We actually heard Inca Roads a couple of weeks back in its Helsinki performance from the previous year, and here it is in studio-polished form with parts of the Helsinki guitar solo expertly grafted in, and of course the closing shout-out to Ruth Underwood's sterling performance. Purportedly mocking the pretentiousness of progressive rock lyrics, the UFO narrative sung by George Duke gets progressively sillier, with his high-pitched vocal inadvertently bringing Jon Anderson to mind - especially when Yes duly obliged the exact stereotype with Arriving UFO a few years later.
Can't Afford No Shoes is next - as a mid-70s economic malaise lament with "can you spare a dime" references, it's like Stephen Stills' Buyin' Time a year early, only way better/wittier. Other highlights include two versions of part of the 'Sofa' suite from earlier in the 70s, one instrumental and the other with partly German vocals; the lengthy guitar solo in Po-Jama People, and the always entertaining San Ber'dino with Beefheart harmonica cameo. Source for this classic album is another 2012 remaster, so everything sounds exactly as it originally did - a shout out here is definitely due by now to this fantastic resource for keeping me right.
pw: sgtg
Ahem. I submit to the panel that You Are What You Is is in fact the pinnacle of "songwriter Zappa". 20 tracks of whack, no muss, no fuss. And it doesn't have that funny aftertaste.
ReplyDeleteStale, not funny. My bad.
DeleteThanks, I'll give that one another try. Definitely remember that one having a good line-up on it (is it Bozzio era, or after?) Think I do prefer Zappa's lyrics when they were more playfully surreal tho, rather than the more barbed 80s stuff.
DeleteAfter Bozzio (and also just after Vinnie.) The songs are very in the smartass vein, but they are short, to the point, insanely catchy and if not for people getting squeamish over the words, loaded with - wait for it - commercial potential. Side three is the most killer sequence.
Delete1976's Zoot Allures has got some pretty decent songs too. Also, Frank Zappa is so much more than a 'songwriter'; that shoe won't even fit one of his massive toes.
ReplyDeleteZoot Allures is definitely good, think I just miss the 73-75 band. And yep, much more than a songwriter- it's from the late 70s to early 90s when I feel he really matured as a serious composer.
DeleteAt first glance i thought the cover was some Monty Phyton affaire.
ReplyDeleteLong time since I last listened to it. Ready to listen with older ears, thanks for the chance.