Frank – fearless and free of constraints

By Charles Shaar Murray

New Musical Express, 11 December 1976

FRANK ZAPPA
Zoot Allures
(Warner Brothers)

THIS ALBUM is neither Bizarre nor DiscReet, but that's neither here nor there.

Somewhere between here and there we find large quantities of disco rhythms, heavy metal riffs, guitar extravagonzos both grandiose and cameoid, diseased mutterings of all description, sundry jokes on a state of no small amount of dishevelment, lengthy areas with a low happening quotient, more overdubbing than you've heard anywhere since Todd Rundgren got rid of his bad breath problem and formed a band, a picture of Eddie Jobson on the cover, Captain Beefheart on harmonica and the first relevant song that Zappa's written in several years.

And all this in forty-three minutes and three seconds, no less. Shit, Frank, how'd'ya do it? Huh?

For a start, he's retained control of the operation to the point of playing bass, keyboards and synthesiser in addition to his customary singing - guitaring - composing - arranging - and producing duties on five of the nine tracks.

In fact, it'd be easier all round simply to list Zappa's co-conspirators: Terry Bozzio (drums throughout), Donnie Vliet – whoever he is – (harp on two tracks, though only credited on one), Roy Estrada (bass on "Black Fingers"), Napoleon Murphy Brock (saxophone ditto), Andre Lewis (organ ditto), Rut Underwood (marimba on two tracks and synthesiser on a third), Dave Parlato (bass on the title track) and Lu Ann Neil (non-mouth harp ditto).

Most of the above plus Ruben Guevara, Sparki Parker and engineer Davey Moire – the first engineer I can recall actually copping a lead vocal credit – also weigh in on backing vocals.

"Zoot Allures" features the most concentrated dosage of Zappa Axe that we've heard for quite some time.

His guitar work is so impressive in its use of tone texture and attack that after a while it almost fails to sink in any more, though his soloing on "Black Napkins" (one of the only two one-man-one-instrument-type group performances on the album and, interestingly enough, a live recording) is quite outstanding for its lyricism and commitment.

"The Torture Never Stops" gives Zappa the opportunity to indulge in a great deal of his patented lascivious mumbling as he narrates a scabrous tale of evil and decay and torments of all description.

No backing vocal credits are supplied to inform us of the identity of the young lady who does the rather earnest impression of someone getting whipped to orgasm, but Frank takes a credit as "director of recreational activities." Ho ho ho Frank you sly dog you etc. etc.

Again, the guitar is great: the tempo is dead slow, which gives Zappa an awful lot of room to mess around with fills and riffs as well as solos. His use of hi-distortion lo-fi slide chording just before the dhorus is the proverbial treat.

On the title track, he uses a mixed-down feedback riff as accompaniment and texturiser for a lovely elegiac acoustic guitar melody before leading into a stinging electric solo, but the closer "Disco Boy" is the sharpest thing he's done in years.

A disco parody which actually functions within the terms of reference of the artefact being parodied – i.e. you can dance to it and if it got played at in discos I very much doubt that anyone would actually leave the floor for its 5' 18" duration – it depicts the disco as something less than an ass-shakin' earthly paradise.

Sweat, frustration, mass insecurity and combing your hair in the toilet, more like. It could even be a hit single, would you believe.

While "Zoot Allures" is of less than classic status, it still represents a return to the kind of quality that is expected of Mr Zappa by folks who know how good his best can be, and he ain't a boring old fart nohow, so screw you, Jack!

Read by OCR software. If you spot errors, let me know afka (at) afka.net