traff@ecrc.de (Jesper Larsson Traff) (06/20/91)
Some New ZAPPA Releases:
As everybody knows by now, both StageIV and the sequel to "The best
Band you never heard in your Life", namely "Make a Jazz Noise Here"
have been out for the last two weeks in Europe (Music for Nations). I
bought them both last week and have been into some quite intense
listening for the last few days. Hehe. Despite that I still haven't
really come into them (information overload), so the following is just
a few scattered remarks on these releases.
"Make a Jazz Noise here" is a good set and it is more jazzy in the
sense that it focuses more on the horns (example: Black Napkins) than
was/is TBBYNHIYL. Same high recording quality - but again, personal
disappointment: nothing from the show I heard/saw in Copenhagen. Some
highlights are "Stinkfoot", "Eat that question" (intro real heavy),
"Big Swifty", "Black Napkins" and "When Yuppies go to Hell". The
"Lumpy gravy/Weasels ripped my flesh/WAOIFTM"-sequel is in the
circus-style/PARTY BAND ideom - and comes off quite well. The
arrangements of the classical pieces are OK but not that great (but
the inclusion here confirms that I heard right in Copenhagen:
something from L'Historie du Soldat was indeed played). However (here
comes the usual skepticism, which may be due to the sheer amount of
information to be digested. I have in the meantime changed my somewhat
reserved opinion on TBBYNHIYL: this, including all its Swaggart-stuff,
is a fantastic set!), I'm not sure all this was really THAT necessary
("Starwars won't work"? I don't know?)? Cover is clearly much better
than "Best Band"'s and one of the better Zappa covers in recent times.
I was reminded of Laurie Andersons "Big Science" when I saw the sign
'bout the "Baby Milk" factory to be put up [and Laurie seem to guest
on "Best Band" too: on "Lonesome Swaggart-Jim" there's a long passage
where the band goes "ahahahahahah..." when a voice comes in with
something like (Sharkey says). Any opinions on this?]. Like with "Best
Band" there is some sloppyness with the paraphernalia, for instance
"Advance Romance" to my shallow knowledge never appeared on "Uncle
Meat"?
Now for StageIV I agree with previous reviewers that musical quality
seems to have been an important criteria in this selection: there are
so many good versions of good songs + a small amount of new surprises.
Especially enjoyable are: "Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy" (wonderful pop
song - why haven't we heard more of that?) "Outside Now", "Florentine
Pogen", "Brown Moses", "That evil Prince" (was already on the sampler;
how come you didn't know this version? These two songs should direct
some people towards "ThingFish", maybe Zappa's best album from the
80'ies), "Filthy Habits" (88-band recording; also a rare piece, but
good). The real heavy stuff is to be found on the solo-tracks (of
which there are two): "Let's move to Cleveland" feat. Archie Shepp &
band members (good/heavy/interesting) and "Pound for a brown on the
Bus" with Peter Wolf and Tommy Mars, both very fine keyboarders.
Another GREAT piece is the mainly spoken "Tiny Sick Tears" - how
nasty, how funny Zappa can be. More of that in the future, more of the
Variety-type bands (Flo&Eddie), please! For me the real
disappointment was the highly acclaimed "Torture never stops (Original
Version)" - a song I like, but one we have heard often enough
recently, I think - nothing seems to be happening here, huh? But then
again, hey, it may turn out to be a real gem; just takes some time to
get there.
I agree with Erland on the notes: how boring, how uninteresting. And (noch
einmal) how sloppy: listen to "Florentine Pogen" and you hear the performance
of TWO bands (74 with Napoleon and 79 with Ike), but the song is listed
as just one performance of the '79-band. A little bit more effort should
have been put into this. But let's stop the nit-picking! Get the money out
of your pockets instead.
And now finally for a QUESTION: Zappa insist so much on his material
being 100% live, no overdubs of any sort whatsoever etc. So tell me
this: is the situation of the average "live" rock-band really so bad,
that all this insistence is necessary? Who cares that Whitney Houston
doesn't play or sing a single note on the stage? I don't think these
are the folks Zappa should compare himself with. When I hear a jazz
concert (a classical concert, a whatever) I always see people doing
their stuff for real. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
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General Opinion (if you want one): both sets worthwhile (and improving) so
go and get them!
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Jesper Larsson Traff, traff@ecrc.de
ECRC - European Computer-Industry Research Centre - Mu:nchen, Deutschland
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Jesper Larsson Traff, traff@ecrc.de
ECRC - European Computer-Industry Research Centre - Mu:nchen, Deutschland