LUMPY GRAVY

This is hard to grasp! I remember the first time I heard "Lumpy Gravy", I remained with Louie the Turkey laughter in my ears. I couldn't understand why, this was supposed to be a music album. It's strange, hermetic, lumpy and, in the end, after some hearings, absolutely brilliant. Zappa said that "Lumpy Gravy" was his favourite Zappa record. No wonder. Here we hear all of Zappa's melodies and interruptions, dialogues that document american reality without the needing of going into pop inanity. I learnt to like this record and today stands as one of my favourites too. There's not a hint of commercialism, just plain melodies and ideas, as raw and gravy as you can imagine. If you don't know Zappa's oeuvre, don't start with this one because is as hermetic as a nutshell. But if you know some records and wonder how far on artistic achievements can Frank go, this is for you. Listen to it without putting too much expectations... let it grow inside... For me is one of my 10 best Zappa records, I love the orchestrations on Oh No!, King Kong, Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance, as well as Lumpy Gravy Theme. I love the way the melodies interrupt and the piano dialogues enter. This is Zappa's editing masterpiece. The only flaw for this is the length of the record: only 33 minutes, it seems that Zappa was also afraid of the reception to this weird stuff... I give it a 4 and half really.