Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Surprisingly funky at times. 5/5
Probably the definitive counter-culture album given both its politics and parody of the earlier youth culture.
Hahaha I love this. "I had to get my khaki's pressed!" "Susie? Susie Creamcheese?" "HELP I'M A COP! HELP I'M A COP!" "What makes you think that you're so fine that I would throw away the groovy life I lead??!?!?!" Yes, it's too long - it probably could have been a single album. But the satire of American youth culture, both "normie" and "freak," is thorough and biting and hilarious. A lot of criticism I see in the reviews here is that it's so cliche to make fun of "normie" people but - in 1966 that just wasn't being done. On top of that, there is a lot of really interesting music here, and not just on the bizarre tracks. The parodies of doo-wop and pop are excellent representatives of their genres, but also manage to throw in all sorts of sophisticated musical tricks. This is a great record that should be heard by everyone. FIVE STARS
Рили фрик аут
Frank Zappa was the Jon Stewart of the revolutionary 60s music scene: using his sharp wit and satire to comment on the culture, while also able to surprise you with a direct attack. Therefore: The album includes plenty of doo-wop sounds and sentiments, but always with satire. The message: the times they have a-changed and if you're still living in the (not so distant) past, that's...cute. The in-your-face cultural and political statements include the opening track "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," and also my favorite on the album "Trouble Every Day." As another review noted, that latter song is "sadly, always relevant." It truly is. “Trouble” may easily have been written yesterday, and yet this was 60 years ago. You may not appreciate this album if you don’t have some appreciation for chronology. When this album was released in July 1966 The Beatles hadn't yet released Revolver, Americans hadn't landed on the moon, and Jon Stewart was 3 years old.
Frank Zappa and MOI are essentially a bizarro band. The music is fantastic and in many cases simply better and more tightly performed than most popular music produced in their given genre. However, the lyrics and vibe produced by the band are unique and usually come from a very quirky place. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish homage and parody, it seems to me that rather than focusing on what they think is right or profound to say about a given topic, they opt for saying something interesting or unexpected. The result is very compelling and again, the music is excellent.
Basically the start of the psychedelic era. Super influential and the first double debut rock album. Pretty cool.
Brilliant.
Una locura total, es pop rock pero con una vuelta de tuerca que lo hace más progresivo (antes de que exista) y avant-garde, sin dudas las últimas 3 canciones son el lado más lisérgico y esquizofrénico del disco, y todo en 1966, Zappa prometía y cumplió.
I love Frank Zappa. This being his debut is insane. He practically found a band that would take them, and said here play my music, no more RnB covers. And this was born. I think a record exec had moved the tracklist around, and figured "Who Are the Brain Police?" is too fucking scary without having the comedic doo-wop ballad "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" right after. This album is intense but catchy. It sounds sinister, I think of factory smoke when listening to this, and picture the lyrics as a cartoon in my head. Sometimes it makes the avant garde aspects suddenly make sense. Or perhaps I've just listened to this and studied it too many times. The horns "How Could I Be Such a Fool" are such a nice touch. Now that I think about it all of this album has instrument or riff choices that just satisfy my ears. "Wowie Zowie" was apparently a huge favorite with the record execs toddlers. Well it's a huge favorite with me too, such an earworm. Minnesota shoutout in "Help, I'm a Rock" is so cool. Frank's proto-rap on "Trouble Every Day" is really neat. As is the song's lyrics. Also this album was an inspiration for Sgt. Peppers. Then Zappa would parody the cover of that album.
Somente e tão somente Frank Zappa consegue ser maluco e eficiente Um álbum que beira várias cascatas, psicodélico, folk, rock, tudo junto e misturados abaixo de guitarras estridentes do Mothers, e entoações graves da palavra "Yeah". Maluco, pirado e muito bom de ouvir, com algumas ressalvas. HIGHLIGHTS: Hungry Freaks Daddy, Motherly Love, Im not Satisfied, Any way the wind blows, The return of the son of Monster Magnet 9/10
Freak Out starts off pretty psychedelic, then hits on some strange doo-wop, and then ends in pure insanity. It really has everything I want in a Zappa record; it’s weird, it’s satirical, and it’s full of his wit and humour.
This is a very 60's album, but still a pretty peculiar one. There are some psychedelic elements, as well as a very classy sound. And, still, it's a very funny and enjoyable record. And a very innovative one, something that is no surprise considering the musicians that sign this album (specially Zappa). This album has many distant directions whilst being a very cohesive one sonically, too. I'm very surprised by the capacity of the band to make such a strong debut, something that shows how good they actually are. This album is really great, and some of the sounds in here are really beautiful. A complete musical experience that, even though it is not Zappa's (nor Mothers of Invention's) best album, is a fantastic one.
The ending of this one is really freaky but zappa always (mostly) slays
this album was sick, it was so unserious and mocking but i feel like that’s a very necessary contrast in the world of music and the way the mainstream is, i appreciate the list for inclusions an album that comes deep from the other end of the spectrum here, zappas creativity is something to be studied. I really like the guitars and vocals on this album, i was just enjoying every song of it.
❤️
Great album
This where it all started
Freak Out! for sure. I've listened to this a few times over the years. The guitar playing is outta sight and I really dig the doubled vocals, especially on Hungry Freaks, Daddy. Interesting to read about this album while listening, finding out the producer was high on LSD during some of the recordings makes sense. 1966, LSD was still legal in the U.S. Wild shit!!! This isn't everyday listening type stuff, but Zappa is definitely a musical genius.
Genuinely scared me and made me want to turn it off. I love the really unique sound especially for it's period. The song where it's the man talking definitely freaked me out Cream cheese 5/5 wouldnt listen again
this is the only Zappa that i have on vinyl. it’s amazing how frank moves between freak out music with its weird time signatures, odd instruments, and even odder sound effects. at times, this sounds like any other 60s album musically, but lyrically the anti-love songs and parodies of 50s and 60s music set frank apart
Did we need one whole albums’ side worth of squeaking noises? No. On the other hand, Frank Zappa.
Brilliantly inventive! All time favourite
This is what happens when a creative musical genius and a group of great musicians get in a studio with a producer that’s tripping on acid and doesn’t turn down any suggestions. Most artists would never even have the idea to include half of what Frank Zappa pulled off. This kind of creativity can’t come from taking yourself seriously. I feel like the Mothers and Zappa in general is a bit underrepresented in this list, I’d recommend Absolutely Free, The Mothers of Invention’s following album, if you liked this. I believe Absolutely Free is better than Freak Out! and is also the first prog rock album, but that’s another story. 5/5
I grew up listening to this album via my first high proformance full coverage stero earphones. The memories are fantastic.
A psychedelic parade collapsing in on itself — part satire, part revolution, part “what happens if you let genius get bored.” Rating: 4.7/5 Short Review: Freak Out! is the sound of Frank Zappa breaking into 1966, grabbing rock music by the collar, and saying, “Why are you all doing the same thing?” It’s chaotic, sarcastic, musically dense, and way smarter than it pretends to be. It mixes doo-wop parody, orchestral weirdness, political bite, and avant-garde noise into something that shouldn’t work but absolutely does. It’s less an album and more an explosion — messy, hilarious, furious, and decades ahead of its time. Favorite Track: Trouble Every Day
Easy 5, haha. So, so lustig und dabei gleichzeitig (in schön eingeflochtenen Teilen) bewegend - und (für mich persönlich) so befreiend … viel mehr geht eigentlich nicht. „I don’t like the way life has been abusing me“ bringt mich jedes Mal wieder zum Lachen! Hab sie dieses Jahr tatsächlich als near mint von 1971 gefunden ❤️ O, wie gern hätte ich „You’re probably wondering why I’m here“ einmal live erlebt! Ich find das Timing des Generators echt richtig gut ^^ auf dieser Platte kann ich mir Gesellschaftskritik anhören, ohne dabei wütend zu werden. Mit Witz und Gleichmut zu reagieren, ist so viel angenehmer… eigentlich wollte ich Autechre hören. Dabei und danach hätte ich mich nie so lebensfroh gefühlt - ich sollte mir feste Gutelaunemusikzeiten einplanen!
They did a phenomenal job of being musical chameleons and humorously questioning the pop music at the time. It reminds me of how the James Bond movies all had saucy (and frankly insulting) women's names until Austin Powers' Alotta Fagina showed up. The Mothers of Invention showed up with a love/hate relationship of current music and practically dared everyone to do better, be more experimental.
Day678 - hits all the marks of being a must listen. strange , fun and smart
Seriously moving, this album is great and it dawned on me that I don’t know much of this Zappa band. I need to get more Mothers of Invention in my ears. Wowie Zowie was a stand out, fun song. I also don’t care about shaved legs. This album is melting pot of genres, tongue, and cheek pop.
imagine thinking you signed a white blues rock outfit and receving this double lengthed tape? And pressing it. Absurd and ahead of it's time. A sarcastic commentary on LA and American culture. A debut albut. It's incredible.
I've got a sweet spot for The Mothers of Invention
It's Zappa.
Not my favorite Zappa album but I do love me some weird.
Capolavoro. Pensare che è uscito nel 66...
I knew going into this I liked it, but I wasn't expecting to give it a 5! The debut album of Zappa and the Mothers is full of really great psychedelic blues-garage rock and some really nice experimental tape stuff as well, and it's all tied together by the super dry and sarcastic lyrics about American society and the San Francisco freak scene. This is the kind of stuff that really shows how generational of an artist Frank Zappa was.
Not to be taken seriously, but also to be taken seriously.
