Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride on drugs!
For whatever reason I have resisted listening to Frank Zappa in my life. I’m not sure I could name a song or recognize a tune as his. It’s certainly not that I was under the impression that this wasn’t musically impressive. It is. And it’s not that I was scared of it. It’s remarkably ahead of its time. Maybe it’s how much it reminds me of Gallagher or how much it seemed like kitsch. And it is kitschy. And I have liked kitschy music in the past (They Might Be Giants and even Tom Waits who ranks among one of my absolute favorites). But on the whole, while I enjoy the fact that this music exists and think that everyone could learn a lesson about their own self-seriousness from an album like this, I can’t imagine ever deliberately putting this music on. I’m glad I live in a world where Zappa has made an impact and I’m glad I finally was given a reason to give him a close listen. And I think I can close the book on the extraordinarily brief chapter on my relationship with the Mothers of Invention.
Edgy and satirical, a record which feels like a revolution is about to start. An important document but an album harder to truly enjoy now as time has passed.
Frequent musical brilliance, vocally inconsistent... started falling apart for me in the latter half, and by the end of the 12+ minute slog of the final song I felt nothing but irritation.
Frank Zappa is great
Not a single song I wanted to finish..or start for that matter.
I wanted to like this
I can’t believe I spent 1 hour and 1 minute of my life on this ):
Meh
Weirdest shit I have ever listened to in my life, but I kinda in for it
Really annoying,I’ve heard Frank Zappa is a master of his craft but on this album he just comes off as trying to make the listener want to stop listening as soon as possible.I don’t know why you want to listen to most of this album.Anyway the wind blows is good though.Saving this album from being a 1.
I wish I "got" Zappa. Truly I wish I did. It's just all weird for weirds sake to me. I just want to be a part of it. But I'm not. This sucks. And I hate that I hate it.
What an eccentric album. Some parts were humorous, but mostly the thought was why? I am not sure why this made it on the list. It was OK.
Very interesting album. Frank zappa and company made a huge statement critiquing and spoofing 60s culture. Their parody songs mimicked the genre tropes incredibly well while still delivering a heavy dose of disdain. The album sags a bit in the middle until the songs directly criticizing the ignorance of middle Americans come up. The album becomes an experimental journey and ode to rebellion that is a trip and a joy to listen to.
very nice
Okay I liked this a lot lol Except the last two tracks
Yup
I know what I'm getting into when I listen to a Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa album. It's going to be weird, and I'm okay with that. I rarely seek it out, but I get enjoyment when I listen, but I like weird things.
At first I thought this sounded like a spoof of a 60s band, then I read the Wikipedia article and found out it was!
Best song - How Could I Be Such A Fool
Te psychedelisch/experimenteel, heeft op het einde niet veel weg meer van muziek.
I had rated this a 3 until the last two tracks when it got experimental so that might bump it down to 2
cant really remind but enjoyable
Ugh. Who is this for? I guess it was slightly better than the last MOI album we had but still unnecessary. If you’re going to make fun of music make better music. Also according to my research Zappa is not at all Latino which makes that voice he puts on kind of messed up. Idk, this whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. Low 2 because I thought 2 songs were ok.
Not really sure what’s going on here. Sounds kind of like darker version of doo-wop? I liked the later half of the album when the social commentary shone through. Not my favorite but not terrible either.
I don't get the appeal of Frank Zappa. I never have and this doesn't change my opinion. Is it strange just for the sake of being strange? There is some good musicianship here but definitely no enough to get me to listen to this (or any other FZ record) again. I would give it a 1.5 if possible. Since I don't actually hate it, I'll round up.
Maybe this was cool in the 60s but now it just sounds like a mess. A few tracks had some decent social commentary, and these guys are skilled musicians, but overall it was just too “wacky” for my taste. I will not be listening to this again.
2.5
ehh.....
The joke wore thin quite quickly for me.
Star ratings suck.
2/15, 13%
That’s a nah for me dog.
I don’t read anything about these until I listen to them so maybe this a groundbreaking satire and was incredibly biting in 1966, but it doesn’t hold up for me in 2023.
I’m never gonna be a big Zappa fan, but this was weird and wonderful. So all over the place - in a good way. Loved the doo wop and just genuinely enjoyed the whole thing. Can’t wait to a grab copy on vinyl
3.5 zappa is an outstanding musician (dare I say guitar virtuoso) and this album is brilliant satire of the music of the time. But singing about unshaven armpits doesn't hit the same in 2023 when we talkin bout WAP
The Mothers. Frank Zappa's band. This record is supposedly a concept record, poking fun at popular music and LA culture. It is also one of the first rock/pop double albums. Lots of doo-wop influence on here. Also some psychedelia sprinkled in which I appreciate. While there are some great tracks on here, I think it overstays its welcome just a little bit. Overall not bad. Does this count as proto-punk?
Not my favorite tbh. Very old school "metal", sort of like steppenwolf I suppose. Wasn't a fan of any of their songs <1m plays on spotify...
To be frank, I got zapped by its freakishly inventive sound in a good way!
Occasionally I found myself enjoying this - but overall, it’s a fucking hard listen.
Frank Crappa
Wack
A hot, freaked out? debut that would set the basis for Zappa's ever-evolving sound in his career. I'll pretend I'm a 16 year old in 1966 popping this on the record player for the first time. How would I react to it? I have to imagine the barrier of appreciation for an album like this would be almost impossible to break through. It's easy to see the influence and admire it in retrospect, but honestly, I don't think I'd have been on the Zappa train back then. Either way, one thing's for certain...rock needs more kazoos.
A psychedelic swirl of sardonic social commentary so potent it’ll have you checking your pupils just a few tracks in.
Hmm
I was not the biggest fan- it is definitely different. The music was too clashing. It was all over the place.
The man standing way at the back on the album cover is Jimmy Carl Black, and he's the Indian in the group.
This is skit. Not an album, a skit. Except there's no punchline, you get to listen to monkey noises for 5 minutes or ramblings on cream cheese. Progressive concept album for the time, and vastly improved on since.
Canny enough. Very out there at times in a good way. I reckon I’d have loved these if I was kicking about in the 60s. Poppy, off beat, and weird, three big ticks for me. That said, a lot of it passed me by, very much of it’s time. Enjoyed it, probably wont be back.
Well that was trippy, imagine the amount of drugs taken during the writing of this makes the doors look like the beach boys. I enjoyed a lot of it, reminded me of cream sometimes and Beatles at others. Felt like it might fall apart at any moment and kind of did towards the end. Not enough stand out songs for a 5 but still very strong.
Really good fun, definitely sounds revolutionary. I agree wholeheartedly that the back falls off the album towards the end though. Classy riffs in quite a few tracks. Go Cry On Someone Else's Shoulder was brilliant.
I didn't like most of this album, it was just too weird and psycadelic. There is some interesting music here but then the album ends with three bizzare tracks. Highlights: Hungry Freaks, Daddy Trouble Every Day
Pretty unbelievable that this was released in 1966. Definitely interesting. Some of it a bit too out there for me I think but I didn't dislike it. The standout track was "trouble every day" Got pretty chaotic in the last few tracks!
