Lumpy Gravy
Lumpy Gravy
I don’t know much about Lumpy Gravy..(reads a few reviews) ok, now i
know a bit more. 
My only
experience of this album was that it was on the same disk as “We’re Only
In It For The Money”, as two 15 minute tracks at the end. This was not
the usual thing to do in Rock & Roll, even/especially in 1968. I
would have to say that this is now the earliest use of what we would now
call “mashups” or cutups (see previous livejournal entry abou that) The
two tracks are cutups of dialog that FZ recorded, symphonic interludes,
bits of surfer music, foreshadowings of music more fully developed in
later albums. (i just accidentally typed “later CDs”.. this was vinyl,
people. and the limitatations of vinyl ruled. I have little doubt that
fz would lave loved to have done this as one track). Another review said
that this album contains the essence of all later zappa philosopy about
art, music, and philosophy. The topics covered by the vocal samples here
twisted and varied. One bit of note is about “Pigs and Ponies”, a
metaphor for cops and hippies, the big adversaries of the time. Zappa
was always taking riffs and occasionally entire songs, changing them a
little or a lot, and recycling them into later albums. Musical bits from
later album “Uncle Meat” and “Weasels Ripped my Flesh”, and the last
part is the track “You can take your clothes off when you dance” from “…
Money” turned into a little fast-paced loungey thing. Funny thing about
this album, when I actually listened to it, I was somewhat unfavorbably
disposed towards it. It seemed like a lot of other zappa stuff, but I
didn’t realize that that was because this was the prototype of all the
rest of them that followed. Think about the the tranistions between
songs on Pink Floyd’s “Wish you were here” - random snippets of sound
put together seemingly hodgepodge, but making some other narrative. I
wouldn’t have recommended this album to someone who hadn’t heard it
before, but now i think it i might recommend it as one of the first you
hand to someone. It’s only a half hour or so (32 minutes for the picky
ones out there), and it does sort of represent much of his
later work. One thing I have to say about this album. It finally rid my
mind of the catchy bits of “We’re Only In It For The Money” (no, I
didn’t copy and paste that each time you see it - i typed it) There were
a few things I have had stuck in my head lately: I’m gonna tell you the
way it is And I’m not gonna be kind or easy Your whole attitude stinks I
say And the life that you lead is completely empty. What a typically
Sagittarian thing to say. Did I mention that FZ was born December 21,
1940? Try to get that song out of your head!! “Lumpy Gravy” did
it. Somethings I’ve noticed about this zappathon reminds me of a
previous project in tarot cards a number of years ago.