Love the mothers
A fever dream of an album, from some alternate 1960s timeline. At times downright scary (Who Are The Brain Police?) and others beautiful (How Could I Be Such A Fool) but it's all full of fascinating little details. Anyway The Wind Blows is brilliant, crystal chimes echoing the guitars. We get full on blues rock on Trouble Every Day. No one is safe from their satirical jabs. Help I'm A Rock opts for surrealism, and It Can't Happen Here is jazzy before devolving into doo wop a capella? The closing track begins with an almost indescribable rhythm. Part art rock, part bad trip. There's no real melodies or lyrics, but snatches of insane voices and chopped up, dissonant percussion that Autechre would be proud of. I begin to start questioning my sanity. Five stars.
i love this album. it's obviously not going to be everyone's tea, but i do think this is probably the most accessible zappa/mothers album. it was my first exposure to them years ago and i kind of fell in love with it. it's a bit goofy and zany and there's lots of quirky shit on here, but when push comes to shove, it's really fun and really strong musically. to me, 'trouble every day' and 'any way the wind blows' are terrific. true to the album's name, there are some really fun 'freak out' sections on here, but also it's a freaky album (in a 1960s sense, an album for Freaks). yeah man, this is the good stuff.
als je zo kunt debuteren, ben je goed bezig.. een amalgaam aan stijlen, satirische teksten over hippies (die nog maar net opkwamen)... en dan nog een dubbelLP op de koop toe...
It could have been written and recorded today.
Album 808 of 1089 The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out! (1966) Rating : 5 / 5 What an awesome album. Frank has been a longtime favorite so this one isn't unfamiliar to me. One of the earlier concept albums, it is a satirical expression of Zappa's perception of American pop culture and the nascent freak scene of Los Angeles. Even on this debut album I see and hear themes and styles which were later prevalent on some of his solo albums - a couple which are among my all-time favorites. An amazing fusion of doo-wop, blues, avant-garde along with his sometimes sarcastic and biting commentary. It has been called “a miracle of nature” and “a freaking brilliant, sarcastic sendup of society” and I won't argue with that.
Of course Frank gets 5 stars. I wish I could hear it again for the first time.
Loaded with satire and with tongues planted firmly in cheeks, this is an absolute gas from start to finish. It's mainly doo-wop, frat and garage rock but along the way there is plenty of experimentation and imagination with social commentary on tracks like the genuinely frightening 'Who are the Brain Police' and quick fire lyrics on 'Trouble Everyday'. It's not a perfect album but it is highly listenable and surprisingly commercial.
Intelligent invention. Love this album.
I went into this expecting weird nonsense, and I definitely got that, but I also got a lot more really solid music that I didn't expect. The satire and the zaniness were peak, and the music was just behind.
Don’t mind if I do!! I’m freaking out that at the tender age of 29, I finally understand the Deep Purple lyric “Frank Zappa and the Mothers.” I was always perplexed by the inclusion of said mothers. Who were they? Why were they with Frank? Now, before I lose any more of my previously untarnished credibility, I discovered this a few months ago. Despite my late arrival to the party, I hope to sift through the smouldering wreckage of the French nightclub and find what it was that set it ablaze. It’ll be odd to hear Frank Zappa doing music, and not just taking down news anchors in whatever heavily tailored short form content loops I’ve been on. Hungry Freaks, Daddy - Oh no. I don’t like that song title. It sounds like how people speak on the internet now. I do love a good freak mention though. Mr. America? Is this a Hulk Hogan song? I wouldn’t be surprised if this song could somehow predict the future. This is wild. Very cool instrumentation choices, an a super likeable track. I Ain’t Got No Heart - That guitar lick in the background. This is not what I expected. I was kind of just thinking this album would be fart noises in an attempt to be subversive, but here we are getting coherent psychedelic pop. Sounding excellent. Who are the Brain Police? - We’ve had hearts and now brains. I’m seeing a shoulder up ahead as well. I’m concerned about the lack of autonomy we have over the body parts here. I wish I could answer this query. Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder - Man. This is fantastic. A throwback with a tongue firmly planted in the cheek. The ironic thing? This is actually a pretty good song, even if you listen to it unironically. Yeah the background vocals are a little silly, but I love the atmosphere they create. Completely insane. I’m in love. Motherly Love - Aside from the “turkey in the straw” kazoo solo, this one was mkre standard for the time. Not hating it, but not as exhilarating as the previous tracks. How Could I Be Such a Fool - So many rhetorical questions on this album. Well, maybe not rhetorical. Unanswerable? Whatever. It’s also my review writing style. To ask questions that will never receive responses. Wowie Zowie - Progressive feminist slay mixed in with a nod to a childlike regression precipitated by a trip on bad acid. More 50’s nonsense. Get the straitjackets. You Didn’t Try to Call Me - More of the same sentiment from the band and a reduced sentiment of praise from me. Overall, fine, but kind of a filler track. Anyway the Wind Blows - Am I finally picking up on the theme here? Back and forth between teeny-bopper breakup songs and starry-eyed odes to love. This song has a lovely chorus. I’m Not Satisfied - YUUEAHHH. HELL yeah dude. Oh no, Frank, don’t kill ur slef. ur gud at song. YUUEAHHH. That’s my new favourite sound. I’m telling ya. This shit is in my Q zone big time. You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here - I was wondering, yes. Why are you in my office with this bizarre song? Oh. You also don’t know. Yeah that’s fine. Rip a kazoo solo. Pull up a chair. THE YUUEAHHs ARE BACK!! Score. Trouble Every Day - Uhh yeah this should be the title of this website. Another scorching zinger provided by yours truly. Wait a second I’m not yours. Nice try, idiot. Cool song. Why aren’t more albums cool like this? Help, I’m a Rock - Ok. I’ve seen this before. What you’re going to need to do is remain perfectly still, which should be relatively simple considering your predicament. I will fetch a green onion salve and consult with Garlac the wizard. He will ask of you a riddles three. Your answer to these riddles will be irrelevant as your communion eith Garlac becomes complete on the final syllable of the third riddle. He will transition you from rock to Parsnip which any hack Shaman can return to human form with a simple Beetwort juice. It Can’t Happen Here - Insane. True. Art. The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet - Put Susie Cream Cheese on the line. I have some questions about this song title. Yeah hello Ms. Cream Cheese. Sorry. Mrs. Cream Cheese. Yeah, Isn’t Monster Magnet some horrible modern butt rock band? Or am I thinking of that the guy who calls himself “Monster Truck?”The one who did that anti-mask song with Kid Rock. Anyway. I think this song is about him. HELP. I’m on a song with Kid Rock. Say hello to Mr. Cream Cheese for me. Stay out of the sun you rascals. After sitting here with my jaw agape for the full 13 minutes, I’ll call this one “The Jenius of the Jungle.” I’ve heard some Zappa lyrics that are just literally lines about shit. Just poop lyrics. Not a metaphor. Needless to say I thought this would suck. I love bizarre and avant-garde tinged art, but I find when people are stuck for “far out” ideas, they return to the bathroom. Now. This album did anything but circle the drain. The debut effort from the Mother of Invention is and completely insane in all the best ways and somehow politically relevant to this day. From art pop to jazz fusion to comedic parodies that ridicule overdone musical tropes whilst improving on them at the same time. I did not realize I needed this, or that something almost 60 years old could still sound out there in this over saturated age of oddity we live in today. This is what I want music to be. A love letter to the art form with pointed criticisms of said art form sprinkled in to keep lousy bands on their toes. Not something you lazily play next to your smelly RV on a pay and park beach, but something to be studied and felt. Something that makes an impact. I give this 12 Freaks Up, which with inflation, translates to about 5 Stars. Freak out! 5 HIGHLIGHTS: Hungry Freaks, Daddy, I Ain’t Got No Heart, Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder, Anyway the Wind Blows, Trouble Every Day, Help, I’m a Rock, It Can’t Happen Here
Wild and weird, especially for 66. This album is insane, but somehow still relatively accessible which is very impressive. Plus adding in its place as one of the first concept albums AND one of the first double albums, it's definitely earned its place here.
Fucking so weird. My first taste of Zappa and I am blown away. Genius. Punk. Psychedelic. Funk. Blues. Dripping LSD. Psychosis. Complete mind fuck.
A pretty good album with an easy listen vibe. I liked I Ain't Got No Heart, Go Crystal On Somebody Else's Shoulder and Trouble Everyday the most.
This is PURE GOLD, absolute historic evidence of the way that genius can magnetize other geniuses in a crowd.
It’s pretty incredible how fresh this sounds. Zappa was a visionary and errr still catching up to him to this day.
Trouble Every Day - Great Song
A clear parody of the musical culture of the 60s. Zappa took everything on the pop charts and thumbed his nose at it. "Help, I'm a Rock" is genius. And it gets better! "It Can't Happen Here"? Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese Creamcheese
Great
zappa's ambitions for big concepts unfortunately were not always matched by his actual insights or aesthetic completeness, a fact made all the stranger by the fact that he p much nailed it right out of the gate HFJFSHFS. this isnt my favorite record of his but it's arguably the most compelling of his career in many many ways. frank comes in with a clear interest and affection for various types of pop music but cuts them all open to drain every last speck of warmth or optimism, using pop culture as a canvas to bring tumultuous 60s anxieties and hatreds to the forefront. in that way its more than just a subversion, its an act of released tension and catharsis via desecration. and ofc its near perfectly structured, with the bubbling seedy underbelly eventually taking over and turning the record's last few tracks into a chaotic subconscious sprawl. and somehow all of this is summarized in surprising depth by the title...freaking out is bringing something suppressed to the surface. ive talked before about how frank doesnt have the deepest worldview lol, and even at the best of times i have v little ideological interest in "exposing" popular art as an evil machine (i seek to understand its material circumstances but my view of art philosophy isnt compatible with caustic dismissal of the objects and their meaning), but this is surely his best ever cross between semi-traditional songwriting pleasures and an actually expressive and vibrant conceptual framework. its a drag being a rock.
