Reviews (page 7 of 8)
This album weird, quirky, off-the-wall and gets a lot of attention for having a cult-like following. This is my third or fourth time listening, and I like it just enough - specifically the jazzy & bluesy parts. We've heard weirder on this challenge.
Ok, I tried, and I tried again. Then I saw that it was produced by Frank Zappa, and yeah, that tracks. I just can't get through this. Diamanda Galas albums are more accessible than this album. I'm not saying it has no value, but who the hell is this even for?
Literally what the fish
To quote Mic the Snare: "Music theory: don't do it, kids." I can understand, conceptually, why this album is on this list. It's considered a "classic," an example of what free-jazz can do for *your* rock and roll, a willful bucking of pop structure and defiance towards the listener; the can-you-believe-it-sounds-like-this-on-purpose of it all. That's all fine and great, and I didn't dislike absolutely everything about this album. I suppose it's impressive that this music was carefully written and arranged to sound like this on purpose, and that the band was able to execute Mr. Beefheart's vision, but that knowledge doesn't automatically make this listenable for me. I've heard that if you listen to this album enough, the brilliance shines through. I'll have to live on in ignorance. Highlights (?): Ella Guru, Moonlight On Vermont, China Pig, Well
it's bad, it's good, it's aggressively not music as well as very musical. comes closer to 'art' than many many albums on the list. really there's nothing i can say that hasn't been said already, but i gotta slap a 5 on it just for the novelty, influence and vision (if you can call untreated schizophrenia vision). there really are many snatches of genuinely catchy and enjoyable music here, but i think only someone interested in developing some schizophrenia of their own would want to listen to this front to back on anything approaching a regular basis. as they say, fast and bulbous
If you don’t like this album, you probably don’t truly like every kind of music or play a musical instrument. It is chaotic yet a marvel of precision. Beefheart’s other work is excellent too but this is a perfectly timeless time capsule of an exploration of what was/is musically possible. He outdoes Zappa because he is not elitist, he loves sound and poetry and this has an innocent humor that I love.
3.5
Well, it's interesting at least! Could be a grower!
The only album that sounds normal.
hell yeah brother
Не доступен в Спотифай
Definitely qualifies as an album to hear before you die. Just not one I will listen too again.
Gteat cover photo. This album takes a number of listens to get used to.
This is the soundtrack in hell. It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard. Some critics put it as high as top 60 of all time. Absolutely terrible. It wasn’t even on Spotify.
Spotify doesn't play this one for some reason? Found it on YouTube. Disappointing and confusing. I wanted to like it, just didn't get it and definitely could not get thru much of any it.
Fake Fish Facade! Foul Formidable Fog!
I got about halfway through. This was truly terrible.
WTF can you say about this? I'll do my best... I can totally understand and not even argue with someone who shrugs this off as noise or unlistenable or just an exercise to strain the limits of what's definable as music. But there's a certain something that differentiates nonsense from experimental music (art) with substance, and I'm falling squarely in the latter camp on this one. It's as strange as it can be, and while I can't describe the quality I hear that makes this worth paying attention to, I think I can use the word "enjoy" to describe my reaction to this. I was drawn in and amused, intrigued by Beefhart's verse, amazed at the structured musical cacophony. Kudos to the weird ones.
The moment we started this project, I've been wondering how our little group is going to react to this famously challenging album. Me? I dig it, though it's certainly not an album I turn to very often. I really have to be in the mood for Beefheart, and even then, I usually reach for Doc at the Radar Station. Still, this one is pretty groovy and wild and I do genuinely love it. Also, it's surprisingly catchy.
I enjoyed reading about the artist rather than actually listening to the artist. Not my bag.
I’m pretty sure I listened to part of this album before, but I don’t think I made it through the whole thing. I’m really not sure how to rate it - I honestly didn’t think it was too weird or unlistenable at all, but the length was the most challenging aspect, and I also can’t say I truly enjoyed it, either. I’ll give it a 3 for now but will revisit it. I’m glad I listened to it and it certainly deserves a place on the list - there’s really nothing else like it.
I think this one could so bad it’s actually good. My partner asked me if I have to listen to this in the living room, which isn’t something that happens very often, 600 albums in.
listened to the milk album. weird sound.
Yeaa I have a hard time even calling this music. This was hard to listen to and I don't think I will ever revisit it or even tell anyone about it. I don't like the instrumentation, or Beefheart's voice, or lyrics. It's rough throughout. I will admit there are moments that caught my ear, but it's buried under such chaotic dissonance that it killed any momentary enjoyment.
It is an album.
Unlistenable. I guess having everyone listen is important in the same way as having everyone view a car wreck. “Hey look over there. Don’t do that”
One song was all I needed to know I would hate this record. Simply filled with noise and meaningless ideas. This is absolutely not for me.
I don't know what to say about this one. His singing is atrocious, like he's not even singing along to what the instruments are doing, and I know it's on purpose, but it's not enjoyable. If you ignore the polytonal lyrics, and just listen to the instrumentals, sometimes they sound completely out of time with each other, like no one is playing the same song, but if you listen carefully it actually all comes together. It's actually difficult for a band to sound like they don't know what they're doing, but also make it all sound cohesive, that is an achievement in itself. This album, is not easy to listen to, it takes effort to get through it, the wierd spoken word poetry interludes, polyrhythms, polymeters, it's a music theorists dream, but it's too much for the average listener. For it's historical influences, it get some points but overall not an enjoyable listen
Too janky
What the fuck did I just listen to?
This is objectively bad music. But it takes itself so unseriously, and I kind of find it intriguing. It’s so bad it makes me want to keep listening.
I’ve had one Captain Beefheart album so far. I can’t say that I liked that album, but I’ll remain hopeful that today’s album will be better. With an album cover like this, it has to be good, right? I hope so anyway. Let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: none What an absolute earache this was. It’s being added to the very short list of albums that I couldn’t bear to finish. I got five minutes in and it just seemed to be a messy noise comparable to being in the same room as different musicians playing different songs at the same time. I then skipped a few songs in and it still sounded the same. Didn’t want to waste my time on this mess.
What was that
Rubbish.
1.5 I can’t believe I listened to that whole thing. I like his voice and I can tell everyone on here is good at their instrument. It was painful, but I think that’s the point. Not all of the tracks were tough (Ella Guru, Sweet Sweet Bulbs, and Sugar N’ Spikes were legitimately enjoyable) but I can’t get above 1.5 considering the remaining hour.
What the actual fuck is this? It's like Primus, but take away all the talent and add a bucketload of annoying noise. I almost turned this off but I sat through it. Once is more than enough for this lifetime.
I don’t understand this record.
This is a tough one. There are parts of this I really liked and then other bits that are quite impenetrable and you just sit there thinking WTF. I'm scoring this more on creativity and experimentalism rather than listenability I think.
Un album tout ce qu'il y a de plus atroce, mais c'est pas au bout du 1068ème généré par Robert qu'on va se rendre compte que son livre est une escroquerie à plus de 20€.
Stratosphérique, le capitaine Beefheart est mon personnage préféré du générateur. Les instants live de ses performances sont de précieux gemmes, où le capitaine peut pleinement exprimer son handicap, face à une foule conquise. Un beau message d'espoir.
Apparently it's one of the greats but you have to listen to it 7+ times to "get it". Until then, it's atonal, stream-of-consciousness, free-association junk.
Not available on Spotify.
Awful
Listened Before? N After reading the description I'm actually super glad this is unavailable on Spotify. This list has entirely too many "experimental" and art rock albums. Added to Library? N Song added to playlist: None because I can't
Interesting looking album… strange start to it as well. Presumably some kind of absurdist thing? 1969 avant-garde apparently… Yeah nah could not enjoy this. 1.
Nah bro
Its caotic and so interesting, loved it. 9/10
Esta vaina es una locura. 10/10
Couldn't get through it. 2 because I loved reading the reviews.
Not a fan
Just when I thought the author was on to something, this happens. Why? Who finds this drivel appealing? Psychotics? Ax murders? 3rd grade teachers?! Art is in the ear of the beholder, fine. But there should be no confusion: Shit belongs elsewhere.
inventive, I guess.
