50. Freak Out!- The Mothers of Invention.
Hello again! This is post number 50! Looking back over the older posts, I see that I have been at this for six years. And this is the 10 percent mark. This task may never get completed if I don't get my butt in gear. If you have read along with me up to this point, thank you for your time. If you are just stumbling across this... welcome!
When I was an early teenager, my slightly older uncle had a cassette tape of Zappa's "Sheik Yerbouti". My adolescent mind was overjoyed to hear bad words and barely veiled sexual innuendos. I have listened to much of the essential Zappa over the years, in fact, an old beat up vinyl record of "Overnite Sensation" is one of my prized possessions. So I'm a fan. Today we check out the first album recorded by the Mothers. One look at the cover, and you can tell we are on the express train to the psychedelic trappings of the then swelling counterculture. But don't use the word Hippie... Frank wouldn't like that. What can we expect musically? Let's put it on and see.
The opening track, "Hungry Freaks" starts out with a definitely 60's riff, and then suddenly the vocals come in and set the tone for this album. This isn't pretty singing, and they aren't being smugly hip, and sneering at the squares. Rather, the sarcasm comes through and the disdain for the establishment is spelled out pretty clearly. This track is apparently taking aim at the school system of the day. The addition of what sounds like a kazoo is another clue that we are off on a tangent here. The following track, called "I Ain't Got No Heart", is more straightforward. This could be an attempt to convince the listener that this will all be OK, and listening further will be fine, with expected song structure and comfortable lyrics.
Nope. "Who Are The Brain Police" is strangely wonderful. Lyrics about melting plastic and kazoo sounds, I can't put words to what is happening here. Just give it a listen and imagine it is 1967 and you just picked up this crazy looking album at the record store, and you and your best buddy just dropped the needle onto the vinyl. This is new territory. Zappa was a fan of Varese and Stravinsky, who pushed boundaries in their own works, so their individuality rubbed off on Frank and it shows up all over his music.
Having said that, the next tune, "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" is a doo-wop song full of teen angst, which is an easy listen and could be construed as mainstream until the sarcasm kicks in. It is clearly making fun of the typical 60's American teenager. The spoken part in the middle is hilarious to me. I'm not sure that FZ was trying to be funny, apparently he was a pretty complex cat.
"Motherly Love" is a little more rock oriented and sounds like typical Zappa, talking about "rocking groupies" and with a cleverly worded chorus. There is fuzzed guitar and of course whatever that kazoo sound is all over the place. It is about here that the musicianship starts to really shine through the weirdness and the sarcastic vibe. There are some blazing guitar riffs that are set back into the mix to be excellent in the shadows of the track. "How Can I Be Such A Fool" is comparatively straightforward, a retrospect on a failed relationship, there is a nice horn line of some sort in the background and the lyrics are honest and to the point.
"Wowie Zowie" sounds about as 60's as you can get. One standout on this track is the xylophone or vibraphone sound that is present throughout. I don't see it listed in the personnel section, so I can't say which it is, or if it is something else altogether, but it sounds good. "You Didn't Try To Call Me" is rather orchestral with horns. Listening to these last two songs, I'm reminded of the Beatles and Beach Boys and their "competition" to make more complex music and use different instruments to come up with the masterpiece album. I think this album has shades of that spirit, it is definitely different and groundbreaking. Also of note, this is one of the first double albums. Sidebar... guess who also played on this album... that's right, members of the Wrecking Crew. Hal Blaine passed away last week, may he RIP. If you don't know about him, look it up...
Moving along, "Any Way The Wind Blows" is a good tune with a quick little guitar run. Again, the musicianship shines through. Apparently this is a song about Frank's internal dispute about a potential divorce. He apparently thought the piece was "trivial", which isn't surprising as it is probably the most mainstream cut on the album. "I'm Not Satisfied" continues our journey, and has brutally direct lyrics talking about suicide and how no one would miss him if he was gone. One wonders if this was a nugget of introspection slipped into the condemnation of the world at large. It must be difficult to be out at the head of the pack in a groundbreaking situation. Which this most certainly is. The counterculture is revered and respected today, but while it was going on, the Freaks were, well, freaks. Being some of the early proponents of Freakdom, the Mothers must have faced heavy challenges. Society wasn't as embracing of diversity as it is today. And this stuff is out there.
