Little Dots - Frank Zappa

So Gail Zappa died, and handed the vault over to Ahmet and Diva. Since her passing in October 2015, we have gotten a total of 9 releases in the course of 12 months. Now I'm not going into the, she's evil and wanted to fuck over Frank. Why? Because it's pointless, there's no need for that. What I will go into is the fact we finally have gotten lots of albums out. One of which, Meat Light, I was hoping to see the light of day. This is official release number 108, and is sort of a sequel to Imaginary Diseases. All of these tracks were taken from the petite Wazoo tour, so Fall 1972. I'm kinda curious to see what comes if this, and I vaguely remember hearing about this before Gail passed. Like months maybe, or maybe it was around when she passed.... Who cares. I also want to say if all goes well this year I'll have like 10 Zappa reviews out, and the ten are almost completely done.

1. Cosmik Debris: Years ago I heard a bootleg taken from around this time (Fall 1972) and it had Cosmik Debris on it. Now one of my favorite things about Frank is before and after a song is released, there often are different versions or arrangements of it. Since I had heard the version from around this time I kinda figured what it might sound like. The biggest difference is this sounds much bigger, and big band oriented and there isn't those little motifs to accompany the lyrics. It's not bad, but it's kinda stripped back a bit and not as fun. The performance is pretty solid though. The solo also works fine, but it's not the best solo I've heard for this song. But I like the tone, but that's probably because of the audio quality. It's fine.
2. Little Dots (Part 1): Sitting at just under 11 minutes this is actually very neat. There is a weird sort of avant-garde jazz/free jazz feeling to the beginning and even the bass solo feels like it could be in the style. There feels like its more rocky than jazz but I still like what I'm hearing. Also the playing could be free improvisation but I also feel like the notes aren't crazy enough or all over the place enough to be that. There is some sort of logic to the notes. And the drums have a consistent rhythm. I love the steel drum, played by Jim Gordon, that comes in, nice touch if I'm being honest. It goes back to the bass and the bass feels like its playing something from maybe Apostrophe (maybe an early idea for the title track). Its a nice calmer feeling than the previous two. The way it sounds also remind me of the way that song sounds. A calm guitar solo comes in and its quite. Maybe its just the quality but everything sort of seems quieter. There is some okay playing and the guitar also remind me of the track before alluded to ('). Though I also wanna say Zombie Woof's solo comes too. I like the song and like that it was released. Yeah the solo goes a bit long but for the most part it ain't too bad for a sort of sketch. It kind of just sounds like jamming or them trying to re create it like. There is some horns that come in at the very ending before the track segues into the next. The horns are a bit odd but I wish that would have happened longer than the solo. 
3. Little Dots (Part 2): This is a straight blues number. Like fucking slide guitar blues rock. This is also over 10 minutes, about 11 1/2. I do like this but I don't get why it was cut into two parts. Why not make it one track unless it was supposed to replicate the way it was to be on vinyl. This track hits pretty hard and I am passed because I'm drawing a blank on what this reminds me of. If it wasn't for the driving force of the band I'm positive I would have lost interest but the playing on guitar is pretty consistent for this long of a solo. The the only other solo on record that is this consistent for this long maybe something off Joe's Garage. I like the horns then getting time to shine and love the wah on the guitar. It sounds so fucking good. Its so wet like it... Maybe I should use that analogy. But the horns are a nice touch to add a new flavor. They also have some nice soloing and sound super damp, like i think its a trumpet solo (kinda sounds, at times, like a wet fart). This track is kind of losing some of its steam at the 8 minute mark, like enough to were I kinda almost don't wanna listen any more. But the tracks almost over so trudge on. There there a riff that comes in and I like it. It isn't the greatest ever but it works as a sort of vehicle to take the track to its ending. Another solo plays over it and its for sure Frank because I know that playing, and it...... It isn't doing much here for me. So the slide was probably Tony playing.  But the track almost feels like its slowing down at one part. Like it was manually slowed down. The guitar sounds kind of terrible here its hard to make out with the other instruments and this sounds chaotic a bit but unintentionally so. Its okay I mean is skip the last solo and maybe cut the track down 3 minutes but it isn't too bad. Then of course it comes back to the word sort of Gregory Peckary "busy making them" part. 
