FRANK ZAPPA — Burnt Weeny Sandwich (The Mothers Of Invention) (review)

FRANK ZAPPA — Burnt Weeny Sandwich (The Mothers Of Invention) album cover Album · 1970 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Warthur
One of two posthumous Mothers of Invention collections Zappa would release in the immediate aftermath of the band's breakup (more archival material would eventually trickle out over the years), Burnt Weeny Sandwich is structured like its title: the "bread" of the sandwich consists of WPLJ and Valarie, two of the Mothers' twisted doo-wop attempts - WPLJ is a straight out comedy song, whilst Valarie is a lament for lost love which actually sounds kind of sincere for once. As for the meat, we have a selection of Zappa compositions delivered in note-perfect form by the Mothers, which a tendency to showcase Zappa's classical influences - the "Igor" of Igor's Boogie being most likely Igor Stravinsky.

These tracks are almost entirely instrumental, making this an album you'll absolutely love if, like me, you liked the instrumental tracks on Uncle Meat. What pushes it into the must-have category is The Little House I Used to Live In, an epic track that takes up most of the second side and takes us through the Mothers' entire sonic universe before depositing us at a live concert (where we get to see Zappa's good-natured handling of a heckler). Maybe it is a posthumous Frankenstein rising from the MOI's grave, but it's an expertly designed one.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 6 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 20 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 23 hours ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed