Author Topic: The Zappa Thread (Read 81268 times)

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #140 on:** October 21, 2011, 02:26:14 AM »

Quote from: Ultimetalhead on October 20, 2011, 06:00:49 PM

I'm finishing up my first listen of Freak Out. This is some great stuff.

Yes, yes it is.

And Darkshade, well, since Zappa released it, it is a Zappa album. I know he didn't write the music himself, but he arranged it for synclavier.

Oh and, yesterday, in my local cd shop, the owner came to me: "Thought you'd like this"
A new zappa album, "Feeding the monkeys at ma mansion".

And although I've only heard 15 minutes or so, this must be his most tasteful synclavier music. I'm not really fond of Jazz from Hell, Francesco Zappa or Meets the mothers of Prevention, but this is different. If you like the sound of the synclavier, but you don't like the rushed compositions, this one is the thing for you. More space, more air, less Schonberg/Webern, more Debussy/Gorecki. (well sort of).

KevShmev · « **Reply #141 on:** October 21, 2011, 09:22:13 AM »

I never got into the bulk of Freak Out, but Trouble Every Day and Help I'm a Rock are both pretty sweet.

darkshade · « **Reply #142 on:** October 22, 2011, 11:00:31 AM »

I like Freak Out because it starts out so pedestrian, and gradually gets weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder and weirder

But I only listen to it on occasion.

bout to crash · « **Reply #143 on:** October 22, 2011, 01:45:31 PM »

Orbert · « **Reply #144 on:** October 22, 2011, 01:54:37 PM »

The roommate of a friend of mine was home one time when we didn't realize she was, and we were out in the living room smoking non-tobacco and cranking Freak Out! We listened to all four sides (fuck yeah vinyl) and when it was done we were just kinda sitting there and she wandered out of her room, half asleep. We had no idea anyone else was home. So we asked what she thought, and she said some of it was okay, but most of it sounded like "a nightmare". We busted out laughing, because it actually made sense.

Ultimetalhead · « **Reply #145 on:** October 22, 2011, 06:01:28 PM »

I think I might actually like Freak Out! more than the late Beatles output.

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #146 on:** October 22, 2011, 06:04:23 PM »

Am I the only one who really doesn't get the hype of Joe's Garage? Like it starts out great but after Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? it goes right downhill. Dong Work for Yuda and Watermelon in Easter Hay being exceptions.

Orbert · « **Reply #147 on:** October 22, 2011, 10:30:52 PM »

I used to feel that way, sortuv. Act I is terrific, never a dull moment. With Acts II and III, the story kinda fizzles out and things get really weird for a while, but I think that might be the idea. I never cared for either Dong Work or Keep It Greasy, but I love the mood in Outside Now and He Used to Cut the Grass. Packard Goose is kinda fun, but what really saves it for me is Frank's amazing work in Watermelon in Easter Hay. Whoa. It took me a while to really get into the later parts of Joe's Garage, but once I did, it definitely took hold.

SystematicThought · « **Reply #148 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:02:53 AM »

Act 1 is pure genius. The only highlight for me for the rest of the acts is Watermelon in Easter Hay.

After listening to Keep It Greasey, I could definitely tell that Frank produced Grand Funk Railroad's Good Singin' Good Playin'

darkshade · « **Reply #149 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:18:11 AM »

Act 1 and Shiek Yer Bouti are my favorites things from the late 70s Zappa stuff. ...Easter Hay is great of course

bout to crash · « **Reply #150 on:** October 23, 2011, 03:14:29 AM »

I pretty much love all of Joe's Garage...

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #151 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:04:13 AM »

Big confession: I never 'got' Joe's Garage either. The sound just doesn't stand out compared to what he did before (New York, Sheik etc.) and after (You are what you is, Ship Arriving...)

Orbert · « **Reply #152 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:03:38 PM »

Part of it is just the mystique of doing a concept album. It's a major work, so you get some points for even trying it, but you still have to have mad skills to make it work and do it right. I figure if anyone can do that, it's Frank, but I can see why Joe's Garage doesn't work for some people.

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #153 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:07:42 PM »

Well, actually. Joe's Garage was an after-recording made concept album. The concept and the Central Scrutinizer narrations were added later, to make some sort of story.

bout to crash · « **Reply #154 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:58:45 PM »

Really??

Orbert · « **Reply #155 on:** October 23, 2011, 02:39:12 PM »

Did not know that. Damn, today has been a day of enlightenment!

Orbert · « **Reply #156 on:** October 23, 2011, 02:39:57 PM »

First the kids in Stand and Deliver really cheated, and now this. Life seems so meaningless now...

ClairvoyantCat · « **Reply #157 on:** October 23, 2011, 03:07:14 PM »

I've been meaning to try more Zappa for a long time; I've only heard Hot Rats (which I enjoyed but wasn't wild about) and a scatter of this and that which I've forgotten, mostly. I remember really liking that one song called "Outside Now."

