BTV Potted album reviews.

Each week i shall write a short, concisely formed review of an album i love [or hate!]. This is of course, to be read with a pinch of salt [is that even possible?!]. You may love it, hate it, or even despise it, I’ll leave that up to you!

Zappa/Mothers – Roxy and Elsewhere.

Released September 1974. Discreet Records.

One of Uncle Frank’s many live albums, this was recorded in the relatively small Roxy club in Hollywood late 1973, and features The Mothers latest line-up, consisting of funk  keyboard master George Duke amongst many other highly accomplished musos. They had to be good to play Frank’s music, and boy are they good! Already  hardened by a gruelling tour schedule, this unit were tight and well rehearsed over these Roxy shows, and put in stellar versions of the hilarious ‘Cheepnis’,an ode to the wonders of 1950s ‘B’ movies! The politically motivated ‘Son of Orange County’ and ‘More trouble every day’. Zappa’s guitar positively BURNS throughout the latter. Side four consists of a type of dance competition, entitled ‘The Be-bop Tango’. Now, this is meant to be a fun piece, but ultimately feels like a waste of wax space.

Side Four aside, there are Jazz/funk workouts that have to be heard to be believed, such is the musical density at play here, such as the quite out of this world ‘Echidna’s Arf [of you]. The time signatures are all over the place, but it’s an aural dream to those who can let it into their minds, and whatever you think about Frank; He was never boring.

He was uncategorizable in a musical world full of mediocrity.  9/10.