Zoot Allures [Original recording remastered]

Frank Zappa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 2, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Zappa Records
• ASIN: B0000009SQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,600 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station

2. Black Napkins

3. The Torture Never Stops

4. Ms. Pinky

5. Find Her Finer

6. Friendly Little Finger

7. Wonderful Wino

8. Zoot Allures

9. Disco Boy

Editorial Reviews

From the Label

FZ's version of a basic stripped-down rock record; uncomplicated and completely compelling. Alongside sharp satirical tracks like "Disco Boy" and "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station" (which launched the onstage chant "Show me your thumb if you're really dumb") come between-the-eyes instrumentals like "Black Napkins," "Friendly Little Finger" and the title track. This disc is also the home of "The Torture Never Stops," a doomsaying blues unlike anything else in the Zappa catalogue.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Torture May Stop; But Then It Will Begin Again August 31, 2012

By Sebastian Gerber

Format:Audio CD

The sound quality on the 2012 reissue has improved enormously over the album's previous CD releases. So, perhaps a little frustrating to have these latest, lovely remasters when you have to buy some of the albums again to get the "right" mix- some arguably unnecessary adjustments made, for the CD transfers in the eighties, to the earlier works of Frank Zappa (and The Mothers); but in the end, of course it's a good thing.
This remaster was produced from the original analog master; hasn't got all the added reverb and is quite a lot clearer, i.e. better separation/distinction between instruments/vocals (less muddy!) and much more true to its original form, so, worth getting again for fans and well-worthy for a first-time purchaser of 'Zoot Allures'.
My questionable powers of production description end now, but the important thing is it's back in print, sounding great, and at a reasonable price.

Terry Bozzio drums on this, which is a huge plus: Drummer crush alert!
Frank plays all the guitar and most of the bass and some synthesizer (the legendary Ruth Underwood plays some synth too, along with some percussion here and there) on this album, so...
this is a relatively stripped back recording compared to some previous mammoth Zappa productions.
'Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station', although scares me into thinking I may wind up doing just that (though we call them petrol stations here in Australia), is a pretty comedic, yet biting short piece on the nature of not being brave enough to follow our passions - or perhaps following misguided passions - with Davey Moire singing the lead vocal like a tastefully demented Bee Gee, becoming quite intense towards the end of the track.
It is quickly followed by a live cut of 'Black Napkins'; a wonderful instrumental showcasing Frank's ability to be subtle, then intense with his very special (again, I say, underrated) guitar skills. This track is expanded upon and torch-lighted on future live and studio releases.
'The Torture Never Stops'. Now, I know Frank may have thought me pathetically conservative for this, but here is the start of the album that disallows me to play this album around my young children.
I love the vibe, the playing and the lyrics; they flow wickedly, but perhaps...just perhaps, the torturous/orgasmic female wails drag on for an excessive amount of time; part of the pun of the title maybe?
'Ms. Pinky' concerns certain DEVICES! Zappa, you cheeky sod; again, love it, but not for when the family's about, e.g. "...You can poot it, you can shoot it 'till your wife gets back...", FUNKY!
'Find Her Finer'. Again we're dealing with controversial smut- but fun smut. A groovy feel, great riffs, singing and slow, rocking swing, with "Your old friend Captain Beefheart" wheezing out some nice harmonica.
'Friendly Little Finger'. Another tremendous, slightly dissonant, instrumental workout for Zappa's immense facility for minor/major counterpoint guitar soloing.
'Wonderful Wino'. Perhaps not terribly compassionate regarding the drunk and disaffected, but, hell, Frank was no bleeding heart and it outlines the general excuse some of us use to escape our predicaments- things that Frank avoided, and that may have helped with his admirable discipline in creating these wonderful albums for us.
'Zoot Allures', a sweet instrumental, with melodic guitar to make Frank's old buddy Jimi Hendrix proud, I'm sure.
Finally: 'Disco Boy'. Great job on the keys Mr. Zappa. A Very 70's era lyrical enterprise that, let's face it, still continues to haunt youth cultures: the tendency to need to go where it's 'happening' and pick up and show off.
Overall it's a great record; to some not one of Frank Zappa's most deeply affecting albums and one of his more divisive works, but still well worth a Zappa fan/admirer's time.
Great, improved and consistent production with a smooth, unique, sharply rocking sound throughout.
Quite charismatic.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not his best, but VERY essential December 24, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

