This week’s Record Club entry was mailed to us (figuratively) by Phono-Mode
“What is Freaking Out? On a creative level, Freaking Out is a process whereby an individual casts off outmoded and restricting standards of thinking, dress, and social etiquette in order to express CREATIVELY his relationship to his immediate environment and the social structure as a whole.”
Fritz: Once I opened the letter and found out that this week week were doing a Zappa record, I knew this afternoon would take an interesting turn. I love the quotes he put in the record sleeve: “I’d like to clean you boys up a bit and mold you. I believe I could make you as big as the Turtles.” – A NOTED L.A. DISC JOCKEY or “Tell us where those drums are…we’ll call MGM Records! We’re a multi-million dollar company and we can play havoc with you.” – LAURENTIDE FINANCE CO.
Charles: Yeah, the liner notes are pretty funny. No surprise here, but Zappa and the rest of The Mothers of Invention is definitely all over the place on Freak Out! I’m glad he made the release a double LP to fit all of the different styles in. He’s got the standard ’60s rock sound for a bit, then gets super spacey. Kinda psychedelic, there’s a lot going on, and the random screams in the song snap you out of that trance.
Josh: And then the R&B and doo-wop stuff comes! Transitioning from talking about “The Brain Police” to a doo-wop style love song is almost too much. Is it the same band?
Charles: The Mothers of Invention have got versatility, that’s for sure. The R&B breaks are a good break from the more intense, experimental pieces.
Josh: Yeah, and just when you think you’ve got what’s going on, you get a track with a great, bluesy guitar line and harmonica: “Trouble Every Day.” Freak Out! has something for everyone.
Fritz: “Help, I’m a Rock” would have to fall under the experimental category – it pretty out there. Ton’s of vocal tracks, off-key singing, no real instruments playing. It would have been cool, and probably dangerous, to see this song being recorded in the studio.
Charles: Finally, onto the last side of the second disc – and we’re greeted with percussion. Lots of percussion, some chanting, and no real structure. The liner notes say “$500 worth of rented percussion equipment,” which adjusted to 2010 value must really be like a million dollars in current present value. Far out!
Josh: Charles, stop smoking the record sleeve.
The Eleven Record Club is sponsored in part by your local St. Louis record stores, Vintage Vinyl, Euclid Records, and Phono Mode.
