Trout Mask Replica

Niet doorheen gekomen. Vooral omdat spotify de muziek niet meer heeft en de enige manier om het te luisteren een playlist is waarbij een groot gedeelte van de nummers is vervangen voor slecht opgenomen live versies.

Weird discordant chaos. Frownland made me anxious, but easier to listen to as it went on. Actually like Pachuco Cadaver. But maybe my mind has already broken lol. Wildly insidious, since I didn't mind it by the end, and some of the musical choices WERE impressive. But I can't give it more than a 3 - maybe I'm just not smart enough when it comes to music theory and art.

more than anything, this should show how I feel about that shitty def leppard album. This is at least interesting. Also kind of awful

Why?

I'm grateful this wasn't on Spotify so less people will come across something so atrocious.

Too out there for me.

Listening to this makes me feel a little braver about putting my art out into the world.

Trippy.

Did your teachers ever say "you cannot get a 0% on this test, because that would require you to know all the answers and purposely get them wrong?" I don't know music theory, but I felt like that was the case while listening to this. Whether or not it was meant to sound like this is rather irrelevant to my opinion--if I thought it sounded good regardless of intent, it would get a better score. However, one thing I almost never felt was boredom, and that makes this album avoid the dreaded one-star rating.

Seems to me they go out of their way to be truly unusual

This album is more interesting than it is good (and I don't think it is that bad). There are very few albums that sound like this, so before you shut this off after 1 or 2 songs and give it a 1 remember that there is 6 Elvis Costello albums, 11ish Byrds related albums and what feels like 20 boring UK indie and boring UK Electronica bands each. What I am trying to say is that there is a lot of music you are going to have to listen to on this list that isn't very exciting or unique so take this chance to try something new. This definitely could have been shorter though. Low 4.

I had to listen to a playlist of the same name on Spotify so i'm not sure it was the actual album. I kept waiting for the intro and goofing around to stop and the album part to begin. Maybe if I was in a band or high I'd get it?

Can’t find the album on Spotify so I won’t be listening to it unfortunately. I heard snippets on YT and it’s definitely not my bag, but I can’t rate it fairly at the moment.

Lots of talk on here about Matt Groening of The Simpsons saying it's his favourite album. Well, I love the Simpsons but I can't go on and say it'll be mine. I do respect the ambition and its uniqueness. But sometimes, being weird for weirdness sake isn't necessarily a good thing.

I don't mind the chaotic playing and songwriting, the only thing that holds it back from being a personal classic for me are the vocals. Not the fact that they are weird, just that they aren't engaging for me.

Not on Spotify.

I need a t-shirt that says: I survived Captain Beefheart! Thankfully this is not a list of 1001 albums you need to hear on repeat. Glad to have heard it, glad to not need to hear it again.

Ok. Hear me out on this. I liked it. The story behind this is cool. This is one where you can hear something new every single time you listen. Absolutely one you should hear before you die.

⭐️⭐️/5. Would love to come back and give this another listen and try to see what everyone is seeing, but I am such a rhythm and beat person that free, experimental jazz like this is a hard lesson. Loved the story of them playing it exactly like this in concert tho - that’s musicianship.

1 song and enough

I made it 22 minutes in and had to bail. It’s like listening to a homeless man beating on pots and pans and speaking gibberish. Who is this even for?!!

Not found can't zero so 1

Hab zu wenig Drogen dafür genommen. Die Werbung zwischen den Lieder war das beste 1/5 will nicht ein Lied wieder hören

No.

If your asshole hipster uncle yes, the one that hugs you just a little too long, insists on massaging your feet and has never visited without his hand somehow always ending up on your butt by the end of his visit had a band it would sound exactly like Captain Beefheart. There he is trying to be the center of attention by goofing on whatever song is playing by singing along with an exaggerated cartoon voice that got on everyone's nerves a half dozen Thanksgivings ago. Uncle Beefheart who always seems drunk out of his mind without consuming a drop of alcohol, drunk on his own bullshit, beating his own band members whenever he feels like it playing or not, stopping the band to address his audience captive or otherwise with some story of his black face wearing college days told in the voice of some old black man on LSD. This stuff is exhausting, seriously no album has ever made me feel this beat up, no album has ever sounded like an eternity, this album is one long self-sucking inside joke, that quite possibly no one gets except for dear Beefheart & Frank Zappa. I don't care if I'm about to grade an album unfairly for the first time ever and by that, I mean yes there is absolutely no doubt this tormentor is wildly talented as is his long-suffering band, but he uses his talents to try to drive you insane or at the very least pressing STOP and screwing up your entire 1001 albums project because you swore to yourself that the moment you don't finish an album you would bow out and darn it all I so wanted to end my torture. I somehow heard it to the bitter end & if I was a professional, I would give it two maybe even three stars because it's as creative as any album from the last 50 years is but I'm not, so I won't besides this feels personal. Easily the most annoying, unpleasant album listening experience of my life, if there is a hell this album will be playing on loop 24/7. I look at the running time because this music keeps playing for days and it shows that I still have 20:28 to go HOW SERIOUSLY HOW has it not ended yet? I might as well keep writing documenting my descent into madness as I become the fool that asks, "How can anyone actually like this crap? Are they all pretending to like it to appear to be in on the joke? This is a joke, right?" Absolutely abrasive noise that makes the truest black metal band sound as soothing as Mozart and about as evil as Hello Kitty with corpse paint, kawaii! That's I'm too pooped to continue writing. I'm just going to close my eyes and let the album finish then if that holy moment ever comes, I'm going to give it ONE STAR because I can't go any lower GODDAMMIT and take a bit of twisted comfort in knowing that if you haven't heard Trout Fish Replica already you will soon enough and I have never been happier to not be you. I'm still here.

Ok this is a really strange combo of styles. Feels like a time traveler from 2005 went back to 1967 and recorded a bunch of random demos. The electric guitar instrumentals sound really good even today in 2025. A lot of the other stuff sounds like sound effect tracks for movies or something. But its not just noise, there's almost a progressive rock type vibe going on as well. --just looked itup, is psychedelic, which makes a lot of sense now. 4/5 because theres just so much lore and interesting sounds like this going on at the same time as the popular generic sounds like the british invasion stuff.

if only i could vote 0

1 song was enough for me

Tough listen

worst thing i ever heard

🤨

Horrifying. I liked it. It took crazy assholes in the ‘60s a lot of acid to invent the music we like now. It felt ridiculous, but primordial! and…sick!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9j3heYZAk8 ^ This gag in album form. Fast and bulbous indeed.

Okay so I'm pretty sure I "got" it and while I'm not under the illusion that this is all amazing, there's souch here that I'll definitely be coming back to this one!

This is the most horribly chaotic and genuinely entertaining album I've listened to in a really long time. It's awful, but in the best way possible. It's fun, it's goofy, and by every religious being on earth is it a delight to sit through in one go. It takes as much stamina to listen through this album as it probably did to create it, but it's insanely worth it.

Somehow, this is a 1 star record and 5 star record at the same time, so I’m going to split the difference and give it a 3.

Have been listening to this on and off since I bought the vinyl double album 56 years ago for £1 19s 6d. Cacophony turned to interesting turned to astonishing. One of the finest albums of all time.

I hate this.

1.5 It’s not without moments of enjoyment. There are tuneful, fun bits. There really are. But it’s also between all the aggressive, intentionally bad soundscapes and annoying structures and it’s all almost 90 minutes. It’s one of those things where I can respect that someone had to do it to push the genre further. But I don’t have to enjoy it as a listening experience.

dure 25min

De las veces que lo escuché, es la primera que logro entenderlo. Y eso es mérito suficiente. Dentro de poco poder apreciarlo como la obra maestra (o la psyop) que probablemente es.

Usually I like weird stuff but this one straight up made me so anxious I couldn’t finish it. Giving it a two cause I respect what it’s doing

I now see where the early Residents got their ideas.

Fuck it. 5 stars. Will I ever listen to it again? Probably not. Did I think it was good musically? As someone who isn't trained no but I know there was stuff there. Did I laugh my ass off? Yes. I had fun and got a lot of enjoyment out of this record, and at the end of the day, isn't that kinda the point of music? To, y'know... enjoy it? 9/10

i dont have to explain myself to you

You can no longer get the kind of drugs that make this sound good.

“Frownland”, the opening track, is so jarring and incomprehensible that it helps make most of the rest of the record actually seem a bit accessible. A free jazz style freakout that introduces the further complication of competing time signatures that come in and out of phase with each other, this album ends up being more interesting than actually enjoyable. I have heard it clicks after 8 or so listens. Not sure I will get there.

i looked at the reviews and its either a 1 or 5 for the most part. People who are giving this 5 are just being pretentious and trying to appear edgy. This is as bad as Red Hot chilli peppers and that got a 2 - so a 2 it is. Not one song stopped me and make me go..ohh thats interesting. for the most part it was unbearable. In Fact, I stopped about 3/4 of the way through

Yeah, no... Might be impressive musically, but absolutely unlistenable

Always enjoyed the absurdity of Captain Beefheart.

Um, no. Thankfully there was only one song on spotify. I swear this guy was laughing that people actually listened to this shit. He was probably trying to figure out how stupid could he make this music before pretentious snobs stopped talking about what a genius he was.

Some of the most horrible songs to have ever touched my ears, but i kinda like it. I haven't heard anything like it, maybe philosophy of the world, but atleast that album sounded like they we're attempting to play the same songs, this is just free for all and do whatever you want.

I wish I could be cool and say I enjoyed this but I definitely didn't. Ant Man Bee was decent though.

Half way through this album my headache started to develop. At the end I devoted the next half hour meditating to get the bodily tension brought on by this “music” erased. It’s the anti Valium. But I must be wrong because apparently it’s a classic.

