HOT RATS

The second solo studio album by Frank Zappa--following his 1968 sound collage early masterwork, Lumpy Gravy--it feels more or less like a collaboration with Ian Underwood, the musical force on this album who truly brings about its greatest greatness. Of course, compositions, arrangements and the production, as well as guitar and (not at all of lesser importance) percussion are provided by Mr. Zappa. But it is Mr. Underwood who provides all keyboards, from piano to synthesized organ, as well as all reeds, performing flutes, clarinets and saxophones throughout this great album. He makes this already great music truly, and I feel truer than anyone else on any other Zappa release, shine bright.

Stylistically, this is a stark turning point for Zappa, introducing early Jazz Fusion to our earholes, following the Psychedelic and 20th Century Classical Uncle Meat, and preceding the final original Mothers albums, Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. I very seldom return to this album, aside from "Peaches" and the other two jazzier numbers, "Little Umbrellas" and "It Must Be A Camel". Therefore, in a few ways, I have vastly underestimated and under-rated this album, though always admitting its firm importance, in not only his catalog, but in all of popular music. Two releases come to mind for Hot Rats that I would consider to be inseparable from its new Jazz-meets-Rock-meets-Classical Fusion: Chunga's Revenge (1970), the first with Flo & Eddie and Aynsley Dunbar (Underwood has a comparable function here), and Waka/Jawaka (1972), with the Wazoo-era Big-ish Band lineup, fronted by hornsmith Sal Marquez, the latter album considered to be (and suggested by its cover art) "Hot Rats II". Anyways, onto the review!

Our album begins with the inimitable, timeless classic "Peaches En Regalia", a whirlwind of keys and woodwinds and just the most delicious soloing from Frank and Ian (it's pretty immediately a joint solo, in tandem, of guitar and flute), ending with the horny fanfare in the latter half. The organ and the auxiliary organ in this last half, driven by the straight-ahead rhythm section, really makes this song all the greater. Again, a true classic. As with many of these tracks, in my mind, a no-doubt-about-it must-hear. "Willie The Pimp" is more of a bluesy number, most notably featuring (for the first time) Frank's school-days friend and Howlin' Wolf aficionado Captain Beefheart. Alongside blazing and wild Wah guitar from Frank, it just as notably features Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin. It's his blues-violin solo on "Directly From My Heart To You", off of Weasels--on which he also provides lead vocals--that is one of my all-time favorite Zappa moments. To be frank, right off, "Willie The Pimp" is a great song, a driving jam with awesome drums and an endlessly interesting extended guitar solo from Frank (though nowhere near his peak), but it is honestly the weakest moment on the album for me: And that is a compliment to the album. It really is that good. I have been [only slightly] mistaken about it for years...

"Son of Mr. Green Genes", a callback to "Mr. Green Genes", originally a vocal number off of Uncle Meat, is a sped-up instrumental song [version, really]. Another must-hear classic from his catalog, it has a really solid, very of-the-time composition. This is another song featuring a bunch of soloing over its classic and memorable fanfare. Over its nine minute length, it has effectively three different solos by Frank. "Little Umbrellas" is a very Underwood-fronted track, with the theme performed on clarinet, matched with awesome mallet percussions and a lovely, jazzy backbeat. This song is just ear candy for me, through and through. In the middle section, Ian then has a duel organ and piano solo. Absolutely fantastic.

Onto "The Gumbo Variations", I have to say a few words for context. I was richly blessed by my listen last night, as this and not "Willie" was forever the weakest part of the album [I feel now, in greater sobriety haha, they're about equal]. I felt this song, at a whopping 13 minutes was just way too long for its own good, despite all of its clear strengths. [I still feel it's a little too longwinded and kind of grating at that cost, to be honest.] This is a more straight Rock song with, for the first three minutes, a blazing sax solo. This is subsequently followed by the second feature by "Sugarcane", with a wicked electric violin solo. It goes on for nearly three minutes as well. Then it's Frank's turn. I would say, aside from Ian's solo to start the song, the strongest component of "Gumbo Variations" is the production and compositional choices on Frank's part. He does this thing where he introduces sections with a bunch of layers and parts and then proceeds to take most of them away, in and out of the jam, in and out of solos. And this accordioning is done to great effect, most effective, especially, over Ian's solo. To reiterate, is it still too long? Eh... Maybe.

Finally, we have the wonderful "It Must Be A Camel", another very jazzy moment, with wild percussion and drums (which is just so Zappa) and piano. Its main theme is so infectious, despite being so strange. It pulls you to and fro, especially when he plays with numerous rhythms. The overall/underlying rhythm shifts around the mid-mark for a pretty tasteful solo from Frank. But like the other strongest moments on this album, this is an Ian-dominant song. Praise be.

To be as clear as possible, True Rate: 4.75/5.00.