Zappa recs
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60156
Printed Date: February 22 2025 at 09:04
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Zappa recs
Posted By: Negoba
Subject: Zappa recs
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:28
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I'm just starting to get into Zappa.
I have three albums:
One Size Fits All: Phenomenal...this is what I want to hear from Frank
Hot Rats: Very Good but like a less developed, more 60's version of the sound on One Size Fits All
Absolutely Free: Moderately fun, some humour, but not what I'm really looking for.
So, jazzy, complex, instrumental. That's what I want. Some jamming is fine. Some humor is fine, but not into pottymouth too much. Where do I go next? ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Replies:
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:33
| Waka Jawaka. |
Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:33
...be sure to check out The Grand Wazoo & Waka-Jawaka
 ...& Over-Nite Sensation is in style with the others you listed (not instrumental though). |
Negoba wrote:Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:35
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How about the two main live albums people like - Roxy and New York? ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:36
I am personally not a huge fan of either...
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Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 10:37
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Thanks, I have three albums to check out...Wazoo was probably next from what I'd read. I'm also going to Prognation and trying to learn some of the songs ZpZ is playing. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 12:08
You probably want to go for albums from around that time. Over-nite Sensation or Apostrophe ('). I like his potty mouth stuff though. |
Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 12:12
I think my favorites of all his work are Lumpy Gravy & We're Only In It For The Money
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Posted By: Plankowner
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 14:54
Yeah I've been on a big Zappa kick lately because of this also, I bought the ZpZ DVD..
Here's some the set lists so far, I was at the Clearwater show and was very happy to get Cosmik Debris on my set, would have been a bit disappointed without it
 :Miami:
Clearwater, FL:
Asheville, NC:
Boston, MA:
If you can find that DVD I'd pick it up, I was lucky and found it in my local record store.. I'd suggest finding the live versions of the tracks above and compile a play list that way, the heart of the set seems to be Zomby Woof, Montana, Village of the Sun, Echidna's Arf (Of You), Don't You Ever Wash That Thing, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, and More Trouble Every Day with the signature songs Inca Roads and Peaches En Regalia. They have a different set every night which I always find very cool.. Hope this helps. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 15:03
| Some would say Zappa Plays Zappa to be just a rip off of his Dad's stuff, but I think Dweezil does Frank proud. And it is a nice collection of his Frank's less profane tunes. |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 15:17
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Well I have Inca Roads and Peaches en Regalia so I guess I know the "hits."
I honestly am new enough to him to not know the name to half of the songs. I may look for the DVD, though I usually don't do music videos too much. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 15:27
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Some have been mentioned but maybe it will help you decide : Those are my favorite, if i am not mistaken there mostly or completely instrumental, but great! : Sleep Dirt Waka Jawaka Studio Tan ------------- Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness. Emile M. Cioran |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 16:07
Especially when going to the beach, if you know what I mean. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 16:14
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Roxy & Elsewhere is for me a incredible mix of his blues roots with very complex arrangements, plus some humor(which I love), top-notch musicianship, jazzy roots also, and 1 pretty weird track which I still can't get into: Be-Bop Tango Zappa in New York Disc 1 is extreme humor and complex arrangements, which the result is freaking awesome. Disc 2 focus' on material from studio albums, which are adapted okay, though fall flat against the awesomeness of Disc 1. Studio Tan is a mixed bag: on one hand you got a very weird story-telled epic, which I can't get into. Second song, another pretty complex song. 3rd song, a commercial one. 4th song, definitely one of Zappa's best instrumentals ever, essential for anyone. Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo would be the first I would check in your case, focused on the instrumental jazz rock stuff with complex stuff. Sleep Dirt is another jazz rock driven one, but not as essential as the other 2, IMO. |
Posted By: moe_blunts
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 16:29
Both are perfect. Apostrophe and Sheik Yurbouti (sp?) are both great for more potty mouth awesomeness. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/moe_blunts/?chartstyle=minimalDarkRecent"> 
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 16:33
Sheik Yerbouti, if I'm not mistaken... However, respecting to those recomendations, I would agree if he wouldn't be looking for more jazz-oriented stuff by him, and humor-less if possible. |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 19:13
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Jazz-orientedly-speaking, checkout The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life and Make A Jazz Noise Here, both recorded on FZ's final tour. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 19:25
