Trout Mask Replica

Captain Beefheart

Product Details

• Vinyl (October 17, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KBT
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (402 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #332,432 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Frownland

2. Dust Blows Forward 'N the Dust Blows Back

3. Dachau Blues

4. Ella Guru

5. Hair Pie: Bake 1

6. Moonlight in Vermont

7. Pachuco Cadaver

8. Bills Corpse

9. Sweet Sweet Bulbs

10. Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish

11. China Pig

12. My Human Gets Me Blues

13. Dali's Car

14. Hair Pie: Bake 2

15. Pena

16. Well

17. When Big Joan Sets Up

18. Fallin' Ditch

19. Sugar 'N Spikes

20. Ant Man Bee

See all 28 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A colleague of Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) and his Magic Band produced some of the most eccentric music of the late 1960s--or, for that matter, ever. The high water mark of Beefheart's bizarre career, this double album of freeform "Dada rock" features such daunting tracks as "Pachuco Cadaver," "Hair Pie (Bakes 1 and 2)," and "Neon Meat Dream of an Octafish," all of which actually sound as unusual as their titles. Between Beefheart's mind-bending lyrics and cavernous voice, as well as the twisted playing of guitarists Zoot Horn Rollo and Antennae Jimmy Semens, bassist Rockette Morton and drummer The Mascara Snake, this album fully explains the expression "far out." --Billy Altman --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Given total creative control by producer and friend Frank Zappa, Beefheart and his Magic Band rehearsed the material for this 1969 album for over a year, wedding minimalistic R&B, blues, and garage rock to free jazz and avant-garde experimentalism. Warner Brothers Records. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

158 of 169 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, So Controversial., January 22, 2005

By	Samhot (Star Land) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Trout Mask Replica (Audio CD)

Yes, indeed - after nearly 40 years since this album's release, it manages to garner a heavy dosage of controversy. I can't think of too many other albums in the rock world to garner as much hatred and loathing, as well as religious-like worship and devotion.

To say that Captain Beefheart's 1969 double-album _Trout Mask Replica_ was/is one of the most daring things to ever be released is probably a *severe* understatement; especially given the fact that this album was released during a time when many artistic darings and risks were taken. Not only that, the fact that these musings contained here provoke such intense reactions from the listener should tell you quite a bit as well.

So, what's all the fuss about? Why do many love this album? Why do many hate this album?

Well, the musings here are quite "out-there." Yes, cliche term, but, that about describes the album in the most emphatic sense of the term. It's a crazed mix of blues, R&B, garage-rock, abstract (free/avant-garde?) jazz, and modern composition, and it's all topped off by a vocalist who sounds as goofy and obnoxious as a demented cartoon character.

To be more specific, Captain Beefheart delivers his vocals in a rough, raspy, gravel-soaked tone to slightly match those of legendary bluesman Howlin' Wolf, and twisted poet/storyteller/rocker Tom Waits. Comparisons with these two would seem a bit more appropriate considering the blues techniques found here, as well as the Captain's twisted storytelling. Added to this, these musings are besieged amidst the wild, chaotic saxophone skronks that readily recall the cathartic, stream-of-consciousness blasts of Ornette Coleman.

To add more to the overwhelming strangeness, there are odd rhythms, tempos and motifs, which seem to be haphazardly placed together, and/or overlap one another; as if all of these motifs and ideas are "slapped" together incoherently and unintelligently: polyrhythms, polytonalities (perhaps), and the overlapping of multiple genres tend to hit the listener as fast, and as powerfully as a freight train. Indeed, this is not lightweight stuff, and if you hate one singular aspect or genre -- especially any of the things listed above -- just imagine how you would react if *dozens* of these contradictory aspects are thrown at you *simultaneously* in one shot? There are *no* concessions. Indeed, everything mentioned above are the kinds of things you'll experience in a single track, alone. Oh, and here's another important thing: this craziness persists for a whopping total of 79-minutes. Yes, that time-length is *not* an exaggeration.

Listeners should keep in mind one astonishing fact: no matter how haphazard, chaotic and senseless these musings may appear, the Captain had meticulously planned out the majority of this music down to the last detail. Indeed, it would appear that this music is more structured than many would suspect.