You know, this is actually enjoyable to some degree. Other than the fact that it’s complete rubbish it definitely holds some artistic value as the entire thing is meticulously planned out and took a lot of work (and starvation) from the musicians involved. It’s also chaotically good st times, not all of it is incoherent nonsense, there’s guitar riffs, bass lines and drum fills that are actually really good but just all piled on top of each other. It’s also just humorous and random. The songs without any instruments and only consisting of Beefheart shouting random poetry though are not enjoyable at all but that was only on a few occasions, this album definitely thrives on the organised chaos of the instrumentation. Despite the album being terrible, it’s more fun and enjoyable than some of the other albums on this list, although it definitely isn’t the masterpiece some people say it is (mostly as either or joke or just to seem different), and though this rating may not really represent anything other than the album being fun and enjoyably chaotic, favourites: all and none, overall, 5/10.

Well. That was something. I had never heard of Captain Beefheart before this, and after hearing the utter garbage that was the first track, I looked him up. I still can't square the fact that he was (and likely still is) a fucked up hack who abused his bandmates and was an asshole to everyone around him, and also one of the most respected and influential musicians of his time. Not to mention that this "music" sounds like utter trash from a pompous idiot. I don't get it, and I don't want to. I hated almost every minute of it. I get how artists like Tom Waits and Beck were heavily influenced by Captain Beefheart, because their music definitely has shades of this garbage, but they are actually good musicians and there music is actually interesting musically to listen to. I hated this so much, and I can't believe I actually listened to it all -- it felt like an eternity. If I could give it zero stars, I would -- one star.

Super knap en zeker interessant, maar de a-tonale en a-ritmische muziek zijn een bevalling om naar te luisteren...

Fav: Moonlight On Vermont Least Fav: China Pig I cannot do a double album with this sound, 12 songs in and I felt despair at the fact I wasn’t even halfway through the album. Tom Waits brought a jazz band and decides to beat you up with jazz instruments in every song that’s not spoken word

I don't know when it happened, but I love this album with an intensity that is reserved for very few records. I grew up with a well-worn copy of this in my parents' collection, and I used to stare at the cover with a mix of disgust and fascination. The music was more disgust - drums that made no rhythmic sense, weird poems and "fast and bulbous" haunting my dreams. Don Van Vliet sounded like my loud uncle when he drank too much and decided to show off in our apartment. The uncle we weren't allowed to spend time with alone. As a teen, I would mostly use this album as a joke - a way to piss people off that weren't familiar with it. It lived with Yoko Ono and The Shaggs as albums that made the uninitiated exclaim "what the FUCK is this?!?" and those of us in the know would giggle maniacally and put it on repeat in our shitty cars. Now I'm 44, and this album speaks to me like almost nothing else. I find new things in it with every listen, and a new song becomes my favorite each time. It's the perfect album, and I would fight anyone who disagrees. Come at me, and see how serious I am.

Loved the instrumentos of air

I’m really glad this exists but doubt I would ever listen to it again

Demented, neurotic, spastic, This reminds me of the music I created with my friends when I was younger. This sounds like a lot of drugs were involved, and I'm cool with that. It's all over the place, but I appreciate the manic nature of it as my brain acts in a similar nature. Weird one.

Oh

Couldn't make it through. There is maybe a couple of listenable seconds but most of it has no redeemable value. Tough listen.

Is this grating? Yes. Is it absurd? Certainly. Is there magic somewhere in it? Absolutely. Now what can we glean from the absurd? It transports us to a different place. We gain access to words we wouldn’t have thought to put next to each other, a yell we may not be able to make because we have neighbors. Escape. Then again, maybe this band is just trolling us.

utter shite, what the fuck is this doing on this list, I can think of a 1001 things I'd rather have inserted up my arse than listen to this again. zero stars

one of the most misunderstood albums

Horrible. One star!!!!!

ive heard this album more times than ive heard Most things, and it never fails to Cleanse My Palate more completely than just about anything else, it takes away almost as much as it Gives...hyperrythmic, hypertonal, the things ur ear latches onto are not thrown out but overclocked so far into the red they just burst into flames. theres kind of a lush quality to it as a result, which i think is part of what makes this so involving even to people who dont quite understand Why. most other mathy weirdo stuff that would maybe cite this as an influence is even more interested in pushing Further And Further, but theres a sort of underlying logic to the ideas here that keeps this one as totally singular and slightly impossible to replicate. i mean come on man its trout mask replica. its the king of musical worldbuilding.

Borderline unlistenable Just as Captain Beefheart should be

Pop pop pop music! This is something else, it's complete shit but always gets high praise from hipster assholes! It's a noisy mess! I'm sure when I was an edgy 14 year old I'd tell you this was the shit, now it's fucking noise

Furchtbar!

A bunch of mismatched, jumbled sounds and concepts that don’t flow and seem nonsensical. Unpleasant to listen to. Not my thing.

ok guys so i don't often stream myself listening to my daily album but today's album is so significant that im streaming me listening to it. It's Trout Mask Replica. which is supposedly: Piero Scaruffi's favourite album which proves his status as the shittiest music critic ever. The only thing that divides the music nerd community apart from wether harsh noise should be considered "real music", and the thing apart from death and tax that haunts every 1001 albums go-throughers. don't forget to like and subscribe, and here we go. (after playing "Frownland") erm... so the instrumentals is just a little beat offbeat and i actually can tolerate this? a 4/5 i guess (a long and tough journey going through many weird things and listenable things) i think i am wrong. but i think i am right at the same time! This is basically unrateable like the time I tried out Tim Buckley's Starsailor and the first song stunned me with all its might leaving me unable to listen to the rest more normal songs like Song to the Siren, but this one has a lot more jazzy noodleing and half the time i feel like i am ascending and the other half of the time i feel like im going to hell. so basically its both a 5 and a 1 at the same time so how do i rate this? but... ill just give it a 1 here.

Can’t really give this anything but a 1 after reading how Don Van Vliet physically and emotionally abused his band during production. Otherwise, lots of talent on display here.

Haha, I had to turn to YouTube for this album: it's not on Tidal! I can definitely tell why enjoyers of conventional music are hating this experience... this is some weird shit. I like weird shit. This was fun, and now my YouTube recs are going to be a little bit weirder, which is also fun. What a good time.

The low-point of a bad acid trip. This album redefines the term 'cacophony' Tho there are some good explanations on Wikipedia if you read the production notes. • Recorded partly in a commune-like house where the 'magic band' lived. • Atmosphere was similar to the Manson cult. • Mandated worship of Captain Beefheart, (Don Glen Vliet) who had been diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia. • Ate nothing for 8-months. • Each member was berated for days until they cried and submitted to the Beefheart. • Beefheart composed 70% of the album on piano, an instrument that he didn't know how to play. ... and the kicker of all of that is the band was forced to 'practice' for 14 hours a day. WTF? You practice for 14 hours a day and produce this? But perhaps the most telling is that this album was produced by Frank Zappa. So, if you find the Mothers of Invention and Zappa entertaining, you're gonna love this. Extra star for experimentation.

Punctuation is important. My 1001 comrade encouraged Captain Beefheart to "experiment on my friends." I think he meant "experiment on, my friends." At least I hope so. Because I don't want Captain Beefheart or his Magic Band to experiment on me. "Trout Mask Replica" was more than enough already, thank you.

Ooof no. Wikipedia tells me "the album is regarded as an important work of experimental music and art rock", but it sounds like someone dumped a bunch of instruments on the floor of a toddler playdate (toddlers with very deep and gravely voices) and recorded the result. Unlike in science where the negative results at least give you useful information, not every musical experiment is worthy of publication.

In the long run, I’d take this over many pop albums and their songs that are all chorus, minimal verse, and over processed. With that written, this album is a horrible assault on the ears. Reading the comments is amusing. There is a lot of Stockholm Syndrome amongst the high raters. I was expecting more of the “you just don’t get it” type comments, but many of them acknowledge how bad the album is the first 10 times they listened. I appreciate that. I also appreciate that this album exists. Experiment on my friends, but please do it in a forest where I won’t hear it.

For reals though, this is on here and no Bill Withers, Desmond Decker, INXS or Squeeze. Fuck this list sometimes.

Just noise

I get the idea. Surrealistic. Polyrhythmic. Polytonal. Fractured. Chaotic. In Captain Beefheart's words, "fast and bulbous". I'm sure the album has had a major impact on rock, punk, and especially 80s new wave, with its bent toward surrealism. I just didn't think it necessary for Captain Beefheart and company to record over 78 minutes of sonic disruption and verbal incongruity. With its point already clear by the time the fifth track rolled around, the album dragged on and all the avant-garde pretensions became gratuitous.

Absolutely bonkers and hard to tell if it was actually enjoyable.

This Album will be in my divorce papers.

What is there to say about this album that hasn't already been said? It's a tough listen, not one I want to go back to, but there is something endearing about it. 7/10

Alright, time to review this masterpiece—an album that was one of my absolute favorites back in secondary school. First and foremost, I truly believe this is Captain Beefheart’s greatest work. Trout Mask Replica feels like a doomsday-apocalypse documentary set to music. But that’s just the beginning. This album defiantly spits in the face of everything that was considered relevant at the time: the underground, the overground, folk, progressive rock—even the entire rock establishment. Hats off to you, Captain. If I had to highlight a couple of tracks, they’d be “Dachau Blues” and “Moonlight on Vermont.” But honestly, the whole album is worth your time. Just sit down, put on your headphones, and crank the volume to the max.

Ouch. I tried. Had to listen to it on YouTube. My teenager said “what is this crap.” Except he didn’t say crap.

These guys make the Shaggs sound like virtuosos.

I was going to call this unlistenable garbage, but apparently it's very complex musically? It's just plain unlistenable, then. I signed up to this project to broaden my horizons and they ain't getting much broader than this, but I still didn't enjoy it. I understand and appreciate that this wasn't released to be enjoyed per se, but this is definitely not for me although it deserves its place on the list.

Supposedly you have to listen to this 7 times before you "get it". I'm retired and have all the time in the world, but there's no way in hell I'm listening to this again.

