Ranking Captain Beefheart's albums

I think the good Captain is a rare case in which his most famous album (Trout Mask Replica) is far from being his best. I think I'd go like this:

#1 Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) - no one can say this is a mainstream album, but it somehow all clicks, being both supremely interesting and accessible. The manic laughter on Owned T' Alex is amazing, Floppy Boot Stomp and Tropical Hot Dog Night both awesome. Find myself coming back to it the most.

#2 Doc at the Radar Station - close call between this and Shiny Beast, but again everything just clicks. It's weird but still really listenable and stomping. Cap's voice has gone a bit here so it's more scratchy and gnarled (and interesting). Swampy, stompy awesome stuff all down the line.

#3 Clear Spot - his cleanest "most commercial" sounding album but my god does it kick all kinds of ass!
Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles / Big Eyed Beans From Venus is a terrific one-two punch as good as any two back-to-back classics on an album that I can think of. Sun Zoom Spark keeps the flag of weirdness flying, as if to remind you that this is still Beefheart here. Low Yo Yo Stuff a great opener. Mister Zoot Horn Rollo hit that long, lunar note and let it float,"

#4 Lick My Decals Off, Baby - I bit more economic and tight than Trout Mask. I love you, you big dummy.

#5 Safe as Milk - just stone cold one of the best blues rock albums ever made. Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes, I Do is an all-time wonderful sleazy stomper.

#6 Ice Cream for Crow - not quite as amazing as the two previous records, but Cap still went out with a bang. Title track is awesome.

#7 Trout Mask Replica - so this is where I'd put TMR. Some great moments, but it's very very baggy, which to me actually seems strange for the Captain whose work is often marked by being so tight. It is annoying in places too -- annoying in a way that Zappa frequently manages to be, but which Beefheart seldom is outside of the confines of this album.

#8 Strictly Personal - I really like "Son of Mirror Man", but the production effects are a disaster on this.

#9 The Spotlight Kid - just nowhere near as enjoyable as Clear Spot. Almost like he needed a whole album to get that particular balance right.

#10 Mirror Man - I have limited patience generally with long, rambling jam tracks. This album is a trip, but one of the Cap's albums I return to the least.

#11 Bluejeans and Moonbeams - at best mediocre, at worse crap

#12 Unconditionally Guaranteed - as above

How do you go on these?

 

My Top 4 would be Doc, Milk, Lick & Shiny - the rest are more difficult to put in order of preference (except for the last 3 which would be the same as OP's).

 

I think you've done a pretty good job there, although I'd rate The Spotlight Kid higher, I love it.

Agree about Ice Cream For Crow though, if the rest of the album was as good as the stellar title track I think it'd be his best album.

 

In order of preference, but I rate them all very highly...

01 - Trout Mask Replica
02 - Lick My Decals Off, Baby
03 - Safe As Milk
04 - Spotlight Kid
05 - Clear Spot
06 - Strictly Personal
07 - Doc At The Radar Station
08 - Ice Cream For Crow
09 - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
10 - Mirror Man

And then somewhere in the bottom of the barrel...

Unconditionally Guaranteed
Blue Jeans & Moonbeams

 

Twist Ah Luck on Blue Jeans is one of my fave Beefheart tracks, it's not challenging but it is a fine piece of rock and roll.

 

It's been years since I've listened to it and I don't even recognise that song title. Maybe I should give it one more chance.

Unconditionally guaranteed is one I know better and I don't like it at all. It sounds weaks with many bad songs.
I do like "Upon The My-Oh My" and "This is the Day", but on the album they sound so weak. I actually prefer the "tragic band" versions from the Old Grey Whistle Test Tv show.

 

Ok, time to give the album another chance.

 

I love Bluejeans and Moonbeams.
OBSERVATORY CREST is his most beautiful ballad. it's perfect and very dreamy.
that album proves he wasn't just a "one trick pony" that could be all freaky deeky.

it sometimes seems revisionist history
on the good Captain by hipsters keeps him in his "freaky box"

that being said (whew!)
I really think the original (finally releases
from the Zappa vaults) BAT CHAIN PULLER is his best. The perfect combination of weird and straight.

 

A+
1. Trout Mask Replica
2. Mirror Man
3. Doc At The Radar Station
4. Shiny Beast / Bat Chain Puller
5. Lick My Decals Off, Baby

A
6. Ice Cream For Crow
7. Safe As Milk
8. Clear Spot

B
9. Strictly Personal
10. The Spotlight Kid

C
11. Bluejeans & Moonbeams

D
12. Unconditionally Guaranteed

 

I might move Clear Spot down and Ice Cream for Crow up but otherwise this is pretty close to my thinking.

 

My top 4 in order - Lick My Trout Milk Clear.

 

I like Safe As Milk and Mirror Man Sessions a great deal, but haven't heard the others in entirity except Trout Mask, which isn't my cup of tea.

 

Trout
Shiny
Doc
Ice
Safe
Clear
Lick
Spotlight
Mirror
Strictly
Bluejeans
Unconditionally

To me, "Spotlight Kid" and "Mirror Man" are "on the road to Tragic Band", interrupted by a brief, mixed return to form on "Clear Spot".

 

My take on Don would be this:

01 - Clear Spot (by far his best IMHO)
02 - Spotlight Kid
03 - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
04 - Doc At The Radar Station
05 - Safe As Milk
06 - Trout Mask Replica
07 - Lick My Decals Off, Baby
08 - Strictly Personal
09 - Mirror Man

10 - Ice Cream For Crow (because I'm not familiar with it)

 

Nice, same here.

 

Mine, too.

L.

 

I think we're more or less in agreement, though I'd have to move TMR ahead of Ice Cream for Crow, which I found disappointing after Shiny Beast and Doc. Still do.

 

Fragile
Close To The Edge
The Yes Album









Oh, wait....

 

Doc At The Radar Station
Trout Mask Replica
Safe As Milk
Lick My Decals Off, Baby
Clear Spot
Mirror Man
Shiny Beast / Bat Chain Puller
Ice Cream For Crow
Strictly Personal
The Spotlight Kid
Unconditionally Guaranteed
Bluejeans & Moonbeams

I'm sure about my top 4 and bottom 2. I can switch the others depending on what I feel like listening to.

Edit............I also love his Bongo Fury songs/poems.

 

I pretty much agree with the OP...although I'd work the
'A&M Sessions' e.p. in there somewhere in the top half
because I've always given that one a lot of play. Cool
hearing Don performing a weird David Gates song.

 

TMR
Decals
Shiny Beast
Doc
Safe as Milk
Clear Spot
Mirror Man
Ice Cream
Spotlight
Strictly

Then those other two which I've heard once and threw out 25 years ago

 

Trout Mask deserves its reputation but I play all of these more

1/ Shiny Beast
2/ Clear Spot
3/ Safe As Milk
4/ Doc
5/ Decals

something like that

 

Safe As Milk
Strictly Personal
Mirror Man sessions
Spotlight Kid

Trout Mask really is terrible, almost unlistenable.......I have tried to like it!

 

I've read on more than one occasion that both "The Captain" himself as well as Frank Zappa thought that "Clear Spot" was his best album.
Far and away, I'd agree.