Zoot Allures is one of the most unique albums in Zappa's catalogue. Nearly all of the instruments are played by FZ himself (including bass!), with Ruth Underwood on percussion, the incomparable Terry Bozzio on drums, and some backing vocalists. It really is Zappa "stripped down" as its often described. Most of the songs have the same instruments, tones, and the same heavy-breathed vocals. The drab production, however, makes this album a chore at spots when the songs themselves aren't strong enough to work without a little production effort. What really saves this album are a few incredible instrumental pieces.

The opener is often sneered at, but WIND UP WORKIN' IN A GAS STATION is an actually one of the better tracks on the album. Its a little something like rock-doowop. A relatively simple song with a simple riff that belies a pretty intricate vocal arrangement. BLACK NAPKINS, the one live track on the album, is absolutely incredible. Zappa weaves a beautiful thematic phrase into some of his most inspired guitarwork, creating one of his most somber and emotive tone poems in his career. Its unfortunately followed by the mediocre, over-long and over-used THE TORTURE NEVER STOPS. The next tracks, MS PINKY and FIND HER FINER, are rather typical Zappa sex numbers. They're pretty good songs, but the production here really fails them, and after a few entertaining listens they lost their charm. The same can be said for THE WONDERFUL WINO, although this one manages to keep a lot of panache.

FRIENDLY LITTLE FINGER is an incredible instrumental with a great oriental guitar opening that leads into a rather wandering guitar solo. The real treat here is Zappa's rapid-fire bass work. The title track, ZOOT ALLURES, is another one of Zappa's most amazing solos. The composed portion of this solo is one of the most incredible things FZ wrote in his entire career. The majesty of this number is nicely undercut by the levity of the closer, DISCO BOY, which is absolutely fun.

It should be noted that BLACK NAPKINS and ZOOT ALLURES, along with one other FZ solo (Watermelon in Easter Hay), are believed to have been considered by Zappa himself as his best work. The Zappa Family Trust goes so far as to ask cover bands to not cover these songs, and a posthumous album (Frank Zappa Plays The Music of Frank Zappa) is devoted entirely to tracing the progression of these three songs. Its absolutely incredible that two of these solos are found on this unlikely album.

Although I wouldn't call it his best by any shot, or even one of his best, this album is absolutely essential. There's too much interesting going on here not to count this as an integral part of any FZ collection.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album, Excellent Tour October 17, 2005

By Mad Dog

Format:Audio CD

This one brings back loads of memories. I was one of the many that was waiting for this record to hit the shelves. We were part of the cult, the mass of regulars that made as many concerts as we could and knew all of Frank's inside jokes. We thought we were cool, but of course we weren't. This disc caused descent in the ranks. For some of the old school FZ fans, this was the last straw and they walked away muttering about how it was all downhill after the original Mothers were gone.

I was pretty much old school, having started out on Freak Out and progressing album by album, thanks to an old burnout that got me started into Frank's music at the bright young age of 12. But I didn't cling to the old school rant - new was OK and this, when it was new, sounded VERY good to me! The live show of this album tour that we saw was excellent too. For perspective, I was alcohol legal by the time of Zoot Allures... Some of the tunes hit me right in the face. I was working at a gas station while in college and took that minimum wage paycheck to pay for this disc. I worked at the gas station with a reject named Jerry that was a thief. He'd steal money out of the register and we'd all have to make up the shortage out of our paychecks, so nobody wanted to work with Jerry. So I remember hearing "Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station" and thinking I should go play it for Jerry. I also wanted to go play "The Torture Never Stops" for one of my literature profs, because it reminded me of his class.

To get more to the review, just consider this: the album is a work of synergy in that the whole is much stronger than any individual portion. One could point out Black Naspkins, The Torture or the title track as being particularly strong, but it is the flow of the album that takes over once you get to know it. As usual, Frank was writing from his Amateur Anthropologist point of view (he should have been given an honorary degree in the field) in many of the songs, such as Gas Station, Ms. Pinky, Find Her Finer, Wonderful Wino and Disco Boy. It all weaves together perfectly and the playing and singing are outstanding.