Customer Reviews

Cruising with Ruben & The Jets

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

"I conceived that album along the same lines as the compositions in Stravinsky's Neoclassical period. If he could take the forms and cliches of classical era and pervert them, why not do the same with rules and regulations applied to Doo-Wop in the 50s?" - FZ

This album is often written-off unfairly, even by fans of the original Mothers lineup, as just a Doo-Wop spoof album. However, Cruisin' isn't just a joke side-project that FZ dreamed up one night, and it deserves its rightful place as an MOI album proper. FZ loved Doo-Wop, and here's his tongue-in-cheek homage to it. Of course, like all of Zappa's musical apings, his version of Doo-Wop is much more musically involved. On this album, FZ uses chord progressions that are considerably more advanced than traditional Doo-Wop songs, but is careful not to lose the charming simplicity of the music.

When listening to Ruben today, on CD, one also has to be aware of something else: this album, more than any other, was completely overhauled in digital remix. When FZ got the master tapes, (he claims) they were in disastrous condition, and, never being satisfied with the musicianship to begin with, he decided to re-record the bass and drum tracks in addition to new edits. A reluctant Arthur Barrow provides a new (funk!) bass, and I believe its either Wackerman or Logeman on drums. The result? The album sounds fuller, richer, and much more polished for sure. But its lost the charm of the original Mothers sound completely. There are merits in both versions, should you ever be able to track down an original vinyl to hear it. Regardless, it looks like this version is the one posterity will have to get to know.

The most noticable (and best) change on the album is the opener, CHEAP THRILLS, which now has the energy to really kickstart this album. A reocurring Zappa classic, LOVE OF MY LIFE, follows, along with a Freak Out! remake (one of four on the album) of HOW COULD I BE SUCH A FOOL? For the most part, I like the versions of these songs on this album more than the original Freak Out! ones. One of the real reasons to get this album is for the Ray Collins's hilarious monologues, like DESERI. Never is Zappa's relentless assault on love lyrics more subtly delicious as it is here. My personal favorite, and perhaps my favorite track on the album, is on LATER THAT NIGHT. Another great tongue-in-cheek shot is FOUNTAIN OF LOVE, which manages to make me laugh every time I hear it. And, yes, there is a little guitar playing on this album. The rapidly maturing Zappa provides a little gem of a solo on the morbid STUFF UP THE CRACKS (a song about an abandoned lover who vows to "stuff up the cracks and turn on the gas" to take his life).

In general, I'm not a huge fan of FZ's humor. But this album is so scathing and subtle in its satire, that for once the humor aids the music. The music, by the way, is nothing to be scoffed at. Besides containing some of the early Mothers's best material, the vocal arrangements on this album are absolutely incredible.

I tend to give this album more credit than a lot of Zappa fans, and its on regular rotation in my CD player, at least. Great early Zappa, with a few reservations.

This is one of my favorite records by any artist and one of my favorites by the Mothers and Frank Zappa.

I like it probly for the same reason some Frank Zappa fans don't like it -- because it's rather simple, silly and in someways quite heartfelt, a rarity for Frank Zappa. I find myself humming and singing these songs out of nowhere even after I haven't heard the album for months.

It is also the best existing showcase for Ray Collins' pure R&B vocals. He is really an excellent singer and this record shows it. This record is Ray's even more than it is Zappa's.

The cover art for the album (a cartoon showing all the musicians with stupid dog faces) is also a riot.

What I find most amusing about Cruising With Ruben and The Jets is that Frank Zappa wrote and released it almost a decade after this music went completely out of style. The idea of recording and releasing this ridiculously cheesy doo-wop music at the height of the "acid rock and Clapton is God" era makes this record as subversive and bizarre as any of the records Frank did which were bizarre.

If you can't enjoy and sing and laugh along with this stuff (especially "Fountain of Love") then you have serious emotional problems.

