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Music : Apostrophe (')
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Rating: 
- Good fun, though not for the whole family
Frank's first gold, and if you ask me it deserved that distinction. The first side is a mock concept album about an Eskimo and his adventures concerning huskies with overactive bladders; fur trappers bludgeoning baby seals with snowshoes; St. Alphonzo; and gay priests having sex with leprechauns. Needless to say, it's not one of Frank's more mature efforts, but some of it can be funny (the infamous doo-wap send-up "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow"; "Nanook Rubs It"), and even when humor fails him ("Father O'Blivion"), the band is so solid, and the melodies are so catchy, you won't notice or care. That, and it's amusing to play "spot-the-references-to-previous-Zappa-albums!". The second side is considerably more artistic, featuring a heavy fusion instrumental (title track) with an exquisite guitar part and amazing heavy drums by Jim Gordon (Jack Bruce also plays bass, though he's buried beneath Frank and Tony), what may just be his best song ever: "Cosmik Debris", which combines sharp, hilarious, anti-"mysticism" lyrics; an excellent R&B melody (with surprising tempo shifts in the chorus), characteristically wonderful guitars, and a couple nods to Over-Nite Sensation; and the funny mock-blues "Stink-Foot", with searing guitars. Weak points? A couple. Homophobia comes back to haunt Frank on "Father O'Blivion" (but again that's a well-written song from a melodic standpoint), and as far as I'm concerned the rocker "Uncle Remus" and the fusion experiment "Excentrifugal Forz" have nothing going for either of them. At least they're both short. This isn't as socially relevant as Freak Out! or virtuoso like Hot Rats. To its credit, though, the humor is amusing 80% of the time, the songwriting is strong 95%, and the band is really solid. Zappa fans should not go without it.
Rating:
- Buy this album!
This is an amazing record!! Musically mind-blowing and one of kind.
If you even need to read a review to see if you want to buy or not, buy it. If you know Zappa and for some reason don't already own this, you need it. If you think you want to pick up an FZ album but aren't familiar with his catalog, by all means, buy this. You will not regret your purchase.
The muscianship and quality of performance on this album is unique and even scary.
Yeah, so buy it.
Rating: - "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" by the CD!
As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.
"Apostrophe" released in March of 1974 has been called "More accessible Zappa." Maybe because of its gold record status but don't think for one moment the nine tracks don't have Frank's analytical and off-beat sense of humor as well as the stellar playing that has been a Zappa calling card from day one.
"Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" starts the journey with terrific instrumentation and Frank's in your face lyrics- "Watch out where the huskies go." "Nanook Rubs It" continues the theme of snow and Zappa describes the situation as follows: "He went right up side the head of my favorite babysitter." "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" fits in well with the two prior tracks. The songs are effortlessly blended together and the fusion of rock, jazz, improvisation, and the kitchen sink gives the listener a plethora of information to absorb. The beauty of a Zappa composition is the need to listen to it several times to fully digest the wealth of superlatives. "Cosmik Debris" with the haunting vocals enhanced by great background singing is a tune that even those that are so-so to Zappa's creativity have found to be classic. "Apostrophe" with bass-playing by Jack Bruce (Cream) is simply at a different level. The combination of Zappa/Bruce have no musical ceiling. They are virtuosos and show it throughout the tune, not with a need to overplay but with tasty interplay, that leaves the listener breathless.
The assemblage of seasoned pros on the record is tremendous. George Duke on keyboards, Aynsley Dunbar drums, and Tom Fowler bass as well as the rest of the crew make this everything you would want in a Zappa release.
Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"
Rating: - 4.5 stars - Great stuff but not as great as other Zappa material hence lower rating
Look, I have to be objective here. I'm a big Zappa fan. I especially love his work with the original Mothers (ALL of it) and the work he did with his big band (Waka Jawaka, Grand Wazoo, Imaginary Diseases) as well as the Roxy and Elsewhere band. All of those aforementioned CDs get 5 stars in my reviews - some I would give 100 stars if I could. The ONLY reason I'm not giving Apostrophe (') 4.5 stars is it just isn't as good as the aforementioned material... but it IS good and worth adding to your collection.