Gets more odd the longer you listen to it :D I listened mostly to Joe's Garage from Zappa, plus a few more popular songs here and there - I don't see myself listening to music such as this album as often, but I understand its significance.
Absolutely fine, but not something I'm that excited about.
I was unaware that this was Frank Zappa at first. When I heard it, I immediately thought of Syd Barret. I know it wasn't him. But stylistically (for the first few songs) it had a Barret vibe to it. Started out psychedelic, meets barber shop, with a pinch of Doo Wop. My immediate thoughts were "This singer really just wants to be heard." Every second their is unnecessary vocals. There is nl room for the songs to breathe. And no space for other instruments to be heard, or to shine. After finding out it was Zappa, it makes more sense. Now, I don't care for Zappa. I think his music, his mentality are nothing short of pretentious. It's one thing to have hidden meaning or social commentary blended in your music... But this album specifically is the equivalent of a Jackson Polluck painting, where it is so abstract, that the social commentary only makes sense to the creator. I can't even really call this album a complete album of music. The last few songs sounds like a bunch of junkies, tweaking, and having a conversation with each other as well as themselves. Lyrically, this album is 0/5. Musically, a 1/5. For the songs that are "songs" - the lyrics are still stupid and the phrasing not good. When their is no singing, Zappa has to run his mouth with spoken word.. Or just talking. Which, to me, is the worst thing a singer can do. It's never done well. For example, it's relatable to David Lee Roth saying "I got my pencil!!! .. Give me something to write on" in Hot for Teacher. It's annoying and very cringey. The melody sounds out of tune on every song. The last song is again, junkies making zoo animal noises. And if I have to hear the words 'Cream Cheese' repeated over and over again, I'm going to lose my mind. The only good about this album is, I am now certain the band Monster Magnet got their name from one of the songs. That's it. I wish I had the minutes that I gave to this album back. I wish I could rate this negative something out of 5. This is an album I would show people and tell them "do anything but this." I get Zappa is weird. I don't hate weird. I love bands like Primus, Tom Waits, Ween... That type of weird is done right. Zappa weird is just idiotic. I wish this album was satire. Because the only way I got through it was listening through that lense. -1/5
Crazy but accessible, and one of the first double albums ever released. Not a zappahead so can't give this more than three. One of my partners favourite albums.
10 songs in, there was no mistaking what the group had set out to do. Satirically emulating pop music, and by extension the industry and the cultural mindset that makes it possible, is a risky bit for a debut album. Diogenes would have been proud! Then the track 'Trouble Every Day', drops the pretense and the Mothers show you a bit of what they truly are. An adept psych-blues band with a penchant for laser focused social commentary. The remainder of the album slips and descends slowly into chaos, culminating in a true freak out of a track with 'The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet.' I guess they needed to fill the 2nd record with something. A wild ride, indeed.
This album was recorded in March 1966! This was not only before the White Album and the Velvet Underground's first album were released but also before even Revolver was released. Frank clearly wasn't influenced by Michelle and Norwegian Wood. He was on his own trailblazing. It is a wild album. Some of it is a little tough to get into these days but it set the table for a lot of wacky stuff that FZ delivered over the following decades.
Something I've learned about 60's music from 1001 is that 1966 was around the time that things started getting weird. The first disc of this LP draws on twisted doowop and the second slides into avant-garde and noise which would be great if I was on LSD. I was hoping to hear more of the guitar playing Zappa put on display on the opening song, but that was that. It's easy to see how this could have influenced future musicians, but I'm unlikely to listen to it again.
The debut album from the brilliant and prolific Frank Zappa (over 60 studio albums and countless live, compilation and bootleg albums!). Zappa is one of my favourite artists but since this is his debut it only offers an inkling of his satirical and musical genius. This album throws in the kitchen sink with doo wop, art rock and musique concrète sound collages and maybe it's all a bit too much as it doesn't quite hit as well as many of his latter releases, many of which are 4-5 star albums for me. Its sacrlidge that Zappa only has two albums on this list though (Freak out and Hot Rats), they could have dumped a pile of mediocre Brit Pop and added a few more of his seminal works.
Okay but still a lot of 50’s influence in what is supposed to be a progressive rock album
Interesting, lively, good atmosphere
Just can’t get into it.
I think mercury tastes alright
Frank Zappa is the frontman of this band? I thought I recognized that stache! lol "a satirical expression of his perception of American pop culture and the nascent freak scene of Los Angeles" didn't listen to the whole thing but from what I heard. it's not my fav.
Uberweird lyrics, not a bad band
5/10
crap
Such a rediculous debut album. Wonder what people thought first listening to this in 1966. 100% an album you need to listen to before you die. Won’t be for everyone, and some of it is just a bit too strange that it’s not quiet a masterpiece in my eyes.
Personal favorite of mine.
This band can do everything. Actually a fun and catchy album, more accessible than their jazz fusion stuff.
With a second album, the novelty of it is gone and rather annoying
Frank Zappa, felt to me a little boring, interesting guitars
A weird and brilliantly innovative record. Music was certainly evolving at a real pace at this time in the sixties.
oooh, it's Frank Zappa. No wonder I didn't like it. Just some goofy, silly shit
Ist progressive Rock immer so komisch?
Knock it off with the marimba. Whatever value this album has, it’s totally derailed by Zappa’s awful voice and the incessant need to be ‘weird’. I guess for 66 it’s cool to be weird but on an actual listen it gets old pretty quick.
Trying to keep my bias in check because I really can’t stand Zappa. Putting all of his goofball crud aside, I think the pop elements on this are mid and the “experimentation” is insincere and uninteresting.
Zappa has always been a difficult bridge for me to cross (except for a track here or there), and this is the first album of his I’ve actually listened through. I’m pleasantly surprised! Yeah it’s goofy as hell and my gripes tend to lie with when it gets too goofy, but when it stays musical I actually LOVE this! Lots of different subgenres and influences get brought in and played with, I really had no idea what to expect from track-to-track. Lots of very cool interpretations of early hard rock and early psychedelia. Points just get deducted for the occasional points (Wondering Why I’m Here, or It Can’t Happen Here for instance) that are a mere step above cartoon sound effects. I know the ending epic noise experiment will be polarizing, but I think it’s kind of cool even though it goes on way too long. Special shout outs: Hungry Freaks, Brain Police, Trouble Every Day, Help I’m A Rock
I loved this, it’s just a whole album of Pull my Strings by the Kennedy’s, but written when the Beatles were writing revolver
"1001 albums of dad rock from the 19th century"
The first few songs got me thinking that it would be a good, experimental album. But after a few next songs it turned out to be a weird, monkey-noises, experimental album. Not for me.
Some annoying tracks towards the end but still some good stuff on this album
Reflex review: hate this stuff, ‘kin Boomers! Review in kind: at least the Sultans of Ping had Where’s Me Jumper. Comic records I like: Locust Abortion Technician by the Butthole Surfers (though the sexual assault song is revolting), Dante’s Disneyland Inferno by the Sun City Girls, the few Rutles tracks I’ve caught, maybe Meet James Ensor by They Might Be Giants (biased as I associate it with the incredible Chris Morris/Peter Baynham Radio 1 show), a smattering of Bonzo Dog tracks I’ve had shoved into my ears. All of these have something unusual, some new shapes and intentions of their own, other than a wish to point to something else and yell “ha ha”. These records have skin in the game. Most comic records suck, are childish and petty, and this is no exception. Leaves me sad that time and talent went into making music for self-identifying smartarses. Apart from Trouble Every Day, which I think is good and not an over engineered sneer. There are worthy parts on most of the songs, infuriatingly.
Glad I heard this, knew Trouble Every Day which is excellent. The rest is like an off-kilter Byrds album mixed with Buddy Holly or something. Probably won't listen in full again anytime soon
I get what they were trying to do, but man is it annoying. No thanks.
Zappa and The Mothers of Invention I don't love by any means but certainly appreciate what they did and their contribution to music and culture. This is probably their most well known, I'm guessing. It's definitely an interesting and fun to listen to. A bit long and not something I want to listen a ton, but worth checking in on every so often.
I don't know how to feel.
Insanity. Mid 60s punk?
Low key really dislike this album. Just too out there (and I like weird music)...and the vocal delivery kind of annoys me. 1.5/5
Freak Out! by The Mothers Of Invention is such a different album than you think Frank Zappa capable of. It sounds very contemporary for a 1966 release until you start to pick up different instruments and lyrics and then you get that it is indeed a Frank Zappa album. 3.5/5
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
Oh look it's a slightly angrier Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I'm glad Zappa exists but I really don't get him. And I love weirdos!
Jotenkin tämä on suloista. Hyviä hauskoja pikkujuttuja. Mutta etenkin loppua kohden liian ärsyttävällä tavalla muka-naiivia, vie hohtoa paremmalta alkupuoliskolta.
Ei ole jatkuvan varautuneisuuden arvoista.
This is about as good as an album like this can be. Problem is I still don’t really really like this style. Zappa is cool and I’m glad he pushed the boundaries of music in the way he did, it’s just a bit of a tough listen.
i’m always interested in 60s psychedelia, especially if it’s experimental like this album is. this fell a little flat for me, mostly because of the lyrics, but was still a fun listen
Certainly a debut that would come from Frank Zappa.
wowie zowie
Had not listened to this album for twenty years or so. It is better than the previously 1001list-generated We're Only In It For The Money. The majority of the songs are catchier, but also on Freak Out!, too many tracks are parody genre songs: well executed but ultimately not so interesting and a bit too boring to listen to more than once. There are some nice exceptions, such as "Trouble Every Day", and three stars would have been about right, but the final two "songs" (25% of the album length) bring it down to two stars. Hopefully some of the later Frank Zappa albums will also be included on the list (apart from Hot Rats, which has been generated already as well).
The Mothers taking on various genres and musical influences in their typical tongue-in-cheek kind of way. I might not always be in the mood for this, but the music was pretty good. Toward the end it is becoming crazier and crazier, which I happily went along with until maybe 5mins before the end.
If it's a joke, it's a bad one.
It's ok but it feels very long
Kinda fun. I just find it hard to give a serious listen, which is odd considering my general love for bands like Primus. Maybe I’m just to young to get the nuances of some of the jokes
I did not find this to be a very entertaining album.
It's super interesting to see parody and satire of music still happening at the time of the music being made at the same time as this album. It would be like if Weird Al made Eat It before Beat It was even released. It's even better because Frank Zappa and his bandmates don't sacrifice the quality of the music (most of the time) for making fun of various genres, topics, and lyrics. It all turns into an album where you can only think more and more "holy shit, this was made in 1966!" I think the end of the album pretty much going crazy is also a great choice to keep the album from getting stale. I will say, though, that the length is a bit much, and even with only fifteen tracks, there's definitely some filler in here, with some songs seemingly repeating paordies of things like Doo-Wap. Still, really blown away by this, and I feel this is a high four.
A total trip. Never super sure where it's going to go, but it's played incredibly, and it is indeed a freak out. Favorite tracks: "Help, I'm A Rock", "Motherly Love"
Not in the mood
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
1/5 Best: I Ain't Got No Heart Worst: It Can't Happen Here
I appreciate the importance and technical artistry of Frank Zappa, but I don't actually enjoy his music very much.
Definitely weird but the melding of doo-wop and bluesy rock was interesting. There’s a lot to like here. 3 stars
got bored fast
Nah it’s not for me. It’s just not it sorry…
Jelikož jde o album od Franka Zappy, věděla jsem, že půjde o kvalitku. A zklamaná jsem rozhodně nebyla. Texty byly rozhodně nejsilnější stránkou spolu s parodickým provedením typického šedesátkového rocku. Album je jakousi pomyslnou kritikou konzumerismu, masových médií, rasismu a dalších sociálních problémů, čili je to dodnes relevantní (čím dál víc imo). A z velké části také paroduje klasické téma lásky v hudbě, je to melodramatické, patetické a tak přesvědčivé, že se skoro uzavírá kruh a přispívá to stereotypu, proti kterému se bouří. Ač se to tak ze začátku tváří, není to klasický rock, některé části jsou docela experimentální, zejména poslední písnička (The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet), na které se dost vyřádili. Mothers Of Invention se rozhodně nenechávají svázat dobovými konvencemi, ale přece je tu dost znát doba, ze které pochází. Freak Out! není proto nutně album, ke kterému bych se často vracela, ale rozhodně cením kreativitu za tím vším. Nejlepší písničky: I'm Not Satisfied; Help, I'm A Rock (sarkastický text, overall vibe) Nejhorší písničky: How Could I Be Such A Fool, Anyway The Wind Blows (nejsou vyloženě špatné, ale přestože je to parodie, je to až otravně stereotypní) Hodnocení: 8/10
Seriously, what in the fuck was this crap? Did not get the humor. Did not get anything about this album. The end couldn't get here fast enough. And the end was worse than the beginning. Right up there with one of the worst things I've heard off this list. And you play this crap right after the electronic dance album? Just terrible.
