Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention - Just Another Band From L.A.
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Free Music Notes for Just Another Band From L.A.
Free Music Review: I need the knits, the double knits !
Hit: 5 Stars
Its hard for me to believe that Flo and Eddie only recorded 3 albums with Zappa - - in part because as a person who's seen 200 Motels a million or so times, to me they're two ever enduring faces that I associate with The Mothers of that period. That said, I think this album is interesting because any time an event marks the end of an era in Zappa lore, you know something else is brewing around the corner, though its difficult to tell exactly what to expect. (Zappa was one of those artists who just never quite seemed to run out of creative steam, and seemed to enjoy fusing any type of music you'd think someone would tell him not too - - say music concrete, Reggae and the music of Spike Jones.)
...I say all this because this recording marks a transition to come and in some ways it *can* be seen, though only with hindesight and a good magnifying glass. - - This is an era in which the unbridled creative conceptualism of the underground Mothers is begining to tighten up and transform towards what would become Zappa's more polished Jazz/Rock endeavors in years to come. I like this album because the raw political rebelliousness, in your face surrealism and psychadelic rock influences alongside a really tight and punchy sounding line up. Sadly, I imagine that few of us today can truly appreciate the greatness of this album though - - first, you have the quintessential 1960's teenie bopper bubble gum pop band singing with FRANK ZAPPA - - The good boys with Haight Asbury's implant Italian Satan himself, and not only that, making fun of not only themselves, but the thing America holds sacred (a TV commercial) and also telling a tripped out story about a mountain (who happens to be a communist) taking a trip across America and wreaking all sorts of havoc as well as a story about an incestious Canadian - - and not only do they pull it off quite well, but they sing every bit like the legendary studio vocalists they were, and doing it so naturally you realize that even though they were the people Frank Zappa was actually once told by labels he should mold his sound after years later, *THEY* in the end were down with *him* ! - - In retrospect, you listen, and by the time its over forget that these guys were THE TURTLES ! ! !
All this said, lyrically, musically and Frank Zappically this is one of my favorite albums of his - - via the tail end of the "psychadelic Frank" era... and to boot, not only is the comedy and off beat musical conceptualism there, some of the tunes ARE damn toe toe tappable too ! For this reason, I'd also recommend this album for Zappa newbies as well and anyone in the world who hasn't been too dumnified by most the music out today to appreciate an artist with not only a deep cultural understand of the music he parodied, but a musical vision of his own! Viva la Frank !
Free Music Review: Rutabaga, Rutabaga, Rutabaga !!!
Hit: 5 Stars
4.5 Stars, rounded up because Frank was a genius.As the 60's melted into the 70's, Frank Zappa was moving towards change. This recording is a sort of predictor of that change. Upon hearing it back in '72, I couldn't help but feel that the innocent age of the Mothers was about to come to a close. It was as if the Mothers had gone full circle and were, in a way, a parody of their former collective self. Still, this disc is excellent, if for nothing but an historical document. But I like the music and in many ways prefer these live performances to the original studio versions.
Who among us cannot relate to a song about a mountain named Billy who's wife Ethyl is a tree growing off his shoulder? And when the song's self proclaimed hero (Studabaker Hawk) serves up an ultimatum to Billy and Billy responds by unleashing a rock slide on him, we feel Hawk's pain as he exclaims: "Oh ****, I'm gonna need a truss!"
And who among us cannot relate to a song that implores us to "Call any vegetable, call it by name" ? Personally, I'm glad I cannot relate to the character singing "Magdelena", since I have no interest in molesting children, but many in the day dismissed it as an indicator of Frank's sickness, rather than seeing it for what it was: social commentary. So don't buy this for it's sound quality - many later Zappa live albums have much better sound. And I don't think of it as one of the better performances from the virtuoso rock band point of view, which evolved in Frank's bands during the 70's. No, buy this disc because it is a window into a point in time when rock and roll was allowed to be goofy, silly and sleezy while still having a foundation of intelligence and informed perspective.
Free Music Review: Genius
Hit: 5 Stars
Along with the 'Filmore" album, these were my two favorite albums by Frank Zappa. In my mind he was at his best when enteracting "live" with other musicians, especially the "Mothers". Lyrically, Zappa's music could be cynical and quite sacreligious, but at the same time respectful and sensitive. For instance, the way he handles the topic of incest in the song "Magdalena" I find quite touching. In the beginning the song is funny, almost silly, but eventually Frank paints a pretty grimm and pathetic picture of a man involved in that type of behavior. I can almost remember feeling sadness towards the end of the piece. Frank had a certain empathy and compassion in his work that I really liked. I would put Frank up there with any of the great "Classical" composers. Both albums feature some very creative, spontaneous, unique and reflective work. There is some really funny stuff here for the open minded. Frank's writing and arrangements show an incredible amount of wit, intelligence and originality. This is the type of music that must be listened to with an open mind and an open heart. A lot of people in "Popular" Music today talk about being artists, these guys were Artists. I remember the first time I heard "Billy the Mountain", I laughed till I cried.Free Music Review: Best of both Zappa-lands
Hit: 5 Stars
This album combines the best of the earlier Mothers (ala Flo and Eddie)--you get the humor AND you get the solid tunes. First you get the epic Billy the Mountain, a musically diverse drama concerning Billy, his wife, (Ethel) the draft, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, California pop-culture, royalties, superheroes and various other themes. (I don't want to give it away) From there, you get to let loose with Call Any Vegetable after listening attentively to the previously mentioned story unfold. Eddie, Are You Kidding will make you laugh and keep you moving (I need the knits! The double-knits!) Magdalena is a nice little ditty about incestuous pedophilia (attention Woody Allen)and any song that can utilize the line, "Magdalena, Magdalena, daughter of the smog-filled winds of Los Angeles...I'd like to take you in the closet and take off your little clothes until you are virtually stark raving nude...spread mayonaisse and Kaopectate all over your body and take you down to Hollywood Boulevard..." is pretty cool with me. Dog Breath is a solid closer. If you like earlier Mothers, (i.e. Fillmore 71) you'll dig this.Free Music Review: humour definitely belongs in music ...
Hit: 5 Stars
The album begins with the 25-minute "Billy the Mountain", an astoudingly clever construct which presents itself as a mini-operatta where draft-dodging, air-force bases, las vegas, an economic superhero with a most amusing method of levitation, and SO much more, all tie-in to one of zappa's most hilarious pieces of social commentary. After this the listener is pummelled with a storming suite of songs covering issues such as how to treat your vegetables, double knit pants which stretch in all the right places, and father-daughter paedophilia. Inane advertising jingles and slogans serve as a conceptual theme throughout the album - Zappa absorbs this stuff and spits it back in our face. And we take notice 'cause it's so damn funny. The reason why this and most of the other Zappa albums with Flo & Eddie were live recordings seems to be so as to capture their frenetic, spontaneous energy and endearing charm. They had an enthusiastic dyanimsn about them which later more high-brow Zappa line-ups where never quite able to recapture. I love this album!