Año: 1969
Género: Rock / Progressive rock / Experimental / Jazz / Psychedelic rock
Duración: 43:11
Nacionalidad: EEUU
Claro, nunca podría pasar mucho tiempo sin que volvamos a este disco...
Dentro de la vertiente de fusión o jazz-rock que también desarrolló Frank Zappa, nos encontramos ante el que quizá sea el mejor disco de todos los que grabaría en ese estilo. Se trata de un nuevo disco repleto de música instrumental salvo ‘Willie The Pimp’, que en su primera mitad demuestra entusiasmo y poderío a partes iguales, como si fuera la ocasión ideal para demostrar al mundo que se encontraba ante un músico sin parangón dentro de la música popular de la segunda mitad del siglo XX.
Y nada mejor para comenzar que ‘Peaches En Regalia’, uno de los mejores instrumentales que compuso Zappa en toda su carrera, repleto de melodías memorables y con una alternancia y variedad de instrumentos que la convierten en toda una experiencia muy recomendable. Además, sirve de referencia para otros instrumentales que Frank irá componiendo a lo largo de su vasta discografía, pues presenta todas las características de este sorprendente compositor: virtuosismo, cambios de ritmo inesperados, estructura compleja y, cómo no, buenas melodías excepto en los casos más extremos y complejos. También se recupera de forma magnífica una canción del disco anterior, aquí re-grabada, extendida, mejorada y re-titulada como ‘Son Of Mr. Green Genes’, que si no fuera por este precedente podría parecer como el primo-hermano de ‘Peaches En Regalia’.
En ‘Willie The Pimp’, el único tema con voz, la parte vocal la canta su amigo Don Van Vliet, alias Captain Beefheart, pues su rasposa voz queda genial para interpretar al chulo protagonista de la canción. También es destacable la prominente guitarra que empieza soltando un reconocible riff (¿o es primero el violín de Sugarcane Harris?), los aullidos de Captain Beefheart que ponen los pelos de punta y la extensa parte instrumental.
Cuando llega ‘Little Umbrellas’ ya baja un poco el frenético ritmo que se lleva durante la primera mitad del disco. De aires algo orientales debido a la melodía de saxofón y con una vocación más jazz, es un tema calmado y relajante que sirve de merecido descanso. Lo que nos queda después son dos temas más entroncados en lo que podríamos considerar como jazz-rock más puro, uno extenso de más de diez minutos (‘The Gumbo Variations’) y otro que finaliza el disco y que se titula ‘It Must Be a Camel’. Ambos presentan como único problema y como diferencia respecto a los temas anteriores que no ofrecen melodías discernibles, pues son más vehículos para la improvisación estructurada de los músicos, pero al menos pueden escucharse con agrado aunque uno no sea un aficionado a este tipo de música. También destacar que en este último tema se cuenta con la participación del reputado violinista francés de jazz Jean-Luc Ponty, toda una garantía de que nos encontramos ante un disco serio y recomendable.
Potenciadas ya sus intenciones de ensamblar la música de una forma sinigual y de experimentar con géneros tan gustosos como el jazz y el rock progresivo, Frank Zappa lanza su octavo disco de estudio "Hot Rats", dando a luz así a una de las obras más importantes del rock.Alvaro Beasi
El disco sale como su primer trabajo en solitario, ya sin el nombre "The Mothers of Invetion", dandole así final a la primera etapa con dicha formación. Para su concepción , el maestro Zappa requirió de una gran cantidad de músicos de sesión. Los unicos solistas con él y el vientista y tecladista Ian Underwood.
Si hay algo que carateriza a Zappa es la profundidad y la singular manera de crear texturas y atmósferas, no solo a la hora de componer su música sino también cuando se aferra a su inseparable (o no tanto) compañera: la guitarra.
Un adjetivo, tan solo uno , que nos atrevemos a tirar (por que la música que contiene este disco es casi incatalogable) por sobre esta impresionante obra es la "espesura" de sus pasajes. Desde el comienzo con "Peaches en Regalia" nos adentra en una introducción lisérgica y alocada con una gran variedad de instrumentos que se superponen, mezclando elementos celtas junto al jazz.
Tranquilamente podría ser la música para un video juego o de algún dibujo animado.
Esa misma atmósfera alocada y con más guiños celtas, pero más desgarradora aún , la encontramos en "Willie the Pimp". El unico track con voz, a cargo de su amigo Captain Beefheart. El tema logra habitar un terreno sumamente psicodélico con esa voz aguardentosa y por sobre todo unica de Beefheart. Acompañada por un violín, para luego darle rienda suelta a la experimentación músical (más que nada en la guitarra).
