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Uncle Meat
Reissued, Remastered
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Uncle Meat
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Track Listings
Disc: 1
1 | Uncle Meat |
2 | The Voices Of Cheese |
3 | Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution |
4 | Zolar Czakl |
5 | Dog Breath, In The Year Of The Plague |
6 | The Legend Of The Golden Arches |
7 | Louie Louie |
8 | The Dog Breath Variations |
9 | Sleeping In A Jar |
10 | Our Bizarre Relationship |
11 | The Uncle Meat Variations |
12 | Electric Aunt Jemima |
13 | Prelude To King Kong |
14 | God Bless America |
15 | A Pound For A Brown On The Bus |
16 | Ian Underwood Whips It Out |
17 | Mr. Green Genes |
18 | We Can Shoot You |
19 | If We'd All Been Living In California... |
20 | The Air |
21 | Project X |
22 | Cruising For Burgers |
Disc: 2
1 | Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part 1 |
2 | Tengo Na Minchia Tanta |
3 | Uncle Meat Film Excerpt Part II |
4 | King Kong Itself |
5 | King Kong |
6 | King Kong |
7 | King Kong |
8 | King Kong |
9 | King Kong |
Editorial Reviews
Product description
REMASTERED 1968 double album. Complex, rich & unique. Includes 45 minutes of BONUS MATERIAL.
Amazon.com
The soundtrack for a film that remained incomplete for over a decade, Uncle Meat is one of the finest albums produced by Zappa and the original Mothers of Invention. Showcasing every facet of the band, Uncle Meat is filled with quirky Zappa instrumentals like the title track and the "Dog Breath Variations," rock staples like "Cruisin' For Burgers" and "Mr. Green Genes," and an epic suite of instrumental fervor centered around the jazz-rock forerunner, "King Kong". This double CD edition also contains audio excerpts from the movie and a later song called "Tengo Na Minchia Tanta." --Andrew Boscardin
From the Label
A crucial turning point in Motherdom, this started as the soundtrack to the movie that was completed decades later. Just when Zappa's fans had digested the vicious satire of WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY and the doo-wop homages of RUBEN & THE JETS, he gave them a mostly-instrumental album that highlighted the jazz-rock leanings and increasing virtuosity of the early Mothers. The album's finale, the adventurous but appealing instrumental suite "King Kong," convinced a few skeptical ears that Zappa wasn't so scary after all.
As a whole, UNCLE MEAT illustrates FZ's masterful production techniques, and his ability to appropriate all sorts of popular music and have his way with it as well. Doo-wop rears its head on "Cruisin' For Burgers" and "Electric Aunt Jemima;" and the groupies-turned recording artists the GTO's make their debut on "Our Bizarre Relationship." And of course, it wouldn't be a serious, jazz-influenced Mothers album without a little "Louie Louie."
This double CD has been augmented with a full 45 minutes of extra dialogue and stuff from the film. Primer mi carucha, brodie knobs and spinners, fake I.D.s, khaki maple buckwheats and King Kong in excelsis.
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Package Dimensions : 5.59 x 4.8 x 0.94 inches; 4 Ounces
- Manufacturer : Zappa Records
- SPARS Code : DDD
- Date First Available : July 26, 2006
- Label : Zappa Records
- ASIN : B0000009S1
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank: #367,896 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #6,170 in Progressive Rock
- #9,300 in Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) (CDs & Vinyl)
- #30,713 in Alternative Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
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"Uncle Meat" marks an important part in Zappa's history as it is the last record to feature the original Mothers in full swing ("Weasels Ripped My Flesh" and "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" were considered posthumous releases, as they were mostly comprised of outtakes, not new material). Also, it is the debut of Ruth Underwood on vibes (then Ruth Komanoff), who later became a featured member of Frank's ensembles into the mid-70's. In addition, it marked the first time that good ole Uncle Frank began breaking heavily into the realms of classical and jazz, while still retaining the heavy rythmn and blues and doo wop styles of the earlier records. Lyrically, this album is dense and full of inside jokes and references, sandwiched in between passages graced with trumpets, clarinets, and saxophones. As Frank himself states in the liner notes on the double LP gatefold, this is primarily an instrumental record and meant to serve as a soundtrack to a movie that The Mothers had not yet acquired the money to finish. Although I've never seen the film, I'm sure it is as just as surreal, dense, and off-kilter as the music heard on the album.
But on to the music. The opener, "Uncle Meat: Main Theme" is a vibe-led instrumental, backed by harpsicord and some snare work from Jimmy Carl Black (yes, the Indian of the Group!!), with some instruments that can't be identified (I'm not kidding ... look it up!), ending with some of Frank's sound effects and leading into a conversation with Susie Creamcheese, who explains her absence from the last two records and adds to FZ's "conceptual continuity", immediately segueing into "9 Types of Industrial Cheese", a rare glimpse into Frank's acoustic guitar stylings. Next, is the quirky "Zolar Czakl", an oddly metered, entirely indescribable piece of music that ends in a brief 45 seconds, before moving onto the screaming sax doo-wop of "Dog Breath, in the Year of the Plague", which is genre-defying in it's own way, breaking into some high-pitched vocals, and into some heavy classical in the middle section. As I'm sure you can tell, the music is utterly stunning and completely unlike anything heard before, either by contemporary music or Frank himself.
