Frank Zappa - Lather
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Free Music Notes for Lather
Free Music Review: Yeah, whaddya want, it's great, okay?
Hit: 4 Stars
(...)Zappa neither walked on water nor was he the musical equivalent of a flasher. He was a serious composer who had some great moments, good moments, fair moments and downright godawful moments. And you can't get a better collection of all of the above than on this three-disc sprawling mass of....Zappa.My own preference goes for his purely instrumental moments, whether they be classical, jazz(ish), rock-heavy guitar moments or sploches of musique concrete. Where he loses me here is where he always has lost me, which is in his "social commentary/satire" phases. Be honest, how many times are you actually going to LISTEN to "Legend of the Illinois Enema Bandit" or "Greggery Peccary?" They weren't that funny to start with and repeated listenings sure don't make them funnier! On the other hand, "Regyptian Strut," "The Ocean Is The Final Solution," "Pedro's Dowry" and the other instrumental/orchestral components of LÄTHER are truly subversive, clever and can hook ya good. But it's all here for whatever brought the listener to Zappa in the first place and whatever kept he or she there, and that's fine.
Personally, I'm glad we had Zappa the composer/musician as well as Zappa the social satirist because it's nice to be able to choose the former over the latter. And BOTH are preferable to Zappa the diety.
Free Music Review: Lather Up
Hit: 4 Stars
This album makes you wonder what it must have been like back in 1977 when FZ, after the frustration with the record labels decided not to release his megawork, to play the whole thing on the radio (ALL 8 SIDES!). Some call it a masterpiece, a freak out, or just what the (explitive). The fact is this is a perfect framework for displaying the mind of FZ. You could get this title and have what so many other FZ albums do, though Lather was split into other albums like Sleep Dirt and Studio Tan. So many examples of what FZ is capable of. In the liner notes, it says it's understandable that this album could have been composed by a multitude of writers. Lather ranges from his Varese inspired orchestral works, jazz fusion, experiments with tape speeds, live versions of "Broken Hearts Are..." and "Tryin To Grow A Chin" (found on "Shiek Yerbouti"), and other stuff from the kitchen sink. Yet somehow this eclectic collection is all held together with Frank's guitar work and humor. Yes, a few go overboard (I never really got "Gregory Peckory). But when you start disc 1 with the powerful instrumental "Regyptian Strut", you know you're in for something special. Think of it as going into a funhouse. You're never quite sure what you'll get, but it's one heck of a ride.Free Music Review: There is plenty to glean
Hit: 4 Stars
Much has been made of the record company's trifling with this material. I agree with those who see Zappa as a great musician and composer who just happened to have a tacky sense of humor. The all-inclusive character of this album is therefore a mixed blessing, but there is plenty to glean. Most of the best material was released on Sleep Dirt and Orchestral Favorites. Those albums captured the artistic range, without subjecting me to such gems as "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (in which I found more embarrassment than amusement).