4. Rollo: This track includes all three sections of Rollo (Rollo, The Rollo Interior Area and Rollo Goes Out). I don't think I've ever heard all of the track before on a bootleg. I've heard the official releases and the bits played on Yellow Snow off On Stage 1 and Chicago '78 (which isn't all of it but it's a lot of it). The thing that took my by surprise was, I cant believe I never heard the lyrics to this song. Also a vocal version exists, and for whatever reason the melody made so much more sense. Like I feel like it was supposed to have words sung to it. Not taking away from other versions or usages of it, I was just like yeah I get this. It seems so weird to hear Rollo played as a bluesy number. Like I like, but its weird to wrap my head around this honestly. I didn't think I would be thrown surprises like this from the Vault anymore. Its a fun song and the story is pretty goofy. Is listen to this track and the next track for certain of any two. This also has my favorite version of the interior and I love the solo of this. Its a great vehicle for soloing. The vamp here is fucking great and the solo works very effectively. Like its out there enough to work well with what hes doing on the guitar. Even the sort of vamp change doesn't hurt anything. I love the horns coming in and I can't believe a full version of this hasn't been released sooner. This has a sort of weird thing happen I can't exactly explain before going back to the regular feeling song. It feels very 20th century to me. I really like this though. There's a lot of good shit in the song waiting for you. And this is the first track here that didn't feel a bit long.
5. Kansas City Shuffle: I can't be the only one, but do I hear some Anything You Wanna Do in this progression. Now yeah, what you fucking stupid its a twelve bar blues progression (or something similar to that) of course it sounds similar. No like I actually hear the backing just with a different band and no vocals. And I can actually sing the song over it, so this is actually a nice little treat for me. This is also the best song on the album, and easily the most accessible. I really like the trumpet and the guitar's strumming pattern works quite well. Also killer solo, really he did a great job here. The band is working quite well together and this would be like single material. Or if this band had a live album come out, this should have been on it.
6. 'Columbia' S.C.' (Part 1): Here we are, at the last two part song. This first half sits at just under 9 minutes (8:58) and opens with dialogue. Frank implies they make something up, so it might be improvised music. This opens very odd, there is a creeping feeling to it, and it has some nice steel drums that kind of make it even more off. This is what I would consider avant-garde jazz. It also sounds as if it's based off Rock a bye Baby, but perverted in a manner similar to Bebop Tango.... but more. I think this definitely wouldn't appeal to everyone, but I'm eating this up. It's a bit subdued, but I love it. The way the track is building and growing makes it feel like it's worth the wait. There is a section where I feel like it should be a bit louder and chaotic, but it works. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round and I'm drunk and ready to pass out but not quite there yet. The hinge of blacking out. I also really dig that bass line, and the trumpet here reminds me of Bebop Tango. I almost wonder if this is quoting it or was a predecessor to it.... though it was performed originally around this time. It also, towards the end, reminds me of The Grand Wazoo.
7. 'Columbia' S.C.' (Part 2): The second half sits at 16:41, the transition is quite apparent, but it isn't bad. Like you can tell this is a different section, and it feels very secret agent-y. The way it was edited has nothing to do with me knowing. I really like the guitar and I am a bit surprised he would have done something like this to be honest. Like they could be soloing over a James Bond vamp. I could see someone saying this is long, but unlike the other longer track, this kind of feels like it's paying off. This is actually a really cool track and there is some great shit that happens here, honestly one of the most exciting solos I've heard from Frank like ever. Where the fuck was this on Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar? Like This could have so easily replaced any track on any of those, with the exception of maybe Deathless Horsie, Heavy Duty Judy and Canard du Jour. And listen to those drums...... AGH! This really is worth the 16 minutes. I also like the ending quite a bit, and it's surprising he didn't do more with this band. They have some chemistry at times. I'm sure it would have even furthered if he spent more time, but then again I wouldn't have gotten the albums that follow, so... who knows.