Deranged, unlistenable, but I respect the weird
Look I love it but also I do subscribe to the philosophy that music should be, on some level, actually listenable
our god is not a just god
I'm mad. I'm mad that this project wanted me to listen to this album. I'm mad that it wasn't on Spotify or Apple Music and that I had to waste time looking for it elsewhere. I'm mad that it's a fucking double album. I can appreciate that there's some complexity and originality to this. But just because it is complex and original doesn't mean it's good, or that it is much beyond cacophonous noise -- noise can be "complex" and "original", too, but that doesn't mean it's good. I can't believe Rolling Stone and the National Recording Registry think this album is noteworthy. It really does go to show that things are objective, even at that level. People talk about having to listen to this multiple times for the "genius" of it to "click". Well, I'm just not willing to test that theory. I shouldn't have to Stockholm Syndrome myself into liking music. Anyway, I think I'm done ranting.
1/5. I didn’t finish this album because it’s not for me. I only heard a little bit of “Frownland” and was disappointed.
For me this album is in a similar place as Scum by Napalm Death. I understand the inclusion, but beyond a handful of songs (Pachuco Cadaver, Moonlight on Vermont, Orange Claw Hammer), it's hard to really enjoy the thing. 4 for importance, 2 for enjoyment = 3. Safe as Milk is much more fun to listen to, and I really do enjoy Beefheart in general.
Was unable to listen, spotify said unavailble
They are classic but I had never listened. I liked it, but this album wasn’t on Spotify so had to listen to parts of it on Pandora.
Well this was an interesting listen.
Demasiado psicodelia para mi gusto
multiple beats overtop each other. Lyrics are exclusively non-sense. Can see why this is important for music but isnt amazing to listen to. 2
WTF was this
Of course people don't like this album on this site. It's not anything like the rest of the late 60's guitar masturbation or smarmy pop rock that this list famously pushes. Call me a contrarian if you want, but so many cool things in life are going to be beyond your understanding if you can't learn to enjoy things that are a little grating on purpose. Movies, music, books, places, people, you name it. There are plenty of things out there that are ultimately worth it even though they aren't "easy" to get through.
reminds me of us maple, but with skits!
I'm genuinely at a loss for words. I mean, I've known for a while now the mysticism of this album, and all the oddities (putting it lightly) that come with it, but I don't think I've ever been so taken aback by an entire album. I've dabbled in the avant-garde, and it hardly ever ends well, but I still went into this with pretty blank expectations for the sake of my sanity. However, this is appalling, yet appealing, like a car crash you can't look away from, even though you really want to. I spent the majority of this album with my head in hands, trying to live through the utter lack of cohesion or basic enjoyability, and at eighty minutes, that's difficult, but my brain seemed determined to find something I liked here: "Oh, that guitar lick was nice," or, "wow, this drumming is such an odd time signature," but yet I was ready to tap out at nearly every moment. I understand this album is the complete antithesis of all other music, but I just can't listen to this like you would look at an abstract painting, it defies music itself for me, and my brain genuinely does not know how to react to it. It is not enjoyable, it is not catchy, nothing here is music to me. Yet, I don't hate it. As I said, I hear a lick here, a still solid song here, and it makes me realize that despite defying music itself, it has those charming moments that some albums trying to be the pinnacle of music making fail to have, and I feel that makes this album somehow even better, despite being one of the worst albums I've ever heard. Its too long, many of the tracks are unlistenable, but as an album perhaps one day, I too can join the ranks of those who understand the "art" of this album. For now, it sits somewhere in the middle for me, as it represents the back-and-forth I had whilst listening. I will note the album is kind of funny at moments, as when I remembered to tune into the lyrics I'd get such wacky, zany shit that I can't help but appreciate it in that aspect.
Talentfreies benutzen von Instrumenten gepaart mit lärmenden gescheiterten Experimenten sind das Ergebnis diese Aufnahme. Es fehlte nur noch das „Huchz (Kerkeling)“. Möglicherweise wurde das Album unter Nutzung von Rauschmitteln aufgenommen und kann auch nur nach Genuss gleichartiger Stoffe ertragen werden. Nüchtern betrachtet ist die Platte ein Zigarettenstummel der Musikgeschichte - unhörbar.
Well I can say I've listened to it You can hear snatches of things that came in its wake and remembered to write the tunes but good lord I'll never listen to it again
Wasn't a big fan.
Buen álbum de rock con una canción emblematica
An album that defies most all types of categorization, including whether it’s “good” or “bad.” It’s chaotic but was deliberately planned to be that way, it’s secretly an homage to several genres, it’ll turn your brain to soup.
get it's trying to be deliberately dissociative. but strikes as something wacky for those who know monty python sketches off by heart. not good music to listen to today.
I like weird and this was just that. The version I listened to was pieced together on Spotify but maybe the original version on vinyl would have landed better.
Fast and bulbous. Tight also.
Just why?
Trout Mask Replica sounds like everyone playing on it doesn’t know how to play their instrument. 2.9/10
Either I don't possess the understanding required to appreciate this, or this is the worst jumble of noise created by man ...
Punky psychedelic, schizo noise. ...I think they might be on drugs! Another Zappa production in disguise. It's ART!!! It's far out, man. In this vein I would prefer Zappa's zany energy and vocals to Beefheart's constricted ravings and crappy beat poetry. The most cohesive aspect of this album is in its percussion. The play jumps between tight, complex music, and chaos. Shout out to "Hair Pie: Bake 1" for capturing the sound of a group of 6th graders honking on clarinets for the first time with wild abandon. I really don't understand why people laud this album as a stroke of genius, though it is certainly creative. Beefheart takes the kind of unbridled creativity that novices not yet boxed in by canon and method have, and reintroduces it to listeners via talented musicians who do actually know how to play "real" music - but don't. Other standouts? - Moonlight On Vermont (Live) - Sweet Sweet Bulbs - China Pig
Hard to listen to, but I get it
This wasn't necessarily bad, but it was pretty weird. Not something I'll likely return to. 2.5/5
I thought I was open minded but it was too much for me
Trippy. Rock jazz? I liked it more than I expected knowing how weird he can be and is
Not on apple music
One of the big ones, let's go. Shocked to see this isn't on Apple Music, not sure why. Thankfully I've had it on CD for years and it's in my personal itunes library. Wow, I'm learning for the first time today that Captain Beefheart was NOT just an alter ego of Frank Zappa, it's a whole different guy, Don Van Vliet. Zappa did produce this album, and the two were friends, so that all tracks, but man I've been living a lie for years now. This album is weird, and all the weirdness is a kind that I enjoy. Songs have unconventional and unpredictable length, structures, melodies, lyrics, everything feels just pulled out of thin air. "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous, got me?" No, we don't got you. But I love it. Definitely a classic album, I think the back half of the album lacks some of the punch present on the front, but I can't really in good faith give this less than 4.5 stars, it's just a formative classic to me. I was so weirded out and impressed when I heard this way back when, and I still am. Critical inclusion here. Favorite tracks: Dust Blows Forward, Ella Guru, Pachuco Cadaver, Neon Meate Dream, China Pig, Pena, Orange Claw Hammer. Album art: Classic, iconic cover. A mystery man in a long pilgrim hat, and wait, his head is a fish. Is it a trout mask? I'm not certain, seems more like a catfish. But it's perfectly weird to fit the music, and the bold pink background is great for contrast. 4.5/5
NO
Today's album is brought to you by the good folks at 1969 music. This double album features hits like: Hair Pie - Bake One & Bake Two, Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish, She's Too Much For My Mirror, and, Old Fart at Play Why a double album you ask? Certainly you can understand that it was necessary to fully chronicle Captain Beefheart's vision and brilliance, while Frank Zappa's producing and influence are evident throughout. (*Disclaimer: This review may or may not have been influenced by hallucinatory drugs that were taken prior to listening to the album's original release.)
The day has finally arrived. I was wondering when I would get around to this. I'd finally have to make the plunge and listen to it. I've tried before but always gave up. I know the whole history of this album and how many people love it. Yeah... it's rough. There are moments when it sounds good but otherwise I find it unlistenable. It makes all the shitty 90s britpop look like Mozart. I think anyone who says this is their favourite album is trying to be pretentious. Looking at my criteria for 1 star albums, I complain about the vocals and this album is rife with it. I appreciate that it exists and it should exist but it's not something I'll ever return to.