I’m sure there are going to be people who give this a 5. People who are the music equivalent to art-wankers. Those who think that if you put a 12 foot square frame around an emulsion wall, or place an unmade bed with a steaming turd in the corner of an art gallery then it must be art. Those that would then write a 10 thousand word thesis on the feelings that the painter and decorator was having and the traumas they were going through when they created it. In the same way that the shitty bed isn't art, this album is not music (in the sense that everyone else understands music). It’s not melodic and meaningful. It doesn’t have a rhythm that inspires movement or a melody that might implant itself into your unconsciousness so that when you hear it again - maybe decades later - it inspires you to remember what you were doing or who you were with. No, pretentious art-wanker-music-equivalents would rather perpetuate an illusion that they (and the performer) were trying to express some deeper meaning to life the universe and everything that us mere mortals couldn’t hope to understand. And so they are somehow smarter than the rest of us. In short - they can see the emperors clothes. And it’s all bullshit. It’s just a bloke who can’t play the right notes and has no real sense of rhythm. It does get a 2 though. The reason being that, unlike Eno’s ‘Ambient’ horseshit, it was never boring. I just wouldn’t ever listen to it again.

maybe it's supposed to be bad ironically, but it's unironically shit

Only 1 of the tracks is available on Spotify, so this 28 track album will be judged entirely on my feelings about that track: Hair Pie: Bake 1. HOT GARBAGE! 1/5

Extremely experimental, and many of them are failed experiments.

I really don’t know what to make of this, which I would imagine is the point. I actually find it less insufferable than Zappa and the Mothers, so that’s a plus. Two stars. Don’t think I’ll be returning to this one. Life’s too short to force myself to listen to something multiple times in the hope that I may grow to love it when there is so much great music out there to discover and enjoy

Enjoyable purely for the madness but unlikely to become a favourite

I literally have no clue what my thoughts are on this album. Is it genius blues rock blended with avant Garde experimentation? Is it unintelligible slop? Definitely requires listening to before you croak it

Very (too ?) much avant-garde

Damn… They really must have taken some seriously hard and illegal stuff to come up with something like that. I understand this is a very technical work but “Dali’s Car” and those a capella vocal horn noises are still hurting me too bad. In an attempt to stay mentally safe, I didn’t go through the whole 80’ of this trip. 2 stars just for the experience of listening something really unconventional which sounds like the thoughts of a drugged schizophrenic mind.

Clowns recorded this, and other clowns praise it because they are clowns too.

I'm being kind giving it a 2. I'm primarily giving it a two because it at least is an original idea. But there's also a reason this is uncommon

It was experimental but all kind of fell flat.

Spotify only has a single song of this album available for listening and it didn't exactly inspire me. Therefore, I'm afraid I cannot give it a proper rating.

Pretty discordant. I'd probably classify it as "artsy". Not really my style, but it seems like exactly the style of music that has a cult following. Couldn't finish it. Wasn't pleasant to listen to.

somewhere in this i heard the line "you couldnt have done this if you knew what you were doing" i felt that, brother

I'm giving one star for the title and album cover. I have tried countless times over the last 35 years to like this album. I never get past the first 3 tracks. I have absolutely no idea what the fuss is about. Terrible album!

Niet echt mijn ding

Trout Mask Original.

at least when my generation took too many drugs and made unlistenable music you could dance to it

Safe as Milk is great; this is awful. However, I do respect the willingness to produce something so inaccessible that even a lot of your own fans rubbish it. 1 star for the listening experience; 5 stars for not giving a rats ass and producing it anyway.

Not on Apple Music and based on other reviews, not going to try too hard to find it.

Bizarre album throughout. It goes from semi-normal songs like Ella Guru to really wacky songs like Pena and Hair Pie Bake. The quote about listening to this multiple times is right, I've come back to this album for years now and it only makes me want to listen to this album more and more. It's one of the most fun albums to listen to and it's innovative to boot. Easy 5 stars.

Rating: 1/10 This album has around 4 minutes of genius songwriting in Pachuco Cadaver, everything else is pretty much unlistenable. I always respect when artists experiment but this just sounds like a bunch of beginners noodling on their instruments. Which I understand that is not the case, the fact that these guys are fantastic musicians and made this type of album is why it is so held to a high standard by some. But if inexperienced musicians actually made this, it would be considered an absolute piece of shit. I don't care how skilled the musicians are, that's exactly what this album is.

kind of confused

Couldn’t find on Spotify?

Only one song on Spotify. I have listened to this before it's weird and wild

bizarre nonsense

1.78

Wild

I expected this to get a 1, but it was very weird and I was into it.

WHY!!!!

Zappa knew what he was doing.

Never has my opinion on an album changed so much, half a lifetime ago when I first listened I thought it was the worst thing on earth, now I think it's far away one of the best albums ever made. Find me an album more fun than this, it doesn't exist. Everything is flying all over the place, hilarious lyrics, wild vocal lines, instruments jumping all over each other. Once you stop taking it too seriously like it's some deep art, it becomes incredible.

Also dissonant, but somehow in a way I appreciate better. Was surprised at how much I noticed their influence on RHCP

I get why this is on there just not for me

Some interesting moments, interesting backstory, but I'm not clamoring to listen to it again

I hate this

Liked some of it and some of it absolutely grating

No

Weird and often wonderful

Just noise

I do get down with Ornette Coleman on occasion and I have nothing against stochastic music. I do like some Captain Beefheart songs too. This album was a bit too Free Rock for me, the distortion was so constant I had to check my speakers a couple times. Although it had its moments it wasn't a winner.

The worst album I have listened to on this list so far

Ég þurfti allsvaðalegt tilhlaup til þess að mana mig upp í að hlusta á Captain Beefheart aftur og þetta er held ég ein versta plata sem ég hef hlustað á um ævina. Ég skil að þetta er tónlistarlegt afrek en sýnir líka að ekki allar hugmyndir ættu að verða eða geta orðið list. Sumt ætti bara að vera tilraun sem fer aldrei lengra en fyrstu skoðun því tilraunir mega alveg mistakast.

Was isch dänn das? Wells so schräg isch gits äs 2

scho vieeel ghört vo dem. seg afoch nur weird da captain kein musiker und die andere zwei heged afoch versuecht umsetze was er will. ui ich han gaaar kei spass ich glaub es isch unter musigkritiker:inne sochli es ding das album. checks null. es isch afoch chaotisch und nöd so guet? weird nume zum weird sii isch nöd automatisch guet? ich loses jetz. aber wird nüm so viel dezue sege glaub. china pig isch wenigstens sonen blues.

weiss nanig öb ich mich sött freue okkkke ivh freu mich nöd nei also wenns eso wiitwrgaht wird das eifach e experience sii wo ich happy wird sii, dass ich sie nur 1 mal mach ABER es isch e experience no fehlt mier aber de roti fade, ich han vhaos ja rig na gern aber rifach verschm instrument wo durrenand spieled weniiiger sini atimm hani aber na gern! hahaha d brite spinned amigs echt, wiso isch das ide charts uf nr. 21 gsi?? ella gutu findi actually no cool!!! HAHAHAH ganz ehrlich ich han zu 100% zerst abkauft, dass sie als sample e dütschi airwaves-werbig würded innetue (ja kei ahnig öbs das dete scho geh het aber es hett passt) uiii jz ischs ahstrengend oke ich lueg kei comments meh, die simmer zu pretentious hahahaha hait pie hani iwie no chönne öppis ahfange? bzw. öppe ab de hälfti ui de schluss isch iwie creepy? moonlight on Vermont het actually gwüssi element wommer chan als... meh oder weniger konventionells lied bezeichne??? ahh china pig heter ufem nokia uufgno! sind das gad pro-trans lyrics gsi?? ahh ja mit lyrics wärs ganze sicher nomal chli andersch aber han ganz whrlich kei nerve HAHAHA de ahfang vo pena HAHAHAHAHA DAS ISCH JA SOOO UNHINGED OMG ICH LIEBS HAHAHAHABABABA aso ganz ehrlich dass das vo 69 isch findi scho insane omg ich lieb die schrei und wie de beefheart mengisch tönt, wie wenner kei ahnig het, was er als s nächst wird sege hahaha nei würkli die chline pausene, wie wenner churz müsst überlege, hmm was für nonsense mussi jz is mikrophon schreie hahahah heter sich versproche und eifach wiitergsunge?? chammer das dadaistischi musig nenne? ohh s letschte lied hani gern! s isch echlii zemmehängender als anders hahahah ich han iwie mega spass gha, am ahfang ischs hii und daa ahstrengend gsi, aber iwie cheggtmer de sound? weiss nöd. weiss nüt nach dem album

I’m giving this two instead of 1 because it made me laugh. Didn’t need to hear this before I die though.

File this one under the ever-growing category of self-obsessed edgy musicians who think they are making something incredible and innovative just because they are putting a bunch of disparate sounds together for an hour. I don't even necessarily hate the music, but I hate the kind of person who makes this album. You aren't 'god's gift' to music. You're an egotistical maniac who thinks that every random thought of complete drivel that you write ought to be eaten up by us 'normies' like baby fucking birds too unaware to understand your musical genius. Well this baby bird isn't fucking hungry - asshole.

Started off feeling slightly assaulted (I seriously jumped in my seat slightly). He just starts screaming at me and then the instruments...seriously reminded me of my three kids pretending to be a band, the singer is yelling and the instruments are just everywhere. One of the reviews said I was supposed to listen to this 7 times to truly appreciate it...I don't think I could do this. There are fleeting moments, Veteran's Day Poppy guitar, the Bass line on China Pig and maybe Ella Guru and Pachuco Cadaver. But honestly the rest felt like 10 year old boy humor, I just didn't find it funny or enjoyable.

This is pretty chaotic. They worked very hard at making this sound as bad as possible. Well...that was different.

Well that was interesting. This is not on Apple Music, so I had to go to YouTube. The comment section alone was high quality entertainment. I’ve heard noise rock more atonal than this but this is still a challenge. Comparable to Frank Zappa, this is still far better than his bullshit. I like to think that this is one of those albums that you have to listen to many times through then suddenly it clicks and becomes one of the best albums ever made, much like In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel was for me. Still, right now, it’s a mess.