"The moving finger writes and having writ moves on." In this case, it would have been better if the finger had not returned to the scene of the crime. Few artists burned with creative energy like Zappa; frequently brilliant, he was also no stranger to crimes of self-indulgence and crackpot dementia. One can state unequivocally that he never took advice, freeing him to visit whatever extreme he desired. This made for art that always "dared to be different." Unfortunately, it also freed him to make catastrophic mistakes. The demise of Ruben & The Jets is a classic example.

This was always one of my favorite Mothers LPs. The balance between ironic, dark lyrics and straight-ahead - almost touching - musicality was perfect. The sax break on Anything was heaven itself. The reprise of I'm Not Satisfied, which appeared first on Freak Out, had real emotional appeal and was beautifully executed. Throughout, the simplicity of the arrangements made for a wonderful tribute album, Zappa paying homage to the doo-wop sound that is never far away throughout his music, (check 200 Motels).

I do not know what possessed him to go under the hood and remix this jewel, but it was an idiotic decision. Others have pointed out that he stripped away the original bass and drum tracks and replaced them with out-of-context modern equivalents. But the damage is far more extensive than that. This music lives or dies in the vocals and he tinkered with them considerably, to ill effect. Back-up instruments like horns have also been chopped up. In short, Zappa took "Crows On A Wheatfield" and painted some dogs playing poker on it. Hopefully his estate will find a suitable receptacle for this yellow snow and reissue the original, which is a treasure. Poor Ruben.

A fantastic album in FZ's catalog. Yeah, it's just pretty much straight ahead greasy doo wop, but so what? "Cheap Thrills" is as catchy as 3 chord rock gets. "Deseri" is equally catchy, complete with a super corny spoken part. "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" has a set of the goofiest consecutive rhymes ever committed to vinyl, and Frank never did any better with a straight ahead love song than with "Anything", a truly moving tune with a perfect sax break and heavenly backing vocals. Don't miss out on the Mothers' weirdest outing, which was also their most straightforward. (By the bye, the rerecorded bass and drum tracks are not as bad as everyone says...I happen to like them more than the originals, as they have a bit more pep to them.)

Could this be a collection of 50's rock and Doo-wop favorites? The Dixie Cups, Shirelles, Bobby Darin, Gene Chandler, Five Satins, Chordettes, Little Anthony, you can sense all these influnces on this CD. Although "FZ" is on the label, don't expect vintage Mothers or ripping FZ satire. This has to be a tribute to the music that spiked the hormones of a youth in the 50's and "chezzy teenage love".

I first heard this album after long exposure to the zany antics found in the likes of "Apostrophe", "Roxy" and the "Flo & Eddie" albums. Then reverting to the early Mother's music that passed me by, "Rubin" was like a brick wall. Where did this come from? This ain't Mothers (ala' FZ). A couple of listenings and it was gathering dust. However as I approached 40 and became nostalgic for the "good old days", the dust was blown away (actually replaced with the CD) and it got (and continues to get) regular airplay.

Yes, some tunes are flavored with his cretinous lyrics but still this is really a good collection of "50's tunes no one has ever heard". Hardcore FZ fans will love it for what it is (historical value if nothing else). Pedestrian FZ fans may have a hard time warming up to it. But if your a Doo-wap/50's rock fan (you don't even have to like FZ) or your looking for a source of cover tunes for that "old timers" band you've been thinking of starting up, this is the CD for you.

I bought the cd and couldn't believe that Frank thought he had improved on the original mix.

Thankfully, I have a cdr version of the vinyl.

If you can find me on the web, you can get a copy from me.

I have always really liked this album, but I feel that the way FZ redid the bass, drums, and other parts was too excessive and I personally enjoy the original vinyl version much much more. The CD seems too echoed on the vocals and many things are mixed very differently. I will still reccommend this version however, because you'll be really hard-pressed to find the original vinyl issue.