Sorry not a fan of this. I know this is a classic but I never got the Captain Beefheart thing
Wierd as hell, like 4 bands playing 10 different songs at the same time. As close to experimental jazz as a rock album can get (probably) - but moments of clarity. Not on Spotify for some reason, maybe just too strange.
Unavailable - rated on previous knowledge.
#MAMITA 6/10
Listened Before? No Top album cover and album name. I've heard of Captain Beefheart, and know of him mainly by association to Zappa. Looks like this one is produced by Zappa so this ought to be interesting... First impression is that the production and style feels almost modern. Wild how clear the vocals are. Unsurprisingly, this is an eclectic adventure. The Dust Blows is a weird-o a cappella that blends into Daccau Blues which vocally sounds like the rapper E L U C I D in vocal tone. Hair Pie: Bake 1 is a dense and wild instrumental warble. Can't say I love it, but I imagine it is hell to try and play with all the contrasting rhythmic components. Amazing that it converges at the end to a central "theme" before cutting to a drugged out recording of a conversation. Okay so I sort of lost the ball as I was working and getting interrupted. While it is no direct fault of Captain Beefheart, having to listen to this on YouTube definitely put a crimp in the experience; its hard to go from avant garde blues to some glittery add about skin care. All around this is an album by weirdos for weirdos. I can certainly see how this was particularly revolutionary for its time and made way for similar freewheeling artistic adventures. Did I enjoy this? Not really. Was it interesting? At times. Would I listen again? Yes, but in a different format. I think this is an album that critics probably get behind, but for me it is a tougher sell than most. 3 / 5 because (a) the cover is awesome, (b) there is a lot in here to like if you are looking for it, and (c) I dig how free it all feels. Losing points here because (a) it is long as hell, (b) I have a hard time focusing with this on, and (c) I couldn't pick out a single track by name. Added to Library? Can't :(
There are definitely a couple parts in this album that are pretty good, but I'm barely giving that any weight because the rest was just not music. This is another album where they are just being "random" for the sake of being weird. I don't have the capacity to try and scrounge a 2 star out of this album.
I have never wanted to both turn off an album but also keep listening at the same time. I can't say I enjoyed this album but I was so interested in what was coming next. The wikipedia article to this album is a must read with this being rehearesed for 8 months where none of the band members left a single small house. Please tell me where Captain Beefheart gets his drugs so I know never to go there.
Oh boy I'm excited for this one. Besides an awesome cover I've heard this album is super controversial. You either love it or hate it. Pretty annoying need to listen on Youtube. First song in and I'm getting contrarian vibes. Angus probably fucking loves this album. Some parts remind me of Zappa, some parts remind me of really early Pink Floyd. All parts mostly bad. Ok I need to look up more about why this exists and yes it's certainly a Zappa produced album. It all makes sense now. There are some random moments that I like above all the weird bullshit. That being said it's mostly weird bullshit. Music shouldn't be made just because it CAN be made. It's also entirely too long. Floating between a 1-2 55 minutes in. Would give a 1.5 but I'm rounding down. Not for me.
- There is a reason this album isn't on any streaming services - Sounds like the whole album was freestyle in one take, by band members who have never met each other - The vocals are nothing to write home about, but does have some nice rasp it - The instrumentation may be so complex that they are actually a work of art, but are just a chore to listen to, and to the average ear nothing compliments each other, everything sounds out of time and unrehearsed - This may have been the hardest time I have ever had listening to an album - I would have preferred to listen to kidz bop renditions of diarrhoea - This may be unfair, but I had to stop this album after listening to 3 tracks. But can you really blame me? At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, this is one of the worst albums I have ever heard. This album isn't on streaming services to protect young children from being permanently scarred by listening to it. There is no synergy between any of the instruments, each plays in its own time scale and absolutely NOTHING compliments each other. The only (slight) redeeming quality of this album is its vocals, which are not as unpleasant to listen to as the instruments. This album may be musically complex and worthy of praise for its abstract absurdism, but it is not nice to listen to. I had to listen to another album directly after hearing this to cleanse my palate from the foul aftertaste it left me. I hope to forget this album, and if there was a 0 star option this album would receive it.
If you put talented musicians in a room and they are all tuning their instruments or playing a few moments of a tune they just made up, this is what it would sound like. I was able to enjoy some of the songs that had words and melodies. The honks, jingles, and brongs don't do anything for me though. Many of the reviewers could not tolerate those chaotic parts of the album but I was able to deal with it. At times it seemed like a poetry slam with music accompaniment but the musicians were possessed by their instruments, like a Pentecostal says they get possessed by the holy spirit. It's kind of like the musician was being played by the instrument. I can feel such arrogance when they speak. It's edgy, noisy, raw, and chaotic. For me, albums need to be enjoyable to listen to if I'm going to consider it good. This was not enjoyable.
Ahh, Trout Mask Replica. This is gonna sound pretentious, but I don’t know what it is about this, but I love it. It’s definitely not an easy listen for most people, and is 100% an acquired taste. But I think it’s fun, and hilarious. The writing is good on some songs. The spoke word passages can be tedious though. It’s definitely not for everybody, but I like it for what it is.
Oh wow, made my wife and I nauseous. We weren't sure why until we stopped this album halfway thru. Maybe we didn't get it, at one point I thought they just took a smoke break.
*sigh* Ah, Christ, I've been dreading this day. What's there to say about one of the most controversial albums of all time? A coworker, who likes this record, said to me one time, "Just so you know, every note on that record is where it's supposed to be." And that's... fine, I guess? I keep going back to the definition of music as "something enjoyable to listen to", and this just felt like a slog. For the record: I listened to the entire fucking thing. It inspired some feelings, and had some jams, but it mostly sounds like a massively talented band cosplaying as people who had never seen an instrument nor heard of the concept of "music". It's... definitely something.
my first DNF of all the albums - couldn't find it on streaming and then once i did sit down to listen to it, it was too much for a quiet wednesday night. technically very interesting with all the polyrhythms but not for me
This shit is too experimental for me
It takes a lot of skill to make something this shit with a group of talented musicians
Truly a wild listen. I really don't know where to begin on this one. From the cover to the soundscape throughout the album to even the name of the band and album. I just don't know how to feel. From the asynchronous playing of the instruments to the sometimes gruff vocals and storytelling I felt like I was on a rollercoaster for my brain - it hurts. There was something about this that made me want to both keep listening but stop at the same time. The overlapping melodies that shouldn't work by any normal stretch of the imagination worked so well and the practice that they did definitely paid off. Best & Worst: I have no idea and I'm so confused. Note: This album isn't available on Spotify so I listened to it on YouTube
I’d rather wax my arse and balls than listen to this shite again.
So unique! I really enjoyed this because I hadn't heard anything quite like it before, but the talent is there.
Not too my tastes at all. I wish there was an "immediate skip and downvote" button in the app.
It's no wonder that Frank Zappa is connected to this album. If you don't like Zappa, you won't like this. And that's okay. This is one of those uncatagorical albums. If you force this squad peg into any hole it won't fit. It's a fun, yet complex journey through a minefield of different genres. instead of trying to figure out what it is, listen to how it got to be and you may enjoy-ish it. 4/5
weird album. enjoyed reading about it more than listening, the vox earworm and other extensive analysis. still had fun with it and listened 2x. 3.9/5
Haha tja... Wat is dit een bijzonder album 😂 Heb er wel om gelachen maar nou niet echt leuk om naar te luisteren Zou 'm puur kopen voor de cover want die is geinig, of om 'm op te zetten voor de grap als iemand langs komt om hun reactie te zien maar ja nee this ain't it.
Never really Understood the Captain. Just noise to me.
Not on spotify and not inclined to go out of my way to listen to this. I am guessing I would have given this 2* so that is what I will do
Dne
- This is a powerful album, no doubt about it. But it is incredibly annoying. It digs in your brain and it's really impossible to do anything else. - I do understand that people say that you should power through it, and be strong and that it will be worth it. Maybe someday I will. But right now, that feels more like an inside joke than anything. - Don't recommend.