The Zappa lore goes deep and it all starts here. RIP Frank ILY
Frank Zappa was a genius. This album is such a fun listen.
really incredible mixing for 1966, Zappa + Tom Wilson were an unstoppable duo
this is a vibe for sure
Absolutely delightful. Really enjoyed this. So fun and funny.
Man, his lyrics are mostly dumb and some songs go on too long but holy shit this fucks. Giving it a five because I feel that it is very likely that I sit and listen to this in its entirety again. So much fun, the Mothers are awesome.
A monument. So ahead of time. For sure not the most accomplished piece, but what a debut...
Favorite tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy; Go Cry On Someone Else's Shoulder; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; Trouble Every Day; Help, I'm A Rock; It Can't Happen Here. I really needed this energy today, the day after Election Day. I've never listened to Frank Zappa before; he did a bit with Mike Nesmith/The Monkees once, so I had a positive impression going into this. I thought it'd be a lot harder to get into, but I found the songs juuust complex/weird enough while still maintaining their artistry. Idk, I think I have a fairly high tolerance for this specific kind of noodling! I'm glad this exists, and I'm glad I listened to it. I'll enjoy adding it to my collection. 4 1/2 stars. (Edit, 8/18/25: After listening to Zappa's Hot Rats, I decided to bump this up to a 5. What can I say, it really stuck with me!)
It's where it all started: the genius of Frank Zappa. Hard to believe this is one of the first double albums. By today's standards, it's 1 CD being an hour long. But it definitely has some great pieces on it. "Trouble Every Day" is still such a relevant song, and yet I wish it wasn't. The experimental piece of "The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet" is probably my least favorite of the pieces, but I still dig it. Help I'm A Rock... Help I'm A Rock... Huge Zappa fan, and I do put this on every so often, even the shorter songs are a little dated, but they're so inventive. Classic album.
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Freaky
A 1966 album that sounds like a 90s coffee shop art rock project. Very weird, nothing that's necessary to repeat, huge future sounds. Violent femmes, proto-punk, clearly an influential album
Day 48 - October 9th, 2024 Live laugh love Frank Zappa. 5/5
From 1966, something truly impressive. This album builds a bridge between the culture and the counter-culture of its day. It includes plenty of doo-wop sounds and sentiments, but always with satire. The message: the times they have a-changed and if you're still living in the (then, not so distant) past, that's...cute. Other songs on the album are in-your-face cultural and political statements. That includes the opening track, "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," and also my favorite on the album "Trouble Every Day." As another review noted, that latter song is "sadly, always relevant." It truly is. That song may easily have been written yesterday, and yet this was nearly 60 years ago, the Beatles hadn't released Sgt Pepper, and (as another review mentioned) Americans hadn't landed on the moon yet. That bridge from the culture to the counter-culture is one-way, by the way. And it lands you in a swamp of psychedelic and experimental expression as the album wraps up. (You may get impatient.) This album forms, at least in my mind, a trilogy along with Absolutely Free and We're Only In It For the Money. That third album made fun of both the establishment (and decried its dangers) and also the (now trendy) counter-culture. Zappa was the Jon Stewart of the late 60s music scene: observant, talented, even-handed, satirical.
Love Zappa. Rare vent, geweldige muziek.
How was this even legal to release in 1966? It’s absolutely bonkers to look at the albums this predates. I mean, this would be insane in 1976, let alone 10 years earlier. It’s pretty good too so that’s nice
This album is musical gibberish in the best way possible. They include and bend different genres, intertwined with what feels like absolute nonsense. Yet sometimes the things that sound like complete nonsense are actually a meaningful reflection on real issues. I'm of course referring to "It Can't Happen Here" - a song that is the embodiment of a child putting their fingers in their ears yelling "I can't hear you" about societal issues. Of course Help, I'm a Rock and The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet are both great, and an absolute trip to listen to. Most notably though is how relevant Trouble Every Day was both then and now. "Well I'm about to get upset From watchin' my TV Been checkin' out the news Until my eyeballs fail to see"
Frank Zappa might be the smartest guy to ever make an album.
Lacks the polish of later albums, but shows much more adherence to melodic convention while they build our trust to hit us with the weird in the final act. Well done
5/5. First off, pretty crazy this was released in 1966. Like even the Beatles haven't gotten super psychedelic yet. This album makes fun of rockabilly, the ballad era (Sinatra), cops, white people, and every other band without apology but still making catchy and interesting songs. This album should at least be released in 1971 with the themes and sounds they bring forth. Even today, there are some unique choices not made anywhere else. Sure, bands inspired by the Mothers have made well-produced albums and better use of this aesthetic but even still, this album truly holds up as something you've never heard anything like. Is it perfect? Definitely not, the last act of the album is truly one of the choices of all time. Is it still a good album. Also debatable. Is it an album you must listen to before you die? Absolutely. Best Song: Trouble Every Day, Anyway The Wind Blows, Who Are The Brain Police?
Today I will be naming the members of the band. Chad Zappa. Chad Carl Black Chad Collins Chad Estrada Chad Ingbar
The good thing about having this double album on LP is that you can just ignore Side 4, deny it exists, and think of this as a perfect debut of Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention.
I love this and always will and I understand how much of it is extremely annoying so I will never recommend it to anybody.
5/5
Freaked out by this modern timeless journey.
For the simple fact that my semi feral cat stared at the speakers for a few minutes,and he's quite blasé.
This is 5 Stars just for the Vegetable song.
One I already own, but thought I'd give another spin to blow away the cobwebs. I'm glad I did. My big beef with Zappa is that he seemed to harbour a lot of disgust in his heart, not only for people but even for the music he professed to like. Everything seemed beneath him, and thus pop could only be handled at arms length, as a lampoon - at best. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised that my reacquaintance with Freak Out revealed it to be more surreal than splenetic. Yes, it is absolutely irreverent and quite barbed in places, but there's some great stuff here. Even as Zappa et al send up pop, rock and doo-wop, they do it with flair and wit. 'Motherly Love' had me laughing! Funny, then, that the most straightforward, state-of-the-nation track 'Trouble Every Day', a bluesy rock number, is the best thing here. A rapid fire dissection of race riots, the forces behind them and the prurient way crime is covered in the media, it's smarter than almost anything else being released in 1966. Two of these tracks would also appear on the cracking 'Cruising with Ruben and the Jets'. 'Return of the Son of Monster Magnet' is a gloriously chaotic slice of experimentation. The whole thing is fantastic - shame Zappa became prey to his own, substantial, prejudices, and spent the next fifteen years workin' 'em out on magnetic tape (betwixt and between creating some incredible music). I once met Jimmy Carl Black, who was wonderful. I met Roy Estrada too (different event), who posed for a photo with me and a friend but let's not tall about that.
Man. When I first discovered Frank Zappa, it was around the era of "Baby Snakes" and "Joe's Garage," which are later in his catalog (1979) and while musically challenging, are nowhere near as strange and experimental as his work with the Mothers of Invention. I didn't much like this early stuff at first and wrote these albums off as experimental oddities that were the necessary process of Zappa discovering his "true art." Well, many years and countless listening hours later, I've got an entirely new vantage on Zappa's material, and this early stuff in particular. It is, without question, challenging music. I was going to write that it's challenging by design, but I think Zappa wasn't trying to be difficult so much as he was uncompromising in his musical vision and it's not always easy to connect with his musical genius. And it is genius, despite the loony sounds and goofy lyrics (not so much on this record, but in broad swaths of his catalog). So, I don't want to suggest it's an acquired taste so much as one that might require persistence. For me, it was finding the way in with material that I could relate to, and once I had that baseline, the more experimental music made much more sense. I think it's brilliant, and funny, and insightful, and socially stinging. Let's also call him out for being strangely un-evolved when it comes to his attitude toward women. No one escapes Zappa's scrutiny, but that doesn't make him infallible, and he is consistently shitty to women (despite having the brilliant Ruth Underwood in his band for so many years). It's relatively minor here, his allusion to groupies on "Motherly Love" hints at his stunted insights on the matter. So anyway, this album... it's amazing, dense, and difficult to listen to from front to end. An incredible debut that will never be mainstream and is still inventive 58 years later.
What an album. And the fact that this is a debut is just mind-blowing. Nothing else sounds like this album, even in FZ's own catalog. It's just so different, right down to its DNA. Every song is fantastic. The performances are great. The arrangements are thrilling. There's so much meat on every song that I'm still hearing new details thirty-six years after first hearing this album. And on top of all that, the humor and social commentary is spot-on. On later albums I think Frank often gets unnecessarily mean and petty, but here his satire is perfectly aimed, and his parodies are pitch-perfect. (It helps that he truly loved doo-wop.) There are so many amazing lines on this album... ...Mom I tore a big hole in the convertible... ...I don't even care if your dad's the heat... ...That's why I had to get my khakis pressed... ...I'm not black but there's a whole lot of times when I wish I could say I'm not white. Zappa made a ton of great records, but I honestly don't know that he ever surpassed this one. Truly a remarkable and audacious artistic statement, and one that still sounds fresh and invigorating today.
Wowie zowie what a cool album.
So damn good. 5 stars.
You're probably wondering why I'm here And so am I So am I Just as much as you wonder 'Bout me bein' in this place (yeah) That's just how much I marvel At the lameness on your face You rise each day the same old way And join your friends out on the street Spray your hair and think you're neat I think your life is incomplete But maybe that's not for me to say They only pay me here to play (I wanna hear Caravan with a drum solo!) You're probably wondering why I'm here And so am I So am I Brilliant. 5/5
Revolutionary sound, phantastic songs. A real shout in 1966. Frank - the horrible guy for the brave man and housewifes. RIP Frank Zappa! Really terraforming !!!
Pitch perfect social satire set to great avant garage psych and rnb grooves.
Star ratings suck.
To be frank, I got zapped by its freakishly inventive sound in a good way!
Uberweird lyrics, not a bad band
Personal favorite of mine.
Insanity. Mid 60s punk?
