Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (1969)

One of the last long conversations I had with Brian at a former, disastrous place of employment ended with him saying, "Wait a minute. You haven't heard Zappa's Hat Rats?  I can't talk to you anymore," and then hanging up. Well, he'll have to find a new excuse now.

Musically, it's well-choreographed insanity.  It really should not all work together -- it's a "kitchen sink" approach instrumentally -- but it does, gently moving discordant musical ideas and conflicting sounds into a harmonious union.  

Not convinced?  Why not watch a video of a radio ad?

Frank Zappa - Hot Rats Radio Ad

Smart and sharp, it's a rock symphony.  It's arranged as such, juxtoposing different styles of virtuoso playing into a smooth finish. The lengthy songs (three are 9+ minutes long) don't seem self-indulgent, but rather an exploration of moods and shapes.

Frank Zappa - Son of Mr. Green Genes

To sum up:  if jam bands were all like this, we'd all love Phish. Fans of Mars Volta (and I'm looking at you, Dan) will see where that band came from on this one.

CD Placement Rating: Car CD Changer.

- Snilch