Maybe I'm not enlightened enough to understand anti-music music. But isn't one key pillar of music to be listenable? I know that "listenable" is subjective, but good grief, what is the draw here? This has apparently received a lot of accolades from reputable people and publications over the years, which I am thoroughly confused by. It had a few ok(ish) moments, but I found it incredibly messy and generally unpleasant, and the ok(ish) moments are easily overshadowed by the overall awfulness. It also sounds like Van Vliet was a pretty terrible person, at least during the recording of this album, so I guess it tracks that this drivel would come out of someone like that.

35/1001 Don't be fooled - it may seem like the musicians are all playing different songs at the same time, and it may seem like the good Captain has taken too much LSD and is simply growling his addled thoughts into a Dictaphone at random - but the resulting sound is actually far, far worse than that. Look, I'm a fan of psychedelia, particularly late-60s psychedelia - that is my thing, as it were. But this is just dumb, childish noise. And maybe I'm just wrong, given this seems to crop up on best-of lists time after time, but in this case I'm quite happy to remain wrong.

I knew what I was going to get into, I knew the polarity of it. I hadn't heard it before, that's the thing. This is a record for the ones who appreciate it and it's intricacies. That being said, all the time I listened to it, I thought, ..how was this made? Was this made with a serious face? It baffles me and my comprehension how this could be coherent and in some sort of tune. Glad I listened to it, but I won't do it again unironically.

Nothing justifies treating your musicians like shit. Not even if you think you're the brightest composer in the World (which you're not). I've heard weirder stuff like this. There's a lot of experimental music on the contemporary classic music genre. Which is actually documented by academia with clear objectives on what the composer was trying to achieve. There are better composers out there than this asshole. I don't mind contemporary Avant Garde art as long as it's justified. This just sounds like a well orchestrated mess featuring starving musicians following a crazy cult leader. No surprise that Frank Zappa was involved on this. I could barely finish listening this crap.

I've heard about this album for years, but never got around to listening to it for whatever reason. Now that I have finally heard it, well... I can appreciate the swing. It's certainly an original work that's challenging, and there are aspects I could appreciate. It's not much fun to sit through though, and by the midpoint I was ready for it to be done. I stuck it out, but really if you get that far and aren't enjoying it then that won't change for you. I'd rather listen to Zappa or Butthole Surfers, both of whom could craft songs that were as out there as anything contained here, but they could also make them more enjoyable than this album (which I'm sure they loved).

Very unique album truly one of it's kind. It's similar to my pal foot-foot in the way that there'll never be another album similar to it.

I wish the Spotify link was the actual length of the album.

Ei pysty

kelpaa hyvää soitantaa mudikkiikia ihmisääni soitantaa

Its impact lies in its indulgence as much as its influence. One finds its hard to get into, though the discordance grows more interesting after a time, as resistance drops away. Samey overall but "Moonlight on Vermont" and "Steal Softly through the Snow" are highlights. Ultimately, though it's just too much, too wilflfully difficult and intentionally provocative (is "Dachau Blues" a necessary title?) and too forcibly obscure, for all the free jazz assoications and rough-weird country vibes and gritty-funky playing. The home-recording, found-sound, spoken-word bits add essentially nothing. Definitely not worth a double album. Point is made much less than halfway thru. Only vital or timeless seeming because of its influences, while the sheer indulgence is also off-putting. Also, CB is Tom Waits' father, right?

Average queen album. Listenable but nothing outstanding about it . Would prefer a more dramatic presentation

More noise. What a bore.

( full album not on spotify! ) five stars for experimental effort 1 star for listenability

What the fuck is this shit? This is awful. 0/5

Absolutely shit

I kinda enjoyed the bits where there were lots of instruments randomly making noises (apparently they're polyrythms) but I did not like that guy's voice

This is fucking shite. Just a bunch of noise most of the time. Awful, truly awful, one of the worst on the list If someone told me they liked this, more than anything, I'd think they were lying. You can like whatever you want buy i wouldn't believe you

Trout Mask Replica is probably the biggest cult album in rock history. Some people think it is the biggest racket ever recorded on record, others can sit there for hours listening in ecstasy to the demented dadaistic delta blues that the Captain has immortalized on this disc. This cult status is due not only to the controversial music but also to the stories that circulate about the recording of this album. Captain Beefheart refused to wear headphones during the recording of his vocals to it's never in sync with the music, and is said to have lived in isolation with the Magic band for more than a year to prepare the recording of this album, almost starving the band. Then only to record the entire 80-minute album in an 6-hour session. It blasted through all conventions. Trout Mask Replica has been influential mainly by acting as a catalyst for freer thinking within the rock context, by opening up so much unexplored territory. It pushed the boundaries and it's a fascinating cabinet of curiosities of unparalleled creativity. And apart from the opener I actually don't mind listening to this at all.

Captain Beefheart has lost itself on a kingdom of boredom. The album's name can impress and even fool anyone, but the real truth appears when you hear the album's content. I don't know if it's me but since i heard "Sgt. Pepper" Beatles album, every single rock album on that age just sound the same. I don't know, i think the rock bands of that time was lacking something original and with the Captain Beefheart i had the same problem. I know how Beatles influenced a generation, but i was hoping to hear something new but that's not "Trout Mask Replica" case.

I tried. I really gave it my best. But the lyrics man. I can’t do it.

very hard listen

Spotify would only let me listen to one (really weird) cut from this work, so I listened to a couple other Beefheart albums - I like the Captain and I like Zappa, so I'll give this a 3 on that basis.

01) Frownland - 3,0 02) The Dust Blows Forward 'n the Dust Blows Back - 2,0 03) Dachau Blues - 2,0 04) Ella Guru - 5,0 05) Hair Pie: Bake 1 - 1,0 06) Moonlight on Vermont - 5,5 07) Pachuco Cadaver - 4,5 08) Bills Corpse - 3,0 09) Sweet Sweet Bulbs - 2,0 10) Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish - 1,0 11) China Pig - 5,0 12) My Human Gets Me Blues - 4,5 13) Dali's Car - 2,0 14) Hair Pie: Bake 2 - 4,0 15) Pena - 1,0 16) Well - 1,0 17) When Big Joan Sets Up - 1,0 18) Fallin' Ditch - 3,0 19) Sugar 'n Spikes - 4,5 20) Ant Man Bee - 3,0 21) Orange Claw Hammer - 1,0 22) Wild Life - 1,0 23) She's Too Much for My Mirror - 2,0 24) Hobo Chang Ba - 1,0 25) The Blimp (Mousetrapreplica) - 3,0 26) Steal Softly thru Snow - 2,0 27) Old Fart at Play - 1,0 28) Veteran's Day Poppy - 4,0 TOTAL: 2,61 (26/100) Current ranking: 479/483 After the fourth song I thought that finally a normal melody started, but in the end it turned out to be a YouTube commercial. It never sounded better. How to describe some of these songs? You know that movie "Everything Everywhere All at Once"? Well, that's it! It sounds like I'm trying to play all the instruments at once but I can't play a single one. But I'm trying and nothing can discourage me. Look at me go! Filmmaker David Lynch has called "Trout Mask Replica" his favorite album of all time. That tells you a lot. I'm on song 21 and I feel like I'm dying a slow death... Help!

Interesting listen. Definitely not for everyone. I have now listened to it. Will I listen to it again? Not sure about that. Definitely an interesting and intriguing listen.

Love the musicians. The vocals are just okay.

You know, despite this album being notoriously bad, I didn't 100% hate it. In fact, I think it gets into 2 territory.

слишком авангард для меня, простите

Nos gustaron los comentarios sobre el disco que había en YouTube: "es como si los músicos cayeran por las escaleras y siguieran tocando".

YouTube started playing an Alka-Seltzer ad halfway through and I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be part of the album or not.

I've been holding off scoring this for a few days to see how it sits with me. I think I've arrived at a conclusion, having listened to it end to end three or four times. I hate it; it's one of the worst things I've heard, but it's oddly compelling. I love it, but it drives me crazy. Possibly deserves five stars just for the phrase "fast and bulbous" which makes me giggle each time. Fuck it, four stars. I may amend to five in the future.

Didn't enjoy it at all.

Gotta agree with Lester Bangs here: it wasn't ahead of its time - it stands outside time. Therefore its almost impossible to separate the legend, its orignal impact and the music. I find myself listening to it both as groundbreaking music from the 60s and at face value in 2020s simultaneously. The line between pretension and over-indulgence and creative-mad-genius is apparently measured by a hair's breadth in my case. The abrasive dissonance, the sillyness, the meandering structures, the fact that it goes on and on, in most cases should not work, but even in the most dense chaos of songs like "Frownland" have me trying to solve the mystery of where it's going, where it's coming from and why it works at the same time it absolutely doesn't.

In the midst of all the rambling vocals and odd music are a few snippets worth listening too. 2 stars or D-.

Fast and bulbous indeed. I can definitely appreciate why this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but It's quite enjoyable once you get underneath the thorny surface. Like Lewis Carroll's poem Jabberwocky, what seems to be utter nonsense leaves itself open to many delightful interpretations. You have to be quite good to do something so strange that is willingly dense and lacking in universal appeal. I do admit to being a fan before hearing this thanks to a love of the album Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). That's my five star Beefheart album.

So weird and strange but I didn’t hate it.

Only 1 track available on Spotify, and it was hot trash. Maybe it is unfair to score this based on the one track, but judging by some of the other reviews, they're all the same.

What was this? lol I think I might have a shot at making it if this band could. This was just an oddity, and not a delightful one. The lyrics were a bit hysterical where they just rhymed random shit. The band sounded drunk mixing random sounds together and giving it the green light. Sadly a 1 star for me. Def not an album anyone needs to listen to in this lifetime. Maybe the next.

Could not finish it.

Two songs available on Spotify and both were weird AF

I have never experienced such a strong desire to keep listening and stop listening at the same time.

Surreal

This album seemed like it was trying really hard to be avant garde- lots of dissonance and clashing sounds. I could see how certain artists would find some inspiration from parts of the album, but I did not enjoy it at all.

