JOE'S GARAGE, ACT I

A morally troublesome work by the musical guiding star of my life. Some great songs(and one truly tremendous guitar solo) are on here, but the sexism of this at times gets more than a little off-putting. While giddy good spirits manage to carry the day in "Catholic Girls" and "Wet T-Shirt Nite", I find the song "Crew Slut" to be thuggishly crude and ugly. While the song begins with a clever musical imitation of an industrial factory(suggesting Zappa was not paying attention to society as it turned in North America into the sort of post- industrial society beloved by the globalization poo-bahs), it rapidly degenerates into repeated chants of "slut, slut, slut!" Not one of Zappa's higher moments. There are groupies out there? No kidding. Why doesn't Zappa express contempt for the morons who exploit them? I'm not being P.C. This song really is ugly. That being said, "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" is hilarious and "Lucille" is actually quite a beautiful song. A troubled thumbs-up by this Zappaphile.