THE HOT RATS SESSIONS

Working your way through an expansive boxed set like this requires a different sort of listening from a regular album; with The Hot Rats Sessions I think it's best to regard it as an immersive experience. Slap it on in the background and it's like you're doing your work or dreaming your dreams or reading your books or whatever quietly in the corner as Zappa and the others are crafting their magic live before your very ears.

If you're very into Hot Rats as an album, listening to the distinct sound of it emerging from these meandering, jazzy jams will be intensely interesting - and having the cut tracks, plus the 1987 mix (retired from recent CD issues in favour of the original mix), all in one set will be convenient. If you don't already love Hot Rats... why are you looking at this? Go listen to that, because if Zappa doesn't sell you on his jazz-rock sound on that, he's not going to persuade you here.