What a piece of crap. This seems like it’s talented musician playing poorly and they made an album out of it. With a name like Captain Beefheart I was excited to see what this was going to be. Sadly, it’s garbage. I don’t know why anyone would listen to this ever. Wish I could give less than 1 star.
Music is time and time means nothing and there Captain Beefheart leaves us. It's been a while since my inaugural listen, long enough for the album to enter and leave streaming at least once. Record player's half-broken and un-hooked-up, so YouTube it is, doubling the eighty minutes of dread invoked by this glorious cover. Still totally unique, Trout Mask Replica has more hooks this round. It also, exhaustingly, clicks together further and further. Like a wonderful comedy routine, bits are funny, the assemblage something more.
Chaotic in a way that made my head spin. The album and artist names represent how odd this album is perfectly.
??
Muziekkunst, daardoor niet altijd prettig, maar wel ontzettend artistiek.
Listened to a playlist. I just don't get it. Sounded like bull going crazy in a music instrument shop.
Well the best part of this album were the intermittent YouTube ads offering short relief from the chaos lmao. I might have thrown an extra star out for experimentation/originality if it were short, but damn this is way too long to be so messy. Tbf I didn't really hate anything but I also didn't enjoy absolutely any song so
Okay so uh. There’s interesting stuff happening here. It’s not unlistenably bad. I kinda want to give this a 2 just for the fascination factor of it, but I’m rating it in the middle because I’ve heard enough. It’s not good. What the captain is doing is not for me. But I support him.
Nah this is is just shit. The fact that I mistook this for a Kansas Fried Chicken album of equal shortness did not make things better. Total puke.
What a strange conglomeration of styles and genres. Just weird, crazy music. However, I found it interesting in an odd way for me. This was certainly something ahead of its time for 1969. In retrospect, I was just 6 years old and had no clue that this stuff was out there. For the great creativity and pioneering spirit I give it 4 stars!
not on spotify aikt listening
It's not real music, they are just bruteforcing the instruments. The weirdness is certainly appealing, but it alone does not make for a good listening experience. The only sort of rating criteria I've developed at this point is "it's 1 star if I would hate to listen to it again". This album doesn't fit it, I probably will give it another go sometime in the future, but I can't rate it any higher. But I had a great time laughing at the youtube comments
I mean, hear me out... I'm definitely relistening to this in due time. Not any time soon, but one day
wtf
Holy shit
It's supposed to suck and be off-putting. Beefheart can sound like Tom Waitts at points and at others like he's having a psychotic break. The album can have really great moments too, kind of like Grindcore music, it sounds like total chaos for the most part, then all of a sudden it comes together beautifully for a second before breaking apart again.
So so so difficult to listen to.
This album is great! It's like a concentration of many of the weird things I like about Mr. Bungle, Primus and Tom Waits, who likely all drew direct inspiration from this record.
Heard this a few times before, so was ready for it I've actually grown to enjoy this after 3-4 listens. I'm not in love with it, but it is good. 3.5/5
I love how Captain Beefheart was basically Zappa’s answer to D-12 or G-Unit, but with more of a legacy. This is probably perfect if you want a less politically aggressive We’re Only in it for the Money, which probably means that it matters less, but I’d recommend it for any serious music lover’s collection. A-
Can we trade this one out for 'Safe As Milk'?
If Frankenstein gave life to the drawings of banned cartoon characters from the cutting room floor, they would start this band.
And I thought the first Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band album I got here was bad
Not sure how I got through that.....
Känns som jag skulle kunna lyssna mig till bättre betyg på den här plattan men jag vill inte.
Daring and hilarious, Trout Mask Replica rewards repeated listens, but it's obviously so long and awful that few will be brave enough to reach such rewards. It's way too wacky for a five, but I find it's deserving of a four for its sheer commitment to chaos. It's definitely my favorite absurdist blues record of all time...
Sometimes I think albums make the cut on perceived significance, without actually being listened to. The first Capt Beefheart was insufferable and this was almost the same.
Captain Beefheart is a sadistic, weird Tom Waits without the musicality and goofy likeability.
Sorry, no.
Misery. A cacophonous wall of torturous sound and I don't hate myself enough to endure it all. Did not finish and listed to rain dogs instead which is a great album 5/5. I especially like tango till they're sore, rain dogs and anywhere I lay my head. I would recommend that anyone who is thinking of listening to this album listen to that one instead.
yep thats what i expected. its complex, difficult, and deeply interesting in a way that i loved. i'd never put a song on a playlist, but id buy a record and put it on every once in a blue moon
I hated this to start with, and then it suddenly just clicked into place. Insane and brilliant in equal measure; I can't think of any other album that keeps you on your toes so much. FAST AND BULBOUS
- …… - …… - ähhhm… -…… - well… - ich verstehe, dass das Album absichtlich ist, wie es ist. - ABER WER HÖRT SICH DAS FREIWILLIG AN?!? - es gibt aber doch noch Teilpunkte, weil es irgendwas komisches mit mir gemacht hat Rating 0,75/5
- Nun... schon häufig habe ich mich an avantgarde-musik, freejazz, zwölftonmusik o.ä. versucht - selten mit Erfolg aber manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl, das Konzept oder die Herangehensweise der Künstler*innen verstanden zu haben. Ähnlich wie bei abstrakter Kunst, bei der man in den meisten Fällen davor steht und sich denkt: "Was ist das für ein belangloser Schrott". Aber auch dort habe ich Momente, wo es *Klick* macht und ich Zugang zu der Kunst finde. Das bedeutet nicht automatisch, dass ich das gut finde, aber ich entwickle ein Gefühl des "Verstehens". - Ich habe den Eindruck, bei diesem Werk auf der Kippe zu stehen. Der erste Impuls ist natürlich, dass die Musik viel zu abstrakt und willkürlich ist, um einem Menschen bei gesundem Verstand in irgendeiner Form zu gefallen. Es entwickelte sich aber im Laufe des Albums bei mir tatsächlich ein "Draht", der einen Ausblick darauf gibt, dass sich meine Haltung zu diesem Album vielleicht etwas ändern könnte. - Es ist die ewige Diskussion um moderne/abstrake Kunst. Was ist gewollt? Wie viel Talent und Handwerk muss vorhanden sein? Sie wichtig ist die Absicht? Muss Kunst per se "gut" sein und gefallen? - Nach einem mal hören bleibe ich jedoch erstmal bei einer schlechten Bewertung. Interessant war die Erfahren wider erwarten jedoch absolut - 2/5
- nicht mehr auf Spotify, habe es über YouTube gehört - ich habe es bis zum 7. Song geschafft, aber ich kann einfach nicht mehr - Man kann es Kunst nennen, oder kreativ, oder experimentell, oder wegweisend anders.. keine Ahnung. Für mich ist es Abfall. Muss man ja auch mal sagen und anerkennen, reiner Abfall -1 / 5
Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should. No.
Nope
The mascara snake is right. It is fast and bulbous. Tight also. And annoyingly not available on streaming!
My music taste is broken beyond repair
Denna skiva är en riktig ryggkliare! Det här får man inte någon annanstans. Riktigt groovy, bortsett frownland som har så bra lyrics och vibat att det inte gör någon skillnad. Gitarristerna är otroliga, bassisten är så nice, trummisen swag. Lyricsen är roliga och fantasifulla och framför allt är varje del av denna skiva originell. Tack Beefheart!
I'm so sorry this is a carless review I think I would need to listen to this album 100 times before I could actually absorb its contents and understand what's going on
A glorious mess of an album. Blues album taken to the experimental avant-garde extreme. So many gems... Some of them are even melodic! Among my faves: Dachau blues Hair Pie - Bake One Moonlight on Vermont Pachuco Cadaver China Pig My Human Gets Me Blues Pena When Big Joan Sets Up Wild Life This one's a keeper...
