THEM OR US

Frank Zappa

RIO/Avant-Prog

3.32 | 234 ratings

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Uruk_hai

Review #159

"Them or us" is one of those ZAPPA albums that need a lot of patience and a very strong stomach to enjoy. The songs go from very intense instrumental Hard Rock pieces with excellent guitar solos by Steve VAI and (as the first appearance) Dweezil ZAPPA (as "Sinister footwear II", "Marque-son's chicken", "Them or us" and "Truck driver divorce") to some pieces that remind the days of ZAPPA with THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION (as "The closer you are" and "Baby, take your teeth out") passing through, what had become usual in ZAPPA's records since "Sheik yerbouti", some reggae oriented pieces as the re-recording of the original "Chunga's Revenge" track "Sharleena".

Most of these characteristics were present in most of the ZAPPA records from 1979 to 1984, so, if you have heard "Sheik yerbouti" or "You are what you is" you have an idea of what this record is all about. The songs go somehow interspersed and that makes this album very entertained since each song is as a counterpart of the previous one, which was a very wise detail on this record. "Be in my video" is an excellent track and my favorite from this record (also the first one I listened to since I found it in the "Strictly Commercial" compilation) and the ALLMAN BROTHERS cover "Whipping post" was great too.

SONG RATING: The closer you are, 4 In France, 4 Ya hozna, 3 Sharleena, 4 Sinister footwear II, 4 Truck driver's divorce, 4 Stevie's spanking, 4 Baby, take your teeth out, 3 Marque-son's chicken, 4 Planet of my dreams, 3 Be in my video, 5 Them or us, 4 Frogs with dirty little lips, 4 Whipping post, 4

AVERAGE: 3.92

PERCENTAGE: 78.46

ALBUM RATING: 4 stars

Uruk_hai | 4/5 | 2021-12-4

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