Multitudes better than Safe as Milk. It’s weird. It’s discordant. It’s dissonant. Its blues dipped in psilocybin. It’s psychotic and psychedelic, but most all it’s amazingly creative and experimental. 4.7/5

Seems to come from the throw-everything-at-it-and-see-what-sticks school of composition. While I’m not against that I can’t get on board with this particular sound.

They look like accountants or thereabouts, but sound like voodoo or something. Incredible, brilliant, bonkers album.

Bit too odd for me

Very creative, weird, and unique. While this is a tough listen, I think it is quite impressive.

# Trout Mask Replica: An Avant-Garde Mirage in the Desert of Conventional Rock Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band’s *Trout Mask Replica* (1969) stands as one of the most polarizing artifacts in rock history—a double album that simultaneously repels and mesmerizes, a work that dismantles musical norms with the ferocity of a desert storm. Recorded under Frank Zappa’s production and released during the twilight of the 1960s counterculture, the album is a labyrinth of fractured blues, free-jazz dissonance, and Dadaist poetry. Its legacy lies not in commercial success but in its uncompromising vision, challenging listeners to confront the boundaries of what music could be. This review dissects the album’s lyrical absurdism, musical anarchism, lo-fi production, thematic preoccupations, and enduring influence, while weighing its merits against its deliberate inaccessibility. --- ## Lyrical Architecture: Surrealism as Social Commentary Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) crafted lyrics that oscillate between grotesque imagery, childlike whimsy, and cryptic social critique. The opening track, “Frownland,” bellows, *“My smile is stuck / I cannot go back to your Frownland”*—a sardonic rejection of societal conformity, where “Frownland” symbolizes a world stifled by emotional repression[2][4]. Van Vliet’s words evoke the folkloric strangeness of Delta blues, as in “China Pig,” where a destitute narrator pleads, *“I asked her for water / She gave me gasoline”*—a direct nod to Howlin’ Wolf’s blues tradition, refracted through a psychedelic lens[2]. Tracks like “Dachau Blues” confront historical atrocities with surreal horror: *“Skeletons be dancin’ in the ovens / Dyin’ in the ovens”*[2]. Here, Van Vliet’s bass clarinet wails like a mourning siren, juxtaposing the absurdity of human violence against disjointed instrumentation. The lyrics’ non-linear structure—part Beat poetry, part nursery rhyme—creates an unsettling tension between levity and gravity. “Moonlight on Vermont” subverts the idyllic imagery of its titular state, painting a portrait of rural decay: *“The air’s so sticky / It could paste a poster on a fence”*[2]. Such lines exemplify Van Vliet’s knack for blending Americana with absurdist critique, rendering the familiar grotesque. --- ## Musical Deconstruction: Blues Fragmented Through a Prism The Magic Band’s performance on *Trout Mask Replica* is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Guitarists Bill Harkleroad and Jeff Cotton, bassist Mark Boston, and drummer John French (dubbed “Drumbo”) rehearsed Van Vliet’s compositions for months in isolation, achieving a telepathic interplay that masquerades as improvisation. The album’s 28 tracks eschew traditional rock structures, instead weaving polyrhythms, atonal guitar lines, and off-kilter time signatures into a tapestry of calculated dissonance[2][3]. “Frownland” opens with guitars clashing in 7/4 and 4/4 simultaneously, their jagged riffs colliding like shards of glass[2]. “Hair Pie: Bake 1” features a saxophone squall over a lurching rhythm, evoking Albert Ayler’s free-jazz eruptions[2]. Yet beneath the cacophony lies a bedrock of Delta blues: “China Pig” channels raw, slide-guitar minimalism, while “Sugar ‘n Spikes” interpolates Miles Davis’ *Sketches of Spain* into its frenetic sprawl[2]. Van Vliet’s harmonica and growling vocals anchor the chaos in blues tradition, even as the band deconstructs it. The Magic Band’s virtuosity is most evident in their ability to navigate Van Vliet’s labyrinthine compositions. As Fred Frith noted, the music *“is completely controlled all the time”* despite its anarchic veneer[2]. Tracks like “Ella Guru” pivot between staccato guitar bursts and lilting melodies, showcasing a precision that belies their surface-level disorder. --- ## Production Aesthetics: Lo-Fi as Artistic Statement Produced by Frank Zappa, *Trout Mask Replica* embraces a raw, unpolished sound that amplifies its avant-garde ethos. Recorded partially in a makeshift studio in Van Vliet’s rented house, the album’s lo-fi production captures the claustrophobic intensity of the Magic Band’s rehearsals. Zappa’s approach was hands-off, allowing Van Vliet’s vision to dominate—a decision that resulted in moments of jarring immediacy, such as the unedited studio chatter in “The Blimp”[3][4]. The production’s intentional primitivism—distorted vocals, untreated instruments, and minimal overdubs—heightens the album’s surreal atmosphere. On “Pena,” Van Vliet’s vocals bleed into the red, his growl overpowering the tinny guitar lines. Conversely, “Veteran’s Day Poppy” strips the arrangement to a lone bass clarinet and whispered poetry, emphasizing the album’s dynamic range. Critics have debated whether Zappa’s minimalist approach was visionary or negligent, but it undeniably reinforces the album’s anti-commercial stance[4]. --- ## Thematic Undercurrents: Surrealism, Americana, and Alienation *Trout Mask Replica* is steeped in the surrealist tradition, where dream logic supplants narrative coherence. Van Vliet’s lyrics juxtapose absurdist vignettes—a “fast ’n bulbous” camel (“Fast and Bulbous”) or mice in cold-water flats (“Sugar ‘n Spikes”)—with biting social commentary. The album’s title itself is a nonsensical amalgam, reflecting Van Vliet’s disdain for literal interpretation[2][4]. Themes of environmental decay and cultural hypocrisy permeate tracks like “Moonlight on Vermont” and “Dachau Blues,” where pastoral imagery is corrupted by industrialization and historical trauma. Van Vliet’s America is a hallucinatory wasteland, populated by “neon meat” and “skeleton keys”—a critique of postwar consumerism veiled in surreal metaphor[2]. The album also grapples with artistic alienation. “The Blimp” mocks the music industry through a garbled phone call, while “Steal Softly Thru Snow” laments creative stagnation: *“The dust devils play / In the moon’s debris”*[2]. Van Vliet positions himself as an outsider, howling against the commodification of art. --- ## Influence and Legacy: From Cult Oddity to Canonical Classic Though initially dismissed as unlistenable, *Trout Mask Replica* has become a touchstone for experimental artists. Post-punk bands like The Fall and Pere Ubu adopted its dissonant guitars and fractured rhythms, while Sonic Youth cited its influence on their noise-rock explorations[3]. The album’s disregard for genre conventions paved the way for art-rock eccentrics like Tom Waits and PJ Harvey, who channeled its raw, theatrical energy. In jazz, musicians such as John Zorn and Henry Cow drew inspiration from its polyrhythmic complexity and collective improvisation[2]. Even hip-hop producers have sampled its cacophony, recognizing its percussive ingenuity. The album’s cultural footprint extends beyond music: visual artists like Raymond Pettibon and David Lynch have echoed its grotesque surrealism. --- ## Pros and Cons: A Double-Edged Sword **Pros**: 1. **Innovative Composition**: The album’s fusion of blues, free jazz, and avant-garde remains unparalleled in its ambition[2][3]. 2. **Lyrical Originality**: Van Vliet’s poetry blends humor, horror, and social critique with singular vision[2][4]. 3. **Cultural Impact**: Its influence on experimental music and art legitimizes its status as a groundbreaking work[3][4]. **Cons**: 1. **Deliberate Inaccessibility**: The abrasive sound and lack of melodic hooks alienate casual listeners[1][4]. 2. **Exhausting Length**: At 79 minutes, the album’s unrelenting chaos can feel self-indulgent[1][3]. 3. **Production Limitations**: The lo-fi aesthetic, while intentional, often undermines the music’s complexity[4]. --- ## Conclusion: The Mask’s Unyielding Gaze *Trout Mask Replica* is less an album than an auditory Rorschach test—a work that demands engagement on its own terms. Its genius lies in its refusal to compromise, challenging listeners to find coherence in chaos. While its confrontational style ensures it will never be universally loved, its audacity secures its place in the pantheon of avant-garde masterpieces. As Van Vliet snarls in “Pena”: *“A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast ’n bulbous—got me?”* The answer, perhaps, is irrelevant; the question alone defies the mundane, and in that defiance, the album triumphs.

On the one hand, you would have to be insane to have this on regular rotation. But on the other, I respect the fact that it's completely unique as a work of art in music. I would definitely listen to Pachuco Cadaver, Moonlight on Vermont and Sugar N Spikes if I was in the mood for a laugh. And the more I listen, the more impressed I am with the skill required to pull this off. Particularly from the drummer, who did a fantastic job to tie together all the disparate parts. This would get a 5 for being so memorable but I'm subtracting 1 point because it's way too long, the mixing is terrible and the I don't like the sketches/poems/spoken word parts.

I can definitely see why this album isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t know what you’re walking into. The opening track doesn’t ease you in, instead it throws you straight into the chaos with no introduction or buildup. Don Van Vliet’s freeform storytelling blends spoken word with eccentric singing, while the music at first sounds completely unstructured with jagged guitar lines, polyrhythmic drumming, and unpredictable shifts. But beneath all that apparent disorder is a carefully constructed composition process, with every seemingly improvised piece played with exact precision. If you’re not into experimental or avant-garde music, this probably won’t be worth the time investment. Even as someone who loves this kind of music, I had to listen a few times to really process it. It’s rough, raw, and unapologetically difficult.

OK.

Did not listen

Unrateable. 1 for originality and it was the 60s.

Captain Beeffheart just isn't for me. i understand it's technically accomplished but I just can't do it man

Non mi ha mai preso troppo ma respect

Equal parts insufferable and crazy genius. You can't help but pay attention, like you would a train wreck. Very unique album. Glad I got through it, but will not listen again for a good while. 3.141592

Magnificent. Challenging. Singular. A behemoth of a record, a menhir, a standing stone of sound. If you only listen to one record from the list, this is the one. Five Hundred and Fifty-Five Stars.