He's trying too hard to be weird without actually having anything new to say. He adds nothing new to any of the genres he attempts, but it isn't entirely unlistenable. I can get down with some of this stuff, especially, I think the lyrics are quite clearly thought out and introspective to their respective time period. There is something calmly hypnotizing about the whole thing and I can't figure out if it's genius or stupid. Overall, I'd say something intentionally confusing to disturb the audience. Fast and bulbous! 3/5
It takes a lot of smarts to sound this stupid.
Fun and experimental for sure, but honestly was expecting a bit more out of this.
Couldn’t listen to the album on Spotify but listened to some of their other music. I really like the sound
I made it through three songs before giving up to save my sanity
Why is there no zero star option? This was terrible.
So I don’t see any good parts to this. Weird from start to finish, and bad too. I don’t know, some people say this has genius to it but I just see freak. It honestly was funny, talking about tin things and others. Was numerous but not something I would consider influential at all.
Everything you read about this album is correct. Everything. Halfway through while I was laughing I thought to read the reviews here amongst our greater-1001-group and from 1 (many) to 5 (few) I can't and won't argue a thing. Beefheart/someone had a lot of balls recording this and then just even releasing it. It's so off-the-hook that I can't give it a 1 on sheer chutzpah alone (plus the Zappa connection wins a point). I won't be putting this on at my kids' weddings but for shits and giggles I might leave instructions to play it at my funeral. I think I can sum this up in one word...: Beware. 3/10 2 stars.
Too much noise.
Maybe an album that is more fun to make and less fun to listen to
Before starting this list, I'd seen this album cover around, but I didn't know anything about it. Since starting this list, I've heard a lot chatter about it, and I can't say that any of that chatter was good. Listening to this was certainly an adventure, and I'm happy to say that I survived the trip. Subjectively, I didn't like this album at all. It was a chore to get through, it wasn't particularly pleasant to listen to, and it was just really bizarre and nonsensical. I'll admit that I kinda liked "Ella Guru" and "Pachuco Cadaver" though. But from a critical standpoint, I think it takes a certain kind of musicianship to go out and intentionally create something as arhythmic, experimental, and and discordant as this album. I think that this is about as avant garde as you can get, and Captain Beefheart deserves some credit for taking a change and making something like this. Or maybe it was all a big joke to him, and he just wanted to see what people would buy and listen to. Whatever the case may be, I think this album earned its place on this list, even though it's not going to get a lot of love.
8/10. Listened to "Safe as Milk" instead since I couldn't find this on Spotify.
Impossible to rate, impossible to categorise - and very hard to listen to; firstly because I had to listen on youtube and secondly because it very deliberately pushes its audience away. Glimpses throughout first listens says something interesting is going on here but then jabbering vocals and discordant guitars pulls you away. An album you don't want to listen to yet you feel compelled to listen to. A hunch - this album is all the stars if you listen to it often enough - right on that pretentious/genius scale or the trash/art scale. Three for now. I'll come back to you.
Wtf
This isn’t on Spotify so I probably won’t listen to it bc effort to keep YouTube open and listen but I will listen to a few. Didn't know what to expect but it wasn't this ! I don't think ... it's as bad as people make it out to be lol - compared to some things we listen to today I mean. My favorite part about this album is some songs will have little moments where it’s like “wait that’s actually really cool”. Thought Moonlight in Vermont was U2 starting again ahahah. This was a trip - a true journey - but alas, I would not relisten.
Do you remember that really avant garde guy back in college who was getting a BFA performance art? Everyone said that his art was incredible, groundbreaking, and thought provoking, but it reminded you of a fish flopping around gasping for air wishing death upon itself. You would often wonder how this guy was able to be so popular and coast through college with less than an ounce of talent. Here is that guy. Again you don't get it and even want to listen to it. It sucks and yet he is immortalized in this list.
I've always liked this album in theory, but not so much in reality.
Madness
I only made it 1/3 of the way through the album. It was so bad. It's not available on Spotify so I listened on YouTube. Every once in a while I thought "hey, that sounds like a song!", but then I realized it was just YouTube playing a commercial. Until now I wondered if it was a mistake that I held off on giving any 1-star ratings, but now I know it was the right call. This is my first 1-star.
The story behind the album would have appealed to earl 20s me, but -while I appreciate difficult art- this just played like freeform bad spoken word alternated with rough draft later day Tom Waits.
I didn't hate this as much as Yes.
Oh no..
That old time religion... Trout Mask Replica is much more known for its myth and legend than its compositional fuckery and, quite frankly, it is both warranted and a shame. Warranted because, it had been the usual standard paint by-the-numbers clock-in and clock-out studio session, there wouldn't be as much of a shadow handing over and it is a shame because lain within it is some of the most daring, whiplash inducing mish-mash of blues, jazz, hard rock and poetry ever committed to tape by anyone. It is the blues at its dead end; any poaching of the blues afterwards should have been considered necrophilac. It is jazz at its most disjointed; it is rather fortunate that the genre kept its gaze towards the present before its placement as past tense. Hard rock was never as surrealistic as it was here and it hasn't been since and the debauched poetry of Don Van Vilet on showings such as The Dust Blows Forward 'n' the Dust Blows Back, China Pig and Orange Claw Hammer ranks as amongst the most Dadaist that's ever Dadaed. There is a time and place for a dalliance with this album and what is required is years and years of burrowing down varying tunnels of sound and becoming acquainted with the idea of off-kilter melodies and experimental tastes. Upon first glance, this is not for the ones who are ill-prepared for what's to come and they shouldn't come back until they've gained that experience. When that time comes, and when all is understood, then the light shall be shone. It's good enough for me. https://youtu.be/aF0g-2SeoMM?si=bhlbMIcHjnvcSn-r
This was one crazy trip!
Just can't get into Frank Zappa
Not sure this set of sounds can be called music
I know it takes several listens for people to enjoy this one but I am not sure I want to do that. I don't even really like Frank Zappa.
I had already listened to album a few times before and being a Zappa fan I knew what I was in for. It's a tough album to digest for sure but as you listen to it it raises the question, is this music? what is music? how does if differ from sound or noise? Don't think this album answers that question but it certainly was one of the first to ask it. Lastly this album is undoubtedly lowly rated because is tough to get in one listen, it's like shoving a whole chicken down your throat at once. You first need to find and slice off the good parts, then eventually you might come to like the giblets.
There is brilliance in this crazy-ass album and enjoyed listening, but this will be a one time thing. Certainly can see how Zappa would be part of this.
I guess i didn't understand it. The lead singer sounded too much like Tom Waits for my taste. I just don't think i have the patience to listen to this to the point where I like it.
This is so hard to rate. I don't even know if it's music. But I think it should be on the list. I can't tell if the band is brilliant or if they're terrible or even if they're playing the same song as the other players. And the Captain sings on top of the sometimes nonsensical music a completely different song. Yet it sometimes really works. Based on a rating scale that I've done, I think I have to go with "it's fine." I may listen to it again someday, and I think it's important. But I don't think I enjoyed it much.
This is utterly horrible. I might have figured that out from the artwork, but no, I had to start listening to the album. ... I have a hard time calling this music. I didn't last long. 0.5/5
Everyone says to listen an ungodly amount of times, but I just don't get it.
#1 - Okay, I think we know what were getting into here. /Fantastic/. Very frantic. #2 - Well, it's a poem. Not a good poem, but a poem. #3 - Uhh. #4 - I'm not sure what to make any of this. Is this outsider art for musicians? #5 - At this point, I'm just going to accept the madness that is this album. Actually, there are some good riffs here. #6 - Normal sounding - in the good way - compared to the rest I've heard. Pretty good, but we're not getting anymore on this album, are we? #7 - An experience. #8 - ...not.. terrible? #9 - Again, not terrible. It's okay for something blues-adjacent. (...) #12 - I can dig it. (...) #15 - What the actual f*ck. Hahahaha. #16 - Well. #17 - LMAO. Are we sure Joan's not a t-rex? #18 - This album runs on beans, the musical fruit. (...) #27 - Rather a sad song to end on actually. (...) denotes that I have nothing to say for this range of songs. There's a lot on this album to digest. He's a definitely an original even if he sounds like my dad singing in the car; we're here for the ride and stuck with him. A "once in a lifetime" experience. I would leave this unrated if I could because it's experimental and weird and I don't think you can rate it. But I have to give it a number and it's a 3/5 because it's unique.
