FRANK ZAPPA — Lumpy Gravy (review)

FRANK ZAPPA — Lumpy Gravy album cover Album · 1968 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Miler72
Artists often record albums that polarize many of their fans. Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music is a rather extreme example, about 99% of the listeners absolutely hate that album, then there's that 1% who call it the greatest album ever made (rock critic Lester Bangs was one of them). Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica does not exactly have a lot of middle ground. Neither Tangerine Dream's Zeit. Or the second (studio) disc of Pink Floyd's Ummagumma. Lumpy Gravy is a rather experimental Zappa album that leans much more towards 20th century classical and avant garde than the usual quirky rock he's most known for. It's more like a collage, ranging from orchestral passages to spoken dialog, including one how one's girlfriend tore the seats right out of his car. You'll hear versions of "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" and "Oh No", these being instrumental. Rock influences does occasionally show, particularly when Zappa plays his guitar, there's a bit of surf music and blues showing up. Some spoken dialog, about the pigs and ponies, and about making your water so dark. This album is really all over the place, and he doesn't stick to one thing for long. Not everyone will enjoy this album, but I do.

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tupan wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Ha, it's funny: in the liner notes of my CD copy of We're Only in It for The Money, it's written that Zappa considered this album as one of his masterpieces!

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