This feels like an album that is clearly a joke album teasing doo-wop but at some point someone important took it too seriously and then through a series of comedic events ended up on this list. Kinda funny and silly. This is the type of experimental that suits me more. Strong sense of melody but also kazoo. 3
2 If in a nearby parallel universe The Beatles’ experimentation with LSD resulted in a bad trip, I imagine their subsequent music would have sounded something like this instead of Sgt. Pepper’s. Yet somehow, this album was composed by a man who famously abstained from drug use, which kind of makes it more terrifying to me - though to be fair, I guess their producer was on LSD so I’m sure that was a factor. Anyway, apparently Zappa’s goal with this album was to satirize contemporary American culture and music, and that definitely came through to me, especially with the takes on pop music that sounded purposefully inflated with goofy, overdone lyrics and kazoo solos. I’m not sure if that’s the aspect that makes people revere this album, but if you ask me, just because it’s satire doesn’t mean it’s automatically smart, insightful, or even any good for that matter - I mean, there’s a reason Meet the Spartans isn’t hailed as a cinematic masterpiece. That kind of stuff takes up the majority of the album, with the beginning and end being bookended with some near-unlistenable songs that feel a bit more like psychotic episodes - kudos to anyone else who made it through all twelve minutes of The Return of the Son of the Monster Magnet. Even if Zappa himself didn’t do drugs, he clearly knew who his audience was. The only other particularly notable track here is Trouble Every Day, which happens to be the one moment on the album where Zappa decided to drop the whole satire thing and just go all in on his grievances with modern America in a blues number. I really wanted to appreciate it, but ultimately it just kind of boils down to “TV=bad” and “these racial riots are an annoyance to me”. The line “Hey, you know something, people? I'm not black, but there's a whole lots a times I wish I could say I'm not white” gave me hope that he was making some kind of progressive statement acknowledging white responsibility for minority disparagement, but the next verse seems to indicate he says that because he’s annoyed these incidents are affecting white people. Maybe there’s a deeper meaning to the song I’m missing, but overall it just doesn’t seem particularly forward-thinking. So yeah, purposefully bad, purposefully weird, and one decent song with a questionable message is how I would summarize this album. I considered a 1, but I think it’s just interesting enough to keep it out of that zone - still, don’t understand the hype surrounding this one.
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
Thoroughly enjoyed this. A mixed bag of freak!
It's fine.
not always enjoyable to listen to but I will say that I’ve never heard anything like that. Suzy Creamcheese.
Chaotic good 4.5/5
Zappa, zany as hell. My favorite part was the song with Suzy Creamcheese’s conscious
Not a huge fan to be honest
To completely counter the “peace and love” hippie movement of the 60s, Zappa created a chaotic sound collage to show us the darker underbelly of fame and society.
Up and down, round and round
Very interesting 7/10
Guys if you are going to make a band... find a good singer... awful
Fine melodies but rubbish lyrics
Some of the music was good but in general this was a deeply unpleasant and annoying experience
The sex noises in the latter half of the album kinda ruin it
*Fliss* Þetta er svo... æji.. Margt af þessu er alveg gott m.v. tímann en svo er þetta bara parody 😂. It can't happen here er alveg til að toppa málið 😂
Freaking out myself, having to listen to this psychedelic nonsense
Sommige dingen kon ik wel waarderen, maar al met al toch te onrustig voor mij.
Te freaky en experimenteel voor mij
Dit was behoorlijk bizar, maar ergens kon ik het ook best waarderen. Aantal nummers vliegen volledig de bocht uit, maar de rest was best ok.
mediocre
It’s great but very long and (especially on the last track) the weirdness can be annoying 4/5
It’s Zappa, so I expected puerile silliness. Wasn’t expecting Zappa sounds and phrases that continue to appear throughout his other works this early in his oeuvre. Clever to hear his mimic/pastiches of contemporary styles. Not a keeper for me. I’ll stick to Hot Rats, Grand Wazoo and live at the Roxy, but if it was shorter it might pass as entry level Zappa.
"Freak Out!" Is the debut album by American rock band The Mothers of Invention. The Mothers of Invention consisted of Frank Zappa (guitarist/vocalist), Ray Collins (lead vocalist/tambourine), Ray Estrada (bass/vocalist), Jimmy Carl Black (drummer/vocalist) and Elliot Ingber (guitarist). The album's producer signed the band to Verve Records (MGM) for their white-blues sound. He got that and also doo-wop, songs with orchestral arrangements and avant-garde and experimental rock. The album was one of the earliest double albums and one of the first concept albums with Zappa's satirical perception of American pop culture and the growing freak scene in LA. It was not initially a commercial success but later developed a cult following along with Frank's other albums. Hey, it's The Stones! No, it's actually a rhythm and guitar that sounds like "(Can't Get Me No) Satisfaction" in the opener "Hungry Freaks Daddy." A searing guitar solo. An attack on the American school system. A bass drum and eerie work start "Who are the Brain Police" People screaming and pyschedelic guitar. This has a religious theme of sorts with people policing their own brains. Even Frank said this was one of his scariest songs. I'd agree. "Motherly Love" is more pop sounding with some nice 60's sounding harmonization. I think about groupies. An orchestral background is added to "How Could I Be Such a Fool" which satirizes teenage love. "Wowie Zowie" has a piano and is doo-wop. I think it's actually satirizing doo-wop. Did Pavement name their last album after this song? The third side begins with "Trouble Everyday." Here's the dirty bluesy sound the producer was looking for with the guitar and harmonica. Another excellent Frank guitar solo. A song about racial injustice and the Watts' Riots. One of my favorite Zappa songs. From here on out, things get weird and experimental even for Frank. "Help, I'm a Rock" is a three part suite. A repetitive beat and rhythm. A droning background. People making all sorts of random noise including a woman having an orgasm. Hey, this is 1965 for heaven's sake. Tipper Gore was not in the room. This reminded me of Pink Floyd's "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathering" so I'm a fan to a point. The entire fourth side is "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" where we are introduced to Suzy Cream Cheese and her conscious talking to her. The first half is a pyschdelic jam. The second half involves actual freaky people they brought in from the Hollywood streets to make random noises. The furry animals are back. I don't want to meet Suzy Cream Cheese ever. If you want variety and weirdness, this is it: blues, pyschedelic, garage, doo-wop and experimental. The satirical lyrics are pretty funny and so is the satire of actual music styles which I think they are doing at times. I like this album throughout but for the normal person, sticking to the first half and the singles is probably recommended. But, hey, if you like random sounds and chaos keep the record going.
Less freaky than most of their other albums let’s face it.
This is awful, but also so strange that I couldn't pull myself away. I never want to hear it again, but I don't regret the experience.
And, just like that, the world has been introduced to the ever chaotic, completely unorthodox and creatively intelligent world of the one and only Frank Zappa. At once maddening and ingenious, there is no way of knowing where he can go, where he should go and where he may ultimately end up and, on Freak Out!, all the cards are suddenly on deck. While not the greatest representation of what he and the Mothers of Invention had to offer, there is plenty to take away in regards to the material here, which does not shy away at all from satirical and at times farcical depictions of the culture that was at the time with some of the more genuine interpretations of doo-wop and psych rock and the kind of claustrophobic and cluttered sounds that best define the album's title. As far as the gospel of Zappa is concerned, this is perhaps the best place to start but, be warned, there is more where that came from. Favorites: Hungry Freaks, Daddy, I Ain't Got No Heart, Go Cry on Someone Else's Shoulder, How Could I Be Such a Fool, You Didnt Try to Call Me, Anyway the Wind Blows, You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here, Trouble Every Day, Help, I'm a Rock.
Different. Mostly in a good way. 3.5
Divertido
Weird and very funny
Familiar sound but quirky
A bit silly but fun!
tongue-in-cheek but with a tight band, pretty good
Funkar väl.
better than the average 60s psychedelia but it looks like zappa took his time to truly find his weird feet.
Didn't freak out
you can hear how important this album is and it's cool to think form the perspective of the time. that being said most of this album is trolling
4.0
Mostly very groovy
I see the vision, I just don't like it
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really Favourite song: didn’t have one
This album is satire that dances with satirizing itself. Meta humor gets to be too cyclical when it can't take itself seriously, and unfortunately this album continues to push that line. There's a lot here to like, but it feels like folks who stand for nothing bashing anyone with a stance.
