CONFESSIONS

Right from the start, you can tell that Dweezil Zappa has progressed from the Eddie Van Halen imitation he performed on his first two albums, and has brough more of his own personality, and sense of invention to this one.

Earth begins with an orchestra tuning up, then has Dweezil playing a classically influenced electric guitar composition, before he settles into a song about our impending ecological disaster (a sentiment I presume he inherited from his mother). The song itself on the surface sounce fairly standard, but contains many time signature twists and turns. And this is why the album succeeds, as Dweezil has begun to learn many of his father Frank's techniques of keeping the listener on his toes.

Highlights are the many guitar solos throughout the album, and the instrumental Shoogagoogagung. There is also a hot cover of the Bee Gee's Stayin' Alive, with a surprising cameo lead vocalist. While it doesn't make up for the horrors of the disco era, it takes the signature song from the time, and makes it cool.

the only misstep is Vanity, which tries to be hip-hop, and mostly falls flat.

I'd give this album a strong 3.5 stars.