques prefigured sampling culture, while its political cynicism resonated through subsequent decades of cultural commentary. --- ## Pros & Cons ### **Pros** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Uncompromising Satire** | Fearless critique of 1960s sacred cows; refuses to pander to either left or right | | **Musical Sophistication** | Complex harmonies, modal shifts, and rhythmic innovation beneath the comedy | | **Production Innovation** | Pioneering use of collage, musique concrète, and tape manipulation in rock | | **Conceptual Cohesion** | Unified vision from cover art to final track; "Phase One of Lumpy Gravy" continuity | | **Timeless Relevance** | Predicted body positivity debates, political polarization, and performative activism | | **Historical Documentation** | Captures the tension between genuine counterculture and its commercialized imitation | ### **Cons** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Accessibility** | Deliberately abrasive; the collage structure frustrates listeners seeking traditional songs | | **Cynicism Overload** | No relief from satire—every moment is ironic, which can exhaust some listeners | | **Dated References** | Specific 1960s cultural targets (Peace Corps, "Hey Joe," particular political figures) require historical context | | **Censorship Damage** | Original artistic vision compromised by MGM's edits (partially corrected in later releases) | | **Deliberately "Ugly" Sound** | Tape speed manipulation and abrasive textures are intentional but off-putting | | **Misinterpretation Risk** | Zappa's attacks on hippies were often mistaken for conservative alignment rather than anarchic individualism | --- ## Final Assessment *We're Only In It For The Money* remains one of rock's most audacious achievements—a concept album that critiques the very concept of concept albums, a countercultural document that attacks the counterculture, and a musically sophisticated work disguised as chaotic satire. It captures Frank Zappa at his most focused and ferocious, using The Mothers Of Invention as his instrument for cultural surgery. The album's greatest strength is its refusal to offer comfort. Unlike *Sgt. Pepper*, which invited listeners into a colorful fantasy, Zappa's parody drags listeners through a thunderstorm of uncomfortable truths about conformity, commercialization, and human phoniness. It's not always pleasant listening, but it's essential—an uncompromising document from an artist who understood that sometimes the most revolutionary act is telling revolutionaries they're full of shit.
I have listened to frank zappa before but never really got his sense of humour or understood the satire, and this album is no exception. Maybe I am just a dumb millennial. This was bordering close to pretentiousness but I suppose I understand a little bit why it got good reviews. I might listen to other frank zappa albums though, such as Joe's Garage
very weird
o típico álbum de artista edgy que se acha mais inteligente do que o resto...bleh e irritante. 0/5.
Lite väl plojigt. Inte särskilt behaglig lyssning heller.
Det var lite småkul i ett par låtar, outhärdligt som album.
Nån behövde pissa på 60-talet på 60-talet.
Pallade inte riktigt galenskapen
extrem dryg ironisk kille-energi. hatar. typ en sån kille som bara pratar med andra killar!
Blir lätt drygt när man ska narra men som uppväxt på ariel pink är min ribba hög, eller är den låg? Finns ju mycket musikaliska kvalitéer här också
Boring and repetitive, couldn’t even finish it
Just a bunch of unfunny and unenjoyable songs. Absolute crap
Never heard of them and this was not great. On later research I found out Frank Zappa is involved. I quite like Frank Zappa, I however don't really like this.
Certainly experimental, but there is better Zappa. Doubt I'd listen again, but i wasn't clawing my ears off
This list is fucked. When it was laid down, maybe not. However, in 2026 Zappa is less than meaningless. Imagine being teen who likes Zappa now. I'm going to find the guy who gave this 5 stars and Highway 61 one. Jesus christ. Moustache.
This could have been good, but they decided to make it as annoying as possible.
Really interesting concept album.
Musical parody that doesn’t really have any humour. Not for me
This is like the soundtrack from a psychodelic movie crossed with Monty Python. All over the place and became tiresome to listen to a whole album of it. Despite this, I would think The Mothers of Invention deserve a spot in popular music history. But it hasn't aged well.
One of Zappa’s sharpest albums lyrically, delivering a scathing, satirical indictment of the hippie movement centred in Haight-Ashbury. In typical Zappa fashion, it’s highly experimental, filled with odd time signatures, strange sound bites, and unusual instrumentation. There’s still enough conventional melody, however, to keep it from becoming too jarring. “What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body?” is the standout for me, and I love the line “Some say your nose, some say your toes, I think it’s your mind”.
Sardonic and satirical, We're Only In It For The Money is Zappa doing what he does best. The question is whether you like that or not. I'm more in the camp of appreciating it for what it represents, and less for its musical merit.
This is a classic underground 60’s album that requires an understanding of that decade to appreciate. Yes: something is being asked of you here. And it’s worth it, because the decade was the starting point for any music you listen to today and the touchstone for your modern politics as well. The album is experimental but enjoyable. So it’s not experimental in the “Revolution #9” kind of way but in the… well, in the “We’re Only in it for the Money” kind of way, because truly there’s nothing else like this out there. The parody and the critique (sometimes blistering) cuts in all directions. As it turns out, there are a lot of ways to be phony - whether part of the older or younger generation. Most directly, Zappa is addressing what he sees around him in California circa the Summer of Love in 1967. Also: I love the Beatles. Zappa’s critique of the Hippie In Name Only culture, as well as the conservative anti-hippie culture, in no way disuades me from loving the Beatles and recognizing their tremendous achievements as well. Not even sure anything besides the cover parodies them here. Such a deserving 5/5 but I also get why your modern ears may ask “whaaaat?” Just let that be with curiosity instead of dismissive criticism.