I was amazed at how normal it sounded. The lyrics were wonderfully satiric, and delivered sardonically, but it wasn't weird or freaky. Then I hit It Can't Happen Here. That is an acid trip come to life! Then we get the sonic palette being fully expanded on that final track. This is a brilliant album, with a special nod going to Don't Put Your Head On My Shoulder. Sorry, that should read Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder. I love where he satirises the love song genre.
Weird as hell and i liked seeing where Zappa started
3.5 Some songs better than others, but overall really good.
Puerile nonsense
Weird album, seemed like the 60’s version of Tenacious D. Funny to hear a couple of times, but didn’t fall in love with it.
Zappa is a genius, his band is great too and the influence on the prog rock genre is crystalclear. As an album itself, I think it is simply too long and unnecessary 'artsy'. It's not something you can listen to very often. Hence three stars from me.
I will give Frank Zappa credit - he was completely unique and original, and for 1966 this album certainly broke new ground. But just because you're unique and different doesn't mean that listening to your music is going to be an enjoyable experience. Believe me, I've tried, but Zappa just doesn't do it for me. 2 stars.
I'm sure this was hilarious when it came out and you were off your tits on cheap acid or terrible pot but fuck me this is interminable. Parody is fine and all but it helps if you sound like you actually like the genre you're parodying other wise it's just mean spirited. You feel like their excuse for you not "getting it" is just you're not cool enough when really it's just groan inducing. Best Tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy; Anyway The Wind Blows; Trouble Every Day
monkeys fucking
1. I don't like this, won't listen again, and would never buy it.
Zappa is always weird but this one actually starts off fairly normal and then devolves into madness by the end. Most of the songs are satirical portrayals of 60s pop music and they do a good job. Some songs are even serious like Trouble All The Time. Overall pretty good but definitely can skip some songs.
Bien divertissant, l'humour des paroles est très bon, la musique est très originale et unique, surtout en comparaison à ce qui se faisait à la même année. Pas exactement mon genre mais j'apprécie beaucoup le soucis de qualité dont l'album fait preuve. 8/10
I’ll be honest I only got through half of this album and skimmed through the last half because it was dragging on so long. There’s not much going for this album at all, weirdly paced, strangely mixed at times and way way too long. There’s also times where random noises are chucked in that don’t make much sense, so what I’m trying to say is I didn’t like any song on here, it was all just a bit dull.
"Freak Out!" by The Mothers of Invention is an album that leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed. While it has its moments, overall I would give it a 2.5 out of 5 rating. To me, The Mothers of Invention sound like a poor man's Beatles knock-off, with their whimsical lyrics, catchy melodies, and psychedelic soundscapes. While I appreciate the effort that went into creating a concept album that explores themes of rebellion and counterculture, I can't help but feel like the execution falls flat. The album is a mishmash of different styles and sounds, with everything from doo-wop to avant-garde jazz thrown into the mix. While this eclecticism can be interesting at times, it often feels disjointed and unfocused. The production is also a bit rough around the edges, with some of the songs sounding thin and tinny. While this may have been intentional on the part of the band, it doesn't do much to enhance the listening experience. All that being said, there are a few standout tracks on the album. "Trouble Every Day" is a searing indictment of racism and police brutality that still resonates today, while "Hungry Freaks, Daddy" is a catchy, satirical romp that pokes fun at conformist culture. Overall, I would recommend "Freak Out!" to die-hard fans of 1960s psychedelic rock, but for casual listeners, there are better albums out there to explore. While The Mothers of Invention may have been influential in their day, their sound and style haven't aged particularly well, and their songwriting leaves a bit to be desired.
Skipped (below a 3)
Ykköslevy: Pojilla äänenmurros GjÖÖ miesmäinen bassoääni overly funny joke Kakkoslevy: HOLY MOTHERS OF INVENTION. hankala levy sulateltavaks nyt tulee kinkkinen 3 hankala sanoa pää ihan mutrulla tästä... voi voi..
It was good.
No thanks
No. Never been a Zappa fan. He’s a smart and innovative artist but I just don’t cotton to his ways. Go freak out over there, away from me.
Way too crazy (AKA "concept") for yours truly to be able to listen.
Frank Zappa leads a wacky acid rock performance mixed with parodic doo-wop that sometimes reminds me a lot of Disraeli Gears, yet this came out first. It's innovative and passionate, but there's a lot of filler in the middle, and I find the vocal style to be a bit too repetitive. Most of the tracks were pretty good but didn't interest me much besides the random injections and hit-or-miss lyrics. I really liked the chaos of the last 3 tracks.
It was fun but it didn’t grip me. Will listen again.
I liked some of this. Some of it (particularly the last song) was a little much though. 3.5 rounded down
Oh, Mothers.
Hungry Freaks, Daddy - wow, this is good! Who are the Brain Police? - Huh, interesting, but I like it. Go Cry in Someone Else’s Shoulder - Hilarious Trouble Every Day - fantastic song, great groove and vocals Help, I’m on a Rock - greatest song name ever?
This has never been one of my favorite Zappa albums. It’s probably the one I’ve listened to the least over the years, but this listen was a bit of a surprise for me. I’ve warmed to it a bit. It’s still hard for me to imagine this finding it’s way onto my stereo more than a couple more times before I die, but it’s more of a possibility today than it would have been before the latest listen.
A quirky album with satirical commentary lyrics and even in attitude. I appreciate it for its vision and concept intellectually. I also agree that it is definitely influential, but it was not enjoyable listening to it. Reminds me of when I was super drunk trying to be a rock star at my friend’s flat. I thought I was super witty with my random lyrics but I wouldn’t listen to it again the next day.
1. Trouble Every Day 2. Motherly Love 3. Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder
“We’re satirists, and we’re out to satirize everything.” - FZ
I've never really come across Mothers of Invention before... I have quite enjoyed this! Lots of inventive sounds and interesting experimental ideas. It's really fun and varied throughout. Although my brain was extremely busy while listening, I still found the songs and sounds stood out to me and didn't just blur into the background which is a rare quality for an album. Now with a tiny bit of research I find that the front runner and brains behind this band is Frank Zappa and that explains it all to me. I particularly like the sounds from the 12-string guitar and so cool to see they used hair pins and tweezers to create some of the sounds on this album. Really fun and I loved it!
Wow what an album! I had no idea what to make of this to begin with. Totally weird and wonderful and so varied in style. Some quite typically standard experimental songs mixed up with strange surreal stuff. I love it! I am informed that the Fall cover songs from the album which of course is the ultimate seal of approval
Wow. That was quite something. All over the shop but in a good way. Found it quite captivating.
Had het zeer lastig mijn concentratie bij dit album te houden. Net iets te experimenteel met momenten
It’s too avant-garde for me but I do appreciate the musicianship and the influence this album had on many artists. Not sure I’ll revisit that often though.
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.