Overall I have to give this a 8/10. While there were lower points... I gotta say this was the best album released this year by the ZTF. I wish the audio was better, but its not the end of the world, especially considering some if the shit Joe Traver's had to do to preserve/transfer the tapes. I will always be a Zappa fan, the thing is the more I listen and the more I learn about music the more I love his music. The older I get the more intelligence I gain the more I love and find humor in his lyrics. I also think if you dug ID you'll dig this. Give it a shot.

While in reality they'll never see this, I just wanted to post what I'd like to hear from the Zappa vaults. (Note: I understand things are in different stages of availability so they might not be able to recover it, but I just wanna say this). A live concert from 1966, 1967. 1969 (with Lowell George). If possible live stuff from the early pre-Mothers days. Another guitar solos album, maybe the whole Pauley Pavillion show, and the whole Auditorium Theater show on Mothers Day 1974. Another Petite Wazoo compilation and show (Bebop Tango). A concert from the 88 band, or at least an album that contains '88 versions of older songs. A concert from 82 and the July 22nd, 1984 show with Johnny Guitar Watson, George Duke, Denny, Bruce and Aynsley and Napi. Maybe a show from the Beefheart tour. I'd also be interested in more Yellow Shark material if possible. And also The Rage and The Fury album. That's all I can think of atm, but yeah stuff I think would be cool to hear.

Zoot Allures - Frank Zappa

This is the first album since the final ending of The Mothers of Invention. Though there are some Mothers on this album, Terry Bozzio, Captain Beefheart, among a few others. This is pretty much like Zappa's Diamond Dogs. Why may you ask I said this. Not because it's stylistically, but because they both played main parts with fewer contributions from others. I feel that overall though this was kind of just put together. But this was released on Warner after a dispute on his own DiscReet Records and Herb his business partner. That led to Bat Chain Puller not being released until 2012.