This album deserves to be on this list! I feel like I am often saying the opposite, so I want to lead with that thought. Not only are TMOI at the top of their innovative game musically, they offer some of the most unique criticism of their times. 99.9% of the artists at the time are taking their shots at the establishment, at abuse of power, hypocrisy by government, older folks, etc., but with rare voice, TMOI offer criticism of their peers that is witty and accurate. The music has a satirical whimsey, that makes the point without sacrificing innovation and aesthetic punch. Fabulous album and experience!
The best of the Mothers albums and one of the best Zappa albums. This album parodies everything and that's part of the fun
I fucking love weird shit like this. Frank Zappa, freak that you are <3
Very little enjoyment
Could never get into Frank Zappa
Truthfully, I really don't like listening to this, but there's so many legit crappy psychedelic albums on this 1001 Albums list that I couldn't help but laugh at a few of the more biting satirical tracks. I actually belly laughed at a couple of lines from "Who Needs the Peace Corps" and "What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?"
Quite silly!
I’m still not sure if this is a joke band, but I guess I kind of like it.
Kinda fun, mostly dookie.
Lyrics 5/5 interesting, music 2/5 hard to listen to and all over the map.
It's so insanely pretentious that I can't co-sign this at all. Like what the hell are these people's problem. "Everyone is dumb and fake except for me har har har". I'd normally give it a 2 because there are some musically interesting ideas here, but I had such a miserable time listening to it.
= to the Beatles Kinda obnoxious at times but also really funny. Of course Beatles fans are butt hurt about this one
Je m’attendais à mieux quand j’ai vu frank zappa. J’ai fais le saut, par moment j’avais l’impression d’écouter un band de oompa loompa. 1 étoile parce que c’était agressant. Chansons « préférées »: mom and dad, absolutely free, lonely little girl
Je savais que Frank Zappa était du genre ~expérimental~, donc je savais un minimum à quoi m'attendre, mais holy shit. J'apprécie l'angle moqueur et les clins d'œil (Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, etc.) et "l'art" derrière l'œuvre, mais définitivement pas un album que j'écoutais for funsies, contrairement à d'autres chansons de Zappa. Chanson préférée et mention honorable : Flower Punk, parce que j'ai reconnu la ref à Hendrix et "Hey Joe" et ça m'a procuré un petit sentiment de fierté.
vraiment cool que ton album soit satirique. ça rend pas l'expérience moins pénible pour moi cependant chanson préférée : Let's Make The Water Turn Black mentions honorables : les paroles et delivery of "Do you think that my pants are too tight? / Do you think that I'm creepy?" (Mother People) m’ont fait rire pendant une bonne minute
I don't like weird for the sake of weird
It has to be the least enjoyable psychedelic rock album from this list so far
Really interesting. It made me think of 'they're selling hippy wigs in Woolworths' in 'Withnail and I', or the bit in 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' about the wave of sixties optimism breaking and receding. Not the kind of thing I'm likely to listen to again, but I'm glad to have heard it.
This reminds me of when my little niece plays with her little electric piano and karaoke machine. It sounds dissonant and offkey to me the whole time. Or like it should be the background music to some LSD fueled indi film from the 70s. Certainly a lot of LSD was involved in the production of this album.
Good and weird
I didn't realize Ariel Pink was just ripping off Zappa the whole time
10/10 would weird again!
A little too Avant Garde even for me
Ihan ok, ja kuunnellut tarpeeksi keskittyneesti. 2,75/5.
Muy bueno.
The proto 100 gecs annoying music
A bit of counter-cultural ribaldry, we could use something like this today.
It does have a track called “hot poop.” So it has that going for it which is nice.
eh
Weird as hell.
What did hippies ever do to you?
Never listened to them before & was pleasantly surprised
Elvis' best
I love Frank Zappa. But I’m not going to lie, I don’t even think that he really writes that good of music most of the time. Like it’s definitely good, it’s definitely experimental, but not often is his stuff mind blowing all that being said, I didn’t really like this album that much. It’s cute, there are good songs on it. But I think Joe’s garage is much stronger, and even say, play your damn guitar is a more interesting listen.
Absurd, chaotic album. Not my favorite.
So much to listen to! Psychedelic to the max. There may be more spoken words than music.
Sometimes fun, sometimes annoying, sometimes amusing, sometimes pastiche, sometimes genuinely experimental, sometimes (I think) sincere. Never actually a great album, but I'd rather listen to this than Coldplay any day of the week.
wow this is a lot. not really sure what else to say
Opening minute or so I thought, this seems interesting. But woah the albumn as a whole is real difficult listening and can't see myself choosing to go back to this.
Album 61 Top 3 "favorites" off the album: Mother People, The Idiot Bastard Son, Concentration Moon I did not consent to an ASMR experience, and I do not like it. No, seriously. Get this man out of my ear. I thought I was having a stroke when track 3 hit because it started with the ASMR again and the same soundbyte from the preceding track. After that awful sensory experience, we go into mildly ridiculous lyrics about real issues, and then it got serious. And then we went back into "what is going on," because what *is* going on? This album is kind of whiplash in musical form. Have I said that about an album before? I feel like there was one other way near the beginning of my listening. This is overstimulation in sound form. This belongs in Smiling Friends. Glep would listen to this on his tablet. STOP THE ASMR PLEASE. "Nasal Retentive Calliope Music" had something that sounded like the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō. After a few minutes of reading, I found that this is more Zappa. That explains a lot. ENOUGH WITH THE ASMR ALREADY. The infantilization of women on this album is crazy. SITAR?! After more reading, this does a pretty good job of illustrating the political extremes (explains the whiplash). THIS LICC SIGHTED IN THE FIELD?!?!? (Mother People) Overall, I... had fun listening to it, actually. It took some reflection to find it in me, but it's like watching a shitty movie, except I had no expectations at all which means I wasn't able to be disappointed. It's getting a low rating, but understand that it's given with affection and the intention of coming back.
