JOE'S GARAGE, ACTS I, II & III

Nice moments (the guitar solo of Watermelon In Easter Hay, Packard Goose, Joe's Garage, Stick It Out), but very deceiving in totality. This triple disc - now double CD, an hour by disc - is often considered as one of Zappa's real best albums. Maybe his lest great work. Sorry, but this album, the first Zapa album I listened to, is for me one of his most overrated ever. To put it very clear, it bores me at a point I almost decided not to listen to the other albums Zappa made. It's almost a miracle I decided, one year after, to put an ear to Apostrophe ('), Zoot Allures, Hot Rats and Freak Out ! (I found them all great).

Joe's Garage is a concept album. The story ain't that hard to understand (in a future world where music is considered as illegal - just like for books in Fahrenheit 451 - a young man, Joe, lives a lot of adventures, including playing rock, and is throw down in jail. After his release, he stops playing music, except in his head. He ran crazy. And all the story is related by a kind of machine, the Central Scrutinizer, which controls this future world).

In order to conclude, this album is not bad, but really basic. Zappa made really better things, it's very sad to see that this album is often much more considered than Over- Nite Sensation, Zoot Allures or even Uncle Meat.