Apostrophe (') is good fun and there is some great music here. But let's be honest, this release was used to finance more serious works by Zappa.
Yellow Snow and Nanook Rubs it are funny the first couple of listens.
St Alphonzo and Father Oblivion is at once humorous and very good music
Excentrifugal Forz is one of the high-lites but it is very short
Apostrophe (') is a great jam with Jack Bruce but it's just a jam, there's no serious writing here.
Cosmik Debris is another favorite and a indictment of new age mumbo jumbo.
Uncle Remis is a great commentary on the loss of focus and priorities when it comes to civil rights (whoa, are we movin' to slow? I can't wait 'til my 'fro is full grown - and so on and so forth)
Stink Foot falls into the same category as Yellow Snow and Nanook.
So yeah, this is a good Zappa CD. Is it essential? I guess that depends on what you are looking for in a Zappa release. It's good fun but the music simply isn't as good as that found on Roxy and Elsewhere, Waka Jawaka, Uncle Meat, Freak Out! and so on and so forth.
4.5 stars
BY THE WAY: Dweezil's Zappa Plays Zappa band is playing material from this release. Last night I saw this band and it was FLAT OUT AMAZING! Cosmik Debris and Uncle Remus (with Ray White singing!) were included in the very generous 2.5 hour set. If Zappa Plays Zappa comes to your town, for God's sake, GO SEE THEM! You will not be disappointed as this show rivaled the concert I saw in March 74 with Zappa and his Roxy and Elsewhere Mothers. Dweezil's band REALLY IS THAT GOOD!
Rating: - Dennil Floss Anyone?
OK, Listen Up:
If you have NEVER owned a Frank Zappa album before, this would be a good first one to have.
If you are a FZ fan and DON'T own this album, then you aren't.
If you are TINA TURNER, make sure that this one is on your resume' (yes, it really IS HER!!)
And finally, if anything bad ever happens to your eyes as a result of a conflict with someone named NANOOK, don't go trudging off across the tundra to the Parish of St. Alfonzo - just order this album from Amazon!
- Good fun, though not for the whole familyFrank's first gold, and if you ask me it deserved that distinction. The first side is a mock concept album about an Eskimo and his adventures concerning huskies with overactive bladders; fur trappers bludgeoning baby seals with snowshoes; St. Alphonzo; and gay priests having sex with leprechauns. Needless to say, it's not one of Frank's more mature efforts, but some of it can be funny (the infamous doo-wap send-up "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow"; "Nanook Rubs It"), and even when humor fails him ("Father O'Blivion"), the band is so solid, and the melodies are so catchy, you won't notice or care. That, and it's amusing to play "spot-the-references-to-previous-Zappa-albums!". The second side is considerably more artistic, featuring a heavy fusion instrumental (title track) with an exquisite guitar part and amazing heavy drums by Jim Gordon (Jack Bruce also plays bass, though he's buried beneath Frank and Tony), what may just be his best song ever: "Cosmik Debris", which combines sharp, hilarious, anti-"mysticism" lyrics; an excellent R&B melody (with surprising tempo shifts in the chorus), characteristically wonderful guitars, and a couple nods to Over-Nite Sensation; and the funny mock-blues "Stink-Foot", with searing guitars. Weak points? A couple. Homophobia comes back to haunt Frank on "Father O'Blivion" (but again that's a well-written song from a melodic standpoint), and as far as I'm concerned the rocker "Uncle Remus" and the fusion experiment "Excentrifugal Forz" have nothing going for either of them. At least they're both short. This isn't as socially relevant as Freak Out! or virtuoso like Hot Rats. To its credit, though, the humor is amusing 80% of the time, the songwriting is strong 95%, and the band is really solid. Zappa fans should not go without it.
Rating:
- Buy this album!This is an amazing record!! Musically mind-blowing and one of kind.
If you even need to read a review to see if you want to buy or not, buy it. If you know Zappa and for some reason don't already own this, you need it. If you think you want to pick up an FZ album but aren't familiar with his catalog, by all means, buy this. You will not regret your purchase.