Politcially charge satira album. Terrible listening experience.
Some clever, fun critique of hippies with interesting instrumentation, and plenty of eh.
its like white prog rock like its ok
Despite my dad always playing Zappa when I was growing up, I'd never heard this before. Fun listen
5 minutes into the album I was ready give up, but the fourth song actually had some sounds that were at least listenable. If nothing else, at least I learned the word discorporate. While I like weird music I think this album was mostly not about music, but random sounds and lyrics. What the hell was the last song and was the intention of the first half of it to cause physical pain..?
This list has already presented me with Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica, which is a Zappa produced album. That album was extremely experimental, but in a way that made it completely awful in almost every respect. In contrast, this album is significantly more listenable, it's largely quite tuneful, and even though it's also experimental and psychedelic, there's more compositional skill on display (in general). However, there's still a lot of random noises/effects/voices that don't make any sense to me, and add absolutely nothing to the music. Parts are, similarly, just unpleasant crap. In the actual lyrical bits, it seems like he's just repeatedly mocking hippies. It feels like a really odd critique - particularly having read about the recording of Trout Mask Replica - a lot of the things he mocks here (like the band all living in a house together), is true of that album?! This just makes me think he's just poking fun for the sake of it and it feels quite false and pointless. I'm going to rate this higher than Beefheart on the basis it is actually tuneful (largely), but that's pretty much all it has going for it. Not a fan. I don't think Zappa is for me.
This just feels bad. Incoherent message, incoherent music and incoherent flow. The last song is probably what people think the noise breaks I enjoy sound like. Tbh it has some good moments that I could dig into the layers and get comfy but it's mostly just random sounds thrown together. Apparently you need to read a whole book to understand this song. High 1/Low 2
Extremely Zappa. Obviously this is a highly eccentric, satirical, and hilariously deadpan album that mocks and criticizes the hippie culture of the late 60s perpetuated by bands like the Beatles. It’s not really my thing necessarily, but it’s pretty cool. There are some incredible psychedelic moments on this album, and I appreciate how the whole thing blends together very seamlessly. Everything is extremely wonky and off kilter, and it gives the album a distinct and unique sound that you just have to hear. I don’t think I would revisit individual songs, but I would play out the whole experience again.
Self-indulgent garbage. Still some interesting elements which prevent it getting a 1, but it's close.
Super psychedelic and experimental. Serious social commentary even though the music is a bit of a goof. Groundbreaking sampling mixed with baroque pop. It takes a certain state of mind to really appreciate this art.
One of the first true misses for me, really atonal, I know its experimental soundscape and Zappa, but its just not my vibe. Maybe if I had smoked a lot of 60s dirt weed and thought Marx was a cutting edge figure. The interruptions, the style, just not what I'm looking for in an album.
Oh! This was not the right pick to listen to in the middle of my manic episode. Are You Hung Up is creepy and unsettling. Who Needs the Peace Corps is insane, in the good way. Concentration Moon packs so much in 2 minutes it's nauseating. Mom & Dad is a tour de force. Telephone Conversation to What's The Ugliest Part of Your Body is a long terrifying blink you can't describe with words. Absolutely Free, how I love you. Flower Punk is beautiful but tiring.
chaotic, satirical, deliberately abrasive // feels like a prank pulled on the entire 1960s at once // razor-sharp cultural parody // collaged, fragmented, jumps between styles without warning // sounds like someone slicing up pop culture and taping it back together wrong on purpose // historically bold, gleefully disrespectful // deeply personal nostalgia factor for me as my mom had the cd and i loved staring at the cover. oh, and my immigrant grandmother played it for me constantly thinking it was children’s music, which is an objectively criminal misunderstanding but also subjectively formative; probably rewired my brain chemistry in early childhood, grateful for the accidental exposure. explains a lot about me now
I have no idea what I was listening to or what I was supposed to get from that. I never understood an album less than this one. I have not listened to Frank Zappa before, and this was not the impression I was hoping for when delving into his collection. I'm sure his solo stuff is different (crosses finger)
Brilliantly of it's time to the extent that the only way to fully appreciate it would be to listen whilst on an acid trip.
Strangely fun at times and just outright strange at others. At first I was like wtf but some of it grew on me. Definitely an album that could have been upexperienced differently with some type of stimulant - would be an even wilder ride!
Tom Green - The Album
Album name is a bit on the nose. It isn't even ironic. A dreadful mix of nonsense but I somehow managed the whole thing.
Pretty good
This is fucking stupid.
Drugs are one hell of a drug. This album feels like experiencing another person’s fever dream; a lot of random shit followed by something coherent, then back to more random shit. If Zappa Et.al were trying to capture a stream of consciousness in musical form they nailed it.
