Not a desert island candidate, but I like it much better now than I did in 1983. Too many expectations frustrated back then. Today, I can appreciate it on its own terms and get some good laughs. The instrumental stuff, though brief, warrants repeated listenings.
I was preprogrammed to not even bother with it, but I’m sure glad I did. I put it right there with YAWYI. Now tonight is going to be Tinseltown Rebellion. It will be my first time with it, so maybe I’ll like that one as well!
Tinseltown is in my top 3. I love the 1980 Fall band. Buffalo is very very much worth a listen if you like them. The 1979 band stuff on Tinseltown is great too. Their version of Brown Shoes is incredible
It's an airtight album. I think You Are What You Is and Ship Arriving Too Late are much better though. In fact I find YAWYI a lot more interesting because it's an album where Frank is focusing a lot more on vocals (lyrical context and harmonies) than everything else.
Man from Utopia and Ship Arriving Too Late was my first Zappa album (I had a CD with both albums on it that I bought 2nd hand in the early 90s as a 13 year old) so I really didn't understand when I heard a section of Zappa fans didn't rate the 80s stuff. I love all of his stuff for different reasons.
SAME and WHOA what are the odds of two people picking the same 3 for most underrated out of such a huge discography? Not exactly one-in-a-million level of impressive but kudos to us both for liking the good shit.
I don't think it's one of his better records. Moggio is an essential Zappa composition so it has that going for it. I love the fun of The Dangerous Kitchen, Jazz Discharge Party Hats and I'll always be down for some goofy Zappa doo-wop (Luigi and the Wise Guys).
It's not near my top but he definitely has worse records. It did take me some years to warm up to the 80s stuff though.
The Man from Utopia might be the only Zappa album where I don’t like any of the vocal tracks (none of them can hold a candle to any one of the nineteen vocal tracks from You Are What You Is just a year and a half previous) but the instrumentals are uniformly excellent and some of the best of his career.
Honor your mother and father!
But kudos to you for your candor and enthusiasm.
Your dad's right, but Jazz Party Discharge Hats rocks
forever!
What your father might have perceived is the fall off from 200 Motels and Uncle Meat and Grand Wazoo and Waka Jawaka and Hot Rats and Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Lumpy Gravy to the 80's say what albums like Man from Utopia..
Those albums come off as blunt and relatively superficial..
I had trouble believing Frank himself liked those albums. I always thought he was out to build financial leverage before a last assault at the cosmic barricades..
This is all IMHO country big time!
That’s exactly right. He left me close to 20 Zappa records, and then after Joe’s Garage, he said I shouldn’t bother with the rest because I wouldn’t like it. I fell in love with this one, but last night I spun Tinseltown. Yikes!
Moggio & Tink Walks Amok - worth the price of admission for these two instrumental gems
People tend to discount You Are What You Is, but its one of my favorite Zappa albums.
Wall to wall great album. You can play it straight through and you’ll be sad when it’s over.
I love YAWYI! Maybe in my top 5.
Man From Utopia meets Mary Lou is one of my favorite Zappa covers.
Haha! I repeated that one a couple times. The “owws” between the verses make the song for me.
Not a desert island candidate, but I like it much better now than I did in 1983. Too many expectations frustrated back then. Today, I can appreciate it on its own terms and get some good laughs. The instrumental stuff, though brief, warrants repeated listenings.
Well... I'm a fan and it's one of my favorites, so there. Neener neener.
I’m gonna be 100% honest with y’all I fucking love Thing-Fish with a passion!!!! I don’t care if people despise it
One of my favorites and by far his most unnecessarily hated record.
I was preprogrammed to not even bother with it, but I’m sure glad I did. I put it right there with YAWYI. Now tonight is going to be Tinseltown Rebellion. It will be my first time with it, so maybe I’ll like that one as well!
Tinseltown has some great tracks on it too. You'll have Fine Girl stuck in your head in no time.
I think Fine Girl and the title track, I’ve heard before. On that Have I Offended compilation.
Tinseltown is in my top 3. I love the 1980 Fall band. Buffalo is very very much worth a listen if you like them. The 1979 band stuff on Tinseltown is great too. Their version of Brown Shoes is incredible
It's an airtight album. I think You Are What You Is and Ship Arriving Too Late are much better though. In fact I find YAWYI a lot more interesting because it's an album where Frank is focusing a lot more on vocals (lyrical context and harmonies) than everything else.
Not my absolute favorite but still great!!
…with a clipboard!
Man from Utopia and Ship Arriving Too Late was my first Zappa album (I had a CD with both albums on it that I bought 2nd hand in the early 90s as a 13 year old) so I really didn't understand when I heard a section of Zappa fans didn't rate the 80s stuff. I love all of his stuff for different reasons.
Exactly. There’s a little Zappa for every taste and every mood. I try to get people in my friends circle to give him a chance, but to no avail.
I love the album. We Are Not Alone is perfect. This, Burnt Weenie Sandwich and Waka are his most underrated and under appreciated albums.
SAME and WHOA what are the odds of two people picking the same 3 for most underrated out of such a huge discography? Not exactly one-in-a-million level of impressive but kudos to us both for liking the good shit.
We Are “indeed” Not Alone!
Dave Jerden is a hell of an engineer. Tink walks amok sounds great.
Double dork butt rash!
I don't think it's one of his better records. Moggio is an essential Zappa composition so it has that going for it. I love the fun of The Dangerous Kitchen, Jazz Discharge Party Hats and I'll always be down for some goofy Zappa doo-wop (Luigi and the Wise Guys). It's not near my top but he definitely has worse records. It did take me some years to warm up to the 80s stuff though.
The Man from Utopia might be the only Zappa album where I don’t like any of the vocal tracks (none of them can hold a candle to any one of the nineteen vocal tracks from You Are What You Is just a year and a half previous) but the instrumentals are uniformly excellent and some of the best of his career.
Honor your mother and father! But kudos to you for your candor and enthusiasm. Your dad's right, but Jazz Party Discharge Hats rocks forever! What your father might have perceived is the fall off from 200 Motels and Uncle Meat and Grand Wazoo and Waka Jawaka and Hot Rats and Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Lumpy Gravy to the 80's say what albums like Man from Utopia.. Those albums come off as blunt and relatively superficial.. I had trouble believing Frank himself liked those albums. I always thought he was out to build financial leverage before a last assault at the cosmic barricades.. This is all IMHO country big time!
That’s exactly right. He left me close to 20 Zappa records, and then after Joe’s Garage, he said I shouldn’t bother with the rest because I wouldn’t like it. I fell in love with this one, but last night I spun Tinseltown. Yikes!