I think this is the best live album ever. The songs of this album are outstanding performances that seem to be from studio, and almost every song was never released before this. Forget the fact that it's a live album, it would have been as amazing as an LP. If you like Inca Roads, Uncle Meat Main Title Theme, RDNZL, The Black Page and songs like that, this is for you.
The first time i heard this album, i had only listened to Apostrophe, Overnite Sensation and One Size Fits All, and i simply loved it. It's as good as the other albums in this period of Frank(for me it's certainly better than Overnite Sensation)
The first 3 songs and the next 3 songs form suites. Also Son Of Orange County and More Trouble Every Day are connected.
Musicians:
Frank Zappa-Guitar, Vocals
George Duke-Keyboards
Ruth Underwood-Marimba, Percussion
Napoleon Murphy Brock-Sax, Vocals
Tom Fowler-Bass
Bruce Fowler-Trombone
Chester Thompson-Drums
(This are the main musicians)
Let's see the songs one by one:
1. Penguin In Bondage(6:45): a great start. It has a melody that reminds me to Florentine Pogen(One Size Fits All), but a bit inferior. It has a great solo in the middle section, though. I think it's not one of the best in the album, but still amazing. It includes a 2 minute talk by Frank at the beggining
Rating: 4,5/5
2. Pygmy Twylyte(2:13): short, but awesome. It all happens very quick here. A nice melody starts, and turns into a rocky melody. Suddenly Napoleon starts to sing. Then the melody repeats but with some marimba and gives the room to the next song. It forms a suite with Penguin In Bondage and Dummy Up.
Rating: 4,7/5
3. Dummy Up(6:03): similar to Don't Eat The Yellow Snow/Nanook Rubs It from Apostrophe, but boring. I think this would have been alright in the concert, but it's easily the worst song on the album.
Rating:3/5
First suite rating: 4/5
4. Village Of The Sun(4:16): very beautiful song, i really love it. It has some nice guitar fills and the singing here by Napoleon is great. Also the marimba is charming.
Rating:4.9/5
5. Echidna's Arf(Of You)(3:53): If I didn't put 5 stars on Village, the reason is that the following songs are better. This is one of my two favorite of the album, and it's similar to Inca Roads, but more serious. This is certainly one of Frank's best songs, as the next one. Also Ruth is so great here.
Rating:5/5
6. Don't You Ever Wash That Thing(9:42): Echidna's Arf is like an opening to this jazzy/Inca Roads style conclusion. It has some killer solos on it, and here evry musician of the band is the spotlight for a minute or two. Easily on top ten Zappa songs for me.
Rating:5/5
Second suite rating: 5/5.
7. Cheapniss(6:33): an awesome/funky song. Not as good as second suite, but still awesome. Did I say it's awesome?
Rating:4.9/5
8. Son Of Orange County(5:53): a slow version of The Orange County Lumber Truck, from Weasels Ripped My Flesh(1970). Although I find it inferior to the version of Weasels, it has one of the best guitar solos i've ever heard.
Rating:4.1/5
9. More Trouble Every Day(6:01): another slow version of an old song, this time Trouble Every Day. I love how Son Of Orange County solo ends with a melody that leads to the opening solo here. After this small solo, the song may be just a bit boring, but at the end it has another killer guitar solo that makes the song at least not bad. My second least favourite on this album. Still good.
Rating:3.5/5
10. The Be-Bop Tango(of the Old Jazzmen's Church)(16:40): just listen...(hint: another of my favourites on this record)
Rating:5/5
