Review Summary: Flo & Eddie have arrived
Released in 1970, "Chunga's Revenge" is Frank Zappa's third solo album that seems to take its predecessor, the masterpiece "Hot Rats" as an example, as it is much more instrumental compared to The Mothers of Invention's earlier albums. . With a rather funny cover showing Frank with a soporific yawn, the musicians who accompanied him are ex-The Turtles Flo & Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, respectively), keyboardist George Duke, multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood and drummer Ainsley Dunbar. Also, there is a little text inside the album that directly relates to some tracks on the album.
As for the music, Transylvania Boogie is a great example of Zappa's rock production. Inspired by oriental sounds, this track showcases the artist's jazz guitar skills. An excellent start, especially since Frank himself is the only guitarist, as he does for most of the album. Coming from the “Hot Rats” sessions, Twenty Small Cigars has a lounge jazz sound similar to Little Umbrellas from the aforementioned “Hot Rats”. Then comes blasting Tell Me You Love Me, a clearly hard rock song full of Flo & Eddie's madness. Anyone who doesn't like Kaylan and Volman's vocal harmonies and falsetto qualities can skip this song, but it's a classic track and Zappa's unstoppable riffs are impressive. Additionally, during Frank's career, he played this one in various incarnations with different bands.
The only thing that can be said about Would You Go All The Way?, a short and hilarious song, is that its lyrics got the musician into a little bit of a problem with the law. The album's centerpiece, Chunga's Revenge: this instrumental track is one of the best things Frank has ever done. Ian Underwood's saxophone solo is absolutely crazy about the strong presence of the wah-wah, then Zappa shows everyone why he is a master of the electric guitar. Finally, Sharleena concludes the album with an R&B performance and warm instrumental arrangements, a classic take on Zappa's own works.
All in all, “Chunga’s Revenge” is a good rock album, with some progressive and jazzy tendencies. It may not represent the best, but it's a great example of Frank Zappa's unique styles and a work of some importance in his career. Being the first album with Flo & Eddie in the band, the album isn't really complex. Instead, it's a collection of straightforward and enjoyable songs with some variation. However, Flo & Eddie seem to be a thorn in the side of some fans, especially those who favor greater musical difficulty. Certainly, their vocal talents can be a little irritating at times, but the duo's humour, irony and madness clearly fit the album without being boring.
