Record Reviews
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  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS (50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION)
ZAPPA 20037 (Barcode: 602438384136) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021
This Box Set is the 120th official release by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released posthumously in 2021. It presents an expanded reissue / remaster of the material recorded originally in 1971 with his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist. The Box Set contains the soundtrack of the film “200 Motels” (thirty-four tracks) originally released as a 2LP album in 1971, as well as over 4 CDs worth of additional material: demos, outtakes, dialogues and a plethora of bonus tracks, all worth their value in gold. All the material was composed by Zappa. The Box Set is a lavishly packaged Super Deluxe (LP sized) edition, which is up to the usual ZappaFind albums on this label Records standard.
The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist.
The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. He appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
| | Updated: 18/06/2022Posted: 18/06/2022 | CD 6 Digibook Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ 200 MOTELS (SOUNDTRACK)
ZAPPA 3846 (Barcode: 602438287055) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2021
This is a reissue / remaster of the 13th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, his group The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist and The Royal Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Elgar HowarthFind albums by this artist, originally released as a 2LP album in 1971. The album contains the soundtrack of the film “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” and presents thirty-four tracks, all composed by Zappa. This is the only album by Zappa, which was not reissued / remastered as part of the 2012 reissue program, and was eventually released as part of the 50th Anniversary reissue in 2021, finally closing the gap.
The Mothers, who recorded this music included, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, vocalists Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist, Jimmy Carl BlackFind albums by this artist and Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, keyboardists George DukeFind albums by this artist and Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist (who also plays woodwinds), bassist Martin LickertFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ruth UnderwoodFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist.
The music is an incredibly complex amalgam of Classical Music, Pop, Rock, comedy and satire. Although not the very first album to feature Rock and Symphony Orchestra, it is by far the most advanced, revolutionary and complex of all such attempts to this very day. Zappa included in this music his modern 20th Century Classical Music influences from Edgar VareseFind albums by this artist, Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist and others.
Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. He appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.
This album is often regarded as “peripheral” in his overall output, which is of course completely nonsensical and absurd. The whole concept of Zappa’s music was the complete disregard of genres and a firm belief that “music is one”, regardless how someone might wish to categorize it. In retrospect, this album is definitely one of his absolute Artistic apogees, although he never recorded anything which could be considered less important than anything else.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 15/05/2022Posted: 15/05/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK ZAPPA ~ PLAYGROUND PSYCHOTICS
ZAPPA 3886 (Barcode: 824302388624) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Rock
Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2012
This is the reissue / remaster of the 60th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, released originally as a 2CD album in 1992, less than a year before Zappa’s demise. The album was recorded between late 1970 and late 1971 and includes another rare live recording of “Billy The Mountain”, lasting over thirty minutes. It includes numerous dialog fragments capturing the members of The Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist on tour and during the recording of the “200 MotelsFind albums with this title” soundtrack. It also offers alternative mixes of the live encounter between the Mothers and John LennonFind albums by this artist and Yoko OnoFind albums by this artist on the Fillmore East stage. The staggering fifty-seven tracks are and incredible testimony of the greatest Rock band ever, carefully assembled by Zappa, in a form he wanted the band to be remembered. Almost all the music was composed by Zappa.
The musicians participating on this album include, in addition to Zappa who played guitar and sung, also vocalists Mark VolmanFind albums by this artist and Howard KaylanFind albums by this artist, woodwinds and keyboards player Ian UnderwoodFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Don PrestonFind albums by this artist, George DukeFind albums by this artist and Bob HarrisFind albums by this artist, bassists Jim PonsFind albums by this artist, Jeff SimmonsFind albums by this artist and Martin LickertFind albums by this artist and drummer Aynsley DunbarFind albums by this artist.
By the time this album was recorded Zappa and his Mothers Of Invention were a perfectly synchronized music machine able to play just about anything. Zappa’s sense of humor knew already no limits, as the “Billy The Mountain” track shows, being a hilarious pastiche of the Rock Opera genre, which thrived at the time. They produced some of the finest Pop / Rock oriented material, which was heavily spiced with hysteric and often outrageous satire and ridicule of American politics, religious radicals, sex, drugs, corruption and many other issues, which in Zappa’s opinion were eating the American society from within. As accurate as his view of the situation was, it did not have any impact on the state of matters, which obviously continuously worsened, effectively disintegrating the so called “American Way of Life”. Framed within brilliant music and some of his greatest guitar playing, this album is often considered as a great summary of the early Zappa period.
Overall, although over fifty years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.
Side Note
Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well.
Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.
| | Updated: 24/09/2022Posted: 24/09/2022 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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