1. Wind Up Working At A Gas Station: Davey the guy who sings on this also sings on Lemme Take You To The Beach. This song continues the continuity of gas stations. You can hear his voice in the backing vocals. This is a good intro and grabs your attention. Though the lyrics are still silly that doesn't really ruin the song. I like the counter voices part. Good example is like in the end of New Religion by Duran Duran. It's a quick 2:30. A decent track {6/10}
2. Black Napkins: This became one of Zappa's most famous guitar pieces. Along with instrumentals like Zoot Allures and Watermelon In Easter Hay, I don't think that there are many that top in terms of being known. The Deathless Horsie is great, but I don't think it's probably as well known. Of the 4 mentioned two are on this album. This song is smooth and kind of relaxing. It was "captured" at Osaka, Japan in 1976 on February 3rd. I don't know if there are overdubs on this track or not. The outro is better than the rest. Where it kind of doubles tempo or speeds up. I think it sounds cool. 
3. The Torture Never Stops: The only thing Zappa doesn't do on this track is drums and moans. This is an awesome track. He, along with, Gail and another woman recorded several hours of "recreational activities" audio. That is the moans and squeaks and squeals in this track. This is a dark track and great when it comes to imagery. Even with lines like "the night of the iron sausage" this is still dark. There is a picture that happens in this song and those moans fit it. It's sick he put those in there and they fit. And the keys are pretty sick, pre-chorus,  and also chorus. The long solo in this song is played and the moans "solo" too. I couldn't imagine going on a date then playing this song. Well, unless you're into that Läther stuff. "Choke me out, gauge me with a spoon" you know what I mean? I do have to be in the mood to tolerate this long solo though. The tracks fine, it's just that part. I love the "pig squeals" right before the lyrics come back in. Post solo there is an interesting part right at "locked away down there". That instrumental "fill" after the line. That's sick. The ending of this song is a pretty cool. I enjoy it, and think that sit is kind of worth it. The ending is not just a repeat of the beginning, it's kind of messed with. It makes it neat. Solid bass line to. 
4. Ms Pinky: Out of the numerous versions of this track, my least favorite is this one. This is the backing track for Thing-Fish's version too. I don't care for the darkness of the instruments. That's odd for me to say, but let me explain a little better. The guitar/bass overdrive thing isn't doing it for me. Maybe it'd sound better on vinyl and make the crunch warmer, but right now I'm just ok with it. This track is much more interesting on Buffalo or YCDTOSA, Vol. 6. This is a good song, but not so much this version. This song is also classic Zappa sexual humor with this being about a sex toy. 
5. Find Her Finer: This song has a kind of country vibe to it with the harmonica. Like the last song, this is a sexual themed song. Except this is about, as on Philly '76 the "virtual instruction booklet on how to do it". "It" being how to get laid. This song is just ok, I don't think that it's anything that amazing. I like Lady Bianca's vocals in the Philly version more. I think they add more of an atmosphere.
6. Friendly Little Finger: This track is much better than the prior. This was supposedly, according to the man himself, a creation of Xenchrony. I like this more than the prior track. I like how it fits but it's kind of off, it's like Rubber Shirts but this has more of a drive to it. This is solid enough to be alone by itself. It's kind of like complete madness. But I like that its like that. The very ending reminds me of Aerosmith. This track is sick, better on the 2012 Remaster and contains the intro to Wonderful Wino.
7. Wonderful Wino: The music for the track was written by Simmons and the lyrics by FZ. Part of this track date back to about '73. Tracks like this are the reason Zappa bootlegs rock. There are a bunch of different versions, live and studio, of this song. The original Jeff Simmons' track from 1970, the Flo & Eddie live version (playground psychotics, or freaks & motherfu*#@%!), the Ricky Lancelotti version from 1973 (lost episodes), this version. I don't know what my favorite version is, but I know it's not this one. This is a solid version, but I'm not huge on Frank's voice in the track. You understand what he's saying but it's ultimately between Ricky and Jeff for the best version. The same backing track on Ricky's was the same as this albums version.
8. Zoot Allures: This song is basically chords. It's not all that complex of what I imagined it to be based of it being the title track. This is really chill-axed a ton. This is a song I could see someone smoking too. This is another of Zappa's self claimed signature pieces. This is a very unique song and I like the bizarre vibe from it. Also the vibraphones in this track (?). The solo is playing over a solid backing that contains a harp or something that sounds like a harp. It's hard to hear, but pretty. The song fades out.
9. Disco Boy: This is a solid track, the 2012 Cd having the full intro and outro of the song. This is a fun song and glad to hear the whole thing. The 2012 remaster has something's I don't remember, mainly because the Ryko cut it out. The guitar in this track is cool and a towards the end sounds like a surf guitar a little. There are parts where it kind of just pops up (synth), but sounds cool. This is slow though and not very exciting. It kind of drags a little. I like the synths too. I like the guitar at the end, before it gets distorted. 

Overall I have to give this album a 6/10. This is his most "Straight"-"Forward"* album I know of by him. This is certainly has an atmosphere to it, and it's dark and it's dry. I wouldn't want to hang around this guy based on this album. This is not a first discover album for someone who wants to get into him, but this is a good album for maybe a guitarist.

The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life - Frank Zappa

This is a live album by Frank Zappa. It was recorded during his 1988 tour. I've been listening to Zappa now for about 2 years. This was one of the first albums by Zappa that I had heard songs from. The first full album was either Freak Out! or We're Only In It For The Money. But this original album cover was actually changed because Frank didn't have the "rights" to the picture in the box. It's stupid, but it wasn't in the 2012 reissue either. But I don't want to get to into specifics because I want to listen to the album. I did do a review of some other releases by his, but yeah, I figured I was listening to this, why not do on for it.