I approach this album with some trepidation similar to when an album by slayer. Or iron maiden comes up here. It's not that I dislike metal and things like that. It's just that I don't know what i'm getting myself into often at an early hour in the day. Also I read some brief reviews of this and saw how it's one of the lowest rated albums in the entire project. I also knew of captain beef hearts affiliation with Zappa. So that in itself meant this would be weird and interesting. I don't know how else to write this up so it will be sort of like a brief travel log from my day. I drive a truck around in the Chicago area all day. It's partly why this project has been so great for me to hear new random stuff all the time. So I make the final delivery in West Chicago and have to drive all the way back up to Gurnee. The North suburbs, the journey will take about an hour and a 1/2. Which is roughly how long this album which is the double album. First couple of tracks must be on here to separate out those who are ready for the journey and cull the herd, so to speak. If you can't get through those first two, then this is just not meant for you. And it's better to probably just get out of the way. I decide to carry on after about 10 or 15 minutes. I think to myself you know what? I need to just see how much weirder this gets because it's gonna get weirder. I can't believe a record company actually released this. Turn off it does get weirder. And it's just hard to even explain. But within the weirdness, there are some cool beats and grooves where you just cast things off. Wow, that's an interesting what? What was that? How did that happen? Where that come from? So between just strange spoken word nonsense and weird polyrms and times signatures. And whatever else at all was is interesting music. In the very small amounts that you can hear in there. But there's just so much else going on. And it's just so damn weird that it's just. You don't even know what to think about it. When else would I ever play this? I certainly could never play this any sort of social setting. This could certainly not be separate music. But it is weird and it is interesting and it gets. I don't know I have to I could just only put it right in the middle like 3 stars. So they we go. What also was strange as I had to listen to It on YouTube. Because it's not on Apple Music or Spotify. Believe it or not, so during this strangeness, that's going on. They're all the Sudden will be an ad for Disney World or other things like that. Because the algorithm remembers that I watched some Disney World videos in preparation for a tripl awhile back. So it's very kinda disjointed to all of a sudden have a targeted ad for Disney World pop-up. And the middle of this absolute strangeness. After an ended, I was about 10 minutes away from the shop. And just let it go in silence the rest of the way trying to process what I had just listened to. And I still don't really understand what the hell that was but it was a trip. So this is just too interesting and weird to give a one. But it's also just too weird and out there to give a 5. So I gotta just give it the three. I type this up on a voice to text self. There's any weird grammatical airs or formating issues it's because of that.
what the hell did I listen to
I am someone who appreciates experimentation in music but will not herald it unless the experimentation creates something that is satisfying to listen to. In all honesty, I was a little worried coming into the album due to the cover and the fact that I had never heard a Captain Beefheart song before listening to this album. This can be described as nothing short of an experience. If you go into this album knowing nothing about Captain Beefheart, I genuinely believe there is no possible way you could expect all the weird pockets this album goes into and I think that it consistently works. It reminds me a lot of Tom Waits (I looked into it and Tom was heavily inspired by Captain Beefheart in his 80's work). There are obviously some misses which can be expected in such an experimental work but they are surrounded by some incredible songs so it evens out. I think the standout characteristic of this album, besides the general weirdness, is the instrumentation. The guitars and drums throughout the album are amazing and are a massive highlight of the album. Despite that being a highlight I also like some of the acapella tracks ("The Dust Blows Forward 'N the Dust Blows Back" and "Orange Claw Hammer"). I think on of my favorite aspects on the album was the different vocal styles that are tried throughout the album from the more wailing type of vocals to the raspier vocals at times that remind me of New Orleans singers like Dr. John and then you have tracks that are essentially spoken word. Also the level of complexity to some of the arrangements on the songs is amazing. You could listen to some of these songs dozens of times and still not understand every moving part. This is not an album that I could imagine picking a couple songs and putting them on a playlist. It is like a full-length feature film more than any album I have listened to. This sort of reminds me at times of experimental jazz more than it does experimental rock. I do have to qualms towards this album though is the treatment of band members while it was being made because that is truly some horrible stuff and at times the level of syncopation is a little to much for me and I find it occasionally makes my head hurt. Despite this, overall this is the best experimental rock/avant-garde album I have heard. 9.5-10/10
Фо рил?
Second listen.
This is the kind of album that I have been saving the 1 star rating for. This is an assault on the ears. It is so tough that I stopped midway through this album and didn't resume for several weeks. I have read that it is influential to a lot of popular artists yada yada. People not bound to the 1001 albums journey can safely skip this and listen to the artists it influenced. Perhaps it is an acquired taste, but there is enough music to fill a lifetime without having to labor through this again. It should come with a t-shirt that says "I survived Trout Mask Replica" so listeners get the recognition they deserve. Song going on my "1001 Songs" Playlist: Veteran's Day Poppy Songs Going On My "1001 Albums Savelist" Playlist: None
Wow what an experience. Not necessarily a good one, but one that I will remember for a long time. It's certainly original, especially for its time. I think the album is too long and has too much going on. I struggled to tell if I was liking what I was hearing or if I felt that way because the previous 3 songs sounded like a plane crash. I'll try to revisit it someday to try and re evaluate it, but I ain't got the energy to do it anytime soon.
Very weird album. I think I am lacking some context here, and maybe I would have rated it better if I had that context. Still the album grew on me throughout. It's interesting but hard to listen to.
ЭТО АБСОЛЮТНАЯ ЛЕГЕНДА Но надо все воспринимать постиронично, тогда зайдет. Как музыка полный шлак Но ебанный рот, как же я ору с этой музыки
Что. Это. Блять. Такое. Такая же реакция у меня была, когда мы послушали нойз-рок. Но там я хоть что-то понял. Здесь пока абсолютно ничего. Это пытка. Местами отпускают, но базово - это какой-то пиздец. Интересный факт: В документальном фильме BBC 1993 года создатель «Симпсонов» Мэтт Грёнинг сказал, что ему потребовалось всего семь прослушиваний, чтобы перейти от ненависти к альбому к решению, что он был величайшим за все время. Я понимаю, что этот альбом невероятно сложный, креативный и оригинальный. Я позволю знатокам музыки петь дифирамбы этому альбому; для меня он звучал ужасно.
это точно "очень". я пока на стадии очень невыносимо, но прекрасно понимаю, что это шедевр
already heard it. would not have been able to get through it if i had not been high.
Honestly, fuck this album
je sais pas trop quoi en penser, c'est tellement inégale comme album. mon dieu des bouts je détestait et d'autres j'aimais la saveur blues. Mais en générale 1h00 de ca c'est beauocup trop. 2.5
Don't have as much patience for this as I did 20 years ago, but still a milestone in experimental rock, and Orange Claw Hammer is a great song.
So chaotic
This is an album that represents a lot of things to a lot of people - it's a patrician album that weeds out the normies to some, weird for the sake of weird to others, unlistenable garbage to others, a meme to still others, an example that rock critics are out of touch with the common music listener to more. So what is it? It's all right. It's a shame that it's overshadowed the rest of Captain Beefheart's career, because the man has some fantastic albums - Safe As Milk, Strictly Personal, Lick My Decals Off Baby, Doc At the Radar Station, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller), and Ice Cream for Crow are all great albums that I revisit frequently. Trout Mask? Not so much. I don't hate it... it's better than some of the safe, boring mid-career albums Beefheart released - but I'm not usually looking for how far you can push music to its extremes. So is this an album you must listen to before you die? Eh. I don't like putting this album on that pedestal because it will probably make the uninitiated uninterested in digging deeper into his discography. There are some great songs on this album, mind you. But if you aren't looking for an album that's going to be obtusely challenging for the average music listener, start elsewhere in his discography. It's still better than the majority of albums on this list though.
I can see why Zappa produced the captain. The Magic Band is awesome. Captain Beefsteak definitely presents his own version of reality. It is a shame he and the managers treated the band like shit.
Iha jees
Musique expérimentale et art rock. pas sur Spotify non plus. Pas sur Spotify non plus. Weird et pas tant mon affaire. Quelques riffs nice, sans plus.