"The Legend of the Golden Arches" is a Frank Zappa classic, played for years by the man himself in various lineups, even by his Ensemble Modern. The mid section is where the "Meat" is; Ian Underwood's screaming clarinet is out of this world and full of some of the most passionate playing on a Frank Zappa album ever, before breaking into some harpsichord dissonance. The album slows down a bit with "Louie Louie", which provides some laughs as the Mothers distort the classic at The Royal Albert Hall, before moving onto "The Dog Breath Variations", one of Zappa's favorite compositions. Instrumentally speaking, its more of the same, but the music is unbelievable. You must buy this to understand just how unique this is! "Sleeping in a Jar" is The Mothers at their most haunting, with a distant trumpet-sound soloing above - again under 45 seconds.
After some more talking, the music moves onto "The Uncle Meat Variations", with more harpsichord and some munchkin voices. Hilarious and brilliant at the same time, this is my favorite composition of the album, which breaks into a guitar solo near the end and ends in an epic way. Very, very cool. "Electric Aunt Jemima" is more surrealism and high voices, and is a bit of a novelty song, admittedly, but has some trademark Zappa experimentation throughout. I once heard this song at a used vinyl place in Pittsburgh and it made my day. I absolutely love it. After some hilarious banter, "Prelude to King Kong" bursts from your speakers with some fast paced avant jazz from Ian Underwood on sax. After "God Bless America" at its most dissonant (more conceptual continuity), there is some scattered percussion, not unlike Gong's "Percolations" and moving onto "A Pound for a Brown", which is a faster-paced version of "Golden Arches" with some differences in instrumentation.
Ian Underwood, (the Straight Member of the Group) whips out a sax solo next, before the album moves onto the original version of "Mr Green Genes". More surrealism and lyrics relating to food (not unlike "Call Any Vegetable" and "Duke of Prunes") with some really nice vibe work and trumpets, along with some doo-wop vocals. The overall effect is surprisingly calming ... I can't help but smile when listening. The ending is strong and pseudo-epic, but effective. I like it a lot. After some more talking, (including Jimmy Carl Black complaining about not getting paid!), we move onto some straight doo-wop, right out of "Ruben and the Jets", "The Air", is very good doo-wop and very enjoyable. Its no wonder Frank loved this type of music; I can see why when I hear his version of it! "Project X" is some excellent avant garde, before leading into some really chill-inducing music. "Cruisin' For Burgers" is weird, very surreal, and beautiful ... some of my favorite Mothers' music ever. And to think, all of this creativity and not an ounce of drugs involved. Its amazing and ends Side 3 perfectly, before moving onto Side 4... Side 4 is the subject of another Frank Zappa classic, the 18 minute jazz odyssey, "King Kong". In many ways, its as threatening and monstrous as its namesake, with a bombastic head, leading to numerous solos from within the band. Everything is covered here: there's another Underwood solo, a Don Preston electric piano solo, and something that almost sounds like an electric kazoo! The whole thing comes to a thrilling conclusion in a live performance where the band rocks out "on a flat bed diesel in the middle of a race track at a Miami Pop Festival" and comes apart at the end. It doesn't end ... it falls apart, like the great beast himself, shot from the Empire State Building, very much a way to describe the end of the mammoth double set itself.
Overall, "Uncle Meat" is a challenging, eclectic listen, full of lots of twists and turns, that leave an involved listener on the edge of his or her seat, and out of breath at the end. The experience is unique to say the least and unforgettable. Its an experience that I am happy to return to, time and time again, and feel is essential to any Prog lover's collection, and certainly an album that no self-respecting Zappa fan can be without.
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Uncle Meat was the second two-album set from the Mothers, and very different from the first. The first, Freak Out!, was also the group's debut effort. The two disks broke out very neatly; the first was a collection of songs structured along traditional lines featuring decidedly non-traditional themes and lyrics. The second, which got very little airplay, was much more experimental, foreshadowing inspired lunacy to come. But, however demented and unorthodox, Freak Out! was a tightly integrated work.
Uncle Meat put an end to that for good, and introduced a Zappa that believed "anything can be music". Conversations among band members about sub-standard working conditions are cheek by jowl with exquisite scored orchestral segments, followed by tight doo-wop songs about suburban life. Zappa also introduces themes he would revisit later, a favorite techniques of his, and other composers. Mr. Green Genes makes his debut, we see him again on Hot Rats. Uncle Meat was noticed by a wide variety of players. The Persuasions, (who owe their start to Zappa), covered Electric Aunt Jemima memorably. And while King Kong in all its variations has merit, (especially the version played on the back of an ice cream truck), the last word on this melody belongs to Zappa friend and collaborator Jean Luc Ponty - I highly recommend tracking down his tribute CD - King Kong.