Delightfully wacky interpretation of 60s rock that I find very cool. Saved to my albums for a relisten which by my rules is a FIVE
Read that this is considered one of the first concept albums. I like concept albums. Also, Frank Zappa is in it? I would not have known without looking that up... I'm not very keen on my 60s rock. It made me look into the freak culture of the west coast in the 60s and it was so fascinating. If you don't know anything about it, look up the Hunter S. Thompson Aspen sheriff campaign. It's fascinating. Also "it doesn't bother me at all that you're only 18 baby, I've got some motherly love for you" is crazy lmaoooo. I love the silly voice they do when they're mocking someone. I'm also loving the weird use of a kazoo (?) in so many songs?? It Can't Happen Here so crazy I added it to my liked songs. I am confused though, because in "The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet" there are lyrics on Spotify but I'm not hearing them? Am I just stupid? I think this track is making me go crazy
It's too bad Frank Zappa never wrote and performed soundtracks for early Thomas Pynchon novels, also celebrating / gently mocking freaks, misfits and their "counter-culture". The Mothers' carnivalesque sound would have been a great match for those novels. Not to mention those gorgeous, gorgeous kazoos, also an obsession of the author of *V*, *The Crying Of Lot 49* and *Gravity's Rainbow* (among many others). A little more seriously, what I like about this record is that some of its pastiche or experimental aspects are subtle enough to go unnoticed on certain tracks--even if they're pretty obvious towards the end of this double album. Pretty sure Tom Wilson had a blast recording them, given that he initially thought the Mothers were just another white blues band after he has only listened to "Trouble Every Day" (a pastiche of Bob Dylan himself mimicking older blues cuts). Of course, they were so much more than that. This initial verstality of Zappa and his band (between spoofing dada impulses and genuine songwriting qualities) is why this mock-"conceptual" record remains easily digestible, even today. Because the music remains pretty catchy a lot of the time. And it's always nice when there are several ways understand or appreciate an LP. As in here or Captain Beefheart's *Safe As Milk*, for instance--another record displaying similar aesthetics. Zappa fans will probably tell you that their idol made far better albums after this famous debut. As of now I find that claim dubious, but I haven't listened to every major LP released by the mustachioed troublemaker, it's true. And I remember giving 4 stars to *Hot Rats*, an album I also like a lot. Let's just say that I find Dimery's "selection" of Zappa's key albums pretty convincing so far... In that spirit I should probably give 4 stars to *Freak Out* as well, then. Even if I now realize I could have gone higher than that for both records. Maybe it's time to reassess them both now... Number of albums left to review: 487 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 243 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 115 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 152
Chaotic good 4.5/5
Weird and very funny
Where has this been all my life? It's brilliantly weird and wonderful. The satire is great, it seems quite a bit before its time, and the more experimental parts are still quite worth the listening.
Excellent album. Shows the diversity of Zappa at his best.
This is early Frank Zappa (maybe… earliest Frank Zappa??), as well as a crew of what will become the revolving cast, and let me just say that, if you don’t know that context— if you aren’t already down with his antics or know what to expect— this has to be a confusing album. I’m the kind of person who regularly recommends Captain Beefheart to my friends, so yes… I’ve become that guy. For a Beefheart fan, and a fan of the weird 60’s and Zappa, this album is positively delightful in how approachable this album is to this blend of weird. It’s parody, it’s experimental, it’s funny, it’s silly… and a little biting or cynical, in a way that only the silliest of satire can let you get away with. “Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder” is like, peak Zappa. A 60’s doo wop trend, taken to absurdities. They are clearly having a laugh at the expense of the whole genre, but something about the character that Zappa does is disarmingly funny. Piercing. And his comedic timing is unmatched. It makes you think that maybe all of that other music you heard in the 60s was too stodgy, too self-important, too constrained by seriousness. Let me defend the end of the album too. Even the most avant garde stuff is… never stuffy, never pretentious… what a relief! It’s experimental without the whiff of self importance. This kind of stuff is a breath of fresh air for me, who as a former student in a contemporary music department had to suffer through so many recitals of music whose “message” was so self-important or self-serious as to suffocate your impression of it. I’m talking about “It can’t happen here.” Any conscious human American in 1966 knows exactly what this is about. But man. This is pure id. Comedic, funny, disarming? Silly??? About a serious subject?? It makes you wonder how they’re pulling it off. I’m going hard 5. We can’t reserve all the 5’s in the 60’s for the Simons and Garfunkels. 5/5
Hats off. This is off the wall and I love it so much. They're like a goofy ass version of the Beatles - like, all the magic and shimmer of the Beatles but you're hanging out with them and they're just fucking around. Or are they totally serious? The line isn't clear and it's fantastic.
Frank is an acquired taste. I want to say that at its core this is a pop record, albeit an extremely twisted one, but perhaps a better way to say it is that it's completely disingenuous. He subverts the pop sound of his time, and immediate past, at every turn, with a sarcastic flat tone, bizarre humor, experimental flourishes, kazoos, etc. It's quite difficult to ignore all that and simply enjoy the melodies, but they are there if you want them. It does sort of go out the window with the last few songs on the album, like he just couldn't hold back anymore, and finally had to let his true inner freak out. If you continue to listen to his albums in chronological order, this seems tame by comparison to what comes afterwards, but all his bizarre musical tendencies are present here. There are moments that almost sound like Mr. Bungle, or other groups that came decades later. At once very much of its time and way ahead of it.
9/10 I like to think of myself as a fairy talented musician, but nothing I make will ever compare to “HELP, I’M A ROCK!”
Absolutely brilliant experimental album. I loved how it became less and less “coherent”, more out there with each song. Saved tracks: I Ain’t Got No Heart, Go Cry On Somebody Else’s Shoulder, Motherly Love, You Didn’t Try To Call Me, Anyway The Wind Blows, I’m Not Satisfied
A wonderful send up of contemporary American values especially repressive '50s social roles, this album uses the language of doo-wop and contemporary sixties music to make its point. Despite the satirical nature of this album, there is an earnestness in its musicality that manages to sound familiar yet manages to introduce musical concepts into the lexicon of popular music. Jazz changes and suite like song structures set this album apart from the rest of the 1966 crop. The last few songs descend into pure experimentalism that is not for everyone, but it certainly challenged what people though music could be.
Hilarious
Great
Love this album. Zappa is a genius
Close to the border between genius and ridiculous, but I think still on the right side.
A must listen if you're into challenging, experimental albums. I can't even begin to imagine how challenging the recording and mixing process was on this album back in the 60s without the benefit of modern techniques. Truly a concept album before concept albums, with all the Zappa bizareness you would expect.
Silly, daring and ahead of its time! 4.5⭐
A wonderful masterpiece. One of my favorites from master Zappa
Classic. Zappa = genius. Wow !
5/5 - Zappa is tough: One the one hand, he's a universe unto himself, but I really can't stand this style of music. Good for him?
Frank Zappa is a musical genius, though somehow some of the social commentary seems at odds with the stable middle-class upbringing he had.
8/10
Frank Zappa’s debut album skewers middle-class mores while also commenting on race relations and LBJ’s Great Society. It savages pop music conventions by providing us a bunch of pseudo pop-rock ready-mades. The end of the album is marked (marred?) by more experimental tracks not untypical of much of his career. Great satire…or bad pop? You decide. Bonus star for the fact that I’m betting that this didn’t sound much like anything else put out in 1965.
truly bizarre. all over the place but truly feels like its own. i knew of zappa's character before this is absolutely more than i could have expected. genuinely shocking and ahead of the curve now, i can't imagine how it felt in the 60s holy shit. the type of album that'll def grow with familiarity. H7.
When you cover this many genres, there's bound to be something that I don't like which is why this isn't getting a 5. However, it's weird enough that I'd feel bad giving it anything lower than a 4. I've got high hopes for the next Zappa album I come across.
I wasn't familiar with this group, but could definitely hear the Frank Zappa influence.
Thought it was a Zappa rip off only to learn it was a Zappa original..... oops!
I don't know if tags work @moysauce but the surprising thing is that Frank is a total straight-edge guy. He also insisted all his bandmates were as straight laced as him. He's just a super odd fellow. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it's weird, but it was definitely worth listening to.
You Didn't Try To Call Me
What an album, i don't think it is The Mothers strongest, but i bet THE MAN won't put any others on here.
this was fun
Frank Zappa and his fellas, those are some folks I'll tell ya what
It's a shitpost but the musicianship being legitimately good really sells the joke
Really good record. Psychedelic rock finest. Particular doo wop middle section though.
So much fun.
Zappa's debut is a mix of rock, doo-wop, and art rock - and is at turns tuneful, hilarious, and bewildering - attributes that would define much of his career. It's a strong debut and one of his better albums.
Whoop whoop
++: Hungry Freaks, Daddy, Who Are the Brain Police?, Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder, Motherly Love, Wowie Zowie, You Didn't Try to Call Me, Any Way the Wind Blows, Trouble Every Day, Help, I'm a Rock (Suite in Three Movements), The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet (Unfinished Ballet in Two Tableaux) +: I Ain't Got No Heart, How Could I Be Such a Fool, I'm Not Satisfied -: You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here 9,5/10
This record essentially set the stage in virtually every way for Zappa and the Mothers entire career. Stylistically, they hadn't "got there' yet (though I do think the doo-wop focus was intentional here), but they had the attitude and the chops to get wherever they wanted to go. Zappa did not care about or cater to the commercial or to pressure to write a hit. He cared about what was in his head and heart and how to get it on tape. This is an enjoyable example of that... but it's not particularly accessible and can be hard work to get through if one doesn't already have an appreciation of Zappa.