This is the only Zappa album to concentrate entirely on doo-wop. As he explains in the liner notes, he and the Mothers made this album simply because they liked that style of music (it certainly wasn't fashionable). Of all the records Zappa released in the 60s, this would have to be the least groundbreaking. It doesn't stray from the typical structures of the simple (but catchy) doo-wop idiom. That said, this is a fun album. The tunes are good, the melodies stay in the listener's head (for good or ill), and there's even some of the trademark Zappa sarcasm going around ('Stuff Up the Cracks'). One thing needs to be mentioned: strictly speaking, this is not the same music that was on the original 1968 vinyl release. When Zappa remastered the album in the 80s, he took the liberty of recording new bass and drum tracks as well as a variety of other edits. As a result, some fans consider this CD to be a phony. (The same thing was done to WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY, but that album has since reverted back to its original form). I suppose each potential buyer will have to determine for himself/herself whether this release is heresy or not. It still sounds quite good. If you enjoy the doo-wop numbers on the Mothers' other albums, this could be right up your alley.

During the 80s, Zappa began to reissue his back catalogue on CD. Most suffered some sort of tweaking as Zappa attempted to "improve" on what he'd done in years before. Some albums got through unscathed (Absolutely Free & Burnt Weeny Sandwich) some benefited from well chosen additional material (Hot Rats & Weasels Ripped My Flesh) some suffered from indulgently chosen additional material and crappy remixing/re-editing (Uncle Meat & Freak Out)and a couple were just really sloppily mastered. A quick comparison between portions of "Weasels" and the same material on the beautifully mastered "Ahead Of Their Time" amply demonstrates this point.

But the biggest travesty was reserved for "We're Only In It For The Money" and "Cruising With Ruben And The Jets". Both these albums copped new rhythm tracks, recorded using members of his contemporary touring band. It's interesting to note that even the musicians booked to do these sessions thought Zappa was out of his mind.

The reason Zappa gave at the time was that the original masters were lost, but as all tracks on the reissued CDs use some components from the original recordings, the original multi track recordings must have been available to Zappa. A remix using all the original performances was - and probably still is - possible.

The real reason is likely to be that the ever-litigious Zappa was at war with his old band, The Mothers Of Invention, who wanted to be paid royalties from the reissues. But, whatever the reason, the result was two completely awful sounding albums, completely devoid of the warmth, humour, personality and humanity that enveloped even the most technically difficult Mothers Of Invention albums.

This squabble probably resulted in these fine, seminal old albums that had been originally released as Mothers Of Invention albums, being reissued as Frank Zappa albums.

Mercifully after a tirade of bad press Zappa eventually "found" a half inch master of "Money", and it was eventually, begrudgingly reissued in all its 1967 glory, the old one being ignominiously withdrawn.

"Ruben and the Jets" was not so lucky. Artie Tripp and Jim Black's lovely drum patterns are gone and so is the heart and soul of the album. The last track, "Stuff Up The Cracks" comes the closest to the original recordings but, these days, if I want to hear this lightweight but enjoyable little journey through fifties nostalgia, I dig out my old Verve vinyl.

STOP PRESS 2010: Since I reviewed this album a couple of years ago, the Zappa family has released the original mix of this album, together with some outakes and other curios, in a compilation called "Greasy Love Songs." Hip Hip Hooray.

Stephen Renfree

Cruising With Reuben And The Jets is my favorite Frank Zappa album. Love the overall satire, Deseri, & Jelly Roll Gumdrop. I first heard the album when "Little Brother" brought it home sometime in the late 70s. I picked up this CD when it was released because I needed my own copy. I was extremely disapointed when I found out it had been remixed and no longer sounded as it should. (It is a satire on Do-Wop afterall and should sound like Do-Wop) I just borrowed "Little Brother's" original vinyl record last week and taped it. I won't be wasting my time with this CD again. I now have the original vinyl mix and it sounds like it should.

GET THE VINYL..........IT'S INFINATLY BETTER!