This sounded awful. Looking into it more, it did not make it better. Someone should have told Beefheart "no" and not let this failed project get as far as it did. I honestly feel like the kid in The Emperor's New Clothes, where everyone says it is amazing and all I see is a floppy dick.

A demented, surreal, often humorous mixture of music, effects, and spoken word that apparently takes multiple (6 or 7) listens to assimilate. It's well known that The Simpsons creator Matt Groening first heard it , hated it but persisted and changed his view and so it became one of his favourite records. I do agree it's (probably) an uncanny arty masterpiece with meaning hidden in its deep depths. But to get to that viewpoint would take a lot more time and patience than most people can reasonably spare. Depending on that investment, it may well be amongst the best or worst records you'll ever hear. Not to get too philosophical but one of life's valuable lessons is that if you swim through a sewer, the wine waiting for you at the other end tastes all the more sweeter. Or to put it another way, if life was always perfectly 'nice', we would get bored. We need challenges and to experience pain as much as joy to avoid stagnation and boredom (note to Putin; that doesn't mean you go and start a war with your neighbour). Anyway, I can see why people hate this, I can also see why people like this. And while I can't say I fully enjoyed it, I did enjoy the concept, the general weirdness and some of the music is actually quite brilliant.

Wonderfully odd

Bonkers but strangely compelling.Not an easy listen but I enjoyed the challenge and I'm glad it exists

That one guy in the corner shouting obscenities and giggling whilst everyone else tries really fucking hard to pretend they don't exist. Usually that guy is me. When I drink I think I'm funny. That time it was Captain Beefheart. But he wasn't drunk and he roped a load of impoverished musicians in and made them repeat his crazed shit over and over, and he wasn't drunk (at least not all the time) and it went on for hours. All the squares in the bar had never seen a guy giggling and shouting like this before and eventually they looked over and asked each other what the heck was going on. And then they gathered around to see if they could figure him out, but they couldn't. I kind of agree this is an album to listen to before you die, but that doesn't make it good. One of his musicians started crying.

Haha, what the...??! Listening on YouTube added to the batshit craziness, I couldn't tell when there was an advert or was it part of the album?! The comments section did make me laugh! "I have never experienced such a strong desire to keep listening and stop listening at the same time." "I listen to this album when I vacuum my lawn." "This sounds like a Salvador Dali painting." "This sounds like an entire band falling down the stairs, but they keep playing." I ended up watching a few more YouTube videos dissecting this album and I found myself slowly warming towards it's mastery and absurdity.

This album is far from the worst on the 1001 list. Maybe it is the strangest one, but not the worst. I don't understand why the opinions are so divisible, but I bet I'll discover them after the third listening session. (Help me!)

Abomination

I listened to it seven times and I still don’t get it. Two awful albums in 2 days (Napalm Death and now this).

I'm incredibly torn with this one, I think it's the most I've had to say for any album so far. I can always appreciate art that pushes the boundaries and tries something new, and nobody could claim this isn't original. On the other hand, I don't see myself ever willingly wanting to listen to this album again. I appreciate that the way each instrument plays in a different time signature is extraordinarily difficult to pull off, that doesn't change that it often sounds fucking dreadful. This sometimes sounds like individual tracks from different songs smashed together into an incoherent mess. The prime example is Frownland, though to be fair, it probably skews perception being the opening track, and it's rarely that incoherent again. That's not to say it isn't an issue again; as another example, Pena is just horrible. Just complete nonsense. There are moments where I can hear a good track buried, like Dachau Blues or Hair Pie Bake One, but it's lost in a sea of complete nonsense (though to be fair, I found it quite funny that they just buried what sounded like a decent, normal song with erratic screeching on the latter) There are a few songs I can somewhat appreciate. Sugar and Spike and Ant Man Bee are sort of good, they still have the ramshackle feel but it kind of works on those. The closest I'll get to actually liking anything is Moonlight on Vernont and Ella Guru, though I can't really put my finger on why they stand out compared to the rest Beefheart's vocals just become exhausting eventually as well, he does show he can actually kind of sing at various points throughout, but it's frequently grating. I admittedly skipped Orange Claw Hammer, just got so sick of his gibberish The length is also totally unnecessary. I went in with pretty negative preconceptions, actually found myself somewhat appreciating it, if not enjoying it, but felt like it was never going to end and I started hating it again. Maybe it was intended to be some kind of endurance test I think I can see why some would enjoy this, maybe in an ironic way and/or out of awe of the utter insanity (I love The Shaggs, for example). I will say I get why it's on this list, and it's earned its place over several other albums I've listened to so far. I know that many say you have to listen several times before it starts to click, maybe I'll do that in the future Highlights: Moonlight on Vermont, Ella Guru

3 - the best worst album ever. At first listen it sounds like garbage. The second listen still sounds like garbage but there’s something hidden within it that is captivating

Säkert genialiskt, men lite för udda för min smak. 4/10

This could have been a 4 minute song

Album 1041/1089 Ah yes, my old friend Trout Man. I first came across you, years ago, flipping through my aunt and uncle’s copy of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums. How your colourful, surrealist cover intrigued me at the time. I tried listening to you once, and failed. I will not fail again Edit: Trout Mask Replica has been listened to in full. First, before I comb the reviews to find someone else’s opinion to base my review off of (:p), I recall one of yehs* pointing out how incredibly loud the vocals are in comparison to the instrumental, and it became increasingly frustrating the longer the album went on (perhaps reaching a head at the a capella “Orange Claw Hammer”) I do subscribe to the notion that a future listen (or listens) can be a wholly different experience- kinda like MBV’s Loveless, where there’s so much going on that your brain focuses on different elements each time. However, I can't go back and report on that. I'm not... strong enough. It seems that Captain Trout Man has once again won this round. *Found it, it was actually a Fantano vid on TMR I watched a while ago, and now watched again tonight to be sure.

Oh boy, this makes for an aggressive start to a day of you listen to it on a morning walk. Mellows out pretty quickly once you settle into it, you’ve just got to let this one take you for a ride. Like instrumental slam poetry. There’s so much in here that I’m certain there’s at least one ‘I love this’ and ‘I hate this’ moment for everyone listening to it, like the musical equivalent of one of those game boy games with 100 different NES games on it. Absolutely love this, an insane album for one group to be able to come up with, made even more insane for being able to apparently record it all in one 6 hour sitting. 2 songs added to my playlist, 5 added to the 1001 playlist

I am glad I listened to this album, as it is quite an experience. But I don't think that I would ever or will ever do it again. There was never a point were I wanted to turn it off, unlike some other albums I've listened to.

It honestly sounds like dementia patients having musical diarrhea. There are no redeeming qualities besides when it eventually ends. Pretentious and pompous as a “great album” when in reality it quite the opposite. It’s the first time in my life I wished I was deaf. Is it art? Sure, but it’s not good art. It’s terrible art in the worst way possible. It’s a potpourri of baby vomit and freshly stepped in dog shit but in musical form. Walking into an any Guitar Center and hearing musicians randomly play parts of songs overtop of each other is about as enjoyable, and the same level of talent, as this album. Jesus this is just fucking awful noise. I’d rather have a colonoscopy than listen to this. If I could give it zero stars I would. Here is how I know the people reviewing this with 5 star ratings and giving it praise are full of shit…. If they went to an elementary school talent show and hear a bunch of 8 year olds playing this, they would cringe and have a hard time sitting through their performance. Afterwards they would give the kids words of encouragement stating that with some more practice, they can get really good.

Quite an interesting and peculiar album, not necessarily nice to listen to, but I can tell that there is some ambition behind it. Also it is cool that albums like this could be done at all.

Dachau Blues Moonlight Vermont Neon Meate Dream of a Octofish

1.5/5 Lights: When big Joan sets up Veterans Day poppy Frownland The fact that it made listening to hotel California incredibly palatable

bebabowwow

Garbage

Insanity.

Noise and nonsense. This probably belongs on this list, but I can't imagine wanting to listen to it on purpose. 1.5 stars

had my eyebrows lifted the whole time while listening to it.

A very strange record. Most songs just sound like sketches like they are not finished yet. I had better records here.

Only one song was available on Spotify and it was awful. I looked up some other songs on Youtube and well, they were also awful. I would not have been able to sit through this one. I think it's the first album that I "skip" here. But I am gonna rate it a 1 because I know that if I had listened to it, it would had been a 1. I don't see why this is on the list but apparently a lot of famous and successful artists were "inspired" by it.

A review while listening: A minute and a half in and I'm dreading the next hour and 16 minutes. Moonlight In Vermont isn't bad. But good god I'm ready for this to be over. Twenty minutes left, this is perhaps the worst album I've ever heard. Suddenly it switches up to a cool kind of funky vibe - oh wait no, that's just an ad for Hilton hotels because this is not on Spotify and you have to listen to it on YouTube. Honestly I don't blame Spotify for not wanting this on their platform. Just because you can get into a recording studio doesn't mean you should. Absolutely a waste of an hour and 18 minutes, and that's time in my life I'll never get back. I'm thinking of taking some kind of legal action for damages. By far, the best part of this record is the comment section for it on YouTube. There's some gold in there. 0/5 if it were possible.

I tried but I only made it about halfway. This album feels like it was made intentionally to be hard to listen to.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

It’s like a bad crash but you can’t look away. Perfectly planned Chaos and orderly disorder

Before this project I knew nothing of Captain Beefheart besides having heard of the band. I enjoyed Safe as Milk and was happy to dive into this one, double album length and all. I was pretty iffy on it until Ella Guru which seems brilliant to me, and then pretty iffy again. There's stretches like the extended musical outro of Pachuco Cadaver that are complex and interesting and wildly original. But then it sinks into unlistenable cacophony in danger of doing my head in. The back half of When Big Joan Sets Up is pretty amazing. I couldn't do it all in one go but I did ultimately conquer it. I like this better than the Zappa I had a few days ago, Freak Out!; it is harder on the ears but way less pretentious and judgey. I would normally give something both great and terrible 3 stars but this is bravely great and terrible, so 4 stars. But it isn't going into frequent rotation!