Appreciate the artistic vision but it wouldn’t be something I play very often. By conventional means it’s not pleasant sounding but actually if you isolate certain parts you can hear good tunes.
I love the bizarreness of this record. I’m just trying to figure out how these guys had the ideas to put all the different parts of this album together, and knowingly form a jumbled mess of music. I don’t understand how one can hate this album since it’s constantly taking interesting turns and telling intriguing stories - it’s a fantastic experience to have. Looking forward to coming back to this one and letting it soak into me and to allow me more time to have the strangeness of it all become more familiar. 7/10
Atonal caterwauling I like. Where free jazz meets electric delta blues.
3.7 - Less mind-bending than I was expecting given all the hype, and also more listenable. Aside from some of the "Naked Lunch"-esque spoken word asides, I find this soundscape fun and palatable. It's definitely of that 60's strain of Whacky and Weird (with capital "W"s) inhabited by the sort of insider/outsider artists like Frank Zappa and Robert Crumb. I like the creepy, crawly guitar lines that move in parallel worlds, as well as the drums that more often punctuate the vocals, hardly ever giving rhythmic structure to these messy musings. But sometimes through the noise, you hear moments of sonic and emotional clarity that hit you unexpectedly in rather poignant ways. Standouts: "China Pig", "Orange Claw Hammer."
Was going to give this the one star treatment before I realized not many albums made me think as much as this. The songs all had memorable quirks, and were all very versatile, which is very useful when this thing is about two years long. Overall a very memorable, exciting experience and one I hope I can one day say I enjoy listening to.
yngh... vmp...
Jepjep… humalaisille, soittotaidottomille apinoille annettu läjä instrumentreja ja päivän verran studioaikaa. Laulaja tais olla ainoa joka osas jotain. Kiinnostais tän levyn historian merkityksellisyys(?!?).
No
Sounds like the whole band fell down the stairs and then kept playing. Technically speaking, it might be impressive but I don't get it.
Well, the review said it was experimental and that certainly is the nicest word one could call it. This is what I imagine hallucinations would sound like if one decided to try LSD simultaneously with Meth.
It's not horrible, it has moments. Never again though.
There is something inherently appealing about a rogue artist daring to do something wildly different. In that way, "Trout Mask Replica" is something worth exploring. It is a decidedly, purposefully different, album that tries to blend an array of musical genres and experiments. It just doesn't completely work. It has moments or tracks that are more interesting or compelling than others, but on the whole, it falters. All of the raves about it seem overblown. It certainly will appeal to some but it will never appeal to many and seemingly has no desire to do so anyway.
Doesn't sound great but there is some very troll poetry/lyricism in this one "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous". Sounds like the fellas just took a bunch of LSD together and had fun at the studio making weird ass music
Was a 1. Is will a 1. Will always be a 1. SHIT!
What if frank Zappa, ween's pure guava, and Tom waits had a baby...they would have captain beef heart's trout mask replica. It was really hard to get through and I don't think that I will ever understand it. I do appreciate then living on the edge of the music spectrum, but it falls short on what I conceive music to be. I also love Ween and Tom Waits...but I hear too much Zappa to enjoy what they're trying to accomplish.
Best YouTube comment on this album: "This sounds like an entire band falling down stairs, but they keep playing." Disjointed, shambolic and absurd. Gleefully weird. Creative and entertaining in its way... but I can't really imagine choosing to listen to much of this album except to say that I did it. Fave Songs: Moonlight on Vermont, She's Too Much for My Mirror, Pachuco Cadaver, Hair Pie: Bake 1, Ella Guru
weird and wonderful. "Don't do it that way, you'll never make a dime." 3 stars
The worst thing I've ever listened to
First one I couldn't finish. This is a dud.
Now I know everyone is impressed at how much of a mess this is, but hear me out. Imagine creating music that is actually good or enjoyable to listen to. I know a wild concept.
Been waiting for this one! I had a go listening to this a few years ago and was excited to return to it with a more developed ear. Exactly as chaotic, crude, and experimental as I could’ve hoped - not every track lands (I could’ve done with less rambling near the end), but to hear a band in the middle of creative expression and churning out some great riffs along the way is an exceedingly rare experience. A testament to the chaos is how I was able to listen for the full 78 minutes in one sitting, I was intrigued the whole way through (for better or worse) and never thought to take a break. Here’s to challenging, weird music!
This album is not for me. It's disjointed psychedelic rock/folk meandering is just not for me.
Aside from the cover, which is fantastic, this album is quite the piece of crap.
I liked that 1969 double album about the kid who couldn't see, had hearing and vocal problems but nonetheless was good at pinball. That doesn't mean all double albums released in1969 should be on the list.
Whew! I found this one hard to listen to. I prefer the bluesy tracks to the more avant-garde ones. This is one of those albums that it might be better to read about than listen to.
This is one of those really polarizing albums that people like me, with no musical training but with a deep love and appreciation for music struggle to understand and appreciate. Kinda like Bitches Brew or Ornette Coleman's improvised free jazz. I've read how this very talented band rehearsed for 8 months(!) in order to get these very difficult polyrhythms, avante garde jazz/rock/blues notes just right and how its produced by the illustrious Frank Zappa. Matt Groening said he thought it was awful after his first listen, but since a double record cost so much and he couldn't believe that Zappa would do him so wrong, he gave it a few more chances. It didn't click until the 6th or 7th listening whereupon he thought it was the best album he had ever heard. Well I've listened to it maybe 4-5 times and I still don't love it, and I don't think I have it in me for a couple more listens because frankly it ain't a fun listen. Bitches Brew took a few tries before it finally clicked, but I don't think Trout Mask Replica ever will.
- Before even listening to this album everything about this is peak - Nevermind it's not on Spotify, L - This is weird and I don't understand it - It does get better as it goes along but maybe it's just me getting used to the weirdness - I'd give it a 2.5 because I can't say it's either good or bad
- definition of scaring the hoes - Sounds like crack was heavily involved - I can’t tell if every word is meticulously planned out or freestyled - Sometimes they get into a groove but it’s very rare - The singer actually has a cool voice - HOBO CHANG BAAAAAAA - Kinda feels like a really dark fucked up version of the chili peppers - Overall just an absolute mess of people learning to play instruments and a singer that needs to be committed. It held my attention the whole time and is unlike anything I’ve heard before or will hear again. 5 stars
No se puede opinar. Ninguna canción disponible en Spotify
Unlistenable in the most outrageous way possible. It requires true talent to be so in sync yet so out of step with the rest of the band. Masterful playing on display.
Ha ha what a schemozzle.
Legendarily difficult album. Too difficult for my small and non-drug addled brain. Can just about appreciate its out-thereness and that's about it.
Jesus wtf was thus...
3.5 Yes, I gave this a 3.5. It isn't bad. It's weird but good in its own very unique way. I think this album is hard to get used to. This first time I head it I thought, "What the hell is this?" but over time, and after many listens, I start to feel like this one is better than I initially gave it credit for. More time might raise my score but for now, I'm good with 3.5
I’m sure someone would love to yell at me about how ‘avant-garde’ and ‘innovative’ this album is, but it’s a lot of racket and I did not enjoy it. Captain beefheart has made some good music, but this album in its entirety was not it.
I appreciate it, but can't listen to it very often.
Ok, I tried, but this eludes me completely. It is as if someone gave instruments to the deranged, fed them acid and recorded the outcome. The line between genius and insanity is a fine one, I guess?
6.5/10
This is the second album of theirs that I have received. I thought the first one was fun and quirky. This album dialed that up to 11. I felt some Tom Waits vibes throughout this record. Overall I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. A little too weird and over the top for me. Not something that I would ever be able to listen to over and over again.
This album is admittedly difficult. It’s obviously experimental, very tongue in cheek, and sounds like pure randomness a lot of the time. However, there is a huge American roots music influence that carries through seemingly uniting the noise. With the studio chatter it seems as though the album is a loose documentary of sorts nonlinear, and all encompassing. I can hear the influence on artists such as Tom Waits which makes me wonder why the album was released in the shape that it is in. It’s clearly trying to get something across, but maybe I need to give it a few more listens.