I have never checked any of Frank Zappa's work...maybe an incidental track or two along the way, but I assumed that it might be too experimental for my tastes. I was surprised to hear how conventional the tracks on this album were...oh wait, there is more what I was expecting... I appreciate having the album on the project. Not in love, but glad to be introduced.
I enjoyed a lot of this, bopping twixt different styles with lyrics whose satirical nature was easy to miss when I wasn't paying attention. I think these Mothers were likely a retroactive influence on Lenny & Squiggy. I can live without hearing the last two tracks again though.
I suppose this cover is truth in advertising. This was an interesting listen, but ultimately it was a little too much of a FREAK OUT for me. I got very tired of some of this… the strange mix of doo-wop and psychedelia… the rambly lyrics that felt like they were being made up as they went along… the songs that felt like they might have been fun to make but not really to listen to. A lot of the songs had me wondering if I hadn’t accidentally skipped backward and replayed earlier tracks. The musicianship was good and there were some parts I liked, but this isn’t something I’m excited to revisit any time soon. Kind of a 2.5 for me - but it is weird so I’ll round that up.
Excellent album. Shows the diversity of Zappa at his best.
I wish I was anything but a rock
Jú, mjög frumlegt og ekki leiðinlegt, en ég er ekki beinlínis æstur í að henda henni aftur á óeiginlegan fóninn.
I (VERY) obviously haven't done enough drugs; or at least not the right kind. This is another one I can appreciate for their musical contribution and leave it at that.
I am finally old enough to admit that I am never going to like Frank Zappa. I feel like I know his type (based on his music): he is the guy at the party that is all shitty about people getting too drunk and always talking about the things that make music boring instead of the things that make music good. Oh, and have you seen his strat? You gotta see his strat. I don't have enough time left to try and like Frank Zappa before I die. 2 out of 5 stars. (sorry, not sorry)
Weird as hell. This is very advanced for its era. Let’s maybe consider Help Me I’m a Rock to be a great song, and the rest to be harbingers of an incoming age.
Absolutely delightful.
Terrible
Am I crazy or is this album kind of good? I didn't care for the random weirdness near the end (I was afraid the whole album would be this sort of stuff). The album was a bit too long in general, but I did enjoy a lot of it.
3.5/5. The last quarter is a bit too experimental for my liking, cream cheese…
Rock experimental de Zappa. No me ha hecho mucho. Ni fu ni fa.
Divertido.
Initial take after the first song: WTF? Final take after the last song: WTF? I bet you there will be a LOT of 1s thrown at this album. "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" is comedy. "I had my car reupholstered, I had my hair reprocessed..." comedy. This whole thing is comedy. There is so much kazoo usage, out of key singing, weird little vocal expressions but it's good somehow? It feels like parody, almost like a Weird Al-esque depiction of 60s music with a little bit of non-parody actual songwriting thrown in there ("Trouble Every Day" for example). These dudes were just having fun. Trying all sorts of wacky wild ideas out. I respect that. Especially given that it's 1966. "It Can't Happen Here" is exhibit A. We didn't even go to the moon yet and here we are riding this album out to "cream cheese" chants. This album reminds me a lot of Negativland's Escape from Noise just in how wacky it is and the balls on the artists for going to absurd levels of bonkers. I feel like there is a reason why this is on here but I didn't do any research as I was interested in approaching this wild album cover completely blindly. This isn't really music that I'm like "hell yeah let's go I want to blast this once a month" but it IS music that made me smile and laugh and wonder. So, hey, on that alone I'll give this a 3/5. (Looked it up right before submitting my review and learned that this is a Zappa album. Wild.)
It seemed average at first, then the last three songs got very experimental and did not sound too pleasant to say the least. At least the beginning was ok
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
Not really vibing with this.
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.
I wanna like it more than I do. It's kinda nuts they got seemingly carte blanche to do mostly whatever they want. Concept album for sure, but unfortunately it's not "fun" to listen to. I'm into experimental and weird shit, but I dunno... maybe I just need to get drunk or do drugs.
I like strange but this is a little too strange even for me
There were some songs that were ok. But, towards the end of the album when the acid was really kicking in...(Cause yes this album was written in one sitting and recorded in one take) were just vomit.
Urgh. Messy incoherent drugged up self-indulgent noise. Or so it felt. Not all of it was the worst thing I've ever heard, but overall it was poor due to it being very irritating and repetitive at times. Some parts were okay to good, but this was overshadowed by the album being cringe, an hour long and then adding insult to injury with a 12 minute final "song." People like this crap?!
Divertido
I've never listened to any Frank Zappa albums before (solo or otherwise), but I enjoyed this album. I thought the doo-wop songs were great, especially "Wowie Zowie," and I was cracking up at the lyrics to all of them. I also thought "Hungry Freaks" was great too, and had some really great social commentary. A lot of this album sounded way ahead of its time, but somehow it also felt like it felt right at home in the sixties. My biggest criticism of this album is that the songs that didn't land with me, really missed by a wide margin. Closing the album out with the twelve and half minutes "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" should be a war crime. But overall, I think I'd listen to this album again, as long as I bail before the last song.
One of the earliest concept albums and double albums in the history of rock. It's a wicked satire of American pop culture with some brilliant lyrics. Musically, the second part of the album is more experimental than the first half. A very strong debut from Zappa.
weird
So weird. So good
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!”
Очень неоднородно и очень интересно я хз, надо переслушать еще пару раз, но где-то хотелось хлопать, а где-то уснуть
Вообще я кажется начинаю понимать свои уши, что им нравится, а что нет. Так вот: я отвратительно переношу абсолютное непопадние вокала в мелодическую линию. Естественно в качестве украшений могут быть использованы всякие мелизм и тд, это ладно. Ну или может это стилистически оправданная техника пения, речитатив или что-то ещё. Но блин, когда человек тупо мимо нот поёт... та ну его этого недовокалиста. Собственно, первый трек меня сначала выбил из колеи. Это было очень тяжело слушать; в то же время, мне очень понравился звук... хз, что это такое, больше всего напоминало детскую или собачью пищалку, но скорее всего, это что-то из духовых инструментов. А потом стало лучше. Сильно лучше. Где-то это был обычный блюз, где-то уходило в хард-рок. В Wowie Zowie прикололся с ксилофона (кажется), песенка из мультика будто. Корооооче, я в общем несколько раз этот альбом послушал, потому что мне тяжело оформить какое-то однородное и понятное мнение. Альбом многогранный: каждый трек на нём можно слушать отдельно от всех остальных; причём, как оказалось, это же и была задумка авторов. Есть раздражающие вещи, есть невероятно потрясающие аранжировки (ловлю кайф с духовых), но чёт не цепляет совсем. Может быть, сейчас не подошло по настроению. А может стоит послушать более позднего Заппу. О, а потом был последний трек; традиция какая-то - пилить последние треки подольше. Сначала я подумал, что у меня вообще какая-то трепчина включилась: клубный биточек, синтезатор (очень похожий на терменвокс), семплированый голос ребёнка. И это превратилось в какую-то пытку абстракцией. Я вот несколько альбомов назад обижался на Kraftwerk, говорил, что я не понимаю их уровень абстракции. Как оказалось, там смыслов и композиции в песнях побольше было. Трек идёт 12 минут, можно было бы сделать укороченную версию Cop shoot cop. Но нет, развитие "The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet" приводит в какие-то джунгли. А дальше вообще какая-то порнуха и Чип и Дейл. Блин, ну всё впечатление от альбома испортилось. И всё из-за финального трека. Вывод: финальный трек решает. 2.5/5 ->3/5
Я в начале: блин, забавненький альбомчик Я в конце: ХЕЛП АЙМ Э РОК
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
What can I say... I get the shtick, but I would've liked it to be at least a bit more enjoyable to listen to. With that said, I can still appreciate the utter absurdity of it all. Let's call it 3.
