Prog Album of the Week - Week 24 (01/17/2014): Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

As always, we encourage participation from everyone - if you've never heard the album, there's a YouTube link provided! Go check it out and report back!

Welcome to the twenty-fourth week of r/progrockmusic's Album of the Week! Last week we discussed Spock's Beard's Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep and that was lovely. If you'd like to peruse previous weeks' discussions, the threads are here:

1, 2, 3, [4] (http://www.reddit.com/r/progrockmusic/comments/1lg9vp/prog_album_of_the_week_week_4_08312013_genesis/), 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.

The one true guitar God™. Well maybe not, but this guy's influence is hu-uge.

http://i.imgur.com/o8UGfdg.png

###Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (1969)

Track Listing:

1. Peaches En Regalia; 2) Willie The Pimp; 3) Son Of Mr Green Genes; 4) Little Umbrellas; 5) The Gumbo Variations; 6) It Must Be A Camel.

• The album on YouTube
• Wikipedia article
• George Starostin review (8/10)
• allaboutjazz review (very favourable)
• Progarchives review (4.33/5)

####Potential Discussion Questions:

• As is typical of a prog album from 1969, there's a whole lotta jazz on here. Maybe fusion is a more apt label than prog - how do you feel about all that jazz and classical influence typical of early prog (fusion?) records?

• Frank Zappa has been quoted as an influence by basically every prog band ever. What do you hear in this album that you've heard in later prog albums? How did Zappa innovate the way he did?

• How would you personally rate the album?

• Are there any moments on the album you consider particularly strong or particularly weak (i.e., favourite/least favourite moments)?

^contributions, ^comments ^& ^corrections ^are ^welcome. ^Message ^/u/BenBenBenBe.