So strange, but somehow captivating. This was fascinating in the “I can’t look away” sort of way. Hard not to relish, in a way, how much this must have scared people in it’s time. Heck, the closing track scared me a little. Despite the avant-garde nature being it’s biggest strength, there was no lack of strong conventional elements present as well. All in all, the weirdness won me over. 1 listen Favorite Track: Trouble Every Day
I was aware of Frank Zappa before this project but hadn't really listened to his music. I've been surprised by how dark and cynical it is. I quite liked this, the mixture of styles and ideas is impressive.
This was pretty fun
Scattered thoughts: - "Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder" had me laughing several times. Very funny parody of doo-wop. - The whole thing is actually pretty standard psych rock, produced well, sung well, and played well, with little bits of weirdness creeping in. Zappa always did just enough to show you he really could have been commercially successful, but just chose not to/avoided it intentionally. This album really exemplifies that. - "How Could I Be Such a Fool?" is great. Could totally see Teddy Pendergrass or somebody singing it. - The last three tracks are where things get really weird. "Help I'm a Rock" has this nervous free-form jazz energy. Still pretty funny, though, and same with the following a capella track (lol) especially "GONNA GET A TV DINNER AND COOK IT UP." "Monster Magnet," however, is so strange that it's somewhat scary, which I imagine was the intent. Overall, very enjoyable experimental rock record. Ween would not exist without stuff like this.
A very funny album. It was certainly important in its day. It’s also entertaining when viewed in its historical context. Does the humor still work today? Do I want to listen to it again? I don’t think so. Still, I’m glad I listened to the album. 4/5
Had always been hesitant about the Mothers but needn’t have been! Some of it is mighty silly but it’s balanced out with some really nice playing. Overall a winner. Added “Trouble Every Day” to the playlist.
Smart music deliberately done in the dumbest way possible. Nice to see the state of shitposting back in 1966 was the exact same that it is now.
Quite some time ago, I wrote about how Arcade Fire’s “Funeral” album was a loving ode to the dynamics of growing up in suburbia. It felt like a bike ride at midnight through a placid, idle neighborhood. Well that means “Freak Out!” is a dilapidated ice cream van on fire, barreling through those suburban streets with its horn blaring loudly. The Mothers Of Invention make it *abundantly* clear how obviously dumb modern American society is. This record is kinda like Jim Carey’s portrayal of the Grinch, a goblin grasping with insecurity by snapping in and out of sanity, change voices and making noises seemingly at random. “Go Cry On Somebody Else’s Shoulder” is an absurdist version of a doo-wop song. It’s post-doo-wop. It’s future-doo-wop. Does that make it rockabilly? Maybe. Zappa is doing some sort of laughable French accent too? This song is tinged with a tongue-in-cheek irony that is so ahead of its time. This could be a 100 gecs song if it got a new coat of paint today, I’m dead serious. But sometimes this album gets too into character, like a high school theater play. The satire gets to be on the nose. MOI forget that a little tact and subversion are necessary ingredients in satire. The lyrics in “You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here” are a good example of why some listeners wince at this record. This album isn’t under the influence of anything. It’s precise and cogent, despite its sprawling, hectic, dissonant nature. It probably broke a lot of molds and a lot of listeners minds in 1966. That being said, nothing on here is a perfectly timeless statement. Nothing said on here can be extrapolated for much more than a satire of the times. “Freak Out!” is both genuine and insincere. And no matter how you experience this project, you will NOT be ready for its last two songs. Let’s give this the lightest 4/5. This is “music” like how the yellow goop that comes out of a machine and gets poured onto your nachos is “cheese”.
Weird and psychedelic in more ways than one. Honestly, I think Zappa has made a lot of bullshit music, sometimes even intentionally so, but he made so much that there's still as many gems in his discography as in any good musician's. This is one of those gems. Key tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy Who Are the Brain Police?
This album was so impressive. It's difficult to create a piece of parody art that is still enjoyable beyond its primary purpose and this album does exactly that. I don't know how much of this I will relisten to, but its getting 4 stars because of how impressive it was.
Meio maluco das ideias? Sim, mas gostei
(79/100)
I was prepared to hate this album even though I did not hate Hot Rats and gave it a "3." Having never heard anything by Frank Zappa before, I was not sure if Hot Rats was essential. I think Freak Out is a better album and I did not hate it. Did I dislike the last two tracks and would have possibly given this a "5" if the Mothers of Invention had any sort of editorial restraint and didn't feel the need to end this album with three unclever songs that were obviously fueled by drugs? Yes, I did not enjoy the last three tracks. The 12 tracks before those two were pretty good and I could feel the satire coming through clearly. It was entertaining. I enjoyed the songs that are clearly a satire of 60's music genres. I can see where Weird Al got some of his ideas from. The Mothers of Invention are clearly very talented. I think this is the album from Frank Zappa I would recommend and is a worthy addition to this book. My favorite tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder Motherly Love Wowie Zowie You Didn't Try to Call Me Anyway the Wind Blows You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here
More tame in places, weird as a fish and a fun listen! This and Joe's Garage are now in my musics, thank you 1001! :)
This album deserves a spot in a museum. I know it was somewhat supposed to be satire, but the first couple tracks sound like pretty standard psychedelia of the time. By the middle of the album it takes a turn and things start to get weird with some of the do-wop rock n' roll stuff. By the end the wheels fall completely off and the album descends into absurdity. Taken by themselves I feel like none of these songs are stand-outs, but as a whole this album is a super effective art piece and absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do - mocking pop-culture and taking the listening on one wild one.
This was a fun interesting concept album.
The start of something quite unique for Frank Zappa. an amazing album.
I won't lie - Zappa is a guy I can struggle with when he starts to get too avant garde-y, but this is the sweet spot for me - some belting tunes but with enough going on around them to make it stand out from the crowd. The drugs definitely kick in on side b.
My favorite Zappa album or a tie with Over-Nite Sensation. Skewed pop sensibilities in full effect and his sense of humor hadn't fully soured yet.
One of the most approachable of the Zappa/Mothers albums, this set of music at points passes for conventional rock radio fare of its day, such as the AM radio-friendly conventions of “You Didn’t Try to Call Me” or the doo-wop of “Go Cry On Somebody Else’s Shoulder.” Only everything is twisted ever so slightly — this is Zappa and the Mothers, after all, and cultural and social critiques abound. “Trouble Every Day” might be the only out-and-out protest song in the Zappa canon; it rides a formidable riff. By the end, the weirdness get cranked to 11, all is right with the universe and the album title seems apt.
This took in excess of five full playthroughs to get. Feels like a more straight-ahead version of Zappa, and even though I love Zappa's more out-there stuff, this is awesome in its own way. Favorite tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy, Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder, Any Way The Wind Blows, I'm Not Satisfied, You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here.
This has that hippie bastard Zappa written all over it, and I love it.
Well, this one definitely gets points for significance. The first rock double album and one of the first concept albums. It's bizarre and experimental, even for an era that was full of bizarre and experimental music. At points, it sounds like a parody of "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band", except that it came out a year earlier. It's satirical and non-sensical, critical of psychedelic rock, while simultaneously pushing the genre forward as breakneck speed. The whole thing is hard to classify. It's completely free and silly and weird and probably pissed a lot of people off. This was Frank Zappa introducing his style of avant garde pop rock right off the bat. This was never going to be a chart topper, but it's probably changed a specific stream of underground rock music for decades to come. Other bands may have already started changing the rules, but the Mothers of Invention showed what can happen if you ripped up the rule book completely and played under its falling confetti. Weird and wonderful, but not for everyone.
Frank Zappa seems more like a fictional character than an actual person who once actually existed at this point. Nice to listen to this to remember what the fuss was about.
Really weird but very good
Love it!
Challenging, it’s more understood in function to its context rather than an independent work of art.
I felt like they were making great music and then making fun of me for liking it. The sardonicism could be perceived as insecurity if viewed through right (wrong?) lens. Ultimately, there are some fun tracks here and they get points for being early weirdos.
Hard to believe this album is 60 years old. A lot of it still resonates as much today as it did in the 60s.
really good listen . Dry and satirical, some really good lyrics.
Great stuff, maybe a little long
Gave the relisten a miss as I'd respun it very recently. Grand record. About as weird as 60s gets. Not zappa best but pretty damn good.
4 out of 5. Ok debut, things get better and freakier from here.
Look, I quite enjoyed this. Is 4 stars being a bit generous? Maybe. There's not many albums where I would happily say "oh just ignore the last twenty minutes", but there you go.
Erg genoten van dit album. Leuk dat er mensen boos van worden, totaal verbijsterd zijn of weerstand oproept. Of je het nou leuk vindt of niet het maakt wat los en dat is precies de intentie. Een beetje wat moderne kunst bij sommige mensen kan los maken. Namate het album over de helft is wordt het steeds beter. Het album is denkik ook in goede zin meer controversieel dan dat het goed is. Latere albums zoals we’re only in it for the money zijn als albums misschien wat beter maar qua muzikaliteit en creativiteit absoluut erg goed. Productie klinkt erg goed. Baanbrekend voor die tijd en inspiratie voor Sgt. Pepper's lonely hearts club band. 4.5 ster.
To say that Zappa and The Mothers of Invention were w/o precedent would not be quite correct. The Kinks were making similarly satirical rock music, tho their Britishness reined in the experimental aspects of their invention. B/c he's American, Zappa's will for the avant-garde is unguarded and full-spectrum: Freak Out! is, compositionally and lyrically, as in-your-face as the best punk. While Ray Davies cultivates a coy, restrained Britishness, Zappa develops an extroverted brand of the American cutting-edge. My favorite tracks on this debut, which I admire but do not love to death - it's got too many songs that are mere novelties - are the ones that engage an American aesthetic - doo-wop + early rock 'n' roll - ironically but lovingly.
Absolute time capsule. I can’t tell if they’re being super serious or making fun of the 1950s Duop but I’m into it.
Very freaky, indeed. Lots of radio-friendly songs, too. One of a kind album.
