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Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') CD (album) cover

APOSTROPHE (')

Frank Zappa

 

RIO/Avant-Prog

4.04 | 817 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
4 stars It would be easy enough to dismiss this album as silly and juvenile, something a teenager might get a kick out of. Yet there are a several things about this record that impress me very much. First of all the way Frank has the ability (like reading a book) to take our imaginations into the story as we picture the silly things that Frank is singing about. What I found though after a few listens was I started to focus more on the playing rather than the stories and man was I amazed ! I mean I was already blown away by the title track, but the "Yellow Snow" suite and the other silly songs revealed some incredible instrumental work that brought a new appreciation.

"Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" opens with the wind blowing and it's cold as we hear the story of Nanook. The drumming is crisp and is accompanied by guitar. "Nanook Rubs It" has more good drumming, xylophone, trumpet and some scorching guitar. "St.Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" has more xylophone, horns and great drumming. It blends into "Father O'Blivion" and yes I must sound like a broken record but check out the drumming. "Cosmik Debris" is a satire directed at the hippies. It opens with guitar and deep vocals. Nice guitar solo after 2 minutes and another good section after 3 minutes as it becomes more uptempo.

"Excentrifical Forz" is only a minute and a half long but it features some ripping guitar. "Apostrophe' " is just a killer instrumental, where former CREAM bass player Jack Bruce and Frank Zappa fight throughout the song for the spotlight. The drumming 3 1/2 minutes in is worth mentioning. "Uncle Remus" has some serious lyrics about racism as the piano and guitar lead the way instrumentally. "Stink-Foot" is just plain funny with more great guitar throughout, especially 6 minutes in. And this is where we get the album's title from. As Frank sings "The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe (')."

I have to give this 4 stars because although it's so accessible, and at times silly, there is much more to offer if you dig deeper.

Mellotron Storm | 4/5 |

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