Frank Zappa - Cruising with Ruben & The Jets
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Free Music Notes for Cruising with Ruben & The Jets
Free Music Review: A question
Hit: 3 Stars
I have not heard his CD but I did own the LP at one time and would rate it 3 stars only because it had a very funny parody of garage band histories (along with a classic picture of Zappa) on the back. It, frankly, was the best part of the LP. However I have this memory of Little Richard's song "Directly from my Heart" being on the LP. Can anyone verify this for me? Is my Alzheimer's taking over?Free Music Review: Beware: This is NOT the Original Recording Remastered
Hit: 3 Stars
I now own 2 copies of the 1980s didgial remix because this page claims to be the original recording remastered...unfortuneately Roy Estarda's bass and Jummy Carl Black's drums have been replaced with the 1980s sound of Arthur Barrow's Bass and Chad Wackerman's Drums. Ryko please release the actual Original recordings remastered like you did for 'We're Only In It For The Money'Free Music Review: The Mothers Novelty Album
Hit: 3 Stars
Although I like this album I dont consider it a true Mothers album. It focuses on the 50's Doo-Wop side of their influences and lacks any of the over the top musicianship and production of their previous three albums. It seems to have been recorded just for the fun of it. Nothing wrong with that! "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" is a classic Mother's tune. 3 1/2 stars!Free Music Review: A couple of good songs
Hit: 3 Stars
I love frank Zappa, but this CD wasn't quite his best one. It had a couple of good songs, like Jelly Roll Gumdrop and No No No.Free Music Review: Cruise Control Would Have Improved Ruben's Ride
Hit: 2 Stars
"The moving finger writes and having writ moves on." In this case, it would have been better if the finger had not returned to the scene of the crime. Few artists burned with creative energy like Zappa; frequently brilliant, he was also no stranger to crimes of self-indulgence and crackpot dementia. One can state unequivocally that he never took advice, freeing him to visit whatever extreme he desired. This made for art that always "dared to be different." Unfortunately, it also freed him to make catastrophic mistakes. The demise of Ruben & The Jets is a classic example.
This was always one of my favorite Mothers LPs. The balance between ironic, dark lyrics and straight-ahead - almost touching - musicality was perfect. The sax break on Anything was heaven itself. The reprise of I'm Not Satisfied, which appeared first on Freak Out, had real emotional appeal and was beautifully executed. Throughout, the simplicity of the arrangements made for a wonderful tribute album, Zappa paying homage to the doo-wop sound that is never far away throughout his music, (check 200 Motels).
I do not know what possessed him to go under the hood and remix this jewel, but it was an idiotic decision. Others have pointed out that he stripped away the original bass and drum tracks and replaced them with out-of-context modern equivalents. But the damage is far more extensive than that. This music lives or dies in the vocals and he tinkered with them considerably, to ill effect. Back-up instruments like horns have also been chopped up. In short, Zappa took "Crows On A Wheatfield" and painted some dogs playing poker on it. Hopefully his estate will find a suitable receptacle for this yellow snow and reissue the original, which is a treasure. Poor Ruben.