Not gonna lie; they had me in the first half! I thought this was a shitty incel band from 1966 but it's Zappa:) 4/5
nice
This Is The Voice Of Your Conscience Baby 1001 Albums Generator 200 (1/7/2025) 200 days in to finally get my first Zappa album, and it also so happens to be his first ever! I love Frank Zappa, so I was quite excited to relisten to this for the first time in a little while. This album is a tough nut to crack. After a couple of "relatively" "normal" songs (if you can get past the kazoo), we get our first taste of the truly strange in Who Are The Brain Police?, an appropriately freaky bit of experimental rock that has some really low, heavy guitars at points (metal??). Then we get hit with Zappa's first (and far from last) foray into the world of doo-wop, Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder. I don't know what to do with Frank Zappa's love for doo-wop, but this is one of my favorites of his catalogue with the genre. How Could I Be Such A Fool is a highlight; the fuglehorn or whatever in the second verse is fantastic. I also love Anyway The Wind Blows. Honestly, the first LP's worth of music has no bad songs in my opinion, and the second LP starts with Trouble Every Day, which is the first hint in Zappa's career that the guy can really fuckin play the guitar. Then we enter the weird zone. And we stay there for the rest of the album. Help, I'm A Rock is proto-krautrock, so coming back to this album after listening through lots of Can, I have so much more appreciation for this song. I actually think it's wonderful and genius. However, I have not yet come around to the absolutely strange, scary, a capella madness of It Can't Happen Here. Not to mention the 12 minute The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet, which starts with the first Suzy Creamcheese moment in the Frank Zappa catalogue and continues with some weird drum-led improv before devolving into studio experimentation. It's probably not for me, but I tell you, I enjoy this song more on every listen to the album. Freak Out! is an appropriately titled debut for the Mothers. 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: How Could I Be Such A Fool Anyway The Wind Blows Trouble Every Day Least Fav: It Can't Happen Here
Very much enjoyed, weird and fun
Well hello Mr Zappa. I'm lucky that recently a friend of mine really wanted to listen to Frank Zappa because another friend of ours loves him and neither I nor my first friend have ever given him any attention. From those other albums I knew to expect two things, really excellent guitar work and absolute insanity for the sake of creation, and you know what? I'm a fan. Seriously though, the fact that songs like "Who Are the Brain Police?" end on what sounds like a kazoo but lead into "Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder" which no longer sounds like the same genre never mind the same band. I love it, I love an album that is just weird. It does get a lot of appreciation from me considering this album had a direct influence on McCartney leading to the creation of Sgt Peppers which, when we get there, will be in my top 10 at the end of this whole exercise probably. Evidently this album being critical and also being a concept album ended up being incredibly important for the music industry more for what it led to than what it was. On the thought that it's critical, it's hard to review this in a sort of retrospective lens when I understand this was critical of both sides of the coin within 60s culture. While plenty of reviews are saying it's too try hard for that I think that's what makes it important. Not everyone has to be but some people SHOULD be judgemental and critical, demand and expect more. But between songs that there are actual just straight rock songs that prove that if they want to they can easily play it with the best of them. It may seem like I flip on this point of being critical and being original or otherwise creative, but I think timing is incredibly important, and how it's presented is equally important. I don't quite see how this album is being labelled as aggressive and cynical while simultaneously being dismissed by some as satirical and therefore not serious. Perhaps an interesting question of if the messenger affects the message. I think I appreciate the album and what it was trying to do more than I distinctly like it, especially know both Zappa himself and this group would eventually put together more substantial and coherent records but this is not bad at all, certainly strange but important. Best songs: Anyway The Wind Blows, Trouble Every Day Worst songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 28/42 (below Play, above Ellington at Newport)
Best Track - "Anyway The Wind Blows"
Wow, wow, wow! This is an album that feels like it was made for me! It's trippy, it's funky, it's such a fun time!!! I NEED it on vinyl immediately!
Reminds a little bit of primal dead. Same time frame. I really enjoyed this album. I have not really listened to much Zappa, but I am hoping there will be more. Glad my first was this album to see where the roots of the mothers really were. Highlights: * Hungry Freaks * Go Cry * Trouble Every Day
Feels more like a compilation record than an album proper in the sense that the quality various sometimes greatly from track to track from filler to great but overall, a very unique experience and a worthy addition to any library. Wowie Zowie!
Given that my dad was a big fan of these guys, I expected more satire psychedelia, but always forget that this album is more doo-wop satire, which is a fun combination.
so hard to believe this was made in 1966; it still sounds fresh today.
Classic Zappa!
Another album I expected to dislike but found really interesting. I’d never previously given Zappa any of my time. I’m not sure I’ll rush to revisit it but I enjoyed it.
You know, more pop than I remembered. Solid fun times.
Funny coincidence is earlier today I listened to a doo-wop program that included the Penguins' Memories of El Monte, which was written by Frank Zappa. And there was a good bit of doo-wop here too. I enjoyed the album and its going from quirkier takes on conventional genres to full-on bizarrity
I only knew Frank Zappa as grizzled and old. I didn't know he was once young and wide-eyed!
The historical importance of riffing on “cream cheese” for several minutes is not loss on me.
Sjokk og vantro, æ har det nok ikke i mæ å bli et Zappahode. Kæm skulle trodd!
Another album and band I had never heard of. Loved it! Reminded me of parquet courts is some weird way.
I freaked out when I heard this.
This album made me feel like I’m stuck in an elevator while having a bad trip of LSD. Production is top tier, a bit on the weird side but a good listen. The pace is a bit slow at first but it just works. Oldie but goodie
Zappa is always interesting
I don't know how to feel about liking this. But I do. It's extremely innovative and experimental, especially for 1966! Frank Zappa was truly a trendsetter! 4⭐️
Good Zappa.
Bonkers but I enjoyed the varying instrumentation. Feels a bit like a band created in a fever dream.
It was fun. I guess it was far out when it came out but nowadays it sounds like early Frank Zappa (and the Mothers) and it is fun.
I hear this as a comedy album. It's lyrics are constantly ironic, subversive, and flippant. But Zappa is such a brilliant musician that the parody extends into and through the music itself. He has his way with one sub-genre after another. He's so good, in fact, that, like Andy Kaufmann, or Pee-Wee Herman, it becomes difficult to identify the boundaries between artist and character. As with all comedy, time renders the subjects less familiar and therefore the parody even harder to identify and follow. Because it isn't timeless, I can't give it five stars. It's still an absolutely brilliant work.
good satire is always so sick to here. love it
No Zappa album is 5 stars but all have something wild and cool enough to be 3 to 4 stars. His commentary of social and political issues still holds up.
Love me some Zappa, but I need to be in the mood to get a little weird, and it got REALLY weird towards the end. 4.5⭐️
Didn't think I was going to like this. I remember hating "We're Only in it for the Money" and just didn't get it - figured this would more of the same. I enjoyed this listen though. Interesting psychedelia/experimental stuff going on here. The last two tracks are a LITTLE out there, but I could see people Freak Out! over them.
Thoroughly enjoyed this weird, often goofy but well executed 60s psych rock album. Equal parts sincere and satirical, never taking itself too seriously. The music is consistently excellent and the deconstruction of typical musical tropes is refreshing and often funny. Really hard to believe they were doing this over 50 years ago. There's a lot of fun details/bits throughout and I could see myself coming back to this now and then.
Très intéressant ! C’est les origines de Zappa, dans le fond. La première moitié est pas mal plus dans la tradition du rock psychédélique, je dirais (c’est la fin des années 60, quand même). Ce n’est pas encore le Zappa qui fera du rock quelques années plus tard. La deuxième moitié est beaucoup plus expérimentale, avec pratiquement aucun instruments, seulement des voix traitées. Spécial, mais à réécouter.
This was a bit insane, for the most part I liked that
Frank Zappa was a prophet
Frank Zappa before he was famous. And as can be expected from Zappa, simply excellent.
Incentive indeed - these mothers surprised me
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. So many great tracks! I especially liked these on my first listen: Who Are The Brain Police?, Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder, Motherly Love, How Could I Be Such A Fool, Wowie Zowie, Any Way The Wind Blows, You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here, Help, I'm A Rock (great one!!!), The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet (the cream cheese song) That's a lot of tracks! Edit Mar 27 2026: 5 --> 4. I haven't played this album *as* much. Maybe if I play it more in the future I will bump it up more
The rating is not about my love of the music, but more about the style and influence of a debut album of a band and the era in which it was released.
The lyrics that aren't gibberish are fantastic. The songs need stronger voices and music, they sound a bit weak. I hope the later albums improve because I enjoy this.
This album rocks. Its so cool to hear Zappa's songwriting in the traditions and styles of the 50s and 60s especially compared to his later music. Loved this
Very weird in a very good way. I feel rather smart that I figured out it was satire without having to look at the Wikipedia page.
This album, released in 1966, was way ahead of its time—as are most of Frank Zappa's works. From sophisticated picking to kazoo melodies, from orchestral arrangements to pure chaos, The Mothers of Invention use the entire palette and play it with great timing. For me, it's not quite top notch, but it's certainly a very good and very influential album.
Surprised that I like this
Good album had never heard it but it was experimental an conceptual but solid as a rock genre. Good guitar play and overall compositions
I love the fact that everytime that I listen to some Zappa album, I ended up with a "???" sign in my head. It feels good and weird at the same time. It leaves you with questions, but no doubts at all. That's a reminder: music can be as much confusing as comfortable. Very good!
