TINSEL TOWN REBELLION

Part of the tidal wave of novelty rock material Zappa released in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tinseltown Rebellion begins with a studio off-cut from You Are What You Is (if it wasn't good enough for that sprawling everything-and-the-kitchen-sink album, Frank, what made you think it was good enough for this one?) but the rest presents live recordings from the period, covering similar material. Once again, the comedy feels more forced and unfunny to me than Zappa's earlier material - oh, and there's offensive lyrical content too if that bothers you - but on top of that the album is marred by muggy sound quality which subsequent remasters haven't quite managed to solve.

The versions presented of older songs are tepid - in particular, Brown Shoes Don't Make It is an absolute travesty compared to the original studio version - whilst the newer material continues the "novelty rock for frat boys" direction of You Are What You Is without that album's deft production to sweeten the deal. In short, there's little or nothing here to tickle the fancy of those who prefer Zappa's experimental, innovative, technically sophisticated and downright clever side. There's even a dance contest includes, Zappa apparently having not learned from Roxy and Elsewhere that such things are completely pointless in an audio format. At his best, Zappa was a genius, I'll never deny that, but when he just wasn't trying - or was intentionally dumbing his material down - there's nothing worse.