Those of you yet unconvinced that Zappa was arguably our most innovative composer after Monk, yet struggled through life with a level of sexual/emotional maturity an 11 year-old boy would find embarrassing - and have already translated Tengo Na Minchia Tanta - need only skim the 12-page booklet that comes with this 2 CD-set, a miniature replica of the original. That, my friends, is no way to treat a giraffe.
So many favorites, I wore this one white when it came out in 1969. The Air, Project X, Cruising For Burgers, Sleeping In A Jar, Ian Underwood Whips It Out, and many more. As with all music by Zappa and Mothers Of Invention, you simply have to embrace in its totality - mad as a March hare, brilliant, and absolutely unique.
If you are new to Zappa, don't be afraid to order this one. I has some CRAZY moments, but it all makes sense. You have to experience this one from cover to cover to understand the flow of the songs and how they relate to the artwork. The symphonic arrangements are HUGE and complex (as always) and the chaos seems to be contained at bay by the great tunes that surround it.
I get a real kick out of the second disc. This one is a departure from the musical flow of the first disc. It has a 37 minute track that is to be a sound track for a supposed movie called Unlce Meat. You listen to Zappa, Gail, and company rant on with lines form the movie and direction from Frank himself. It takes you away. You can really see what is happening the whole time. Frank has a way off performing audio-movies in a vivid and graphic manner.
BUY IT!!!! This album is toooooooo big to give it a true review without writting a 2 page introduction!!! From Chaos to Classical to Jazz to Hard Rock.....TRUE Zappa and the Mothers!!!!
Top reviews from other countries
Wer dieses Album das erste Mal hört und nicht schon etwas vorbelastet ist, in Sachen anspruchsvoller Musik, der könnte Probleme aller Art bekommen, denn das ist für normale Musikhörer starker Tobak. Wer sich allerdings die Mühe macht, sich in all diese verqueren Töne und Klangskulpturen reinzuarbeiten, der wird belohnt, wie kaum zuvor bei irgendwelcher Musik. Zappa verwendet bei fast all seinen Werken, soviele Ideen und Einflüsse aus allen Musikstilen, dass es immer wieder an ein Wunder grenzt, dass es funktioniert und am Ende auch noch klasse klingt. Er verbrät alles: Klassik, Jazz, Doo- Wop, Pop, Rock, Musical, viele Gags und noch viel mehr, was der Musikfan bis dato noch nie zu Ohren bekam. Ihr könnt euch vielleicht vorstellen, wie verrückt das alles zur damaligen Zeit klang, denn selbst heute sind die meisten Menschen mit dieser Musik immer noch total überfordert, wenn sie sie zum erstem Mal hören.
Ich empfehle jedem Musikinteressierten, der mehr will als die übliche Musikkost, sich mit Zappa zu befassen, denn wer willens ist, dem wird sich ein Klangkosmos unbekannten Ausmaßes öffnen und er wird von Zappa nicht mehr los kommen.
Schade für alle Neulinge ist natürlich, dass sie Zappa nie mehr live erleben können ( ich hatte zum Glück insgesamt 18 mal das Vergnügen ), denn das war ein Erlebnis der höchsten Güteklasse, vor allem, wenn man sah, wie leicht und locker diese exzellenten Musiker diese schwierigen Musikstücke nur so aus dem Ärmel schüttelten. Wahnsinn.
Diese Rezension habe ich ausschließlich für diejenigen geschrieben, die Zappa noch nicht kennen, der Rest weiß eh Bescheid.
Ein Rezensent schreibt hier, dass man die zweite CD mehr oder weniger übergehen kann. Dem ist absolut nicht so, denn die King Kong Variations zählen mit zum Besten was Zappa jemals komponierte, eine utopische Klangphonie !
Kleiner Tipp: Falls dem Einen oder Anderen dieses Werk doch zu anspruchsvoll sein sollte, der greife zu Overnite-Sensation oder One Size Fits All, die sind zugänglicher und verfolge den Weg zurück, ist auch spannend und lohnt sich allemal.
Übrigens: Falls sich jemand wundert, dass ich nicht näher auf die Musik des Albums eingegangen bin, das liegt daran, dass man sie nicht beschreiben kann, das funktioniert nur durch hören.
If you want a bit of musical history, listen to this with closed eyes a few times and note the influences it has had on other musicians. Zappa, influenced by doowop and Edgar Varese was originally a percussionist but became renowned for his amazing wahwah guitar playing.
Give it a try. It grows on you - like green oozing slime grows on mouldy jello ;o)