As a huge Tom Waits fan I was into this. Super weird, super funny. Definitely not for everyone.

One of the most intense, incredible deconstructions of popular music. Almost sounds like it's happening in real time. John French's book is very illuminating about this era.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica One time I saw a vox video that was about this album, describing how it sounded really off and disturbing compared to normal music, and how this band did it on purpose just to prove how much you can experiment with music. Now usually i'm someone whose used to listen to experimental music, but this is too far. For the first time in years, I actually was not prepared to hear an album that was experimental. I tried to be open-minded about the polarizing aspect of the album itself, but it's just hard to defend it being good. The album starts with "Frownland", which it has already an intriguing sound that most people would skip, and from here on out you'll have two options: to end it there or continue listening to this, but beware, this album is unlike anything you have ever heard (and I mean that). There are songs on here that don't even have an instrumental and it's just the lead singer just messing around like "The Dust Blows Forward 'n the Dust Blows Back", "Well" and "Orange Claw Hammer". There are songs here where they really nailed at annoying the listener since there's no redeemable thing about it, tracks like "China Pig", "Hobo Chang Ba", "The Blimp" and "Pena", just straight up awful. Surprisingly though, there were times where they started making songs that actually sounded good, my favorites from it where "Moonlight on Vermont", "Sugar n' Spikes" and the last track. If you're going to go to this madness, remember: expect the unexpected, because this album is one of the messiest ones ever made by any human, surprising considering this album is 5 decades old already. Personally speaking, this is bad. 1.- Frownland = 6/10 2.- The Dust Blows Forward 'n the Dust Blows Back = 3/10 3.- Dachau Blues = 7/10 4.- Ella Guru = 5/10 5.- Hair Pie: Bake 1 = 7/10 6.- Moonlight on Vermont = 8/10 7.- Pachuco Cadaver = 7/10 8.- Bill's Corpse = 4/10 9.- Sweet Sweet Bulbs = 5/10 10.- Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish = 3/10 11.- China Pig = 2/10 12.- My Human Gets Me Blues = 5/10 13.- Dali's Car = 5/10 14.- Hair Pie: Bake 2 = 7/10 15.- Pena = 3/10 16.- Well = 4/10 17.- When Big Joan Sets Up = 6/10 18.- Fallin' Ditch = 5/10 19.- Sugar 'n Spikes = 8/10 20.- Ant Man Bee = 7/10 21.- Orange Claw Hammer = 3/10 22.- Wild Life = 4/10 23.- She's Too Much for My Mirror = 4/10 24.- Hobo Chang Ba = 3/10 25.- The Blimp (Mousetrapreplica) = 2/10 26.- Steal Softly thru Snow = 5/10 27.- Old Fart at Play = 4/10 28.- Veteran's Day Poppy = 8/10 FINAL SCORE: 5/10

Had to listen to this on YouTube. What a weird album. I overall didn’t like it, but there were certain moments that stuck out to me as good or clever. Mostly, not something I enjoyed.

Well I guess I knowwhere Tom Waits got the idea to sing like that from. Lots of stuff said about this but at over an hour and twenty minutes long, if it really has got this hidden depth you can glean from it after multiple listens that's simply asking too much of the modern man's time.

How to talk about this glorious mess of an album? It's like THE weirdo album of which I think the weirdness comes more from how long it is and how much it throws the listener into weird vignettes for every song, one song might be a manic jam or the next Captain Beefheart singing by himself or the next they are fooling around and you hear Frank Zappa's voice. It's no wonder this album is so notoriously offputting, it's intentional trying not to be a cohesive piece of music, hell, coherently PERFORMED music too, twice now I felt in a trance listening to this thing because of how easy it is to get lost in its small songs going on for 74 mins, and if you are riding along its weirdness then you just sink into them because (or at least I think) this album feels like the place where so many other musical weirdos in the future got ideas for songs. I'm convinced Jack White got ideas for his music listening to Veteran Day's Poppy which only got stronger knowing Third Man re-released this album. I think to say this album is "weird" or "unusual" is obviously true and important for what the record is and its intentions but even more is seeing it as this jumping off point for many other weirdos to do it too.

Pretty much unlistenable.

On tää vitun erikoinen mutta myös tosi hyvä! 4/5

Puuh olipahan kokemus tämä 80 minuuttia. Osa kokeiluista tuntuu aika puolivillaisilta, mutta toisaalta kiva että tällaista musaa on listalla. Osa biiseistä on jopa ihan hyviä, ja arvostan pelotonta ja humoristista otetta, joka tässä on otettu. 4/5

Pretensious obnoxious garbage.

I'm convinced this album is just a prank because otherwise it doesn't make sense.

strange

Those who only graze the surface of the record will be almost offended. The guitars are all over the place, the lyrics are nonsenical poetry and "in-jokes", it is clearly the product of LSD and too much free time. A mean joke played on the honest listener. Those who stick around, or listen deeply, will hear math rock, blues ("China Pig"), angular jazz, world building, and yes, those same silly in-jokes, but now you're in on the joke ("fast and bulbous" lol). There are reference to dark subjects (Dachau concentration camp), political commentary ("Veteran's Day Poppy"). There is so much to chew on over multiple listens. The good Captain presents his situation as a person seeking happiness/fulfillment/freedom ("MY SMILE IS STUCK I CANNOT GO BACK TO YOUR FROWNLAND"). Beefheart and his friends make up characters with personalities and identities (The Mascara Snake, Rocket Morton). Once you are able to see the record as an attempt at fun, as joy-seeking practice ("Pena"), then you're good. I will agree that it is a DARING album. The choices regarding the music were experimental then and are a blueprint for avant-guarde today. Admittedly, Beefheart's voice may be a bit more gruff than the typical pop starlet, so that's another proposition that might perturb the casual listener, but what everyone needs to remember is this is art, not a product. Trout Mask Replica is Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band's invitation to not take life too seriously (ironic given the making of the album): "Take my hand and come with me It's not too late for you It is not too late for me" An absolute masterpiece. A portrait of a (mad) artist at his most free and fanciful. A true Jester of the music world. One thing is certain: On the Mt. Rushmore of music, one of the faces wears a Trout Mask.

There’s so much crap here, but it has moments where it starts to coalesce into something worth listening to before degrading back to utter nonsense.

Imagine if every instrument from every song played at the same time. Well that's what this album sounds like. Sensory overload The only positive thing I have to say is that I had to listen to this on youtube. So thankfully my algorithm isn't tainted 1 ⭐️

I know defenders of this album will stumble over themselves just to tell you it's a masterpiece because they intentionally meant to make it sound bad, but I don't buy that. This album sucks with the only redeeming part for me being a 10 second riff in the middle of "Veteran's Day Poppy".

Love the name of the band and the album but unfortunately not so much the music...

I appreciate the experimental side of this, but it's just not very listenable.

Good moments. Bad moments. Mostly just f-ing weird.

Artiste/groupe inconnu. C'est la semaine expérimentale ... hier j'ai écouté Sebadoh, qui mélangeait dissonance et morceaux plus classiques, et aujourd'hui je reçoit cet album qui est complètement expérimental. Il s'apparente plutôt au Free Jazz qu'au rock ou au blues. Malheureusement je n'apprécie pas du tout la façon de "chanter" ni la voix. En plus elle est mixée bien trop fort par rapport aux instruments. Et autre inconvénient majeur, l'album est trop long ... Je n'ai pas réussi à aller jusqu'au bout, le chant est vraiment très rebutant. =>1/5

weird ass album, couldn't really get into it. some of the songs are great, but as an album it wasn't a great listen

GSK day 1, substituted the album with I’ve Been Expecting You by Robbie Williams. Great album that was, not worth a biopic, but Strong and Millennium are great songs.

Didn’t like the album. Did not enjoy the sound of the instruments on the album. Hair Pie was just random sounds to me.

History around the record by personal life of captain beefheart is crazy. Music is hard listening.

Anyone that gives this more than a single star needs to get their head checked. Legitimately a candidate for 0 stars if it were possible; why, why, why, is this on the list. It's the most talentless garbage I think I've listened to and I'm 920 albums deep into this project. No singing, no actual playing of instruments, just noise. 0/10.

WTF

800 päivää sitten bändiltä tuli albumia.. tänään vähän vähemmän maagista.. nooniin kuitenkin vihdoinkin 60 luvun albumia joka nappaa... vähän originaalimpaa soittamista kun viimeset viisi vittu 60 luvun amerikka liibalaaba max 2min biisit hey everybody do the twist type beat.. vaihtelee laatu kyllä tässäkin aika paljon albumin pyöriessä konsanaan mutta paskimmatkin on parempia kun ne, vittu alkaa vituttaa (pikkuhiljaa)... kala on on on.. syökää että lihakset kasvaa hoh hoh hoh.... kala se tuo tuo tuo.. hoh hoh hoh.. bulbous moonlight on vermont

This is much weirder - and less interesting - than I remembered.

An overall unpleasant listen. I could see it maybe being influential to Tom Waits but there’s nothing to grab onto and it is 70 minutes. Light 2.

Just too strange for me. Reminds me of what I dislike about Frank Zappa. Not a surprise since he produced this mish mosh mess. Had to stop at song #21.

I really wanted to finish this but I just couldn't. It was just too weird. I feel like this is what some people must think the Grateful Dead sounds like and that makes me sad :(

the only reason why this album gets streams is because of this website. i want my 78 minutes back.

