THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: FREAK OUT!

Zappa's debut album Freak Out! remains one of the most creative and distinct albums released in the last fifty years. Its blend of rock, blues, avant-garde and even doo-wop make for a pleasently unique listening experience, and like most Zappa releases there is plenty of humor to be found throughout. Zappa proves that he is a true musical genious as well as a superb lyricist.

That being said, the album is far from perfect. The album lacks the musical diversity that his later Mothers albums would have, and it is also quite long. To me the production leaves a lot to be desired, as the recordings sound quite thin and flat. On the other hand, when the band breaks out into its 'freak out' sections of chaos and layers of noise the production seems to fit perfectly.

With these issues aside, Freak Out is a very enjoyable album that hints at the greatness that would follow. I'm torn between giving this album three or four stars, but will give it four if only for its historical significance.