Orbert · « **Reply #158 on:** October 23, 2011, 07:27:33 PM »

Outside Now is awesome. One of the moody ones from Joe's Garage.

SystematicThought · « **Reply #159 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:11:36 PM »

Catholic Girls still makes me laugh

LieLowTheWantedMan · « **Reply #160 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:19:36 PM »

Catholic Girls is pretty awesome. One of the songs from Joe's Garage that REALLY loses me is Sy Borg though. I really cannot stand that song.

SystematicThought · « **Reply #161 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:22:06 PM »

Well, it is from Act II after all. But really, when Joe meets L Ron Hoover, the story and album just kind of take a nosedive only to be revitalized by a few songs here and there

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #162 on:** October 24, 2011, 02:32:00 AM »

Quote from: bout to crash on October 23, 2011, 01:58:45 PM

Really??

Yeah, although I have to verify that, wait a minute.

Well, not the best but no-one on the zappa forums goes wild when the poster makes statements about the concept being added later, and most of the songs being written before the actual album recordings. (I.E. before the concept was added)
https://www.zappa.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13987&view=next

KevShmev · « **Reply #163 on:** October 24, 2011, 08:44:08 AM »

I do think that Joe's Garage gets a bit tedious after a while. On their own, I like almost every song on the album, but by the time A Token of My Extreme kicks in, I start losing interest when trying to go start to finish.

Cyclopssss · « **Reply #164 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:22:38 AM »

Yeah, parts II and III were something of a letdown for me as well after the great act I.

What I cant'get over is the awesome live versions they performed of Freak Out! with the '74 ensemble (i.e. on the bootleg 'audacity').
Napoleon Murphy Brock was somewhat of a character, but he sang the HELL out of those tunes! For instance, 'How could I be such a fool?' The harmonies are fantastic as well. Always loved the vocal parts live of Ike Willes and Ray White as well. Outstandig vocalists.

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #165 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:28:15 AM »

You mean "Unmitigated Audacity" off of Beat The Boots?

I must say that (Apart from 'tis the season to be jelly' which I have on vinyl) I have never really dug into BTB.
I will totally listen to that in a minute!

Cyclopssss · « **Reply #166 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:35:23 AM »

Yeah, that's the one! The sound isn't all that great but the entire first half is great, imo. BTB is off course, just that, a bunch of boots, but I always loved listening to some of those, just for the humor in between songs that sometimes literally had me rolling with laughter.

"this is the b- side of our new single which we send out to radiostations, who never play them anyway. The stomp on them and break them instead because they rather play songs by bands that are cute and have shiny hair. Not that there's anything wrong with us, other then we're all ugly and over fourty....' (something like that anyway).

rogerdil · « **Reply #167 on:** October 27, 2011, 01:00:50 PM »

Listened to Over-Nite Sensation for the first time in ages. What a great album, my favorite of his studio albums.

Cyclopssss · « **Reply #168 on:** October 28, 2011, 01:55:57 AM »

Overnight Sensation, Apostrophe ', One size fits all, you can't go wrong with those.
Also, although its' a very different animal, I love Hot Rats and The Grand Wazoo.

darkshade · « **Reply #169 on:** October 28, 2011, 09:43:37 AM »

Quote from: Nihil-Morari on October 21, 2011, 02:26:14 AM

And Darkshade, well, since Zappa released it, it is a Zappa album. I know he didn't write the music himself, but he arranged it for synclavier.

I was just making sure people were aware of the fact.

KevShmev · « **Reply #170 on:** October 28, 2011, 09:47:33 AM »

Overnite Sensation and One Size Fits All both came highly recommended when I was first getting into Zappa, but, while I like both, neither of them knock my socks off or anything. I will always go for Hot Rats, Zoot Allures, The Grand Wazoo and Apostrophe (') before just about anything else I have by him.

darkshade · « **Reply #171 on:** October 28, 2011, 09:49:29 AM »

^ If we're talking that era of Frank, Roxy & Elsewhere takes the cake

Nihil-Morari · « **Reply #172 on:** October 28, 2011, 09:49:50 AM »

Totally.

Totally

Orbert · « **Reply #173 on:** October 28, 2011, 11:58:50 AM »

Totally. Easily my favorite from that period.

Ultimetalhead · « **Reply #174 on:** November 15, 2011, 07:54:04 PM »

I'm listening to "We're Only in it for the Money" right now. This guy is a fucking nutcase.

So far, I've heard Freak Out!, Ship Arriving too Late to Save a Drowning Witch, Hot Rats, and this. I probably prefer them in that order, but I think this one might sit nicely beside Freak Out! if it keeps being this awesome. Where should I go next?

News: Dream Theater Forums: Still "a thing" since 2007.

Author Topic: The Zappa Thread (Read 81268 times)