Just not my jam. Or the mood. Can appreciate it but not my thing

Wanted to say a few words about this record. I HONESTLY think this is a masterpiece of modern art, full of Cap's unique poetics. The musicianship on "TMR" is on a very high level, and though the songwriting is edgy and rust-like, you can always appreciate the gritty guitar-playing or the ragged rhythmic webs, created by John French. The lyrics are abstract and all-wordplay, that annoys some, but an another point of appreciation for me. To truly come to 'digging' this album, you must cope with your negative emotions and listen to it more than one time. Free your mind and your ears will follow!

thank god en spotify hay una sola canción

Chaotic, dissonant, and seemingly haphazard. A cacophonous mess of incredibly talented musicians and vocals that's absurd from front to back. Unless you're a fan of abstract experimental rock fused with jazz and recorded to sound like a low budget delta blues album, then skip this one.

okay, look - i'm glad that music like this exists. i am heartened that we live in a world where anyone can make whatever kind of art they want, especially art that pushes the boundaries of good taste or enjoyment. this was clearly a very special and influential record for a lot of artists. but i think there's a different between acknowledging the influence something had and having to listen to it. i did not enjoy this at all. overstimulating, toneless, jumbled, weird for weird's sake. it never coalesced for me the way others have said. it was a struggle enough to just finish it. how did it sound like a band warming up, a 12 year old at guitar center, and squidward playing his clarinet all at once? a musical headache. a sonic nightmare. that's probably the point. i feel obligated to give this 2 stars, both by all the glowing reviews and my own personal habit of saving my 1 stars for rapists and criminals, but man. there was no enjoyment to be found here. i'm sorry, i have to be honest!

i went into this knowing it was an influential album for many of the weirdest musicians and artists i respect, but i don't think i've ever heard any of the tracks. i expected this to be much closer to outsider music, but it was more like talented musicians playing very freeform/avant-garde jazz rock, so that was cool. a lot of the songs sound like pure chaotic cacophony at first, but their charm and interesting/funny lyrics start to grow on you. this album isn't afraid to just be a weird piece of art that lacks any inherent pretentiousness or pandering to try to sell records. i'm glad we live in a world where this could be made. i did have to pause halfway through so i could clear my mind and focus on work, and these tracks really demand your attention for it to not just feel like noise. but this was a neat album and fully worthy of being on this list. favorites: frownland, the dust blows forward 'n the dust blows back, ella guru, pachuco cadaver, my human gets me blues, pena, well, sugar 'n spikes, steal softly thru snow, old fart at play, veteran's day poppy

I’ve waited more than a decade for an excuse to listen to this again. A little less scary second time around

fast and bulbous

A bit crazy right?! I do like some Captain Beef heart but some of this felt in accessible to me.

Wow. I know this album cover and was interested as this was just an artist I knew the name of, but wow, that was horrible. No one listens to that for fun right?

It's finally over, feel like I've been listening to this for a week. This was what I was expecting from beefheart, unlike the other album we had before. Every so often there was an interesting idea or things would come together in a decent way but these parts were given no precedence over the other 98% random noise and gibberish so it must be pure chance. Not boring I'd say, bit definitely not good.

I tried working to it, which was a non-starter. Really, really irritating, full of bells and whistles and silliness. Not for me - I didn't enjoy any of it. A horrible cacophony. "My mind turned to wood and rolled like a wheel, well, well". What?

Well this was something! Took me 2 goes to get through it. The first of which I was not feeling it at all. Second time I had prepared myself somewhat.... It's still a tough listen though. It's got a bit of the Tom waits about it. Bits of it made me think of slam poetry or some sort of hipster jazz scene in some underground smoky room. Other bits were more like actual music.... Others not so much! I do think it was interesting, but it's way too out there for me I think. 2

Ok i waited tile the 3rd song to type this but nobody can enjoy listening to this right? I'm all for off beat/weird stuff but I'm talking MF doom, J Dilla type beats not uncomfortable out of rhythm saxophone and guitar strums. what do i know? i hate this

I don’t get it, but I’m only halfway through my third listen and I don’t hate it like I did the first time I listened. It took me five listens to enjoy Public Image Ltd and Johnny Rotten adores this album. I’m pretty sure I’ll take a chance on a five star rating for this magic trick. A lot of my favourite musicians (i.e. Lydon, Tom Waits, Mark Mothersbaugh) call this one of their favourite albums ever.

Ostia puta.

This is the most difficult double album to work through on this list. Its' eccentric legacy is mired in abuse, confusion, and disgust by a great many. What makes this album incredible is that it is essential to our modern society. The ultimate mind meld between Zappa and Beefheart, performed and recorded in a way that could not easily be replicated. It's not easy, but between the themes, musical exploration and fusion, sheer absurdity, and existence as art, it is THE Art Rock Monolith. 3.5/5, five more listens to go

Originalissimo e sicuramente un album pioniere ed unico nel suo genere, ma…

Wtf deze album cover haha Oke de cover was maar het begin, wat een achtbaan van een album. Was hele tijd gesplit tussen hem afzetten en door luisteren als een soort van morbide nieuwsgierigheid voor wat er nog meer zou komen Heb geen idee wat ik moet raten. Ga ik dit ooit opnieuw luisteren? Nee denk het niet. Ben ik blij dat ik hem ooit heb geluisterd? Ja. Dit is wel een stukje muziekgeschiedenis die ik niet had willen missen en daarvoor is de 1001 ook voor gemaakt. Ik las ergens dat je dit album 10x moet luisteren voordat het klikt. Als dat moet, is het dan nog een goed album? Of eerder een gevolg van Stockholm syndroom en sunken cost fallacy, om je eigen tijdverspilling te rechtvaardigen? Ik hoor soms wel vlagen van genius in het album, maar soms ook gewoon tering herrie. Heb dit album hele tijd met een grijns geluisterd, uit een soort ongeloof voor wat ik hoorde. Ik moest vooral lachen omdat ik ook graag door wilde luisteren en dat van mezelf grappig vond. Doordat dit album deze reactie oproept bij mij vind ik dit album al stuk beter dan andere tering herrie in deze lijst. Daarvoor krijgt hij credit. Maar voor een echt goede rating zitten er toch teveel geluiden in , misschien kan ik zn genie toch niet genoeg waarderen. Die hele Captain Beefheart is helemaal gek. Hele cult vibe gecreëerd voor een album. 8 maanden opgesloten en daarna in 8 uur het hele album opgenomen, wat een kerel.

This was a struggle to listen to - by design. The album picks up momentum going from "Man, how can I get through this first song" to "Hey, I'm enjoying myself". I think the worst rating I could give this, from Captain Beefhart's perspective, is 3 stars. He wants 1s and 5s. So that's what I'm going to give it. I think the Captain would appreciate a good trolling.

This sounded like music before they figured out how to make it sound good. Truly traumatizing.

It feels like the instruments are all playing a different song:(

Not for me

Psychedelic crap

Bonkers. Not his best album. Prefer the more song-based efforts, but there is nothing that sounded quite like this at the time, and it has influenced so many, notably Tom Waits and Pop Group. I don't play this often, but when I do, I always hear something new.

I've always struggled with the good Captain. I just find this a bloody racket - which I know it's suppose to be.

I knew some of the back story of this before listening, so I am a little biased. On a technical level, this is one of the most ambitious and impressive albums. However, it is hard to listen to and some of the songs are pretty abrasive. That being said, there are some really great moments and the album definitely gets points for its ambition. 3/5 Might listen again

Noisy

Dit album (vier fokking plaatkanten!) zou verplicht onderdeel moeten worden van elk lespakket over drank en drugs: het bewijs dat geestverruimende middelen alleen maar tot ellende leiden. Man, wat is dit afschuwelijk. Nog voor de helft heb ik de moed opgegeven.

Helemaal uitgeluisterd. Wat een verschrikkelijke vorm van zelfkastijding.

Een dubbelalbum vol met Zappaesque flauwekul, ik heb hier al zo geen zin in. Ik ga een Muldertje pullen: van een paar nrs snel een halve minuut van luisteren of het wat is en daarna op 1 ster drukken. Meer woorden wil ik er ook niet aan vuil maken. Dit is simpelweg verschrikkelijk.

Interesting…

I've been waiting for this to show up. I bought this on CD in 2008, because it was John Peels favourite album and I was fascinated by the rumours of the insanity being rewarding after repeated listens. I listened twice, hated it. In summer 2023 I was going to sell some CDs, found it again, and put it on in the car. I left it on repeat during a work commute. I soon noticed I was looking forward to hearing it again, had become obsessed with it, and then couldn't stop listening. I'd listen to a few tracks before bed every night. Walking the dog. It's now my favourite album. It's genius, it's funny, it's stimulating, it's a whole world unto itself. For reference, I'm 45, love 90s grunge, Tool, NIN, electronica. Here's the thing that might help understand why this clocks after 7 or so listens. Typically in a song you hear a riff or hook a fair few times, enough to sink in and know what you're dealing with. Trout Mask has HUNDREDS of hooks, riffs and catchy moments, often just heard once. When they all start clicking, the experience is so fun. Also, Frownland is an insane opener (although I love that too and have probably heard it 100 times by now), but don't be put off by that. Once you get used to TMR, the follow up Lick My Decals Off Baby is just as fun and eventually rewarding (but you'll never think so on first listen). Don Van Vliet (the Captain) was a highly intelligent, interesting guy, with a tremendous spirit for music and humanity. Once you get into his music, it's like a genre unto itself, that you'll never leave.

This album was the most major turning point of my youth. My eyes and ears were opened to the most profound realms of possibility for being a person that thinks and acts as differently as they care to. I listen to this album several times a year, never gets old. This album is the anchor that set my soul free to explore all options and potentials for free expression, but in my own life and in the types of music I'd grow to search for and enjoy.

Holy shit. The wiki for this album is absolutely wild. This dude basically ran a cult, living in a commune with these musicians, abusing them mentally and physically and forcing practice sessions of up to 14 hours, forbidding them from leaving the house, depriving them of food. I'm reminded of J.K. Simmons's character from Whiplash, only worse. I'm surprised these circumstances aren't mentioned more in the discourse for this album. It's a product of abuse. But it's still art, beloved by many. I read the wiki after I'd already listened to the album. I've listened to one Zappa album (not through this project) and thought it was great. I adore Tom Waits. I like weird. And abuse aside, the way this album was developed and created is fascinating. I honestly enjoyed this overall. Yes, it's chaotic, but it there were times it tickled my brain in the best way. I'm not great at dissecting all the polymeter / polyrhythmic strangeness, but I love to try. It's like a nice little puzzle. I could see this growing on me more, but I'm also not ready to listen again and don't know when I will be. So today, it's a 3.

Err