THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: OVER-NITE SENSATION

This is the first Zappa album I ever got to know.I remember to be smashed with disbelief.Never had I heard something like this before, although this isn't Zappa's weirdest album at all, but it has it's odd, typically Zappa moments.Listening to it more and more, it brought to me the appreciation this masterpiece deserves.

"Camarillo Brillo" is a smoking kick-off. The lyric to the song is extremely funny and sung likewise by Zappa himself. The ends of the verses are each time followed by a magical guitar filling by Zappa or by a perfect drum sequence by Humphrey. At some points in this gem he made use of a remarkable rhyme: he changed a couple of sounds at the end of some words to make them fit into the rhyme pattern, which gives the song an extra dimension.Irresistible stuff!

"I'm The Slime " is something completely different. There's a wonderful whispering voice which plays the role of 'The Slime'.The verses are followed by a catchy chorus, sung by some harmonious women voices. The story of the song is bizarre and original.

"Dirty Love" , sung by Zappa, is a nice (quite normal, but great) intermezzo sung, before the listener is struck by the madness of the song "Fifty-Fifty" in which lead singer Ricky Lancelotti seams to imitate one of the Muppets (don't know if they already existed, but it just sounds like that!). The song is an alternation between the crazy verses and a short laid-bakc refrain.Verses and chorus aren't exactly divided 'fifty-fifty', but still it's a fabulous song with some of Zappa's best guitar work!

Zappa could be pride to say to have written one of the most catchy song intro's in rock history."Zomby Woof" can be pride to be the 'container'. The brass sections are played with an unknown class, thanks to Sal Marquez, Ian Underwood and Bruce Fowler.

"Dinah-Moe-Humm" is kind of a strange love epic which contains great vocals by Zappa, Kin Vassey and Sal Marquez. It's a song about a lady of which Zappa doens't seem to know where she's coming from! This track contains some of Zappa's well- known memorable lines like

'I got a spot that gets me hot, but youain't been to it' or 'Kiss my aura..Dora..would you all like some mora..right her on the flora...and how about you Fauna...you wanna?'

Pure Genius!

"Montana" closes the album in the same mood as it started. Again a classic, again typically Zappa!

This is one of Zappa's best albums in a mostly rock direction (less jazz and classical influences) and it's simply great.Musically and lyrically it reaches the highest level one can reach speaking in terms of brilliance, writership, musicianship, humour, sound, balance, variety, recording,... Zappa was surrounded by topclass musicians of which some of them created succesfull Jazz/Fusion careers, like keyboard player George Duke and violin player Jean-Luc Ponty. Besides the cover artwork is legendary and seems to be a complaint against the American society of mass consumption (a big issue in the seventies!) Over-nite Sensation is indeed a real sensation which can be listened to over-nite (but also of course all day long)