Lumpy Gravy

By Charles Shaar Murray

New Musical Express, 28 October 1972

FRANK ZAPPA AND ABNUCEALS EMUUKHA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: "Lumpy Gravy"
(Verve Select).

According to Frank himself, "Lumpy Gravy" is a "Curiously inconsistent piece which started out as a ballet, but probably didn't make it". It was recorded in early 1967 and was the subject of much wrangling between Capitol (who commissioned it) and MGM (who eventually released it). Eric Clapton is on it. This is all the information that can be presented at this time.

A while ago I thoughtlessly characterised this album as "off-target". Oh, how could I be such a fool! It was on-target for what Zappa wanted to do, but I was nowhere near the target. I didn't enjoy "Lurnpy Gravy" when I first heard it, and I still don't dig it now. If you have sufficient faith in Uncle Frank to buy this album in the hope that all will be revealed at a later date, then go ahead, bro' and good luck, Maybe if Frank re-issues it again in 1977 we'll have caught up with it,

Hey, Mr. Polydor – whatever happened to "Rueben And The Jets"? That I can understand.