So, in the end, it's probably fair to say that both sides of the camp have a certain amount of validity in their responses: on the one hand, there is quite the amount of brilliant and ingenious techniques to be found here, and musicians who know their fair share about music theory and composition will find quite a bit to chew on. Barring technical details, listeners who get their kicks from things that are on the bizarre, experimental side, will have quite the opportunity to discover a goldmine. However, on the flipside, the album lacks any kind of typical or pleasant melody; melody is there, but it takes quite an effort on the listener's part to access it, especially if the listener is not used to intensely avant-garde musings. Along with this, the peculiar structures and "weirdness" of it all sometimes come across as contrived (e.g. abstractness for the sake of abstractness), and overwhelmingly messy, not to mention the nonsensical dialogue in-between some of the tracks. And, to further complicate things, it carries on this way for 79 minutes.

There is really no easy way to recommend this disc: experimental music-enthusiast or not, there are *still* no guarantees. This is quite an apocalyptic, monumental experience in avant-rock, and I mean this in both a positive and negative way. In the world of popular music, it doesn't get much more challenging than this. Do you like the abstract works of Ornette Coleman or late-era John Coltrane? Do you like the complex rhythmical ideas of Igor Stravinsky? Do you like Tom Waits or Howlin' Wolf? How about Frank Zappa, Can or Henry Cow? Indeed, if you like any of the artists listed above, there's a chance that you could form an affinity for this. Or, maybe you're tired of the banal musings found in the majority of popular music these days, and want something much different to sink your teeth into. It doesn't get much more beautiful, ugly, engrossing, irritating, repelling, maniacal, demanding or interesting than this.

93 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't listen to it enough., November 13, 2002

By	ewomack "ewomack" (MN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Trout Mask Replica (Audio CD)

Yes yes yes. It's cacophonous, it's gritty, it's unpleasant. Put it on at a party and watch people make a mad dash for the door. Just try and dance to some of the arhythmic beats that fill the album like a car being thrown down a large flight of stairs. It's not popular music was never meant to be and will never apologize for not being so. It is as about an acquired taste as you can get.

Nonetheless, I truly think this will be one of the albums that survives the twentieth century. I think people will still be listening to this in a few hundred years when the concept of music changes and dissonance and staggering rhythms are as harmonious as the choir in the fifth plane of heaven. Rock has produced nothing like this up to this point. Nothing with this sense of exploration and personal vision. Nothing as playful, nothing as fun. Nothing that stretches the boundaries of what people think of as 'rock music.'

I don't think 21st century music listeners in America are ready for this. To truly appreciate this album for what it is you need to have a different definition of music and rhythm from the norm. No words will prepare you for how jarring it is. Your friends will hate you, people will think you're insane or on drugs (Beefheart, by the way, was not a drug user even in the early 1970s). My girlfriend still won't allow me to play it when she's home. People plain wonder what's wrong with me. Why would I listen to such tripe? Such ridiculous trash?

The answer is that if you're one of those like myself that discover what's in this music, you simply can't stop listening. It's not for arty reasons, or reasons of influence (I could care less who Beefheart influenced, to be honest), or showing off my tolerance. There really is something here for those who can find it. I get more and more from every listen.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Beautifully Deeply Strange, October 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Trout Mask Replica (Audio CD)

I first heard of Captain Beefheart somehow in reading about late 60's music. I saw his first album "Safe as Milk" in the cutout cassette tape section of my local music store for 3 or 4 bucks and brought it home. Upon listening, my reaction was that it was the most obnoxious obscene piece of crap I ever heard. I actually found it offensive! Rarely have I had such a forceful reaction to a piece of music. A few days later (a week? a month?), I thought, well, let me give it another shot before I sell it. Oh my God, it was brilliant. The only other time I had such a dramatic negative reaction to an album and then on second listen or refleciton realized it was a work of genius was with Last Exit's "Iron Path." Quickly I rounded up the rest of early Beefheart's work, and of course I fell in love with the deeply strange (and boy is it different from "Safe As Milk") "Trout Mask Replica." This is truly one of the most unique pieces of music ever recorded and I must admit it had to grow on me. It was quite some time before I could listen to the whole thing at one sitting, but time has been kind to me and to this album. It's still as freshly invigorating as it was 30 years ago. It doesn't fit the times now, but then again it didn't fit the times then. This album just doesn't fit, and thank God! Popular music would have been a little sadder than it is now if this bizarre piece of beauty never emerged. And I do admit it's not for everybody, God it just couldn't be, but if you're an adventurous heartly soul, you're gonna be amazed...