Customer Reviews

Studio Tan

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To call Zappa's music orchestral jazz is innacurate and misleading.The music on Studio Tan is much closer to Western 20th centuryclassical music than jazz. I would venture to call it post-jazz classical music (informed by jazz, while continuing to push the limits of classical music). The Adventures of Greggery Peccary is one of Zappa's greatest achievments. Although Greggery Peccary is often abstract, dissonant, and disjunct, it is quite pallatable. Studio tan is overflowing with the rhythmic energy and melodic inventiveness that Zappa is famous for. The melodies are a prime example of Zappa's post-atonal melodic style. Although only vaguely tonal (closer to the atonal side of the tonality continuum), the melodies sound catchy and somehow intuitively right (a description which calls to mind the melodic style of Thelonius Monk). ...For every famous band, there are 1,000 bands just as good playing in a garage somewhere that you will never hear ("product of the media" famous bands are obviously not chosen for musical talent, but for "more marketable" features such as sex appeal). There was, however, only 1 Frank Zappa. One more thing, the version of RDNZL on this release is OK, but I prefer the live versions of this one (such as can be heard on You Can't Do That On Stage [Vol. IV?]).

"The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" is a musical masterpiece; one of Zappa's most coherent, yet polygonal and well performed pieces considering its length (20+ minutes). The studio sound of the whole album is clear, and the stereophony is sharp - it is quite amazing that this material was recorded 1974-1976. Something I find exceptionally impressive is the variation and accuracy of sound-effects on "Greggery." Ensemble Modern has recently recorded a (very well performed) version of this piece, but the version on "Studio Tan" is certainly what will stay closer to heart to dedicated Zappa fans. On both "Greggery" and "Low-Budget Orchestra" five musicians perform; Zappa, George Duke, Chester Thompson, and Bruce and Tom Fowler, so especially on "Greggery" a lot of overdubs have been recorded, but it's not noticeable, the piece doesn't contain one note too many, everything makes perfect sense even if you might not understand it technically or theoretically, hence "musical masterpiece." "Low-Budget Orchestra" and "RDNZL" aren't far from masterpieces, either. Influences from Stravinsky clearly predominate "Low-Budget Orchestra," and the sped-up percussion (played by Zappa) towards the end of the piece reminds a lot of the percussion from the "Uncle Meat" days, which was actually when this piece was written. "Lemme Take You to the Beach" cracks me up - it's a very funny, short, and uplifting piece, needed to reveal even further aspects of Zappa's compositional vocabulary. Without this track the album wouldn't be the same. It's the only song where Chester Thompson and George Duke aren't featured; they're replaced by Paul Humphrey and Eddie Jobson (Davey Moire sings, Max Bennett plays the bass, and Don Brewer plays the bongos.) "RDNZL" is simply amazing - very much so from a compositional point of view. James Youman is featured on bass, and Ruth Underwood on percussion. "Studio Tan" is one of the discs you will need to some day be able to fully appreciate all sides of Frank Zappa, the Composer.

One of Zappa's best - incredible writing and performing. But beware - the remix for CD has dramatically changed the balance of instruments, particularly in "Greggary Peccary." If you grew up on the vinyl version as I did, you may find yourself missing the old mix. On the plus side, there is an additional half minute of material at the end of "Greggary Peccary" which brings it to a great conclusion, rather than the abrupt fadeout on the original mix. Still, I miss my vinyl & my early CD edition!

I completely disagree Andy Gills comments about Studio Tan not being humurous, I think it's one of Zappa's funniest. The Adventours of Greggary Peccary is my absolute favourite zappa song of all time.

But..... All of theese songs appear almost identically on the Lather album so if your willing to fork out a bit more get that instead.

'The Adventures of Greggerry Peccery' is probably Zappa's most mind blowing excursion into musical theatre. It is an endlessly creative panorama of soundscapes satirizing certain kinds of 'business tycoons.' In case you're wondering, all this stuff was composed and written down; this isn't some kind of off the cuff improvisation. It can be performed by any ensemble of musicians able to play it (though no one can replace Zappa's personality which is the main feature). Zappa's band is probably his greatest ever, featuring George Duke, Chester Thompson (later of Weather Report and Genesis), Eddie Jobson (of Roxy Music and U.K.) and Ruth Underwood among others.

The second 'side' features two of Zappa's most brilliant rock 'n' roll instrumentals and one of his most hilarious song parodies. There isn't anything self-indulgent in the solos Zappa takes here; everything is economically constructed and magnificent.

