TROUT MASK REPLICA

If you like blues cliches and forced vocals, this is the record for you. There are 3 types of songs on this record: complex rock songs with beat poetry, a cappella vocal tracks, and avant-garde jazz instrumentals. That's about it for variety. I like some experimental music, such as Can and Cluster, but this album doesn't offer much in the way of substance.

If this is a comedy album, than what's the joke? You could say the joke is that the band is out of sync, out of tune, and the vocalist is just saying random words into a microphone. That would be understandable, but that's one joke stretched thin for almost 80 minutes. Some moments are mildly amusing like "Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish" and "Pena", but they're few and far between. If the track list was cut down by half, it would be a more tolerable listen. As a double LP, it's too long.

For some reason, Trout Mask Replica will forever be more acclaimed than other albums in Captain Beefheart's discography. You can get the same music from Lick My Decals Off, Baby in half the time. This album has a presence on the internet, especially with the "fast n' bulbous" line. Is it just a music meme? There has to be more to it than that. If there is some hidden message, I'm not seeing it.

This is a polarizing album, to say the least; You either love it or loathe it. After reading about this album's "classic" status from music journalists and hearing it numerous times, I have come to the conclusion that this record is a load of nonsense. You might say "you just don't understand it", but what is there to get from 80 minutes of studio outtakes? The best thing about the album is the cover. I probably just pissed off a lot of music fans.