I appreciate the boundary pushing, but ultimately, it's not that enjoyable of a listen. 2/5
A bit weird, some different genres in there too Pleasant though
I need to spend more time with Frank Zappa. I hear from many people whose opinions and views on music I admire and respect that Frank Zappa is one of their favorite musical artists. In all honesty, his stuff has yet to click with me. It's not that I don't hear how innovative and great he is; it's just that as a matter of personal preference I have not yet heard anything that draws me in. I'll keep trying.
I cannot get through this. It makes my ears sad
Time and the ability of human beings to hear have not been kind to The Mothers Of Invention. This sounds like your elderly uncle trying to be deliberately zany. Rating: 1/5 Playlist track: Anyway The Wind Blows Date listened: 08/01/23
наконец знаю каверы на кого слушала) концептуально
That was different, and interesting. Frank Zappa has always been an enigma to me. Every time I hear his work I find it interesting but then, a day or two later, I can't remember anything of what I heard. It seems that his workis condemed to be ephemeral for me. This is the start of it all - the first album by The Mothers of Invention - and it clearly shows what was to come. An eclectic collection of music, nearly all a long way from most other music being produced in 1966. Well worth listening to, but I doubt that I'll remember any of it a couple of days hence.
Con We're Only In It For The Money non èero stato clemente. Beh, questo aalbum mi ha fatto ricredere sulla band del caro Frank Zappa. Felice di avergli dato una seconda chance.
27th December 2022 Listened on the drive to Norfolk. Chilled day and afternoon. Had a couple of highlights but the eleven minute prog shocker at the end establishes this at something I won’t listen to again. 2.5 if I could.
Freak Out! was new music for me. I have heard some of Frank Zappa's work, but The Mothers of Invention is only familiar to me by name at best. I don't know what to really expect from Zappa. Some of the do-wop / 50s sounding tracks were a surprise. Overall the album was okay, and good enough for listening through once. There were only a few tracks that were dipping below 3 stars - the multi-movement tracks that make up nearly all of the second record (sides 3 and 4 - about 44% of the total music recorded). Rounding up, I guess the album can have 3 stars.
It just lacks energy. Maybe I need to be more stoned? Ahem, I mean, stoned. Yeah, that's what I meant.
Avant garde? Eclectic? A difficult listen? You think you're doing okay and then "It Can't Happen Here and Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" wrap up the album. It might be smart music, it just doesn't come across that way. A very rough go.
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.
I came into this with preconceived notions, specifically Frank Zappa = weirdo, and while that take isn't exactly wrong, I'd always thought he was a weirdness for weirdness's sake kinda guy. With that in mind, I was a little dismissive of this album at first. In retrospect, there were plenty of clues in the first three tracks, but it wasn't until "Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder" (a pitch-perfect send-up of doo-wop with an admittedly cringey faux-Mexican accent that crops up in another track or two) that I realized "Oh shit, this isn't just weird, it's satire. This is the counterculture letting its freak flag fly." With that little epiphany came a new appreciation for what I was listening to. There's still a bum-ton of weirdness, especially in tracks like "Help, I'm a Rock!" and "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet," but it's (usually) accompanied by pointed commentary on life in America in the '60s (much of it still relevant today, sadly). It's sorta like Spinal Tap (in the non-meta sense), but the Mothers of Invention are in on the joke rather than the butt of it. Kinda brilliant.
Dadaist, experimental, bluesy, and 60s rock goodness. I very much enjoyed this album & I can hear some of favorite bands here. I appreciate Zappa far more than I already did, and stoked to listen to more.
Not my style too many weird noises
Frank Zappa thrusts himself on an unsuspecting world with a killer opening gambit: “Mr America, walk on by your schools that do not teach” kicking off a song called- what else- “Hungry Freaks, Daddy”. Over the next sixty minutes (one of the first double albums in rock) he and the Mothers of Invention heap irony upon irony, skewering both pre-rock and roll pop and the psychedelic movement and blurring all lines between the sublime and the ridiculous. After having been a bit intimidated by Zappa’s jazz fusion output and famously arch sense of humour, the most surprising thing to me as a first-time “Freak Out” listener is that it’s a reasonably accessible pop-rock album. At surface level, there are plenty of conventional, catchy tunes on here. “Motherly Love” (questionable treatment of women aside), “Hungry Freaks, Daddy” and especially “Any Way the Wind Blows” all have the right mixture of sure-footedness and quirky charm to be winners. Zappa’s lead guitar work is in fine form from the opening, and the orchestration- brass section, strings and some cheeky kazoo- gives some lovely flourish. As the album unfolds, we veer between rock and doo-wop parodies, hearing superbly melodramatic teenage angst in “Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder”, “How Could I Be Such A Fool” and “You Didn’t Try To Call Me”. Some influences are more brazen than others. “Wowie Zowie” directly lifts the Four Seasons’ “Sherry” for its coda, while I like to think of “Help I’m A Rock” as a literalist’s response to Simon and Garfunkel’s song of a similar name: “did you ever think about what being a rock would actually feel like, Paul?” Any negative review here will tell you that Zappa is doing everything coldly, with scorn and a condescending “look-at-me” style of humour as he belittles the source material. Actually though, I think there’s some affection in the parodies. They’re solidly written songs that work on multiple levels: it’s not as though the only way to enjoy them is nodding and winking along with Zappa and co. The humour- sometimes scathing, always zany, often ridiculous- isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste, but to me feels at mostly the right level. Zappa’s repeated self-pitying ad-libs in the ballads, all focused around reupholstering his car to get his girl back, are hilarious. Even in the more obnoxious “It Couldn’t Happen Here”, I can’t make it through the ludicrous stuttering backing vocals without grinning. Things get a little more real with “Trouble Every Day”, an admirably searing protest song in response to police brutality at race riots in California. Then, the “freak-out” proper comes in the record’s final three tracks, which took up the entire second disc in original pressings. Up until this point, I was engrossed, but got a little lost in the indulgent finale. The total commitment to insanity is fun at first, but feels a little forced and has dated more than anything else on the record. Helium-voices chanting “cream cheese” for five minutes works as a one-off surprise factor, but there’s only so much enjoyment one can get out of it on each listen. “Freak Out” is imperfect, particularly as a double album, but it’s a beguiling listen and has made me want to hear more of Zappa’s wider body of work. I’ve already gone back to it multiple times and feel convinced that its songs will continue to do wonders for me: the 1960s would not be complete without it.
