| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
darkshade 
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
 Topic: top 5 Worst Frank Zappa albums
Posted: July 21 2008 at 00:05 |
|
thought i'd add ANOTHER Zappa list thread, this time his 5 worst. I'm sure you know the deal. However, No, i repeat NO POST-HUMOROUS album. They dont count. I mean cmon, you cant count them, he wasnt alive, nor were they technically made by him anyway. only albums from Freak Out through Civilization Phaze III
1. Thing-Fish
2. Cruising With Reuben and the Jets
3. Them or Us
4. The Man From Utopia
5. Jazz From Hell (not terrible, the music is actually ridiculous. and i have listened to it straight through plenty of times, but only if im in the mood, it's just that it's sooooo synthesized)
|
|
|
 |
Chris H
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 08 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Status: Offline
Points: 8191
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 00:10 |
|
Zappa can do no harm.
|
Beauty will save the world.
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 00:14 |
|
yes, i agree, but even everyone has albums that arent as good as others
|
|
|
|
Astrodomine
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 06 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 182
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 08:45 |
|
It depends on what you like Zappa has experimented with many kind of music, I really enjoy Jazz From Hell and Cruisin. Me I don't like the Shut Up albums as much as the others..
|
|
febus
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: January 23 2007
Location: Orlando-Usa
Status: Offline
Points: 4312
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 10:51 |
The ones i can live without
1-Jazz from Hell
2-the 2 Fillmore with Flo and Eddie
3-Thingfish
4-Broadway
5-the one with Valley Girl (forgot the name)
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 15:52 |
 febus wrote:
The ones i can live without
1-Jazz from Hell
2-the 2 Fillmore with Flo and Eddie
3-Thingfish
4-Broadway
5-the one with Valley Girl (forgot the name) |
Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch. ill admit the valley girl song aint that great, but the rest of the album consists of some of his best 80's material.
|
|
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 15:53 |
Astrodomine wrote:
It depends on what you like Zappa has experimented with many kind of music, I really enjoy Jazz From Hell and Cruisin. Me I don't like the Shut Up albums as much as the others..
|
well those aren't proper studio albums. they're just guitar solos from various live shows...
|
|
|
|
jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
|
Posted: July 21 2008 at 19:35 |
Well it's Zappa so it's all good, so there is no worst 5. I'm not however a big fan of the Flo & Eddie years, nor the Guitar or Shut Up albums (don't care for disembodied guitar solos), and the quality of the 80's albums is distinctly a step down from his best.
ThingFish I enjoy occasionally. Ruben & the Jets is a great early Mothers album, though it has been rendered unlistenable on the CD version due to FZ revisionism (new rhythm tracks).
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
Posted: July 22 2008 at 20:36 |
jammun wrote:
Well it's Zappa so it's all good, so there is no worst 5. I'm not however a big fan of the Flo & Eddie years, nor the Guitar or Shut Up albums (don't care for disembodied guitar solos), and the quality of the 80's albums is distinctly a step down from his best.
ThingFish I enjoy occasionally. Ruben & the Jets is a great early Mothers album, though it has been rendered unlistenable on the CD version due to FZ revisionism (new rhythm tracks). |
i too used to not be too fond of his 80s material, but in the last year ive come to appreciate it, especially with the YCDTOS series and the '88 band releases. that may have been his tightest band
|
|
|
|
jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
|
Posted: July 22 2008 at 23:01 |
darkshade wrote:
jammun wrote:
Well it's Zappa so it's all good, so there is no worst 5. I'm not however a big fan of the Flo & Eddie years, nor the Guitar or Shut Up albums (don't care for disembodied guitar solos), and the quality of the 80's albums is distinctly a step down from his best.
ThingFish I enjoy occasionally. Ruben & the Jets is a great early Mothers album, though it has been rendered unlistenable on the CD version due to FZ revisionism (new rhythm tracks). |
i too used to not be too fond of his 80s material, but in the last year ive come to appreciate it, especially with the YCDTOS series and the '88 band releases. that may have been his tightest band
|
Agreed, there's a lot to like on the 80's albums. But they aren't up to the overall quality of the original Mothers' stuff. Also agreed on the three albums from the '88 band, which is probably ignored by many.
|
|
Rabid
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 20 2008
Location: Bridge of Knows
Status: Offline
Points: 512
|
Posted: September 03 2008 at 11:29 |
My least fave Zappa albums (tho' I do'nt hate them entirely).
Personally, I thought things started getting REALLY interesting around the Waka/Jawacka period and everything previously was just a rehearsal. (Tho', recording technology really influenced the quality of later material.)
Ship Arriving Too Late
Man From Utopia
Lumpy Gravy
Live at the Filmore
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
|
|
"...the thing IS, to put a motor in yourself..."
|
|
Rabid
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 20 2008
Location: Bridge of Knows
Status: Offline
Points: 512
|
Posted: September 03 2008 at 12:13 |
darkshade wrote:
5. Jazz From Hell (not terrible, the music is actually ridiculous. and i have listened to it straight through plenty of times, but only if im in the mood, it's just that it's sooooo synthesized)
|
That's the point, tho' ! Zappa did'nt intend the Synclavier compositions to be played by a human being.
I feel he was in his element and I'm gutted there's not more.
THIS makes me double sad :
Consider this :
We know Frank loved recording.
We know Frank loved composing.
We know Frank loved orchestrating.
We know Frank loved strange noises.
How cruel that he should die just when the perfect machine to fulfill all those requirements is invented.
SYNCLAVIER : Unlike a musician, it has perfect musical memory, you do'nt have to pay it, it does'nt drink or do dope, you can get it to perform EXACTLY how & when you want it, you do'nt get any lip and it does'nt drive to Pasadena at 3:30 a.m. in a petulant frenzy and wreck the gig !
|
|
"...the thing IS, to put a motor in yourself..."
|
|
Hawkwise
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 31 2008
Location: Ontairo
Status: Offline
Points: 4119
|
Posted: September 03 2008 at 12:23 |
|
Yawns
|
|
|
|
jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
|
Posted: September 03 2008 at 22:49 |
Rabid wrote:
darkshade wrote:
5. Jazz From Hell (not terrible, the music is actually ridiculous. and i have listened to it straight through plenty of times, but only if im in the mood, it's just that it's sooooo synthesized)
|
That's the point, tho' ! Zappa did'nt intend the Synclavier compositions to be played by a human being.
I feel he was in his element and I'm gutted there's not more.
THIS makes me double sad :
Consider this :
We know Frank loved recording.
We know Frank loved composing.
We know Frank loved orchestrating.
We know Frank loved strange noises.
How cruel that he should die just when the perfect machine to fulfill all those requirements is invented.
SYNCLAVIER : Unlike a musician, it has perfect musical memory, you do'nt have to pay it, it does'nt drink or do dope, you can get it to perform EXACTLY how & when you want it, you do'nt get any lip and it does'nt drive to Pasadena at 3:30 a.m. in a petulant frenzy and wreck the gig !
|
Gimme those original Pachucos from LA every time over the Synclavier.
|
|
darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
|
Posted: September 03 2008 at 23:00 |
Hawkwise wrote:
Yawns
|
*shoots*
|
|
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
top 5 Worst Frank Zappa albums