This, the first part of the infamous "Warner Brothers Trilogy" is the best out of all three. There's much lunacy to be found, especially in the opening track "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" - an enduring 20 minute surreal modern fairy tale, lovingly narrated by Zappa himself and backed by a wealth of inspired orchestrated instrumentation. This is followed on by a short vocal track, a catchy homage/parody of the 60's Avalon/Funicello beach movies. The album continues and concludes with two incredible instrumentals, "RDNZL" in my mind being truly one of Zappa's most endearing compositions, seamlessly blending jazz and rock into an immaculately constructed and convincingly executed number.

'Studio Tan' combines the best of what Zappa had to offer back then; off-the-wall humour, tight musicianship, a frivolent sense of storytelling, and a sound paralleled by few since. The album can only be described as "The Grand Wazoo" meets "Apostrophe", and it's hard to get much better than that.

Next to Overnight Sensation and Apostrophe, this is my favorite Zappa album, despite how different it is from the other two. This CD is freakin hilarious. I still nearly pee myself listening to The Adventures of Greggery Peccery, not just from lines like "Here was a gregarious wild swine on his way up" or "dancing to a 50 foot high pile of transistor radios, each tuned to a different station", but from the ridiculously dissonant, circus-like instrumental passages that at first sound like a marching band of 5-year-olds, until you realize how astoundingly intricate and tight they are (which is what makes them so funny). The same musical shenanigans can be heard on the two instrumental pieces. And of course the howlingly funny send-up of surf music, Lemme Take You to the Beach. Altogether a great, but not well-known, Zappa gem.

Although I have yet to purchase this one on CD, I have an original vinyl of it. When I popped it on the spindle and lowered the arm, the sounds that came out were amazing. True, "Greggery Peccary" is a bit long--but it's still fantastic. A complete story, full of FZ conceptual continuity and fun makes this monster more than tolerable. Unlike the CD, Side 2 opens with "Lemme Take You To The Beach." This song (with Davey Moire on vocals) got my friends hooked on Zappa, and with Davey singing lines like "...Have a freak out/ Later we'll peak out..." what's not to love? Next up is "Revised Music..." which is worth it just for the solo doubled by trombone. The Ensemble Modern re-recorded this one on "Greggery Peccary and Other Perusasions," but the original is by and far the best. I cannot say anthing else about this track other than it's pure magic. The closer is the fantastic "RDNZL" (rumored to mean "Ruth [Underwood] Doesn't Need Zappa's Lyrics"). With its soaring marimba and false endings, this track stands out as the best song on the album. Why it was moved, I'll never fully understand. It works best as a closer based on listening to the album using the different track listing. Pay no attention to dissenters, "Studio Tan" is not only a great primer for the "full version" of "Billy The Mountain" on "Playground Psychotics" (it's 30:30!), but a great primer for Zappa. If a fan of FZ already, it's a great addition to his body of work as a composer and guitar player.

the song RDNZL is worth the price of admission. Totally mind blowing long song that goes all over the map. Lemme take you to the beach is a hilarious beach boy spin off lampoon, that really makes me laugh as I attempt to sing along. Another milestone recording as far as I am concerned.. also, chester thompson is on drums, and he is incredible... george duke also graces the keys.

Writing about Zappa is almost defying, because of the deep knowledge which shows his fans.
Greggery Peccary may be considered as a really innovative opera: it's a fable about a little pig caught into high business, sex and maffia affaires. The contrast between the 45 rpm. voice of the character and the possible lowest one of Frank, couldn't hide the same personality behind both of them. The music follows perfectly the dramatic evolution of the argument, so you can easily imagine you're watching a cartoon on TV (and the cover resembles it showing kindergarten and bizarre images). There are no opera voices here: just this strange pig drawned into a society like ours; the scene is hilarious, but the very serious goal is the social critic. So, when Greggery invents the calendar, people "who simply did not wish to know" turns his life into a nightmare. The music style is mostly progressive rock with some touches of contemporary and jazz: talent brights through every note; the direction and the interpretations are perfect.
Follows Let me Take you to the beach, which is the relaxing piece into the tremendous work that represents the other ones. There's a great strange main voice overdubbed and remarkable synth job: much more than just fun.
In Revised Music for Guitar and Low Budget Orchestra, the melodical guitar solo is almost arranged with unison, harmonizing or counterpointed trombones, synths and drums: the solo is the base over which the other instrumental lines were composed. Besides of the title, first violin reach a great importance in the development of the "story".
RDNZL begins as a pompous waltz with a 2.40 minutes guitar solo in the middle (extremely large, but often joining the piano counterpoints) but the level recovers towards the end, when an excelent 1 minute piano solo takes place and the rythm and synth complexity reappears to close gloriously (despite of a final "sound-joke") the best LP Zappa recorded ever.
The old album cover doesn't show any information about the musicians who contribute to this pinnacle of progressive rock.
A must have if you enjoy creative and dense music.