THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: UNCLE MEAT

This was to be the sound track for a movie that Zappa was making called Uncle Meat, but the movie was left unfinished due to lack of funds.This 2 album work consists of about 45 minutes of mostly talking on the opening three tracks of disc two. It's like listening in on to what is happening on the set. Very boring but at least it's easy to skip. I should mention these three tracks aren't part of the original double album and so won't be incIuded in my rating.

"Uncle Meat : Main Title Theme" is a short instrumental opener with lots of vibes and other intricate sounds. "The Voice Of Cheese" is a very short funny spoken word piece. Haha it's funny. "Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution" features lots of guitar and percussion. "Zolar Czakl" is less than a minute of classical-like sounds. Funny ending though. "Dog Breath, In The Year Of The Plague" has vocal melodies,horns and more and is quite upbeat. Vocals after a minute as it gets humerous. Horns lead late. "The Legend Of Golden Arches" is classical sounding like Chamber music really. I like it. A change before 2 minutes then it's classical sounding again. Spoken words end it. "Louie Louie" is a live tune. "The Dog Breath Variations" is a beauty. "Sleeping In A Jar" is a funny song with the focus on the vocals. "Our Bizarre Relationship" is spoken words. "The Uncle Meat Variations" is a very intricate instrumental. Some helium affected vocals before 3 minutes. Guitar to the fore around 4 minutes. "Electric Aunt Jemima" is like fifties doo wop.

"Prelude To King Kong" is mostly a horn and drum piece. "God Bless America" is a live track with the song being led by a kazoo as vocals come in. "A Pound For A Brown On The Bus" is another classical sounding tune. "Ian Underwood Whips It Out (live on stage in Copenhagen)" opens with spoken words before the sax and drums kick in and lead. "Mr.Green Genes" is also good and the father (I guess you could say) of "Son Of Mr.Green Genes" from "Hot Rats" that would come out after this record. "We Can Shoot You" has lots of intricate sounds to it. "If We'd All Been Living In California" is spoken words. "The Air" is a funny fifties sounding tune. "Project X" is another instrumental highlight from the first disc. "Cruising For Burgers" ends disc one. Disc two features the "King Kong" suite made up of six songs and is a side long suite. This is a free Jazz monster ! Each part blending into the other, with the last part being a live song. Love that last song ! The highlight of the whole recording for me.

4 stars for Uncle Meat.