CHEAP THRILLS

When I bought this and it's son I was no Zappa newbie. However, I could not pass up the price and both featured songs I had not yet heard before. Most of the songs here are taken from the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series. "Bobby Brown..." and "Joe's Garage" has the band members trying not to laugh when they sing. Clearly they were having a great time on stage. I don't like the version of "My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama" here as much as the studio version.

The title track is from the doo-wop parody album Cruising With Reuben & The Jets. But it's the '80s version with re-recorded drums. "You Are What You Is" is the Thing-Fish version. "The Torture Never Stops" has Captain Beefheart on vocals. There's a great version of "Zomby Woof" featuring Steve Vai. The biggest surprise is "We Are Not Alone". This is taken from the 1983 album The Man From Utopia and is one of Zappa's best instrumentals, IMO. This song features sax which I don't think had been heard on a Zappa album since Grand Wazoo.

All the songs are segued in a good fashion. There are some funny non-musical moments like "I Could Be A Star Now" and "The Mudshark Interview". Overall a nice budget compilation but the next one is better. 3 stars.