El clima logrado en "The Son of Mr. Green Genes", parece ubicarse en otra dimensión, es una maravilla de la música contemporánea. Regida por la improvisación, la sofisticación del tema nos hace pensar en la amplia informaciòn y conocimiento de la música clásica que tenía su creador. La base rítmica en "Littles Umbrellas" asoma al jazz con buenos trabajos de teclados en su coda, al final.
El instrumental más largo del disco es "The Gumbo Variations" (16:57) con un impresionante trabajo de saxo a cargo de Underwood. Es un tema donde es remarcable que los músicos se sienten como en la llamadas "Jam Sessions" sin inihibición alguna, muy sueltos. El solo de guitarra de Zappa, que abarca practicamente más de la mitad del tema, nos describe su genialidad y monstuosidad como guitarrista. La canciòn cierra con un pretencioso dialogo de bateria al que se le suma el bajo, el violin y luego todos juntos para un final atronador.
El tema más excéntrico es el del final "It must be a Camel" que tiene un comienzo muy jazz-band, con arreglos de vientos muy trabajados y con el inolvidable Jean-Luc Ponty en violin. Es apenas un "bonus" o una tajada plus de el maravilloso pastel sonoro de lo que es este impresionante disco.
Los amantes del gènero no pueden dejar pasar por alto esta espectacular obra de arte de 1969. Una de las rimeras grabaciones en 16 pistas que ni siquiera el genial "Abbey Road" de The Beatles (se grabó en 8 pistas, el mismo año) pudo superar técnicamente.
En el decimoséptimo aniversario de su muerte les ofrecemos entonces "Hot Rats" del querido Frank Zappa con un plus incluido: los radio spots del disco y los covers del vinilo.
Presented as Frank's first solo album, this is Chapter one of his explorations of jazz-rock (this is relative, because he had dabbled into the future genre in his previous albums, including King Kong on Uncle Meat) but also the pinnacle of his career. This is a solo album, not a Mothers album, although you'd have a hard time telling it apart, only that it is less goofy and parodic and more instrumental and musically focused. Playing on the album are Ponty, Underwood, and Guerin (among others), while Van "Beefheart" Vliet is singing on a track.Sean Trane
Opening on the amazing Peaches In Regalia, but it is the amazing Willie The Pimp, THE classic of the album, with Don Van Vliet singing raunchily and a wild Zappa guitar solo. Green Genes features Underwood's wind instruments (multi-tracked) and Zappa's guitars again, but also that same Underwood on keyboards as well. An outstanding side of vinyl.
The flipside opens with the shorter jazzy Little Umbrellas instrumental, perhaps the "parent pauvre" of Hot Rats, but the 17-mins Gumbo Variations of pure bliss, especially if you're a fan of solos. Flabbergastingly awesome stuff. The closing Camel piece is the most difficult track of the album, the one closest to dissonant avant-garde music; but this is so very light. Another excellent track.
Every one of these numbers here are a classic but Peaches and Gumbo come out, and Don Beefheart Van Vliet's contributions to Pimp makes this album a gem. Coming with that pink pool shot artwork, this is THE Zappa reference, beit from progheads or the average John Doe and Willie Pimp. One of the main reasons for this album's high tenure is that it is mainly instrumental, thus putting the emphasis on the music and it isn't ruined by Francesco's whacked-out humoristic sketches, although there is still a lot of humour left in the music.
