Frank Zappa Absolutely Free

I like the album musically but not really vocally. I always liked the concept of direct segue into different songs on this album. I like "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" and other tracks. Does anyone like the album?

 

I think it's brilliant. Some parts sound a little dated now, but a lot of it still stings as much as it might have 40-odd years ago.

 

The fact that they whole gang is laughing DURING ACTUAL SONGS..... that's just beautiful to me!

 

Love it! Perhaps my favorite Zappa album, I think it is one of his most representitive, as all the various components he used in his music come together so well on this LP:
The doo-wop of Duke of Prunes, the humor of Call Any Vegetable, the irony/social commentary of America Drinks And Goes Home, the segue's, overall structure, flow of the songs, etc. etc.
America Drinks And Goes Home: I think this is the best variation what may be my favorite Zappa tune, the version on Jean Luc Pontys Zappa album is a close second.
The way it works on the end of Absolutely Free makes it the most perfect closing song on any rock record IMO.

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen...The President of the United STates!

Fellow Americans, Do do do...do do...do do do..do do

He's been sick

PLASTIC PEOPLE!!!!"


Love that album!

 

Great album. In my top 100.

 

I think it's great. Certainly in my top 5 Zappa albums, but then again... his first five are my favorite five. I love how it all is one long track. It isn't choppy nor does it sound edited to WOIIFTM. It sounds live to these ears. The vocals never bothered me. I'm pretty sure they're meant to sound intrusive.

 

I love it, but it is "highly underproduced", so it remains a tough listen for me (esp. given the standards Zappa would very soon set therafter). I understand from my reading here that they basically had no budget left for this one, after having put so much into Freak Out!, so they rushed both production and release (mastering I figure).

He was going into directions that some of his musicians of the time either had problems dealing with, or lacked the necessary rehearsal time to really get into. Bunk Gardner's soprano sax solo here is not very brilliant! And they do it on that little boogie rhythm... When Ian Underwood and Art Tripp would join a little later, things began to gel and Zappa really took off (jazz, etc.), AFAIAC.

I really like the separation of the LP sides into two separate conceptual entity ("Absolutely Free" & "The M.O.I. American Pageant"). So sad that the CD version never respected that!

 

How about the part in "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" ("He's a dirty old man/Corrupted, corroded...") where they use the chorus of "Little Deuce Coupe" over the instrumental part of the intro to "Help Me Rhonda"--crazy!

 

I think Zappa, in his final estimation of his "big note", diminishes the benefits of performing as a part of a group, as opposed to the leader of a group. This is one album that underscores that dramatically. The Mothers may not have been FZ's ultimate mode of expression, but I feel he could not have gotten there without reigning-in his creative impulses at first to accommodate the skills and deficiencies of the hand he was dealt. Those in charge of his legacy tend to obscure this truth.

 

Good comment!

 

yeah really well put. i had a twinge of annoyance to see the thread titled "frank zappa absolutely free" instead of "the mothers absolutely free."

not to diminish frank's obvious brilliance but that album (and the whole first part of his fame) would not have been the same without that band. they brought a lot to the table, and i think that much of zappa's later work suffers by their absence.

 

Well put.

I love AF. Always have.

"Plastic boots and plastic hat, and you think you know 'Where It's At?"


.

 

You got that right, I prefer my Zappa with the Mothers

 

...and, it DOES sound like he's having actual FUN with them! For as much as he's hitting the 'mainstream' world, he doing it WITH The Mothers!

 

Rookie mistake

 

Love this album.

Anthony

 

When I first saw this I thought this would be titled "Absolutely Free- WOW !"
the title track is a beautiful piece of music...fo 'sho
I never really appreciated how much the other musicians in the Mothers were just as much a part of this great music (and probably the compositions, and not getting any credit) until I saw the Grandmothers live ina small club, the entire original Mothers (w/ guest Motorhead) they albsolutely smoked !!!

 

One of my favorite Zappa/Mothers albums. I like the current cd just fine. I think it flows better than WOIIFTM, myself, only bettered by Freak Out, which is a stone masterpiece, imho.
There's not one bad track on this baby.

America drinks and goes home, indeed.

 

I forgot - I HATE the insertion of the 7" single of "Big Leg Emma" and "Why Don'tcha Do Me Right" between the 2 album sides. Really stupid.
C'mon, Frank! Oh, I forgot....
Boy, do I miss this guy. He'd be having a field day what with what's going on nowadays. I always liked his take on current events.

 

I had my first copy of this as a freshman in HS, which I do believe was its year of release(67?). This album was the start of my journey with Mr. Zappa and his wonderful Mothers, and is still my favorite to this very day. I had several vinyl copies throughout my younger years, actually wore out the first copy, and lost the remaining loaning them to "friends". Of course, now I have my digital copy, and will most likely take it to my grave. I'm trying to envision me listening to this when I am 88!

 

"..prunes are not a vegetable... cabbage is a vegetable...."

I hope you make it to 88, my friend - I'm shooting for 72 - I'm 54 but have some hard, rugged miles on this old frame!

 

Love Zappa with the Mothers, this is a great album.

 

I agree with the earlier poster who noted that the album has a better flow than WOIIFTM, which means (for me) that I end up reaching for it more often. As long as I program the single out of the middle of it.

 

What WAS he thinking when he did that? I guess we'll never know.