The first reaction I had to anything on this album was the uglies part of your body bit. An unexpected brutal roast. I get the importance of social commentary, especially through music, to US history and general progress, but this is pretty difficult to recognize as music. And the parts that are musically recognizable aren't really that good. I will give some commendation to some of the electronic experimentation "noise". Some of it is actually really good and sounds very close to what might be done on modern avant-guard rock. I would much rather have read an article detailing Frank Zappa's influence through this album than have had to listen to it. And I don't do much reading these days, especially non-fiction. Favorite Song(s): Absolutely Free
There is definitely such a thing as too much irony. Thankfully, the Mothers figured this out early, so we can enjoy bands like Ween today.
This is genuinely one of the worst albums I've ever listened to. It's a pretentious type of modern-impressionism reminiscent of the Dada movement. But the thing is you can't be pretentious and bad. It's just objectively bad. What sucks the most is that the band really seemed like they had a message, but dropped the ball on every song. I felt nothing but annoyance listening to this album, even as I related to the lyrics. All I could think about was how I could be listening to better artists who said it better. No favorite song.
Insufferably smug and neither as funny nor as clever as it reckons
I expected weird. And it was weird. This is not a listen regularly kind of album, but it's surreally entertaining.
The Chads of Invention
It certainly sounds like they’re only in it for the money but even then, if this wasn’t Frank Zappa there would be no money made from this album. It fucking sucks
60’a
Weird, spoken word, limited music
WOAH. I really enjoyed this. So humorous yet legit.
Two Zappas in a row! The 1001 algorithm is broken! 😵💫 And I’m not enough of a Mothers fan to absorb two wacko pop and experimental—not to mention overstuffed—records in two days. (This one does have a higher ratio of catchy/ accessible tunes, though… if only there weren’t the silly voices and skits!)
Ganske køddent, sikkert gøy hvis man fordype seg litt meir i da
I like Frank Zappa, but this is a very silly album and not in a good way.
This rocks. To start I'll say I agree with this album philosophically, I think that there's entirely too much commercialism, phonies, and aesthetic signifiers in the hippie movement. There are two types of weird, the type that's cute and fun and makes you unique. I'm weird I like funky music and where funky clothes and say funny things. Then theres the weird that Zappa represents, keeping bugs as pets, using crystals instead of deodorant, spending a week in a cave in the woods subsisting on LSD and Cheetos. The type of weird that makes you unattractive, an actual outcast. The Beatles don't represent bringing psychadelic weirdness to the mainstream. They represent bringing normies to the weird spaces, and when normies enter weird spaces they feel the need to normalize and rationalize it. To this Zappa says no. This music is weird, it's complicated and won't fall into neat repeating loops like you want it to. You can't sing along. You try to capture the music, describe it, wrap your head around it, and it fights you. Anyways, musically this is awesome. You have to view it as a patchwork of sounds, melodies and bights, because as soon as you hear something you like it could be gone. I have a soft spot for music like that. This album gives you a lot of that "What am I hearing" feeling. It's awesome I listened to it multiple times. The mothers of Invention are great on the instrumentals Zappa asks a lot of them and they deliver.
I know this is supposed to be satire and experimental but it’s a bit too literal for my tastes. The songs are not really subversive as they are just Zappa doing a “look at me I’m <thing> and I say the dumb shit that <thing> says!” This was probably fairly wild for the time but it’s tame by todays standards. Extra point for naming a track (I wouldn’t call it a song) “Hot Poop”
A painful, painful listen. I have tried many times to get into Zappa, but I guess I just don't have the advanced intelligence needed to to find this stuff palatable. Best left for all the Misunderstood Geniuses out there.
Holds the listener in contempt, Zappa is a tool.
Note to self: listen to this again after Sgt Pepper
Wow. This was his typically satirical (think Mad Magazine) take on hippies and conformist non-conformity. A bit smug, but also fun. There is also a surprising amount of musique concrete and is neither as pretentious or as difficult to listen to as it could have been. Instead, it seems playful, even beautiful. Maybe as I age and become curmudgeonly, I find that Zappa is an honest reintegration of my disillusioned and idealistic selves. Anyway, this album is a keeper. Not as crass and vulgar as Joe's Garage and good.
This album made me look up the most popular drugs of the late 60s within 5 minutes of the album because WHAT are these people on???? (it was LSD which makes sense) I just cant imagine anybody enjoying this at all, including myself. MADE ME WANT TO TAKE MY SKIN OFF
no no no no no no no. This was just horrendous. Even if I was coked up to the eyeballs I don't think I would've liked this. 'Nasal retentive calliope music' just about finished me off and then for the rest of the album I felt like I was making my way through the circles of hell. Why am I alive
heyyy this wasn't as bad as everyone kept making it out to be. I thought the lyrics were kind of quirky and the whole vibe of the album was just comical, I think maybe a 3 is a bit generous so will round down to a 2.
The first track echoed around my head phones and made me quite uncomfortable as I was listening, it felt like they were whispering to me. Not cool. The rest felt flat and the vocals were not very good. On a side note who makes a rock album and decides 'hot poop' would be a good track name?
incredibly annoying but i like it
Also art…phew
This feels pretty dated. It's satire making fun of how lazy and oversaturated a lot of psychedelic rock was at the time. I think it was probably something that needed to be said at the time. That being said, making a parody of bad music is still bad music. So yeah, not a lot to enjoy here.
The kind of music geeky twelve-year-old boys who play D&D would make.
2.0/10 This was horrible… who would want to listen to this??
Ahhh, Frank Zappa it all makes sense now. What a trip. Odd start but all together a cool little journey.