The dust blows forward and the dust blows back. It's definitely art. Art that I do not understand. Defies description.
Almost 300 days late.... really wanted to have time with this. Read a bunch of the back story and denoting that this is one of the most challenging records. A lot of it is pretty weird, and makes me think of some crazy art students on a weekend project, but then there are some doozies.... Hobo Chang Ba comes to mind. I can imagine this best as a sound recording of some live stage production performance art performed by nutters. The strange dialog and music seems like there must be people on stage under psychedelic lights popping out of shadows, flailing uncontrollably. The music does drift into many places where i you wonder how you can tell anything is being played incorrectly (even though the history of the album seems to indicate and inordinate amount of practice to craft this piece). I'll give it a little bonus because if definitely challenges assumptions and makes you think differently about what music is.
Not on Amazon music couldn't listen to the album. So I listened to the only track I could find which was a poorly recorded live version. Not yo my taste at all if the rest of the 78minute album was similar I'd hate it anyway
That was a weird one. I mean I didn’t hate parts of it, but also it gave me a headache by the end. My boyfriend warned me, “despite his influence, he may sound like a 8 piece band falling down a long flight of stairs” and well….yeah.
Like a lot of bands around the 60s who were "complex" they tend to rely on people defending it with "you just don't understand" I listen to jazz where they in the heat of the moment can go in to frantic passionated solos. But often they can defend that by playing more calmly and focused on other parts. If you like the style but want more musicallity i would just go with Zappa
r/vinyljerk makes so much more sense now! I'd love to make my review a meme and give this a 5, but my love for accurate data can't do that to this website.
Im not sure what just happened lol
Definitely one of if not THE weirdest album in this list. It's intentionally difficult, and I totally get why someone would absolutely hate it. However, the songwriting is truly next level and this album has definitely gone on to massively influence music. I real iconic album.
Just don’t make me listen again please
The making of this album and its whole sound are so fascinating. I understand many finding it hard to digest, but I think it’s actually pretty hooky at some points. Charming chaotic weirdness. It’s a bit long, though.
Previously rated Safe As Milk as 5 and also own a copy of Trout Mask Replica. Gave TMR another try, but just like many previous attempts, it still sounds like a bad Tom Waits record ..even though it should be the other way around.
This was an astonishing album and impossible to rate, really. Chaotic, abrasive, poetic, alienating, surreal, bluesy, atonal, polyrhythmic, dissonant, ..., fast and bulbous.
This is asking too much of me.
Awesome
So we meet again Captain Beefheart. I could smell you from a mile away. The foul stench of stale alcohol on your breath as you haphazardly speak words into microphone over chaotic asynchronous anti-melodies. You almost had me with your Ella guru, but then I heard the rest of the album
I didn't make it all the way through this, but enjoyed more of what I heard than I expected, given its reputation. Giving a neutral review because I don't want to fall too far behind, but definitely want to come back to this someday and give it another whirl.
I'm hesitant to call this bad, because I think I just don't get it. That being said this was a real tough listen and not one that I'd hurry to repeat.
I'm glad this one isn't on Spotify so I'm not tempted into trying to listen to it again. Yeah, it's weird, but yeah, it's bad.
3/10. They paired an experimental and off-putting sound with equally experimental and off-putting lyrical style, with an awful singing voice and a 78 minute runtime. I will say that I did kind of like some of the instrumental segments, but not enough to put up with the rest of the album.
TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF GET OUT OF MY HEAD 1/10
Music isn’t complicated. If it’s unlistenable, even if that was part of your intention when creating it, it’s bad music.
I'll admit I wasn't really in the mood this morning to listen to something so experimental, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating its place in the story of popular music. This band has some incredibly talented performers, too. I might come back to this for a re-listen when I'm more in the frame of mind for this style of exploration.
There were lots of drugs kicking about in '69 if I'd joined in I'd probably have enjoyed it more
podría haber muerto sin escucharlo
I like weird stuff and this is truly weird. But it's hard for even me to listen to the whole album straight through. I still laugh at the way he sings "me and my girl named Bimbo". That songs is my favorite on this album.
NOPE
The insipid experiments with no more substance than the goal to impress the listener already happened in 1969. A colleague of Zappa's but without his artistic savoir faire, Captain Beefheart gives light here to a sonorous experiment that sometimes comes close to music. It's laughable where it pretends to be imaginative; it's absurd where it pretends to be innovative; it's interminable where it pretends to be incomprehensible
Gave it a few songs... Not my thing. 1/5
My spirits made up of the ocean And the sky and the sun and the moon And all my eyes can see I cannot go back to your land of gloom Where black jagged shadows Remind me of the coming of your doom I want my own land Take my hand and come with me It's not too late for you if it's not too late for me To find my homeland Where a man can stand by another man Without an ego flying With no man lying And no one dying by an earthly hand Let the devils burn and the beggar learn And the little girls that live in those old worlds Take my kind hand My smile is stuck I cannot go back to your frownland Here's the thing, this isnt FOR you. Its for THEM. The people who made this album made it because THEY wanted it. They didnt give a fuck that it wasnt going to make any money, it was ART. Art for the sake of art? Man, we could use more of that in this late-stage capitalist hellscape. 5/5
Didn't enjoy this at all, it was hard to listen to.
Absolutely bizarre – not for me
It's so crazy and weird that I can't dislike it for being weird
I tried to give this a chance but the multiple rhythms made my skin crawl and my anxiety spike so I had to turn it off after two songs. I'm sure it takes musical mastery to create this type of music but to me if it isn't "listenable" I don't care how ingenious it may be
Sounds like the vocal tracks and 'instrumentals', if you can call them that, we're recorded separately and then they just put it together and didn't listen to it. This album is a war crime.
There might be an audience for this but it’s not on this planet. What in the heck is this.
Best comments from YouTube: "This album is one of the reasons my friends don't let me pick music in the car" "This sounds like an entire band falling down the stairs, but they keep playing" "I have never experienced such a strong desire to keep listening and stop listening at the same time"
wtf trouta?
I just... couldn't.
Tried it. Can't do it.
Zappa sacked him and for good reason. Overrated, undercooked. Not as clever as he thinks. A decent painter. A pretentious musician. A horrible human being. Horrible humans can make great art. But not in this case.
It's an experiment. Conceptual. A study. Collage. Moments. Observations. All smashed together. It is art and expression but horribly unlistenable. It serves as conceptual art... Ingredients to pull out and do something with later, like the junk drawer. Mostly it is rubbish when countenanced as such. Few will know what to do with it. DOES IT Belong on the kist.? Maybe so we can aste a bit and move on fast... Debatable if you only have 1001. A 2? Maybe there is a category for noise in musicology. If so maybe there are tigers than can sit noisy beside this one. Did I enjoy it even finish it? No. A 1 from me. 1
Right straight up, if you want to die Dimery devotees, pop this on and end your days listening to Veterans Day Poppy, then truly you'd appreciate in those last nanoseconds that there is no god, (not God). In Exodus the god of that story proclaims "I am an angry and jealous god", well yeah you got the angry part right brother when you bestowed upon the world this self indulgent hippy bullshit. Let me say, all of us who have suffered through being told that this is genius have a responsibility to warn off future generations. It is that bad (coming from a fan of Safe as Milk and Clear Spot).
I reckon I’ve owned this vinyl for at least 30 years. It’s still in pristine condition. Mainly because I’ve only ever played it a handful of times. I still find it hard work. I’ve always found Beefheart interesting. And there are a couple of his albums that I really enjoy - his debut album, Safe As Milk & his 7th release, Clear Spot. One had Ry Cooder all over it & the other, Little Feat. What’s not to like there? But this is a discordant double album. Back in the day I shared houses with guys who loved it. They usually had mental health problems. I know it’s supposedly very influential & all that, but I really don’t rate it that highly.
It's the emperor's new album. I've tried, but nope.
If this is a masterpiece then I make a masterpiece every day after my morning coffee. Poop. It’s poop.
Some of the late 60's and early 70's elude me. This is one of those bands. Captain Beefheart is...interesting. To each their own.
Total mad lad
a great irregular
Wtf?