1. Heavy Duty Judy: This is the beginning of the album, and it is an instrumental. I like this more than the first time I had heard it. This song was originally on 1981's Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar. The first record, not the one where they did all 3 together. I heard this version before I had heard the original.
2. Ring of Fire: This is a "Reggae Version" of Ring of Fire that Frank learned the day it was performed because Johnny Cash couldn't make it. I don't know if this is true, but I still like this song. This was one of the first songs by Zappa that I heard. This, Jesus Thinks Your A Jerk, Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Swaggart Version),  and some others. This version of the song, because of Frank's comments, make it kind of laid back. This entire tour was kind of like that. I think that Frank figured this was his last so he didn't really care and wanted to make it fun. I might be wrong, but that's kind of what I got out of the Boots and the Official recordings from this tour.
3. Cosmik Debris: This is a song that was originally on Apostrophe (') from March, 1974. That, along with the album before it, Over-Nite Sensation from September, 1973, were acclaimed as his two classic albums. You could argue that March 1979's Sheik Yerbouti is one, which I like that one more too, but from what I've gathered from people is they usually would say it's those two. Now that the history lesson is over this song is played like it is on the album, but its got the 1988 tour kind of vibe to it. Especially at my favorite part in the original part of the original right after it says "And I showed him how to do it right". I don't like this as much as the original though.
4. Find Her Finer: This song was originally on October, 1976's Zoot Allures album. It's also on the 2009 album Philly '76. It's on other albums too, but I'm picking those two because it's closest to the original album release. This version seems more complex. Kind of like how Vegetables is a less complex version of Vege-Tables.
5. Who Needs The Peace Corps?: They kind of played this song the same way, but they added in more horns. And also the reggae thing they did with some of the songs on the tour. This version isn't as, for last of better word, good as the 1968 WOIIFTM version. Maybe that's because I like that version more, but I don't know. It's not like he basically did a rewrite of the song. The song Lonesome Cowboy Burt is different on this album than on the original 1971 200 Motels albums.
6. I Left My Heart In San Francisco: I think it's kind of funny they when form Who Needs The Peace Corps? where it says "Ill go to Frisco" and then they transition into this song. This is only 36 seconds long, but it's still kind of cool.
7. Zomby Woof: They don't have that same like vocal sound as on the album but Ricky Lancelotti O.D.'d in 1980. This version of the song is a little different, especially in the solo. The strat that Frank played on the tour is probably part of the reason why, but there are also more of like a feeling of like space of improving in the song during the solo. Which that happens a lot on this, and like all of the Zappa tours.
8. Bolero: This is a cover version of a song. This isn't on, to my knowledge, any other album. Well at least that have been officially released. I do like this song, and I think it's kind of a cool sounding instrumental. I actually really like this, now that I've heard it in it's entirety, there is a kind of like Egyptian thing that I'm getting from it. I might be wrong, but that's my view.
9. Zoot Allures: This is off the 1976 album of the same name. I didn't care much for that album the first time I heard it, and I'm going to give it a re-listen  but not right now, I did recheck out the song that were on it, on this album. I haven't heard the original in about a year so I'm gonna wait to re-listen to it until I go in dept about this one. Well to date, this isn't really one of my favorite songs. I don't care much for really any of the versions on the song. I mean it isn't a bad song, but yeah.
10. Mr. Green Genes: This is off 1968's Uncle Meat album from October of that year. This is different in the way that there are more like a '88 tour vibe. More horns and bass and such. Like I could see him renaming this Mr. Green Genes (New Age Version) like he did for the Black Page on 1991's Make A Jazz Noise Here. This served as like a transition into the next 3 tracks. This is a little faster than the Uncle Meat version.
11. Florentine Pogen: This song, along with the next two, are off one of my favorite albums by the June 1975 album One Size Fits All. I didn't care for the album that much till hearing the 2012 UMe Remaster version which had the original analog recordings on it. Then I really liked it. This song has that '88 tour vibe to it. There are actually like bongos in the background that I heard. I don't like this as much as the 1975 album version, mainly because I like Napoleon's voice doing this song more than Ike's. But for this song, just like I think Johnny "Guitar" Watson's voice is awesome as Brown Moses and his thing that he does on Andy and San Ber'dino off OSFA.
12. Andy: This song was a song that I was timid to listen to. I don't know why, I'll explain more in the OSFA review I'll do sometime, but yeah. After hearing the original version of the song, for real, I went wow. I think that I George is better for this song than Ike again, but you can only do so much. Why can't Johnny at least be there. Even on this version, its such a jamming song. I want to just pick up my guitar and strum along with it.
13. Inca Roads: This song is one of my favorite songs ever. I don't think it's as good as the 1975 version or any of the 1974/1975 boots it's on. I actually like the bootleg I did a review of that was recorded on St. Patrick's Day 1988. But there is defiantly a like "New Age" taste to it. New Age isn't the right work, but it's more like an '88 tour version, instrumentation would be. The part where it goes "Guacamole Queen" is like slowed down a lot. That kind of takes away form that part, at least for me. And instead of saying "On Ruth" they said "On Bruce". Not a big ordeal, but I just wanted to mention it.
14. Sofa #1: This song, long story short it was originally performed in 1971 with Flo and Eddie (see Carnegie Hall or Beat the Boots I: Swiss Cheese/Fire). Then it was reword, into two versions, for 1975's OSFA. Then it was worked for a band with horns and such, the instrumental version, then it was performed on this, pretty much the same way as on Zappa in New York. 

