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Frank Zappa – Cheap Thrills (1998)



This one was a budget priced posthumous release from the Zappa estate, I'm guessing as a compilation best of, trying to present songs from a broad range of Zappa's post-Mothers output. I probably bought this towards the end of my Zappa-obsessive phase, as I was asking the question "What if he wasn't a visionary satirist, but a sexist, homophobic dick?" Discuss.



So let's not dwell on notions of political correctness / being a decent human, and listen to the music. Catholic Girls and Bobby Brown Goes Down are catchy songs of dubious lyrical content. The former probably has more humour, being based on life on the road, the latter seems just cheap.

You Are What You Is is better targeted satire, and a decent song, while We Are Not Alone is a fine jazz instrumental. Cheap Thrills is an average doo wop / R&B number from the Cruising With Ruben and the Jets.

Mud Shark Interview is Zappa interviewing a hotel manager and failing to get him to divulge sexually explicit stories, and is best skipped through.

The compilation takes a turn for the better with the funky Hotplate Heaven In The Green Hotel, which finds room for an extended Zappa guitar solo, while Zomby Wolf is a decent rocker. I was looking forward to the Zappa classic The Torture Never Stops, and surprised with Captain Beefheart and a far more bluesy version that the better known, dark Zappa version, but after the initial surprise, it's growing on me. Joe's Garage, again a fine nostalgic song is always welcome, and this is a decent live version, and apart from a little bit of vocal nonsense, the album ends with the very listenable My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama.

It's a fairly good compilation, giving a range from Zappa's career, both highs and lows. But there's enough that's very good to push the "Come on, Frank" moments to one side.



4* - a sold Zappa compilation

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