I like this next track, its bouncy and fun, and the lyric says it all. "You're probably wondering why I'm here, and so am I". They are basically giving their audience the finger. You think that you are part of us, do ya? We are the real freaks here, so go back to your mainstream life. Its the same vibe the Mamas and Papas and Simon and Garfunkel were giving off, but blatantly obvious and sardonic.
"Trouble Every Day" is probably the best track on the album; I would say that it is classic Zappa. It was written with reference to the Watts riots and is a quick snapshot of the unrest of the times, especially in Los Angeles where they lived. I find this period fascinating, so that could be why this song resonates with me.
Well, they got serious for a minute there, so now it gets extra weird. "Help I'm a Rock" defies description, but is allegedly dedicated to Elvis Presley. I read that the producer had done some acid during the recording sessions, which could account for some of what is going on here. It is apparently a piece in three movements, though I could not determine where the first part ended and the second began. "It Can't Happen Here", allegedly the third movement, is obvious. This is a cacophonous warning to the squares. Draw your own conclusions from this one...
The final cut is "The Return of The Son of Monster Magnet". Zappa fans will note this is where we meet Susie Creamcheese for the first time. Apparently this is a two part ballet. I'm laughing as I type, because I know nothing about ballet, but this is certainly not what I picture when I think about it. The standout on this one is some kind of theremin sounding electrical noise. I'm thinking of the poor bastards who put this on in an altered state, which apparently happened from time to time back in those days. It would go one of two ways... either fantastic, or absolutely horrific. For twelve minutes.
Well, that was not necessarily an easy listen. I do like the album, and I have the utmost respect for FZ and his musicianship and vision; that being said, it is challenging to get through some of the weirder aspects, I'm probably better suited to be the square that he is laughing at than to be a true freak. The boundaries have been pushed so far here that you can't even see where they were in the rear view mirror. If you don't know Zappa, by all means learn his music, it is fantastic, but it can be challenging. I'm certain that was his point. He wrote with purpose, even if many of us didn't get where he was coming from. I love it.
Rolling Stone Magazine placed this at number 243 on the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
When I was an early teenager, my slightly older uncle had a cassette tape of Zappa's "Sheik Yerbouti". My adolescent mind was overjoyed to hear bad words and barely veiled sexual innuendos. I have listened to much of the essential Zappa over the years, in fact, an old beat up vinyl record of "Overnite Sensation" is one of my prized possessions. So I'm a fan. Today we check out the first album recorded by the Mothers. One look at the cover, and you can tell we are on the express train to the psychedelic trappings of the then swelling counterculture. But don't use the word Hippie... Frank wouldn't like that. What can we expect musically? Let's put it on and see.
The opening track, "Hungry Freaks" starts out with a definitely 60's riff, and then suddenly the vocals come in and set the tone for this album. This isn't pretty singing, and they aren't being smugly hip, and sneering at the squares. Rather, the sarcasm comes through and the disdain for the establishment is spelled out pretty clearly. This track is apparently taking aim at the school system of the day. The addition of what sounds like a kazoo is another clue that we are off on a tangent here. The following track, called "I Ain't Got No Heart", is more straightforward. This could be an attempt to convince the listener that this will all be OK, and listening further will be fine, with expected song structure and comfortable lyrics.
Nope. "Who Are The Brain Police" is strangely wonderful. Lyrics about melting plastic and kazoo sounds, I can't put words to what is happening here. Just give it a listen and imagine it is 1967 and you just picked up this crazy looking album at the record store, and you and your best buddy just dropped the needle onto the vinyl. This is new territory. Zappa was a fan of Varese and Stravinsky, who pushed boundaries in their own works, so their individuality rubbed off on Frank and it shows up all over his music.
Having said that, the next tune, "Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder" is a doo-wop song full of teen angst, which is an easy listen and could be construed as mainstream until the sarcasm kicks in. It is clearly making fun of the typical 60's American teenager. The spoken part in the middle is hilarious to me. I'm not sure that FZ was trying to be funny, apparently he was a pretty complex cat.
