MIRROR MAN

Starting with the negative points, of which there are little, this album is hard to get into, the instruments are hard to follow, the vocals sound rough, and at times even annoying, but after a few listens you really start to realize that van Vliet is a poetic master, who has taken blues to a new level. His use of the harmonica is particularilly interesting, creating a screaming, almost human sound with it. Not only is this an amazing album, but much of it being improvised is amazing.

Very important Beefheart album historically, the beginning of the great evolution of Beefheart, but there is clear improvement in his later work.