Reviewed by MJBrady on 06 Sep 2004
This is a unique cd in that FZ was attempting yet again, a different compostional approach, almost avant garde in some regards. The music fuses what sounds like a lot of Midi components with real instruments. Without a doubt, the Zappa sound manages to envelope the songs, quirky and strangely complicated pieces that subject the active musicians to play along with the abruptly changing passages of music. Not too much in the way of flow, as the music seems to be dedicated to meandering, chaotic, disharmonic arrangements. In other words, some will either cite this cd as pure genius or mere noise. Those that know Zappa's creative side will quickly chose the first of these options.
The cd is all instrumental, and as always features some outstanding musicians, in many regards this cd aims to demand the most obnoxious playing from the players involved, even guitarist Steve Vai shows a side of him many of his contemporary fans have never heard. This, like some of Zappa's varied output, is the kind of music that always exemplified his otherworldly mindset for musical composition, when one examines his offerings like this one, you have to contemplate whether it merits being justified as chaos in music, or what the experts seem to agree on, his forward thinking take on harmonic development, and a what always manages to be a statement for the ages to consider.
It has been said that a thin line is the border between madness and genius, Zappa was always one that would toe that line as a daily habit. Challenging all known and acceptable norms in music from the business aspect to the accepted and known boundaries of music theory. Here is again strives for new heights in a statement that actually garnered some awards - A Grammy.
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