THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: ONE SIZE FITS ALL

This album is most likely the perfect introduction to the unique world of Frank Zappa if you haven't experienced it already. Summing up his genre diversity in a mere 9 songs, this is extremely accessible. So why am I only giving it three stars? Well because of that specific fact that it is very accessible. For a tried and true Zappa fan, always looking to up the ante with complexity of the music and the genius of the lyrics, this is just too easy of an album. Same thing as Over-Nite Sensation, pretty much.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not writing this off as unimaginative. "Inca Roads" is an amazing album opener, and George Duke plays his keyboards like a madman here. One of the highlights of the latter half of the seventies, in my opinion. "Po-Jama People" is also appealing to diversity seekers. Although it carries forward a straight and rocking edge, it features some nice chord progressions and the lyrics are very goofy, yet masterful at the same time. "Florentine Pogen" opens up with an excellent riff, and the hors are at their finest here. Unfortunately, the music is so good it completely eclipses the singing and lyrics, which brings the quality down a ton.

Other than those three songs, let's just face the facts that this is a mediocre album. The much praised "San Ber'dino" is nothing more than an uneventful harmonica-driven rocker. The two "Sofa" songs are jazzy, yes, but boring as well. The y completely lack any atmosphere that keeps you hanging on to them. "Andy" is very bluesy, and although it is a highly forgetful track, I must give a shout to the amazingly skilled percussion work of Ruth Underwood. "Evelyn, A Modified Dog" is a piano-only almost spoken word song that makes no sense, but not in the good way. Most Zappa songs are praised for making no sense, but at least they are relevant to the non-sense that they make. Completely a song that breaks the flow, if there was any.

Like I said right from the beginning, extremely accessible and a great place to introduce yourself to the world of Frank Zappa. Unfortunately, if you own more than two Zappa albums, this just will not appeal to you the same way it would is this was your intro. Some amazing musical parts, but the mediocrity is overwhelming.

3 stars, begin here.