I have never heard of this band or this album so here we go. Right off the bat, it has a kind of psychedelic sound to it. It is from 1968 so that is the kind of vibe I am expecting from this album. It has an interesting sound but I do like it. Very interesting and kind of silly. I actually strangely really like this album. It has kind of an experimental-Beatles sound to it. My only critique is that it does not really seem musical enough for me to want to listen to it in my free time.
I just didn't understand this album. I hate to word it like this, but this sounded like a lot of noise at times.
no
Not the best Frank Zappa, it felt like a Steve Martin comedy album, which I’m not exactly sad about I suppose
3/4
Yes, Zappa could make some pretty good parody statements about various 60s musical tends. But it all gets old. My man kind of just loved the 50s and 50s culture but also wanted to be edgy an alternative. Some songs and statements on this one made me chuckle but by the end his tongue is so firmly embedded in his cheek that it’s hard not to start rolling your eyes.
I've always appreciated Frank Zappa as an ideas man. He was always able to articulate his feelings and views is a manner that would interest and intrigue others, using humour to make serious points. Basically, a right-on and intelligent bloke. However, musically I just don't get it. Random snippets of noodling and indulgence. And "We're only in it.." confirms that. The Emperor's New Clothes of modern music.
Just because it’s a satirical joke album doesn’t mean the songs can’t be good.
Zappa is the best
Political. Psychedelic. I prefer music with less madrigal vibes and more…melody.
Not too fond of humour in music, and not at all humour I don’t find funny. Good music should send shivers down your spine, and not because the sounds are so nasty.
This was such an interesting album. It’s wild that it was made in the 60s, but the message was pretty relevant for today. Definitely will listen again.
Heavy sigh. What’s the point of this? It’s not clever enough to be parody.
I think it's your muuuum It's been a while since I've heard something this awful, absolute peak retardism in .mp3 form
This is more my flavour of Zappa. Before he went Strictly Commercial
Very interesting!
That's not my taste in music
Felt like I was listening to someone have a full on skitso meltdown
Skip track. More shit. Skip another. Worse. Skip,skip,skip. 10 minutes of my life I’ll not get back.
Distressing
I've never been a fan of Frank Zappa's Avant-Garde Experimental Acid Rock. This album is supposed to be satirical but I don't find it funny.
Hippie Dinge 68
ehhh not great was not a fan of the style (meant to criticize the music industry). It was nice to listen to as a part of 1001 albums but is not a daily driver when It comes to listening nor would it be great in the backround.
This is. Really Bad. This isn't good. The only redeeming factor is the little bit of jazzy instrumental sprinkled in around the beginning
Adding a star because it makes fun of psychedelia. This sucks though
Should have been high for this. Enjoyed Bow Tie Daddy more than I should have while sober, though.
geen muziek voor mij
Satirizing mainstream counter-culture and those holding onto conservative values all while showcasing a massive skillset, the album is amazing. It is painting a picture of the sixties in vibrant soundscapes. I've heard something new on each listen. And the flow of the musical narrative keeps me listening from start to finish. I will need to revisit this one time and again.
This won’t take long, the most basic form of satire, not even thought provoking. Must have been aimed at the american market. Utter shite
This album is divisive on a personal level. Maybe one day I’ll “get it” or maybe I’ll decide it’s definitely just gimmicks. Idk man
I get the satire but it's not a great album
1 star but it's really cool. Could never be something I listened to again except for as a joke but happy to have heard this weird music once
This was weird, but not bad. I really appreciated that most of the songs were short because I imagine if they were any longer it would have made me enjoy this a lot less. The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny is a great example of that.
I probably would have loved this album when I was 12. But I’ve always had a resistance to Zappa, even though I’ve loved a lot of culture that shares DNA with the Mothers of Invention. Either way, this Rocky Horror cum They Might Be Giants concept album is a little exhausting when you’re 44.
2- Stars (4/15)
Hot garbage. Hot dog water. A festering pile of dog shit.
Ah idk about this one. Felt like kids making music.
dumbest shit I ever heard
This did not remind me of Sergeant Peppers. It reminded me of the White Album, but if the White Album was 90% “Revolution 9” and 10% the other bad songs from the White Album but not a whole song at once, but a bad song for ten seconds at a time every five minutes, often playing at the same time as “Revolution 9”. All that to say, this sucked.
Obviously this is pretty weird. I don't hate it. I'm super impressed by the production. For 1968 the sound is really crisp. All the little studio sounds really pop. You can tell before turning it on that it's going to be riffing on Sgt. Pepper's and I think that it does the studio stuff just as well. Listening on decent headphones I was struck by how good the stereo effect is. All-in-all feels ahead of it's time and a great illustration of Zappa's genius. First phone call skit that somehow became ubiquitous in 90's hip-hop?? I guess maybe Bob Newhart's comedy album. Two problems: 1. The satire has not aged all that well, as it often doesn't. No connection to the lyrics or stories being told. 2. It's cool, but it's barely music. Not something that I would just put on and listen to. Glad it's on the list but don't think I can go above 3 stars
Įkyrus. Per trumpi ir dažnai keičiasi, balsai meh.
I haven't listened to the Mothers in decades. They were one of those fringe bands for me during my college years, their schtick, just didn't wear that well with me on most occasions. This trip back then into memory lane has demonstrated the Mother's music hasn't improved with me, with age.
This is #day524 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the sheer weirdness of this record is overwhelming. I understand both the intent and the execution, but... I'm fairly certain, though, that it might have been fun for its time. We'll see what else The Mothers have in store down the road. For now, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day525.
