Frank Zappa – Hot Rats

89,99

Aside from the experimental side project Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats was the first album Frank Zappa recorded as a solo artist sans the Mothers, though he continued to employ previous musical collaborators, most notably multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood. Other than another side project — the doo wop tribute Cruising With Ruben and the Jets — Hot Rats was also the first time Zappa focused his efforts in one general area, namely jazz-rock. The result is a classic of the genre. Hot Rats’ genius lies in the way it fuses the compositional sophistication of jazz with rock’s down-and-dirty attitude — there’s a real looseness and grit to the three lengthy jams, and a surprising, wry elegance to the three shorter, tightly arranged numbers (particularly the sumptuous “Peaches en Regalia”). Perhaps the biggest revelation isn’t the straightforward presentation, or the intricately shifting instrumental voices in Zappa’s arrangements — it’s his own virtuosity on the electric guitar, recorded during extended improvisational workouts for the first time here. His wonderfully scuzzy, distorted tone is an especially good fit on “Willie the Pimp,” with its greasy blues riffs and guest vocalist Captain Beefheart‘s Howlin’ Wolf theatrics. Elsewhere, his skill as a melodist was in full flower, whether dominating an entire piece or providing a memorable theme as a jumping-off point. In addition to Underwood, the backing band featured contributions from Jean-Luc PontyLowell George, and Don “Sugarcane” Harris, among others; still, Zappa is unquestionably the star of the show. Hot Rats still sizzles; few albums originating on the rock side of jazz-rock fusion flowed so freely between both sides of the equation or achieved such unwavering excitement and energy.

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SKU: 398108438 Categories: , Tag:

Description

Reprise Records, Bizarre Records RS 6356 LP, Album, 1976 Canadian Pressing

A1. Peaches En Regalia 3:58
A2. Willie The Pimp 9:25
A3. Son Of Mr. Green Genes 8:58
B1. Little Umbrellas 3:09
B2. The Gumbo Variations 12:55
B3. It Must Be A Camel 5:15

Credits:

Design [Inside Spread] – John Williams
Design, Cover – Cal Schenkel
Engineer [For Sunset] – Brian Ingoldsby
Engineer [For T.T.G.] – Cliff Goldstein, Jack Hunt
Engineer [For Whitney], Engineer [Engineering Director For Bizarre] – Dick Kunc
Guitar, Bass [Octave], Percussion – Frank Zappa
Lacquer Cut By – Gerhard Schulze
Photography By [Cover & Beefheart Inset] – Ed Caraeff
Photography By [Zappa Inset] – Bruce Linton
Piano, Organ [Organus Maximus], Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Producer, Arranged By, Composed By, Directed By – Frank Zappa

Media Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)

A product of WEA Musik GmbH. Made in Germany.
Non laminated gatefold cover
No Label Code
No “ART GALLERY” printed on label
Back Cover: 44 078Ⓑ RS 6356

Runouts side A and B variant 2: “WEA I” is etched.

 

 

 

Barcode and Other Identifiers:

Price Code B
Rights Society GEMA
Matrix / Runout 30.926
Matrix / Runout 30.927
Matrix / Runout WEA 030926 I Manufactured in Germany
Matrix / Runout WEA 030927 Manufactured in Germany
Matrix / Runout WEA 030926 I Manufactured in Germany
Matrix / Runout WEA 030927 I Manufactured in Germany

 

 

 

 

Additional information

Weight 0,5 kg
Artist

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