"Motherly Love" is a little more rock oriented and sounds like typical Zappa, talking about "rocking groupies" and with a cleverly worded chorus. There is fuzzed guitar and of course whatever that kazoo sound is all over the place. It is about here that the musicianship starts to really shine through the weirdness and the sarcastic vibe. There are some blazing guitar riffs that are set back into the mix to be excellent in the shadows of the track. "How Can I Be Such A Fool" is comparatively straightforward, a retrospect on a failed relationship, there is a nice horn line of some sort in the background and the lyrics are honest and to the point.
"Wowie Zowie" sounds about as 60's as you can get. One standout on this track is the xylophone or vibraphone sound that is present throughout. I don't see it listed in the personnel section, so I can't say which it is, or if it is something else altogether, but it sounds good. "You Didn't Try To Call Me" is rather orchestral with horns. Listening to these last two songs, I'm reminded of the Beatles and Beach Boys and their "competition" to make more complex music and use different instruments to come up with the masterpiece album. I think this album has shades of that spirit, it is definitely different and groundbreaking. Also of note, this is one of the first double albums. Sidebar... guess who also played on this album... that's right, members of the Wrecking Crew. Hal Blaine passed away last week, may he RIP. If you don't know about him, look it up...
Moving along, "Any Way The Wind Blows" is a good tune with a quick little guitar run. Again, the musicianship shines through. Apparently this is a song about Frank's internal dispute about a potential divorce. He apparently thought the piece was "trivial", which isn't surprising as it is probably the most mainstream cut on the album. "I'm Not Satisfied" continues our journey, and has brutally direct lyrics talking about suicide and how no one would miss him if he was gone. One wonders if this was a nugget of introspection slipped into the condemnation of the world at large. It must be difficult to be out at the head of the pack in a groundbreaking situation. Which this most certainly is. The counterculture is revered and respected today, but while it was going on, the Freaks were, well, freaks. Being some of the early proponents of Freakdom, the Mothers must have faced heavy challenges. Society wasn't as embracing of diversity as it is today. And this stuff is out there.
I like this next track, its bouncy and fun, and the lyric says it all. "You're probably wondering why I'm here, and so am I". They are basically giving their audience the finger. You think that you are part of us, do ya? We are the real freaks here, so go back to your mainstream life. Its the same vibe the Mamas and Papas and Simon and Garfunkel were giving off, but blatantly obvious and sardonic.
"Trouble Every Day" is probably the best track on the album; I would say that it is classic Zappa. It was written with reference to the Watts riots and is a quick snapshot of the unrest of the times, especially in Los Angeles where they lived. I find this period fascinating, so that could be why this song resonates with me.
Well, they got serious for a minute there, so now it gets extra weird. "Help I'm a Rock" defies description, but is allegedly dedicated to Elvis Presley. I read that the producer had done some acid during the recording sessions, which could account for some of what is going on here. It is apparently a piece in three movements, though I could not determine where the first part ended and the second began. "It Can't Happen Here", allegedly the third movement, is obvious. This is a cacophonous warning to the squares. Draw your own conclusions from this one...
The final cut is "The Return of The Son of Monster Magnet". Zappa fans will note this is where we meet Susie Creamcheese for the first time. Apparently this is a two part ballet. I'm laughing as I type, because I know nothing about ballet, but this is certainly not what I picture when I think about it. The standout on this one is some kind of theremin sounding electrical noise. I'm thinking of the poor bastards who put this on in an altered state, which apparently happened from time to time back in those days. It would go one of two ways... either fantastic, or absolutely horrific. For twelve minutes.
Well, that was not necessarily an easy listen. I do like the album, and I have the utmost respect for FZ and his musicianship and vision; that being said, it is challenging to get through some of the weirder aspects, I'm probably better suited to be the square that he is laughing at than to be a true freak. The boundaries have been pushed so far here that you can't even see where they were in the rear view mirror. If you don't know Zappa, by all means learn his music, it is fantastic, but it can be challenging. I'm certain that was his point. He wrote with purpose, even if many of us didn't get where he was coming from. I love it.
Rolling Stone Magazine placed this at number 243 on the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".
Buy it here.
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