Music Banter - View Single Post

sufferinsukatash · 03-09-2021, 07:06 PM

Uncle Meat is a mish-mash of music compiled together to accompany (and stand in for) the movie of the same name that finances prevented from releasing until the late 80s or so. Released in 1969, it exhibits the Mothers in what Zappa once sarcastically referred to as his "most avant-garde album yet" (source not refound on YouTube---sorry). It consists of orchestrated film music which more often than not are derivatives of the title track and album opener. The music, if one listens closely, is meant to mimic the movements of some sort of space monster. The compositions are fascinating and intricate and they capture a good sci-fi mood.

Other tracks on the album involve the return of Suzy Creamcheese, announcing the ultimate motives for her hanging out with the Mothers, as well as the essential Zappa tracks "King Kong" and "Mr. Green Genes". The former ("King Kong") was awarded for being jazz song of the year in (insert date here) and the latter has a memorable riff with even more memorable lyrics (see here: it begins as a pro-vegetable song but the palate eventually comes to include a bus as well as the driver--yummy).

Worth noting is the nature of humor in this music. Known for the slogan: "does humor belong in music?", Zappa always wrote it into his pieces. Often sarcastic, at other times parodic, and almost always scatological Uncle Meat is no exception. My choice for funniest track on the album is "Dog Breath in the Year of the Plague" because the humor is found almost exclusively in the sounds and has little or nothing to do with the lyrics which are of the Freak Out! variety. Particularly, they are something in a cheesyteenagersbeingespeciallycheesyohletsmakefuno fthem. But the music is absolutely incredible. It doesn't sound like film music at first, but gradually becomes it at the end when The Mothers turn it into some sort of sci-fi encounter. Also amusing are the cartoon voices ala We're Only In It For the Money and the exaggerated vocal performances.

While this may not be the most approachable Mothers album, it certainly is one that deserves to be as it has enough variety to satisfy fans of any era of Zappa. It is also really interesting as film music and orchestral recording. So I dub thee a glorious:

5/5

No track list this time. If you are really concerned say so and I'll redevelop the habit or/and add one in later.

03-09-2021, 07:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
sufferinsukatash Music Addict Join Date: May 2020 Location: Canada Posts: 166	Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention-Uncle Meat Uncle Meat is a mish-mash of music compiled together to accompany (and stand in for) the movie of the same name that finances prevented from releasing until the late 80s or so. Released in 1969, it exhibits the Mothers in what Zappa once sarcastically referred to as his "most avant-garde album yet" (source not refound on YouTube---sorry). It consists of orchestrated film music which more often than not are derivatives of the title track and album opener. The music, if one listens closely, is meant to mimic the movements of some sort of space monster. The compositions are fascinating and intricate and they capture a good sci-fi mood. Other tracks on the album involve the return of Suzy Creamcheese, announcing the ultimate motives for her hanging out with the Mothers, as well as the essential Zappa tracks "King Kong" and "Mr. Green Genes". The former ("King Kong") was awarded for being jazz song of the year in (insert date here) and the latter has a memorable riff with even more memorable lyrics (see here: it begins as a pro-vegetable song but the palate eventually comes to include a bus as well as the driver--yummy). Worth noting is the nature of humor in this music. Known for the slogan: "does humor belong in music?", Zappa always wrote it into his pieces. Often sarcastic, at other times parodic, and almost always scatological Uncle Meat is no exception. My choice for funniest track on the album is "Dog Breath in the Year of the Plague" because the humor is found almost exclusively in the sounds and has little or nothing to do with the lyrics which are of the Freak Out! variety. Particularly, they are something in a cheesyteenagersbeingespeciallycheesyohletsmakefuno fthem. But the music is absolutely incredible. It doesn't sound like film music at first, but gradually becomes it at the end when The Mothers turn it into some sort of sci-fi encounter. Also amusing are the cartoon voices ala We're Only In It For the Money and the exaggerated vocal performances. While this may not be the most approachable Mothers album, it certainly is one that deserves to be as it has enough variety to satisfy fans of any era of Zappa. It is also really interesting as film music and orchestral recording. So I dub thee a glorious: 5/5 No track list this time. If you are really concerned say so and I'll redevelop the habit or/and add one in later.