Entertaining, not in the way that I’d listen to it very often, but that I enjoyed it listening the first time through. Definitely memorable, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so much. They made the album they wanted to make and it came out probably exactly the way they liked. Wasn’t completely for me, but I liked some of it. 3/5
Weird AF, but liked it probably more than I shouldve
Has its place on here
Strange but interesting album
i really hate this kind of thing
To me this album is a bit too satirical and self aware. Everything about it is impressive though, especially considering the time that it was released. It's just not a very enjoyable listening experience to me.
Hilarious
Very creative and innovative, especially for their time, so it certainly deserves its spot on the list. But personally, I don't enjoy the music too much. The nonsense tracks aren't particularly fun either.
It's enjoyable. Never tops the opener, Hungry Freaks, Daddy but all very enjoyable. Daft humour, virtuoso musicianship and unexpected left turns, which could really be a review of any Zappa album, but that's not a criticism - nobody else quite walked the odd line he managed to walk!
So weird. It's awesome
2 in a row from 1966, how lucky. Ok so all things considered, that wasn't bad at all. Musically it was pretty strong, it had the psychedelic vibe but also a good amount of rockin and was full of melody, if a little silly (kazoo?!). Lyrically it was somewhere between daft and cliche - yes we get it, society and normies, what's THE DEAL with them? I dunno, maybe these were hotter takes at the time. Realistically, if this had been kept to 40min it would be a 4. But an hour was a bigger ask. 3/5.
Great
Love this album. Zappa is a genius
It sounds like it should be listened to on vinyl while it's raining outside with incense burning.
Pretty good
Odd nonsense album
sounds like they planned on being on the ed Sullivan show also pretty rough/garage 1.5
It's Zappa.
Zappa is a troll eh Nolan? Nolan: yuh
still a weird album
Ça tombe dans mes cordes, mais c'est inégal. Ya des chansons plus intéressantes, et d'autres qui tombent dans la formule. Ça ressemble à la version Wish de The Doors.
jahas jahas jahas.. viimeinen zappa tuotanto oli 5/5, tämä ei lähellekkään... viime kerralla ei edes puhuttu, ,mutta viesti tuli perille enemmän kuin tässä liibalaabassa... aikalailla 40 minuuttia pökäleiden vääntämistä ja sitten loppukevennykseksi apinaesque ääntely vähän laadukkaamman musiikin parissa.. nostattaa hymyn huulille ja albumin ylös ykkösestä... paras biisi help im a rock
Zappa's first outing is just as weird and surreal as one would expect. Unfortunately, advanced knowledge of cultural touchstones prevalent at the time of release are necessary to truly appreciate this album.
This is my second time listening to this album, and it did grow on me from the first time. However, the (purposefully) bad singing still prevents this rating from being higher. Favorite track: Motherly Love
Now that’s the Zappa I love, except it isn’t solo Zappa, it’s his band. So dense and odd and fun and wacky. I wasn’t prepared for it.
Rock experimental. A veces, una simple sucesión de ruidos.
Wow. What a hippy weirdo! Or, was he? Noise before noise was cool. Making fun of mainstream popular music and subverting it? That’s a check. Man was whiling, he and his merry persons. Dude was political and didn’t care, but in a real way not an uninformed Republican way. He is the kinda dude Republicans think they are. Experimental, yet accessible (except for that 12 minute outro track, I guess, if you ask my partner), this album bangs. Defs not for everyone. Sometimes too smug for his own good, I still really likey.
I hated every moment of this album.
Close to the border between genius and ridiculous, but I think still on the right side.
This is my second Zappa album of my last three. I did not like much of Hot Rats, but Freak Out I did enjoy. It has some actual melodies and pop song structures. I especially like the doo wop elements in a few of the songs. 3.5 stars
Super weird but fun.
not for me 2/5
Not for me... But my dad probably loved it...
meh
Enjoyable
I like the fact that this album exists - though not sure how much I want to listen to it again!
I don't know, it's different, deliberately so, so I want to rate it higher, however apart from nodding along doesn't grab me at all. 3. but an interesting 3
Sounds like the Beatles if they did more drugs. Very experimental rock, the last track is 12 minutes long with no discernable lyrics, but more listenable than Revolution 9. Overall there was some decent music, lyrically he was making some political and artistic statements.
I have always had a bit of a ambivalent relationship with the music of Frank Zappa. I respect him immensely. He's a mad genius with a solid crew of musicians backing him up. Flashes of brilliance abound in his work. But admittedly, I have limited patience for the looser, sillier aspects of his work. This album is a good place to start for someone like me. Challenging in spots but incredibly entertaining. The Mothers frolic in a whole range of styles that would have resonated with listeners at the time - doo wop, psychedelic, baroque pop, blues, garage rock, jazz. They do so with a level of musical creativity that is beyond next level. The songs are wacky, snotty, and somehow familiar, despite being deeply strange. The approach is always, always with tongues firmly planted in cheek. This album will probably never be a regular listen to me, but I kind of loved it. Fave Songs: Help, I'm a Rock; Trouble Every Day; The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet; Any Way the Wind Blows; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder
Listened to on 9/28/22 2/5 Favorite song: trouble every day This album was chaotic and too speak-y and I did not enjoy it
Good
Mothers of Invention Ah, some Zappa. Don’t like the monotone singing (even being intentional, it’s annoying). The rhythm and tempo changes are definitely interesting, however, and I can see glimpses of the musical genius in here. Unfortunately, a lot of that genius is hidden under layers of weirdness masquerading as genius, and separating the genius from the mere idiosyncrasies is often a difficult task. Ultimately, while I appreciate the innovation, I don’t like to listen to most of it, so I can’t really give it that high of a rating. The guitar work is often really, really good though, and the moments everything comes together and works, it’s a trip (in a good way). Top Tracks: - Hungry Freaks, Daddy – A good balance of weirdness and actual cool music - Trouble Every Day – One of the better white blues songs I’ve heard. - Help, I’m a Rock – Delightfully weird. I’m glad the reissues separated “It Can’t Happen Here” because it’s better without that section.
So hit and miss but overall, not for me
This album is quite a journey. Really cool instrumentals throughout and it raises still-poignant points about American culture. But the vocals are (intentionally) jarring and makes it pretty difficult to enjoy listening to most of the album. Favorite tracks: Wowie Zowie, Trouble Every Day
Very important album and musically brilliant. Just not as enjoyable to listen to as I’d hoped.
I’m sure they thought this sounded good when they made it while off their faces on drugs.
what a strange assortment of sounds, interesting and really weird at the same time. Kind of a fun album but not something I would find myself listening to a lot
clever record that i don't find myself revisiting often
So so good
What a trip!
Fantastic stuff, both way ahead of its time, and a great tribute to styles of the past. It feels like Zappa was really trying to keep a lid on the furthest-out-weirdness throughout the album, was only moderately successful, and then the weirdness came erupting out at high pressure in the last two tracks! 😆 Fave track - "Trouble Every Day" is one of my fave songs by any artist, and has been for quite a while! On this listen through, "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" and "You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here" were stand outs...
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.