Record Reviews

FRANK ZAPPA ~ CIVILIZATION PHAZE III ZAPPA UMRK 01 (Barcode: 824302000021) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Electronic Recorded: 1967 - 1992 Released: 1994 This is the 63rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, which was his first posthumous album released in 1994. The 2CD album presents forty-one Zappa’s compositions of varying length. All of the pieces on this album were recorded in 1991 and 1992 by Zappa, using the Synclavier synthesizer, but the album includes also spoken word passages, which go back as far as 1967 from the “We`re Only In It For The MoneyFind albums with this title” recording sessions and additional spoken word passages recorded in 1991, as well as sampled orchestral pieces recorded by the Ensemble ModernFind albums by this artist orchestra. This album demonstrates the innovative and revolutionary approach in Zappa’s convoluted musical path and marks a phase when his compositions become almost too complicated to be performed live. Zappa started to use the Synclavier to write his music as early as 1982, and scored several albums with it, starting with “Jazz From HellFind albums with this title” album from 1986, with was the first to be performed entirely on the Synclavier, and culminated with this album. It is only symbolic that this was the last piece of music Zappa managed to work on before his death, symbolizing his complete and utter individuality. Musically, this album portrays Zappa’s visionary amalgam of contemporary Classical Music, Avant-Garde Electronic / Ambient music, and above all his personal, highly individual concept of the Art of Sound, way beyond the boundaries set to music by its tradition and history. Zappa undoubtedly lived in his own Universe, which only partly coexisted and interacted in ours, but when it did, we have been blessed by the exposure to his Genius. As the years progressed, Zappa became even more detached and his music, including his Classical adventures, took him away from the Rock and Fusion fans, who refused to move forward with his creativity. In retrospect, the last period of his life proved to be the most fascinating of course. Overall, although thirty 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: 27/09/2022Posted: 09/08/2022

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