Just no, what the hell are we even doing here? Why do these 60s and 70s concept albums tend to suck so hard. This was grating on the ears, annoying AF in so many ways, and I gave up on it.
bad.
This sucks.
Cosmic Junk
I've always liked Frank Zappa more for the person he was and less his music. This album reaffirmed that. I think they were trying to make fun of the record industry at the time but forgot to include some tunes we'd actually wanna listen to.
This is the album that killed me. I only made it to 603 albums before I died.
artsy fartsy
Super
what is going on?
Jag har förstått att Zappa liksom Prince var omåttligt musikaliskt begåvad, för bra för sitt eget bästa. Men det är onekligen skillnad på hur man väljer att använda sin begåvning.
Skämtmusik.
Det ska väl vara någon slags revolt samtidigt mot vuxenvärlden som mot hippiekulturen. Det enda jag tänker på är dock Carl Lidbom. ”Det ät trams”. Håller möjligtvis för en lokal nyårsrevy. Att albumet finns i boken är ett tydligt bevis för rockkritikersläktets bristande omdöme.
Det här är inget musikalbum. Det är en skojskiva. Och den är inte särskilt rolig. Hippies är långhåriga och knarkar är tydligen ett fantastiskt roligt skämt 1968. Musiken är ungefär lika rolig. Precis som med Sparks är dokumentären bättre än musiken.
1.53
Frank Zappa is one of those artists where you can love his albums and hate other ones at the same time. Hot Rats and Freak Out are the greats of his 60's period, this one the stinker. I like when Frank Zappa combines his experimental approach with his excellent playing and songcraft, not when the album is composed of sped up and looped throwaway tapes with the occasional bit of enjoyable music in them. There was half of a fun song on Flower Punk, but the listening experience bounces between background noise and 7 layers of irony deep Chipmunks chatter and noodling. The Mothers can do so much better.
I find this mildly amusing. And I do get some of the cultural critique although I don’t think it’s that sharp or insightful. If anything, it made me appreciate the artistry of the Beatles and other 60’s bands even more.
Very interesting, it feels like they had all the ideas ever at one time, but there's some really interesting experimental noises for the time, I feel like they just told the engineer to go ham on some songs with the varispeed and the like. I think some parts are meant to be a parody of the Beatles, not sure if Frank Zappa liked or disliked them, but songs like what's the ugliest part of your body are (I think) an obvious John Lennon parody, like Lucy in the sky with diamonds type stuff. And there's some political stuff wound in which I know he was largely involved in. The drummer is nuts surely they were using a double kick drum or maybe they're just the fastest drummer ever. There's also loads of parodies of rock and roll culture like him pitching up his voice and saying 'I think I'll make a double LP'' or something. Not really any downsides, as I love creative stuff, some songs are a bit too weird, but they don't drag on like that CAN album did. Favourite songs: who needs the peace corps?, concentration moon, Mom & Dad, Harry you're a beast, what's the ugliest part of your body, absolutely free, lets make the water turn black, the idiot bastard son, lonely little girl, Mother people (loads of songs wow). Overall around 7/10
Fuck off
Really fucking bad.
I think I didn’t get it.
The whole “both sides are bad thing” gets on my nerves. There were moments where I liked the lyrics or thought it was funny, but as a whole I found the album grating. Idk even when it’s satire I don’t want to sit through all that noise. And I really didn’t like all the whispery bits, but that’s just a me thing. Fav song: What’s The Ugliest Part of Your Body? Least fav: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music
In fairness I have had an absolutely awful stressful day. This is one of the worst pieces of media I have ever consumed in my life. I would genuinely rather listen to nails scraping on a chalkboard or audio of unanaesthetised amputations than listen to this again. Who in their right mind puts the effort in to make the music, produce it, take all the photos to collage to make this album cover, to then print the albums and sell them, with such shit music. Feels like a prank honestly. Think I can safely say that if you could see the two paths that my life takes, one with me listening to this before I die and the other one being me dying without having to listen to this, the latter would be more enjoyable. Specific rating - 0.1 Fav song- none of them Least fav- the chrome plated megaphone of destiny
Sometimes it was funny and funky music but mostly it was annoying noises. There’s definitely a way to do satire that’s still fun to listen to- this isn’t it. Favourite song: What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body Least: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music
Bad music, mediocre satire
You know what it was weird, but in a good way. Simpsons: Zappa almost guest starred apparently. But otherwise no
Any album this odd doesn’t deserve 3 stars. The only problem is I don’t know which way to go with the rating.
Забава
Very.... unique
Blind album and artist. Definitely one of the albums I am so happy to try on the list. It was super interesting and cool with the sounds and the flow of these tracks, but this just isn't up there with some of the other avant-garde stuff on the list like trout mask.
Yes, I’m listening
This album was so much fun to listen to and feels still relevant today.
Aged well imo — funny, with strong satire both musically and lyrically
Zappa is a genius, but this album didn’t really stick to me. It’s also a reflection of its time, which is a positive I feel!
