JOE'S GARAGE, ACTS I, II & III

Joe's Garage is Frank Zappa's look into the world of a garage band gone horribly wrong. Joe goes from plugging away with his mates to prison for "plooking" a robot that his girlfirend cheated with. He is released into a world where music is illegal and this drives him insane. As Hugues already stated, it's Frank's take on 2112. As always, Zappa surrounds himself with some of the best talent in the world, including the masterful Vinnie Colaiuta behind the kit. Vinnie is the only person who can fill in for Terry Bozzio, Zappa's other favored drummer. The lineup is one of Frank's tightest coming in closely behind the Zappa in New York troupe.

Act I is the funniest and most enjoyable of the trilogy, with the acessible title track, and teh hilarious "Catholic Girls," "Crew Slut," "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" and "Wet T-Shirt." The other two acts have a more serious vibe, although the lyrics are no less lewd. For example, "Outside Now" looks at Joe's bleakness at the state of his world. The true highlight of the album is "Watermelon in Easter Hay," which is my favorite solo from Frank. It is beautiful, and it shows off his considerable skill.

I doubt if any genre of music isn't covered over this trilogy. Reggae, avant-garde, and of course jazz abound with poppy vibes. The problem is that Acts II and III, though full of great lyrics and composition, aren't as enjoyable as ACT I, with the exception of Watermelon. Zappa fans must have this, but it's a bad place to start, especially considering it's massive length.

Grade: B-