LUMPY GRAVY

"Lumpy Gravy" seems to be an album that you either get it or you don't. Either way, you must admit that there was nothing else like it at the time.

Frank Zappa, along with a few of the Mothers, assembled an orchestra, and recorded his most ambitious album to date. Interspersed with spoken pieces, Zappa created this work of orchestral, rock, jazz, and experimental collages, that remained one of his favorites throughout his life.

The music contains early versions of some songs that would become favorites by his rock ensemble. Oh No, King Kong, and Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance were all born on this album.

The orchestral music, as usual for Frank, tends toward the Stravinsky sound, with a lot of Varese-style noises thrown in. The spoken word pieces, part of the same concept that was used in "Civilization, Phaze III", are amusing, but can get annoying (mostly when Roy Estrada laughs).

Think of this in terms of 1967. Zappa was way ahead of his time.