Hungry Freaks, Daddy - 5/5 I Ain't Got No Heart - 4/5 Who Are the Brain Police? - 3/5 Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder - 5/5 Motherly Love - 4/5 How Could I Be Such a Fool - 4/5 Wowie Zowie - 3/5 You Didn't Try to Call Me - 4/5 Any Way the Wind Blows - 5/5 I'm Not Satisfied - 3/5 You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here - 4/5 Trouble Every Day - 3/5 Help, I'm A Rock - 4/5 The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet - 3/5 Average score: 3.9/5 (rounding up)
Psychedelic rock at its peak
Zappa is one of the handful of artists who deserve a few entries on this list. This is a good introduction though the compilation ‘strictly commercial’ is probably the best introduction to Zappa, followed by strictly classical. Now for Zappa freaks every album bootleg and live recording should be on the must listen. This, Hot Rats, Apostrophe and maybe Joe’s Garage (plus the yellow shark) or Broadway the Hard Way and we’ve had we’re only in it for the money, are the ones. Zappa bands would get better, though this is a crack unit anyway, and would experiment more but this is a great debut. The trick with Zappa is to ignore the juvenile lyrics (which he never really grows out of). Zappa saw lyrics as something to get commercial recognition, realising that the music market didn’t like instrumentals that much. So what’s going on underneath, a mixture of doo wop , rock and roll, reluctant jazz and avant-garde European post modern music, is the ore in the mine of Zappa. 4 stars.
I don't think you can truly appreciate this album without a sense of humour! Without knowing much about this album beforehand, I'm guessing that a lot of it is satire, and it's done really well. It was a psychedelic trip and a really fun one, man! Liked Songs Added Hungry Freaks, Daddy Wowee Zowee Trouble Everyday
Okay this album is really funny. And progressive for its time (still in many ways)! The music itself tends to be pretty enjoyable too, although most of it I wouldn't listen to outside of the album. But still, it's really pretty good.
Nothing quite like an album that makes me think and laugh at the same time. The satire is so pointed and just excellent. It really blew me away that this came out when it did. I thought it might be a 5 on first listen, but I do think some of the "bits" go on a bit too long. I also read that Zappa was not able to do everything he wanted to on this album, which makes sense.
Always had mixed feelings about this album, it's packed with incredible ideas, sharp social commentary, and musical innovation, but it's also deliberately abrasive and exhausting. Although I can appreciate the satire, the psychedelic songs and soundscapes and the obvious sixties pop/rock sound, I never could listen to the whole album in once, and still can't today. Zappa's vision was often more intellectually impressive than emotionally engaging, and so it was with this album. But I did it, once, and never again. 4/5
Great
Huh, made me realize I know about Zappa, but I don't know his music that well. Groovy guitars are more grounded in familiar pop song formats than I realized. Some of the songs & lyrics are embarrassingly current almost 60 years later (e.g. "Trouble Every Day")
I like Frank. And there are some good songs on this one. But the album I grew up on was We're Only In It For The Money! Still - this rates at least 4 stars.
I thought it was kind of dumb at first as it struck me as a Sha-Na-Na-esque novelty album. I gave it a little more consideration and thought back to the The Velvet Underground's poppier experiments and the twee music of the 80s and 90s that struck me as a particularly effective foil against the aggressive music of the punk underground. I suspect that The Mothers had similar motives with Freak Out! Maybe they wanted to shake up the underground a bit with some pop music styles from a decade ago and lyrics that satirize the current political and social movements. It's weird.
This is the freak out. The opening salvo of the insanity that zappa becomes.
This is such a great find, dig the era and dig the genre. Worth the listen and in context of the time, solid.
Better than Coldplay
I've dealt with a share of bizarre, experimental rock from Frank Zappa. It was a matter of time before I checked out the band he was in prior, The Mothers of Invention. A rotating cavalcade of musicians, the Mothers are considered one of the bigger names in California's late 1960s underground scene. Their debut record, often cited as one of the first concept albums, certainly lives up to its title. Freak Out! starts innocent enough with the rather kooky, playful pastiches of doo wop and rhythm and blues. It's pretty evident that not only did everyone in the band play rather competently for these compositions, but Zappa loved taking the piss out of American pop culture. Whether it's the message of love from the hippies on "I Ain't Got No Heart", the sappy teenage romance on "Go Cry on Someone Else's Shoulder", or the purveying oxymorons that come with the doo wop tunes on "Wowie Zowie", there was a good variety and execution in the parodies they offered. As the album goes on, the band slowly descends into sheer madness. The final two tracks, "It Can't Happen Here" and "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet", are some of the weirdest tracks I've heard on my journey. The former is an a cappella track that ironically foreshadows the rise of the counterculture, while the latter is a 12-minute sound collage illustrating someone going insane. Funny enough, the latter track wasn't even the finished product according to Zappa, as it was meant to be much longer. Make no mistake, Freak Out! is a strange record. It does go on for a rather long time, and I imagine it would get unsettling for some people, especially towards the end. But it is unique and helped usher in one of the most creative forces to have walked the earth.
An important, influential album that I won’t spin many more times in my life. Great place to start for a budding Zappa fan but whatever it is you find appealing to your tastes in this album, you will get more of in later releases. 3.5/ 5
Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention were doing things no one else was in 1966. It was like they were shoving a big middle finger up the British Invasion arse and I totally dig it. Double debut album, a side length ending trip fest, who does this, the only one who could. The great Frank Zappa. Way ahead of their time.
A quirky and experimental debut that mixes pop parody, satire, and avant-garde into a wild cocktail. It’s both entertaining and culturally important, but at times a bit too chaotic for me to fully embrace. 4/5
I went through a couple of Zappa phases when I was younger. I had an older neighborhood friend who was into him and would play the albums for me, and then again in my own album collecting days. I liked many of the albums as “different” and “interesting” but I never really listened closely. I think I’d only heard this record once before, and mostly liked it. I really like the first couple of sides, and the third and fourth not as much due to lack of clear song structure. Overall an enjoyable listen, but not one I’ll seek out to play again. A solid 4 stars. And like others have noted, an amazing achievement for 1966!!
Nice record. Sometimes a bit too freaky for me but Zappa knows exactly what he’s doing.
i mean the music isn't really that good but it's so delightfully weird and unpredictable that i kind of loved it
A foundational record for a number of reasons. While it's certainly not the polished version of avant-garde pop music for the time, Freak Out showed a lot of aspiring musicians what the limits of their creativity could be.
Definitely glad I heard this but probably would never listen again. 3.75
Fun, will return.
I’ve never actively listened to Zappa. I loved this!!! It’s hilarious and it sounds great and the musicianship is excellent. Stand outs ‘go cry on someone else’s shoulder’, ‘trouble every day’ wowie zowie. So good.
I'm loving the collision of sounds between 60's rock and Frank Zappa experimentation on this album. There's no better way to start the day than with Zappa's satire, weird chromatic melodies, and kazoos. 4/5
7/16/25. Didn't know this was Frank Zappa until a couple songs in. Always crazy, hilarious lyrics with amazing instrumentals and obscure song structures. In for a treat with anything he touches.
This was another album where I found parts that sounded fantastic, but there were other parts that sounded a little too "out there". Another 3.5 if it were possible.
Funnier than I remembered!
like it or not, this is invention
I can see how this influenced a lot of comedy and experimental work. Always knew who Frank Zappa was but didn’t listen to his works, it’s pretty good.
Favorites: Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder, motherly love, anyway the wind blows, You're probably wondering why I'm here, help I'm a rock, it can't happen here, The Return of the son of monster magnet So weird, hell yeah.
7/10
There was something quite unhinged that I actually liked about this album… probably because I listened to it when I was also feeling unhinged
I love most Zappa, and this is a really fun ridiculous album with a bunch of classics. This is not the Zappa I'll usually reach for, but it's still fantastic.
I enjoyed this, its quite tame but I imagine it was a bit radical in the day.
The Z man starts as he means to go on. You can see the start of his orchestration with a much bigger sound than you would expect from a not-so-popular off-beat combo. Great stuff.
Fiyah fiyah fiyah liv frank zappa 4 eva
Overall: 7/10 Well, I was dreading getting to Zappa cause I've always heard how strange his music is and I've been a little weary of it. It's just as strange as I expected but I don't think I needed to be worried. I didn't do too much research so I don't know if this is considered his most accessible album or not but the weirdest thing about it was the mixing of genres. There's a lot of psychedelic rock but also some influence from groups like The Four Seasons. The lyrics are also totally out there. I actually found the weirdest songs to be the most charming and will probably be the ones I come back to the most. Overall, this is a fun time. I didn't love it like I was hoping but I also think this is an album you need to let sit with you for a while and listen to multiple times to really appreciate. Fav Song: Help, I'm a Rock Least Fav Song: It Can't Happen Here
Musically, these guys were every bit as good as the Animals and the whole British Invasion sound, but they chose to mock it in a way that is both hilarious and genius.
A surrealist freakout, lampooning every facet of American popular (counter)culture until Zappa decides to flip the switch into a not-so-desultory philippic about the Watts riots. Watch the rats across the floor. But what makes the record buzz as well as it does is that you feel a real kinship to the heart-stricken, sad sack caricatures Zappa creates. How could your heart not ache alongside the loser in You Didn't Try To Call Me? There's a universality in Getting Over It. Strangely, the album's modern reference point might be 69 Love Songs, earnestness breaking through something disguised as an intellectual exercise. The tightrope act falls apart with the D-Side sound collages, avant garde experiments that, I don't know, get the spirit but lose the feeling? I'm sure the Suzy Creamcheese bit was enlightening for John, Paul and the gang after a few tabs of LSD, or an especially good meditation session with the Maharishi. A little harder to connect on a Monday afternoon at my office job with only acetaminophen and caffeine currently working their magic.
Absolutely mad but in a beautiful way
Whacky, man. Out there whacky. This may have blown my circuits.
Wowie zowie, I freaked out!
😖
Debut album. Frank Zappa. A commentary on the music scene and society. Satire. Psychedelic rock, concept album. Zany. Lyrically ingenious throughout. Has to be listened to as an overall journey. What is astounding is this was made as early as 1966 ! Gloriously weird, ingenious and maddening. Brilliant ha !