I am sure most of you are all too well familiar with the late great ZAPPA's work, but for those who have not heard "Hot Rats" you are missing one of the best gems left behind from Frank ZAPPA. Here Frank is joined by a few friends including Jean Luc Ponty, Ian Underwood and vocalist Captain Beefheart. "Hot Rats" is full of surprises and offers many incredible progressive rock moments. This album offers nice long tracks with extended heavy guitar solos and lots of sax and keyboard activity to keep you on the edge of your seat. This album seems to grow on the listener and then is almost one of your collections high points. This is a real gem and should be listened to by all prog fans. It may take a while to hit the first time ZAPPA heads as it moves into the bizarre and strange aspects of music and ZAPPA pushes the boundaries of modern sound and image. This is an essential masterpiece and must be in your collection.James Unger
This almost instrumental Zappa's album is very appreciated from miscellaneous kinds of people. It definitely has a jazz tendency, plus obvious rock elements as reveal the numerous guitar & violin solos and pleasant rhythms. There are some excellent piano parts, and I like very much the refined acoustic bass on "Little Umbrellas". "Peaches en regalia", "Son of Mr. Green Genes", "Little umbrellas" and "It must be a Camel" are the best tracks: very structured and complex, they have catchy & colorful horns sounds (sax-oriented). "Willie the pimp", very funny with Beefheart on lead vocals, contains, as usual, an eternal wah-wah guitar solo. "The Gumbo variations" has a free style, fast, definitely too gross and too long (16 minutes), with endless electric violin & guitar solos, and tons of drums; it is definitely not addictive. I find this record very good but slightly overrated.greenback
If you regard of the early sixties in the USA, this rock and roll/blues rock album was already quite progressive, even though in some circumstances only... that is you can get an inkling of his talent, which will be better developped in the future.It's not the most "progressive album" by Frank and -probably it should deserve an inferior score;neverthless some tracks such s "Don 'Sugarcane'", "Harris" or "Willie the Pimp", are a tasteful example of things to come later (listen to the experimental album "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"), representing his true mood... well these songs actually are almost equal to the most disappointing version of "Gumbo Variations", which is more similar; but there are some stunning spare classic breaks through (of course I remark these latter as "classic", regarding of his usual high standard). Moreover some of the themes will appear on other albums such as the "Grand Wazoo" and "Waka Jawaka"; while perhaps the song "Son of Mr. Green Genes" is the only one which is not much inspiring... it never minds, this work, not completely mature, is anyway worth checking out at least!!Lorenzo
When the croci in my mind are blooming, then FRANK ZAPPA's whimsical and colorful genius must be in full flower. I see you in the back of the class, looking out the window while all this wondrous music plays on. Well, wake up! Thirty years on, your grandchildren may quiz you on FRANK ZAPPA and Where were you when it all happened. Do you want to be the doddering old fool who pulls out a picture of the sofa bathed in the blue light of the television and point saying "There?" No you don't. You want to tune into "Hot Rats". The wonderful thing is, there's still time. Oh, the good seats on the ground floor are already taken, but there's plenty left in the mezzanine, as good a place as any to witness the miracle of "Peaches En Regalia" or "Son of Mr. Green Genes", where the composer turns our concept of classical music on its head and gives it a much-needed spanking. Or, if that doesn't push your button, than surely the sweaty and buck nakedly brilliant blues rock of "Willie The Pimp" and "The Gumbo Variations" must. I've spent some two-cent words and a coupla ten-dollar ones trying to sell folks on FRANK ZAPPA's music, but "Hot Rats" sells itself. If no other work from ZAPPA should survive (and somewhere in a conservative cabal sick with the smell of cigars, the possibility is probably being discussed right now), "Hot Rats" alone would keep the flame alive through the ages. The composition, the arrangements, the musicianship, the sheer entertainment of it all is initially too much to comprehend, but in time it sinks in, and gestates, and first it's a little blue crocus, and then a white one, and a pink one, and before you know it you're trading bootlegs with some guy in Holland who says you have to hear this killer version of "Valarie" with an alternate ending (or something like that). Stepping back from myself a bit, I'm sure that jazz/classical hybrids like "Little Umbrellas" could trace themselves back to Duke Ellington or some other modern composer without a trail of bread crumbs, but I don't listen to a lot of that stuff, so for me ZAPPA's the gateway to this new musical world. And, honestly, your grandchildren will probably be asking you stuff like "Ew, how could you have had a cRUSH on Eminem (or Britney Spears)?", so I wouldn't worry too much about the ZAPPA shakedown from future generations. But if they do ask you about ZAPPA, start putting money away in a trust fund so they can go to Yale and eventually become president. I'd like to hear "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" played at least once at an inaugural ball in my lifetime, and I don't see any other way to do it.Dave Connolly Lista de Temas:
1. Peaches en Regalia
2. Willie the Pimp
3. Son of Mr. Green Genes
4. Little Umbrellas
5. The Gumbo Variations
6. It Must Be A Camel
Alineación:
- Frank Zappa / guitar, octave bass and percussion
With:
Ian Underwood / keyboards and winds
Captain Beefheart / vocals
Sugar Cane Harris / violin
Jean-Luc Ponty / violin
John Guerin / drums
Paul Humphrey / drums
Ron Selico / drums
Maz Bennett / bass
Shuggy Otis / bass