Ik was GEEN fan van Freak Out!, deels ook omdat het een dubbelalbum was en ik gewoon echt het gevoel had dat het me gewoon belachelijk aan het maken was met zn uur runtime en kazoo solos. Sindsdien heb ik ontzettend veel saaie rock en britpop geluisterd, tot het punt dat ik misschien toch wel een beetje benieuwd ben naar dit album. De cover is natuurlijk memes, Beatles maar dan net wat vreemder en absurdistischer. Ik sta echt veel meer open voor vreemde muziek dan ten tijde van het vorige album van hun. Maar Frank jij ouwe klootzak, beetje boeren in mn oor, dat is niet vreemd, maar gewoon niet echt chill. Ja nee, ik probeer echt open hiervoor te staan, maar het is niet echt muziek. Het is een soort aaneenschakeling van memes en rare shit met af en toe stukjes muziek. Ik geloof meteen dat dit een bijzonder album was in de tijd, dat is het namelijk nog steeds, maar als iemand mij in de toekomst verteld dat hij fan is van Mothers of Invention dan weet ik in elk geval dat die persoon emotioneel in de kindertijd is blijven hangen. Dit album voelt als iemand die heel erg zn best doet om weird en quirky te zijn en daardoor voornamelijk heel erg irritant is. FAVO:
7/10
Great stuff.
Zappa is a crazy genius
Cheeky and funny... to an extent. Kind of like when ole Rick Gervais makes fun of Hollywood people, for being Hollywood people. With that said, I guess at the time, it was probably cutting edge material. I think I kept wanting more out of this, but the joke kinda of ran long. He supposedly played a lot with mustard gas as a child.
There were some decent parts but maybe a little too much focus on invention
Sometimes I think I'm being too milquetoast with my reviews: opting to sit the fence and center most around 3's with a few moving the needle to 2s and 4s. Albums like this remind me of why I use the scale I do. An absolute 1 if there ever were a 1. Production isn't just weird, it's noise, not music. Annoying and insufferable to listen to. Satire comes off as smug, mean‑spirited, and juvenile. Maybe it was cutting edge in 1968, but it sounds more like an art project than a “sit back and enjoy” album. I guess to throw it a bone, it serves is a glimpse into another perspective to the 60s? After I listened to it (and hated it), I saw that Frank Zappa was involved and it all made sense. I didn't enjoy the other album I got from him either.
I dont understand the Sgt Peppers connection.
zappa zoals ik hem graag heb : sneren uitdelen naar links, rechts en midden...zonder respect voor heilige en minder heilige huisjes... top plaat
39 minutes, and every one a punishment. This was brutal. A joke that’s not funny. You know the person that tells everyone how smart they are, but are actually just a total dick? This is the musical version of that.
It’s been 987 albums (my biggest gap between albums by an artist with only two albums on the list) since I reviewed Freak Out!, and at long last is the other Mothers of Invention album on this list. I thought Freak Out! was good, and I really enjoyed the lyrics on it. It seems like I might be in for of the same on this album, and if so, I think I might wind up enjoying this. Well, WOiIftM (I’m not typing out that whole album name) was certainly an experience. The lyrics on this album were funny at times, but for the most part, Zappa and his crew came across as bitter assholes who just hated everyone. To me, this album wasn’t satirical, because satire is fun and lighthearted, and this album just lambasted everyone in a way that felt like it came from a place of moral superiority. I’ll admit that “Who Needs the Peace Corps?” was hilarious, but after that, this album’s lyrical themes felt pretty tired and played out. Musically, I wasn’t into this album at all. I enjoyed the music on Freak Out!, but here, I felt like everything was just annoying noise. I can understand why this album is on the list, but it certainly didn’t line up with my personal tastes at all.
This is like unfunny satire. The noise tracks scattered throughout bothered me. This album was certainly different from some of the others on this list, but I did not particularly enjoy it
Experimental rock that went a little too experimental. Can’t say I ever acquired a taste for Frank’s music.
This album sounds like a stream of consciousness of a person taking an acid trip. There are repeat sections that pop up in different tracks, chatting about what is on their mind, snippets of phone conversations and overlapping chatter. The feel of the album moves from elation to paranoia with upbeat riffs moving into discordant musical phrases. I liked it, but you REALLY have to be in the right headspace to listen to this.
What's there to say? Incredible of course. Though my dislike for Frank Zappa will remain very much prevalent. Also the g slur again. Great music though, important album.
Nope. Not music.
A great album but is a bit of a hard listen in some places
Psychedelic fever dream of experimenting with no worry about commercial success . Interesting album. Not something Id choose to listen to again, but I can see it being worth one listen
Only someone as dumb and shitty as Frank Zappa could conclude that The Beatles, the band that constantly innovated and knowingly alienated their audience in order to pursue their artistic vision, are “only in it for the money”. There are 1000 bands you could correctly attribute that to, but The Beatles are not one of them. Also, the music on this album is terrible.
pretty nice
I liked it more than I thought I would! Weird and funny. It’s cool to think k if people being young and silly and rebellious
Like if Mad Magazine was a band.
I'm sure this is EXACTLY someone's jam, but it is DEFINITELY NOT MINE. DNF. -2 stars.
Built on frantic, collage-like bursts of warped guitars, rubbery bass lines, cheap-sounding keyboards, abrupt tape edits, and nasal, theatrically sneering vocals, this experimental rock album spins like a funhouse mirror maze. It's so jagged, jumpy, and willfully chaotic that mostly I am irritated and annoyed.
This is art. It's my first Zappa project on this album generator, and it's cemented some thoughts and provoked others. The guy is indeed a musical genius. We're going beyond the traditional definition and more into the mixing and conceptualization of a record. The messages are strong and in-your-face, and they're built to make you question the society you're living in, the way the world works. It's the stuff I would've expected from the '80s, and for some reason I associate Frank with the decade, but this piece of work was making rebels way back in 1968. So yeah, who are the Beatles to you, and what does Hey Joe mean in the modernization of society? What a fucking trip, man. This was meant to be listened to on headphones or a well set up stereo sound system. It gets better with each listen, there's a lot to untangle. 4.2/5
Terrible album. It's not even music.
