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Frank Zappa - Hot Rats CD (album) cover

HOT RATS

Frank Zappa

 

RIO/Avant-Prog

4.36 | 1830 ratings

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kunangkunangku
Prog Reviewer
5 stars The first time Frank Zappa sans the Mothers entered jazz-rock territory and this is the result: an album of a genius, a classic of the genre. Featuring multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and vocalist Captain Beefheart, with the support of Lowell George (guitars) and Don Harris (violin), among others, Zappa successfully brought every part of his compositions and directions and all into life at the most effective way; he managed to lead them to cut an album that flows so freely between jazz and rock, with so much excitement and energy.

Among the most fascinating attractions here is the way each musician marvelously contributes their particular style in mixing sophisticated jazz compositions with blaring, straight ahead rock elements. On the longer compositions (such as “Willy the Pimp”) there are clearly evidences in which Zappa and his supporting musicians push the envelope as far as they can go. In doing so, they are playing freely, with much noise, and without being confined to any limitation -- except the space of the medium (i.e. the tape, the vinyl), of course. On shorter compositions with tight arrangement (say, “Peaches en Regalia”), they can also perform playfully and yet elegantly.

After 25 years since it was released for the first time, this album hasn't lost its appeal. That's why anyone can make it as a gate to the world of Zappa.

kunangkunangku | 5/5 |

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