Yerbouti as in Sheik Sheik Sheik, Sheik Sheik Sheik, Sheik Yerbouti, Sheik Yerbouti.  Now if you do want to go into potty mouth and whole weird areas, Thingfish and Joe's Garage are highly recommended by me. Zappa had a great band assembled for SY, so if you can get past the extremely profane like Bobby Brown, Broken Hearts Are For a holes, and the mildly profane stuff, there's a lot of good music there. It's a mixture of live and studio tracks. Flakes one of my favorites. There's a sort of companion DVD available: Baby Snakes. Highly recommended, probably less profane, more weird, and stuff from previous albums. It's mostly live performances. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 19:35
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City of Tiny Lites is easily my favorite from Sheik Yerbouti, with none other than Adrian Belew providing vocals. To be honest, that was the reason I first checked out the album, knowing that he was involved...glad I did, because while it's not one of my favorite FZ albums it's got a lot of good material. Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh are both very good albums as well, both more focused on the odd, less humor oriented material and more oriented on good instrumental bits. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: zappaholic
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 21:03
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Also check out You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert.
------------- "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 21:05
Hey, there's a lot of good music in both Bobby Brown and Broken Hearts, and neither are that offensive any longer. The mix of Bobby Brown on Have I Offended Someone is a remarkable example of the caring, meticulous, er...some might say obsessive, detail that Zappa put into every song, whether it be something like BB or his more "serious" stuff.
And agreed, SY seriously rocks.
------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 21:23
Everything that's been suggested so far is great.... but if you really want to experience the full Zappa experience then you need We're Only In It For the Money. Musical madness at it's absolute best.
 It certainly isn't an easy album to get into but if you can then the world opens to you my friend.
To love this is to love Frank Zappa.
As I write this I'm wearing a tshirt with the very image above on it. -------------  Time always wins. |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 22:45
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I'll put in another vote for Burnt Weenie Sandwich. It's such an overlooked but absolutely brilliant album. It's the perfect combination of the strict composition and jazz improvisation of The Grand Wazoo, all thrown together with a little bit of fun and one massive, killer epic.
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: August 05 2009 at 23:26
As one who is always looking out for the best interests of our fellow prog lovers, I'd best warn OP that once you go down this FZ path...well it's eventually, one way or another, going to be at minimum a 50 CD and/or download equiv commitment 
I know, I wink. But even at his worst (the Flo & Eddie Years by my reckoning) he is so far above practically anything else that was occuring at any given time that it makes it all mandatory. The '80s stuff can be mediocre -- Zappa being Zappa just for the sake of it -- but you pop one of those CD's in the player and it still sounds good today. Good Lord, even Harder Than Your Husband, Goblin Girl, all that funny inappropriate stuff...listen to it, it's perfection. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 00:47
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the original poster is clearly looking for Läther. it combines the best elements of Zappa in his 70s prime (jazz oriented, tight compositions) and the 60s Mothers (humor, spoken word, wild avant modern classical) with it's own little spin. it's his most epic album, contains some of his most impressive work. a 5 star masterpiece of progressive music and a must-own for any Zappa fan. Only ZNY is worth having from the album's split parts, unless you must have em all! But Lather is definitely the way to go ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 00:47
bookended by great doo-wop songs, the last one being a little more sad, a rare emotion found in Zappa's music. great album though, you're right. one of his best ones. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 00:52
well besides the 88 band, his more serious works from the 80s are out of this world. it makes sense since he was losing interest and drive in making his rock studio albums, and wanted to work on the music he always wanted to make. Jazz From Hell (1986), both London Symphony Orchestra albums (1983, 1987 respectively), The Yellow Shark (1993) and Civilization Phaze III (1994) are such incredible records, it takes many many spins to fully appreciate. I still find new stuff in those records when i hear them. And his humor is STILL there, even without the rock and jazz contexts, and vocals. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 01:47
http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=216202 - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=216202
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Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 09:38
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Alright, here's what I'm probably going to get
Grand Wazoo (sounds like the best best for jazz-fusion and complex composition)
Over-Nite Sensation (good jazzy album which also is getting play by ZpZ)
Waka Jawaka and Apostrophe seem about equal, the former being more my taste, but the latter getting played by ZpZ quite a bit
Roxy seems to have several tunes ZpZ is playing alot, but I can't find elsewhere.