Existing between doo-wop and insanity.
I'm really not sure how to approach this album. Over the years, I've tried to like Frank Zappa's records. Indeed I have this album (and some others) in my collection. But I'm not really assured of Zappa's much-vaunted brilliance. In ranking this record, I think there are two aspects - firstly, do I like it and second, was it an influential record. However, this is an opportunity to reassess it. So I think that Frank Zappa was an important artist, and influential, but I only think this is an OK record - a bit clever-dicky in the lyrics front. But maybe that's what's needed. After all his railing about America, I wonder what he'd have made of the current situation.
Frank Zappa, you are out of your GODDAMN MIND. Condragulations you're the winner of this week's challenge. Nota: 4.0
After listening to over 900 albums on 900 days, it's a bit refreshing to listen to someone just doing something a bit different. Here's to Zappa.
4.5
Radical. I don’t think it reaches the same highs as We’re Only In It For the Money, but I think overall it’s of a higher quality
Satirical, pastiche-y and almost completely sui generis. When it's good - the middle section, particularly Trouble Every Day - it is brilliant. Probably dragged down a little by the less listenable end - but even there the influence this section had is obvious - Damo Suzuki's Can era vocals on I Think I'm a Rock, Supergrass I Should Coco on the last songs sped up vocals..
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Obviously talented enough to make whatever they want, this is an interesting eclectic mix. I can see how it influenced Sgt. Pepper.
That’s what I’m talking abut
Wowza- lots going on here. I found some a little too intense, but can't second the genius either.
You're probably wondering why I gave this album a 4, and so am I
Sometimes weird, sometimes very good. The final song was..... Interesting. I can imagine this blew people's minds when it first released. Completely unlike anything else at the time
I’m constantly impressed by the level of musicianship on Zappa and TMoI records. What were the chances of brilliant musicians who were also just so weird coming together in this way? Not something I would put on regularly or possibly ever again but still a record that stretches music into a strange new space.
Satire finally done right. Music actually serves the lyrics and isn't an incoherent or boring nightmare. Chaotic on purpose, and not just for the sake of chaos.
Sounds fun and musically interesting
Great psychedelic 60s music
This was super fun. A psychedelic record that just seemed to be making fun of psychedelic music. The lyrics are funny. You feel like you are in on the joke as you listen.
Best album title for one of the weirdest bands of their era (next to captain beefheart). Rocking, trippy and full of spunk (sperm funk sorry for the crassness and inaccurate genre but it seems to suit them). Really a one of a kind mind that Zappa guy was. Who are the brain police had a weird Scarborough fair choir chant. Go cry on somebody else is a funny turn on a classy 50 do-op love song. First two tracks are good rocking singles. Wowie Zoie has some goofy xylophone and weirdo lyrics. You didn’t try to call me and any way the wind blows have some very catchy choruses. Help, I’m a rock….is cool? Lol one of the weirder songs I’ve heard in awhile. No /mothers of invention to me means no ween, no primus, no animal collective, no residents. I think having heard other Zappa stuff first as well as opposed to not hearing this in the era it was released takes off some of the bonker aspects of the songwriting/musical choices but a fun listen if you wanna “freak out.”
This really is an interesting album, has all the hallmarks of early Zappa, to the weird parody-like bits to straight up blues psych-rock all performed in their unique style and may have been more clever than initially perceived. "Freak Out!" is an appropriate title for the record, as it sounds years ahead of it's time, raw, experimental and testing the bounds of "normal" music, it must have been freaking out a lot of minds at the time. Never been much of a Zappa/The Mothers of Invention fan, but this one stands out as one of those records you "should" hear, but not necessarily like.
you know when an album features zappa you know it's going to be one hell of a ride. experimental is a good word for this one, even for the time. it's music from another dimension. while sometimes an acquired taste, there's no denying how creative this album is; a crazy funhouse where every door is something completely different from the last. and talk about those... what are those, kazoos?
I think it's funny that the guy who signed them only heard "Trouble Every Day" and thought they were a straight up blues band.
Lost my review, unfortunately. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I’m at a 4. This is my first time listening to ANYTHING by Frank Zappa ever, so starting at the debut is probably a good point; I'm vaguely aware of his place in this general era of music, but I couldn't tell you the first thing about the guy before listening to this. I did enjoy this a lot, though. Admittedly, the last 20 minutes or so of the album cloud & overshadow the first 40 minutes, and tried their hardest to do a Men in Black-esque mindwipe on me, which probably worked to some degree. It is impossible to talk about this album in full without acknowledging that the final 20 minutes feel like a glimpse into the very molecules of the drugs that powered so much of the 1960s, and those molecules seep their way through the music & into the mind, and it is… certainly a trip of sorts. I’m not sure how to feel about that part of the ride – I didn’t hate it, but I’m not sure it’s a trip I’d willingly hop onto again. Those first 40 minutes are really good though, and they’re strong enough to keep this at a stable 4 – a lot of it is riffs on other artists of the 60s, especially on the folksier/hippie side of things, but there’s some doo-wop, rock & a little bit of the Beatles scattered throughout. “Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder” is the blatant obvious pastiche here, specifically of “Put Your Head On My Shoulder”, but the album works mainly because it plays these genres totally straight, in a very Weird Al-adjacent way that strikes a good chord with me. The best way to parody something is to do it as faithfully as possible, and Frank Zappa & friends here completely nail that vibe. When they do play it totally straight though (namely on “Trouble Every Day”, the standout of the album for me), it just tells me that they could’ve REALLY done some great work without having to riff on the entire culture of the 60s to that point. Granted, this album wouldn’t be as good without it, but there are moments here where the writing feels contrarian, a little too loose, or just outright toxic in its negativity. It’s never *bad* writing, but it occasionally tries to punch below the belt a little too much, to the point that even Trey Parker & Matt Stone would probably tell him to dial it back. Ultimately though, I liked it – for 1966 in particular, this feels well ahead of schedule. It’s far from perfect, but so much of what’s here in its experimentation & willingness to go against the grain feels innovative in a way that’s hard to describe, but once again, kind of easy to feel after listening to it. Apparently, Paul McCartney once said this album acted as one of the inspirations for Sgt. Pepper’s, so… I’m excited to get that one now. As far as this album goes though, it’s a solid, solid 4 for me -- no less than a 3.
Always a trip
You know, when I got this album, my first thought was, "Well, I'm not really in a Zappa mood right now, but this album's at least iconic, so I'll take it over the past few albums I've gotten." However, I was wrong. As it turns out, I was absolutely in a Zappa mood! I enjoyed this album quite a bit! Of the two Mothers albums I've gotten, I'd definitely say that I prefer Freak Out! over We're Only In It For The Money. I don't know what it is about this one that makes me prefer it. I just do. Of course, this album isn't for everyone. It still has a lot of that Zappa quirkiness that puts a lot of people off from his music. The style here is certainly of an avant-garde nature. However, I think the execution of this album is strong enough to make that work for me for one big reason: the theming of the album. Freak Out! is somewhat of a thematic concept album pertaining to LA's "freak scene," as well as the general culture of the US in the mid-60s. Many of these songs are quite critical of said US culture, with the obvious examples being the opener, "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" and the album's biggest highlight, "Trouble Every Day." I think the fact that these songs have things to say is what makes them so appealing as actual pieces of art rather than meaningless nonsense. Other songs like "I'm Not Satisfied" and "Any Way the Wind Blows" are more personal to Frank Zappa himself, with the latter being written about his divorce. This creates a bit of a balance between Zappa-specific ideas and general thoughts on culture while still tying into the general idea of tapping into Frank's mind. The writing, by the way, is quite good. The songs are mostly good. The one song on here that kind of feels nonsense-y to me is the closer, "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet," but given the themes and buildup to the song, I think it works for the most part. Overall, this is a weird album that I like. I get that it's not for everyone, but it is for me. Light 4/5.
This album was much different from what I expected from a Frank Zappa album. Then Side 4 hit, and it was exactly what you would expect from a Frank Zappa album.
Not nearly as polished as some of the Mother's (or even just Zappa's) albums, but there's enough here to enjoy. I can definitely see why this didn't take off when it was released, especially if you aren't familiar with this band's sense of humor. People who claim this album comes across as "lol so random" are unfamiliar with how time works.
Weird. Entertaining. Blues
Right off the bat I’m loving this. Super experimental especially for the time. Damn I liked this a lot. I expected not to for some reason, but I’m a sucker for a good concept album. May have to check out more Zappa. The last three songs are pretty wild compared to the rest of the album, I could see those turning some off of it. I can’t decide if it’s a 4 or 5 I’m feeling a heavy 4.5 may end up leaning 5 one day but those last few songs kinda throw it off.
Have a kinks / very 1960s vibe - enjoyed!
Frank Zappa for album #69 just feels right for some reason. in my senior year of undergrad, in between all my classes and other obligations, I did a marathon listening session to most of Zappa's work with the Mothers and as a solo artist until about the early 80s. my favorite era is probably 1973-75, but 1967-69 is also pretty compelling. unfortunately, I've never gotten a whole lot out of this, the Mothers' debut. like, yes, there's some brilliant songs here, and the satirical angle is pretty well-preserved across both LPs, but I'm really not all that into all of the sonic experiments that take place. Zappa's fondness for doo-wop music is not one that I share, and I think the musique concrète endeavors here aren't quite as strong as they would be on subsequent albums like Uncle Meat. still, though, bands have to start somewhere, and this is far from the worst place to start! "Hungry Freaks, Daddy", "Who Are the Brain Police?" and "Trouble Every Day" remain some of Zappa's most iconic songs for good reason! I think I'm good on "The Return of the Song of Monster Magnet (Unfinished Ballet in Two Tableaux)", though. my favorite Zappa material is the stuff where he rocks harder, and thankfully he gets there pretty quickly after this. light 7/10.