HOT RATS

Hot Rats (1969) was my first, but not my favourite, experience of Frank Zappa. It is widely recognised as having been influential in the development of jazz-rock/fusion, and it seems to be one of those albums you should hear before you die. However without meaning to sound disparaging, the best thing I can say about Hot Rats is that it's ok. It opens promisingly enough with the concise jazz-rock of PEACHES EN REGALIA, and continues with some excellent interplay between Zappa and violinist Don ''Sugar Cane'' Harris on WILLIE THE PIMP. Unfortunately the remainder of the tracks are on a gradual downward-sloping curve, with THE GUMBO VARIATIONS being the lowest point thanks to some painfully long solos. Another problem for me is that Hot Rats is a mainly instrumental album and I miss Zappa's trademark goofiness. It's good without being a classic, so 3 stars.