LUMPY GRAVY

"Lumpy Gravy" by Frank Zappa was a weird record which I both liked and disliked. It is Frank Zappa's third record and it was released 1967. It is a short record, made as two fifteen minutes parts of experimental music. We see a big picture of the musicians himself on the cover and on the record information we can read that it was a long range of musicians that made this unite. Zappa's records, those I have heard, haven't yet given me full satisfaction. They're too mixed with dumb things and beauty.

On "Lumpy Grave" I like the first half. I enjoyed its experiments and thought it was something different from everything else. It started with some form of fast cowboy-rock, which I liked very much, later it came some big band jazz and very beautiful instrumental passages and themes. In the end we have the opportunity to hear some wonderful blow instrument parts with echoes of Stravinskij. This part though is also filled with talking and conversation. Next part is even more woozy with a lot of talking and very experimental and crazy music. To be honest I just like the fast and melodic ending of this second movement. I remember this melody from another Zappa' song, one of those I like. Here it's called "Take your clothes off".

The total result of "Lumpy Gravy" is so messy that I think it's really too much. But I think that's the thing with Zappa, he was the opposite to moderate. I understand why people appreciate this record and it is not bad, but I have hard to really enjoy it. Two stars will I give it but I still think the record could be considered important.