Super strange, weird, funky. Loved it. Zappa is the man
Nope
Really didn't like the first Frank Zappa record - the r&b/beat parody with soft mocking lyrics and self-satisfaction that the first record did (and that that this record sometimes goes to) doesn't really appeal to me. But at other times on this record it is basically The Residents or Devo a few years early and it is genuinely pretty woke throughout even if Zappa seems a bit full of himself at all times
Ranged from quite fun to unbearable from track to track
I've always wanted to like Frank Zappa much more than I have ever actually been able to. Irreverence seems all well and good . . . until it regularly crosses a line over into irritation. There were plenty of times in his career when Zappa was able to walk this delicate balance and remain on the right side of that line. Unfortunately, this album is NOT one of those times.
I'm used to more interesting stuff from Frank Zappa. This ain't it. I didn't like it. I like the artwork though. I imagine he wrote this as some kind of diss to The Beatles? At least the artwork. But that doesn't justify the fact that it's a bad record.
It was a bit pointless
Not as smart as it thinks it is
Some weird shit
Frank Zappa is a complex figure. Growing up he was important to. As I got older I realized that a lot of his takes are that of an asshole. That being said, his creativity and ability is undeniable. I love this record. It sounds more like the angry observations of a misfit than whatever he became later. The hippie generation is a bit of a sacred cow for rockers. It amazes me that he had the audacity to make fun while it was happening. Also, this record is thoroughly engaging, from the melodies, to the noises, the weird voices and production. What more do you want honestly?
This was great. I hadn’t heard it before. It was like listening to contemporaneous commentary on the hippy 60s, skewering both pro- and anti-flower power sentiments. A Pythonesque flavour to parts of it.
A classic 1960's weird album. Weird voices, weird lyrics, weird sounds and some weird music too. There were some similarities to tracks from Pink Floyd's Ummagumma album from around the same time, e.g. "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict". Unlike Ummagumma there don't seem to be any redeeming tracks on this album. It's all weird and one that I'll characterise as "just because you can make music like this doesn't mean to say you should do"
Terrrible!
This album was complete crap. I don't even know how this is categorized; as music. If I could give is 0 stars I would.
hell naw man
#210/1001. The music of Frank Zappa vs. my interests: Humour? Check. Talented musicians? Check. Inventive? Check. Nerdy? You bet. Yet somehow I never was and probably never will be a huge Zappa fan. Too nerdy for a nerd? Does good musicanship mean showing off, you know can't do that on stage anymore stuff, and if it does why does it put me off? That's probably how they wanted to happen, and I should be cool enough to know this and to dig the sound nevertheless, but perhaps they predict that I'm so cool and reinvent and change their sound because of that...you know a never ending cycle of hot rats eating their tales (miss spelled on porpoise). I think I'm getting old though since every time I hear a Zappa album again, it seems to get better. Or the world, me included is catching up. For a first listen to this album, let's start with a 2.
1/10
Just what I expected this to sound like, just fun and quirky satire that does a great job at not taking itself too seriously. Not the most coherent or complete product, but for an album like this you wouldn't exactly expect it to be.
Nachdem ich verstanden habe, dass das ein Satirealbum ist, kann ich es einigermaßen appreciaten für das, was es sein will. Interessant, was alles in dieser Liste so zu finden ist.
Nein. Absoluter Fiebertraum, leider nicht im positiven Sinn. Einziger Lichtblick als bei "Concentration Moon" kurz das Gefühl aufkommt, jetzt beginnt "Happy".
Ist nicht mein erster Versuch mit diesem Album, aber ich verstehe es einfach nicht. Kein Song, der mich überzeugt, kein Text, den ich unterhaltsam oder interessant finde (zugegebenermaßen etwas schwierig, darauf zu achten, wenn im Hintergrund ein Baby schreit) und falls irgendwo mal eine gute musikalische Idee vorhanden war, dann war der Song so schnell vorbei, dass es im Endeffekt auch wieder egal war. Spätere Zappa-Sachen sind da etwas zugänglicher.
Ziemlich weird aber doch interessant. Fand es tatsächlich auch unterhaltsam.
Alleine das Cover. Vielleicht wirklich alleine das Cover. Der Inhalt hat mich jetzt nicht aus den Socken gehauen. War mir zu experimentell.
Zu Beginn fand ich es besser. Ist auf jeden Fall interessant, mit mehr Durchgängen könnte ich da bestimmt mehr geben. Stellenweise aber auch einfach nur anstrengend.
Puh, das war harter Stoff
1.4 Stop kidding yourself. It's shite. Frank Zappa is one of the medium-sized gang that this list has led me to realise they're shite
DNF
Truly awful. Confirms my suspicions about people who are really into original, underscore, Frank Zappa albums, not rereleases! There’s nothing on this album worth listening to. Thankfully many of the tracks are short. Even so, they overstay their welcome.
Quite a nice album. Yesterday I happened to read that humanity as a whole is experimenting less and less and that you have to go back years to find original things. That seems to be the case again now.
A question for the 1,001 Albums committee: why do you hate me?
A strange and irreverent combination of soundscapes and 60s psychedelia only possible through the unique artistic weirdness of Frank Zappa.