HOT RATS

Of Zappa's many masterpieces, this is a highlight of those masterpieces.

With Hot Rat's, Zappa showed his more serious, instrumental side, and where he had flirted with fusion and long instrumentals before (most notably on "King Kong"), he brings it on full force here. As usual, the musicianship is impeccable and Zappa has even brought along some special guests for this one.

The album opens with one of Zappa's finest compositions ever, "Peaches en Regalia", and is a favorite of many Zappa fans. Captain Beefheart gives it his all on vocals for the classic "Willie the Pimp" that also features a phenomenal extended guitar solo courtesy of Mr. Zappa. The reworking of "Mr. Green Genes" from "Uncle Meat" follows, this one also featuring more great guitar solos and is yet another classic. The shortest song on the album but also one of the most intriguing, "Little Umbrellas", comes next, filled with more amazing music, but this is all preparing you for the 17-minute epic tour-de-force that is "The Gumbo Variations". It is non-stop action from beginning to end featuring many extraordinary solos and unbelievable playing by every musician. The album closes out with "It Must be a Camel" which shows the more avant- garde side of Zappa (that we are actually more familiar with) and it is definitely not any less breathtaking.

This album is a must for all fusion fans and anyone who calls them self a Zappa fan. Many people may not like this because it is more focused on solos and not on long, complex epics, but for those that do, this is one of Zappa's best.