The muscianship and quality of performance on this album is unique and even scary.
Yeah, so buy it.
Rating:
- "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" by the CD!As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.
"Apostrophe" released in March of 1974 has been called "More accessible Zappa." Maybe because of its gold record status but don't think for one moment the nine tracks don't have Frank's analytical and off-beat sense of humor as well as the stellar playing that has been a Zappa calling card from day one.
"Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" starts the journey with terrific instrumentation and Frank's in your face lyrics- "Watch out where the huskies go." "Nanook Rubs It" continues the theme of snow and Zappa describes the situation as follows: "He went right up side the head of my favorite babysitter." "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" fits in well with the two prior tracks. The songs are effortlessly blended together and the fusion of rock, jazz, improvisation, and the kitchen sink gives the listener a plethora of information to absorb. The beauty of a Zappa composition is the need to listen to it several times to fully digest the wealth of superlatives. "Cosmik Debris" with the haunting vocals enhanced by great background singing is a tune that even those that are so-so to Zappa's creativity have found to be classic. "Apostrophe" with bass-playing by Jack Bruce (Cream) is simply at a different level. The combination of Zappa/Bruce have no musical ceiling. They are virtuosos and show it throughout the tune, not with a need to overplay but with tasty interplay, that leaves the listener breathless.
The assemblage of seasoned pros on the record is tremendous. George Duke on keyboards, Aynsley Dunbar drums, and Tom Fowler bass as well as the rest of the crew make this everything you would want in a Zappa release.
Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"
Rating:
- 4.5 stars - Great stuff but not as great as other Zappa material hence lower ratingLook, I have to be objective here. I'm a big Zappa fan. I especially love his work with the original Mothers (ALL of it) and the work he did with his big band (Waka Jawaka, Grand Wazoo, Imaginary Diseases) as well as the Roxy and Elsewhere band. All of those aforementioned CDs get 5 stars in my reviews - some I would give 100 stars if I could. The ONLY reason I'm not giving Apostrophe (') 4.5 stars is it just isn't as good as the aforementioned material... but it IS good and worth adding to your collection.
Apostrophe (') is good fun and there is some great music here. But let's be honest, this release was used to finance more serious works by Zappa.
Yellow Snow and Nanook Rubs it are funny the first couple of listens.
St Alphonzo and Father Oblivion is at once humorous and very good music
Excentrifugal Forz is one of the high-lites but it is very short
Apostrophe (') is a great jam with Jack Bruce but it's just a jam, there's no serious writing here.
Cosmik Debris is another favorite and a indictment of new age mumbo jumbo.
Uncle Remis is a great commentary on the loss of focus and priorities when it comes to civil rights (whoa, are we movin' to slow? I can't wait 'til my 'fro is full grown - and so on and so forth)
Stink Foot falls into the same category as Yellow Snow and Nanook.
So yeah, this is a good Zappa CD. Is it essential? I guess that depends on what you are looking for in a Zappa release. It's good fun but the music simply isn't as good as that found on Roxy and Elsewhere, Waka Jawaka, Uncle Meat, Freak Out! and so on and so forth.
4.5 stars
BY THE WAY: Dweezil's Zappa Plays Zappa band is playing material from this release. Last night I saw this band and it was FLAT OUT AMAZING! Cosmik Debris and Uncle Remus (with Ray White singing!) were included in the very generous 2.5 hour set. If Zappa Plays Zappa comes to your town, for God's sake, GO SEE THEM! You will not be disappointed as this show rivaled the concert I saw in March 74 with Zappa and his Roxy and Elsewhere Mothers. Dweezil's band REALLY IS THAT GOOD!
Rating:
- Dennil Floss Anyone?OK, Listen Up:
If you have NEVER owned a Frank Zappa album before, this would be a good first one to have.
If you are a FZ fan and DON'T own this album, then you aren't.
If you are TINA TURNER, make sure that this one is on your resume' (yes, it really IS HER!!)
And finally, if anything bad ever happens to your eyes as a result of a conflict with someone named NANOOK, don't go trudging off across the tundra to the Parish of St. Alfonzo - just order this album from Amazon!