Does this seem about right? ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 11:00
you really cant go wrong with any album released between 72 and 78, which seems to be the era you like so far. This includes my recommendation for Lather, since it was supposed to be released around 76 or 77 and includes recordings made between 72 and 76. personally, i would get The Grand Wazoo and/or Roxy & Elsewhere first, if those are the 2 you've got your eye on. at that point you if you're enjoying those albums, you wont be disappointed by any of the other ones. btw, If you want more of that big band sound ala The Grand Wazoo, you have to get Waka/Ja-waka, Wazoo (2007), Imaginary Diseases (2006), and Lather!!! (The Adventures of Greggary Peccary)i think once you're more familiar with this era of Zappa, as well as some other albums of his, you'll appreciate the 88 lineup more (Make A Jazz Noise Here, BBYNHIYL) also, dont forget about the You Cant Do That On Stage Anymore series. Volume 2 is a complete concert from 74 (?) ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 11:06
random thought, but i wish the 88 band played The Adventures of Greggary Peccary 
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 14:35
| As many people have said, Waka-Jawaka is a good choice for what you're looking for, it's definitely his best in my opinion. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 15:22
Sorry if I missed something, but what does it have to do that Zappa Plays Zappa plays that stuff? Anyways, yes, Grand Wazoo is the album you should get first. Over-Nite Sensation is one my faves by him, but not sure if I would call it very jazzy, neither very popular among PA. Some say it's too commercial..... I've wrote a review for it, if you're interested Roxy and Waka/Jawaka should be runners up. |
Posted By: Plankowner
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 15:47
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He wants to be a bit familiar with ZpZ when he sees them on stage during Prog Nation 2009 .. Albany, NY:
Wallingford, CT: (This set list looks incomplete)
A few more set lists.. |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 16:06
Alright, where do you find Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy, Echidna's Arf, Don't You Ever Wash that Thing, The Black Page other than the live albums ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: LiquidEternity
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 17:03
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I don't know about Carolina... but the others don't ever show up not on live versions. But don't worry! The Roxy & Elsewhere, Zappa in New York, and YCDTOSA, V2 versions of those remaining songs are fantastic! Zappa is more or less the only band I really care for live albums from. But trust me, they're great. Perfect sound, pristine performances, and Zappa actually is funny sometimes live. I guess I have to throw this in here: I love Zappa's music, and he's so goofy and humorous, but he's very rarely actually funny. Hm. -------------
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: August 06 2009 at 19:17
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"No more credit from the liquor store..."
There are only live versions of Carolina...
------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: August 07 2009 at 02:22
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the Black Page part 1 is on Lather, but i believe it's still live. The others are live-only songs as well. most of Roxy & Elsewhere is live-only songs. looks like ZpZ these days sticks to the era we're all discussing, plus Hot Rats. Dweezil should expand into some of the late 70s stuff, the better 80s material, and the more musical 60s stuff. **EDIT** nevermind, i saw some earlier 60s stuff, but where's the great Let's Make the Water turn Black medley from MAJNH??? that's something they should be playing ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: WalterDigsTunes
Date Posted: August 09 2009 at 21:58
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If you dig Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo, be sure to check out the posthumous "Imaginary Diseases." Though the tape quality isn't perfect, this collection of live big band jams is a real treat. If you enjoy One Size Fits All, Roxy & Elsewhere is a safe bet. Similarly, if you happen to enjoy that one, go for the two CD You Can't Do That On Stage Vol. 2. It has the same general line-up but many of the songs are played at a faster tempo. Great stuff! |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: August 10 2009 at 00:18
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: August 10 2009 at 00:19
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I got into Zappa with Apostrophe and Joe's Garage. Neither will disappoint. -------------
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