This is a two disc album, the second disc was mainly cover versions of songs from that tour, minus 4 or 5 of the 14 on that track too. In between the two discs I re-listened and restudied what I felt I needed to know for the review.

1. Purple Haze: This isn't really anything like the Jimi Hendrix version of the song. On any album wither it be a live or studio album. I actually don't care for this version, but you could tell it wasn't that serious of a performance of the song. It seems more like industrial. It kind of sounds like a cover Devo would do.
2. Sunshine of Your Love: This song flowed from the last. Its that still kind of Devo sound. Ike sounds like he does on Thing-Fish. Until the chorus. The guy who does the Johnny Cash impression then sings. It's actually kind of funny that Ike calls him the Man in Black. It's like a reference to Ring of Fire song they did earlier. I did that in-case anyone didn't know what that meant.
3. Let's Move to Cleveland: I like this song. I'm not very familiar with it, but I like the way it sounds.
4. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling: These next two tracks are from the 1988 St. Patrick's Day show that I did a review of.
5. "Godfather Part II" Theme: This reminds me a ton of James Bond. But yeah.
6. A Few Moments With Brother A. West: This is just some guy talking. I didn't feel like looking to deep into it. You will be able to tell what he's talking about if you listen to the track. I do think this is a good intro  though to Torture Never Stops.
7. The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 1: This "part" is almost 5 1/2 minutes long. The "2nd part" is over 10 minutes. He plays it like he usually plays it, but there is the '88 tour little things. It actually is probably closest to the ZINY version. There is a part where it is speed up where there say the lyrics over other song melodies. A list of those songs are listed at here.
8. Theme from "Bonanza": Whatever this is that theme. It's like a cowboy intro to Lonsome Cowboy Burt.
9. Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Swaggart Version): This was one of the first Zappa songs I have ever heard. I really liked this song. I don't like it as much as I used to, but I still think it's alright. It's about, in this version, Jim Bakker. He is also talked about in the other "Swaggart Versions" of songs on this album, and Jesus Thinks Your A Jerk off 1988's Broadway The Hard Way. Which I did a review of.
10. The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 2: This is just a solo. It's a solo. What else can I really say about it.
11. More Trouble Every Day (Swaggart Version): This version of this song is a on that is defiantly from this tour. It has that kind of ''reggae'' thing, and also it talks about "Jimmy Swaggart".
12. Penguin in Bondage (Swaggart Version): This is one of my favorite songs. But I'm not huge on this version of the song.  After this song I only have 20 minutes left. So I'm kind of glad for that.
13. The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue: I haven't heard the original 1970 Weasel Ripped My Flesh version in a very long time. So before I heard this one I listened to that one. This is though, a song I could see Eric Dolphy playing.
14. Stairway to Heaven: This isn't my favorite version of the song. The beginning is like Reggae arpeggios, if that makes any sense. I'd rather listen to that Bootleg version from St. Patty's Day. This is a great way to end an album though. Especially one that was almost two hours long. This has the silly sounds in it, but the solo is horns playing the solo intro. Some live version had an improved solo by Frank, but this one used the horn version. Frank took 3 different live performances, as he did for a lot of his live albums, and cut them up to keep the ''good parts'' and got rid of the ''bad'' and combine the ''good parts'' he liked to get the track that we have here, and other ones too. He did that with all, but one, guitar solo for the album Joe's Garage.

Overall I have to give this a 8/10. I don't know why I really keep reviewing the '88 tour, but I still have some more listening to do. I do like some of these songs than I did back a year ago. Maybe in a year I'll love this album. But for right now, I'm not huge on it. It's a pretty long one too.