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Music : Trout Mask Replica
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Rating: 
- Hubball loses his telescope
Or: "How to get into Trout Mask Replica - a beginner's guide". Playing it only twice is pointless. If you just play it from start to finish, it IS the most difficult album EVER to get into. So - do it in batches of four songs at a time, as follows: program your CD to play tracks 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Ella, Pie 1, Moonlight, Pachucho). Set it on repeat. Play it 10 times. Now I'm lovin' that MELODY and RHYTHM! Do it all again for tracks 9, 12, 13 and 14 (Bulbs, Human, Dali, Pie 2). WONDER at it! And now over again for tracks 17, 18, 19 and 20 (Joan, Ditch, Sugar, Ant). It's simply GLORIOUS! Now put all the aforementioned together. Who said this was impenetrable? I CANNOT STOP DANCING! Now assume normal mode and play it from the beginning. I'm breathless! This is INCREDIBLE MUSIC! It IS the best rock album ever made!
Rating:
- I was robbed ! ! !
I cann't see or hear why anyone with one cell of musical awareness would want to hear this chaotic, horrible, disturbing rackett. I have played it 2 times but that is my limit. Other folk here regard it as some kind of life changing experience once you "get it". Well, life is too short to be playing this until I "get it" as there are far far better things out there waiting to be discoverd.
Badly played, out of time, badly sung/shouted nonsense.
1 star because I can't leave 0.
Rating: - Why can't we give zeroes?
I'd rather stick a darning needle in my ear than hear this ever again. The other reviewers who also gave 1-star reviews were too kind, I think. How did this guy ever get a recording contract? Oh wait, this was the tail-end of the 60's and everyone was too stoned to descriminate between talented artists and opportunists... Avoid if you love music - there's only garbage here.
Rating: - Nothing to add but...
I won't attempt to add to the reviews below - it's all been said - but what I can add is this: to all those who believe this album is a load of over-hyped nonsense only played by pretentious idiots who get some sort of smug, snobbish but ulimately false kick out of claiming the genius of something that they no more enjoy or understand than the next man...well how many times have you played it? Two, three times? Maybe four? Well here's the rub: NO ONE LIKES IT AFTER 3 PLAYS. It takes most fans of this record about 8 plays to stop hating it!
Perserverance, perserverance and perserverance - the three P's. If you are prepared to play something about an hour long ten times before it starts to become remotely enjoyable then give it a bash. After a time the songs start creeping into your waking moments (and your dreams if you overdo it) and what sounded like a jumbled mess is now a song, but still a song like no other.
It is the most frustrating but equally most rewarding album ever made. When the penny does finally drop you will probably feel like a smartarse and quite proud of yourself for 'getting' something that has a reputation for being difficult, but at least you won't be a liar.
Rating: - Trout Mask Replica
I am going to start this review with what would normally be the closing point. I feel that sticking my final thoughts right at the beginning might serve to really enforce my strong feelings towards this album. It might also serve to inspire you to take a risk by buying it; because I am telling you it is a bit of a risk. You will either hate or love this album. There is no middle ground with `Trout Mask Replica'. Anyway, here are my final thoughts on the album. You ready? `Trout Mask Replica' is the greatest album ever made. That's it. It is no more complicated than that. The music contained within this album was like nothing I had ever heard upon my first listen, and since then only other Beefheart records have sounded similar. Anyway, why don't I get on with the actual review of the album?
`TMR' is the most beautiful of Don Van Vliet's many musical children and the album where The Magic Band was at the peak of their musical abilities. It was beamed down to us in 1969 where it attracted wild critical acclaim from some and unflinching fear from others. Even I admit to being a little scared the first time `Frownland' came on. But I pushed on through the fear and into the unknown, and when I came out on the other side I was a changed person. Now, it is easy to say that, I know. `TMR' changed my life; it opened my eyes, blah, blah, blah; except, `TMR' really did change my life. At least, I'm pretty sure it did. After you've listened to `TMR' it is almost like your life before wasn't real and now that you know of `TMR' you are finally complete. I would like to mention right now that I never take drugs, I never drink, and I don't smoke. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. But you should also know I am completely insane.
So, the album itself comprises 28 songs, some just over a minute while others clock in at around five. All are brilliant, and at least a couple of them have at one point been my favorite song ever. Right now it's `Ella Guru' but other times it's `My Human Gets Me Blues' or `Hobo Chang Ba'.
The music, as you are probably already aware, is demanding and not quite normal. If you are the kind of person who thought `OK Computer' by Radiohead was a little out there than just wait until `Frownland' starts up for the first time. I'm telling you, you won't even know what is going on. See, first time you listen to this album most of the music doesn't make any sense. It's not all as difficult as some of the other reviews make it out to be, but it really does take some getting used to. Songs are often made up of two guitars, a bass turned up way loud, drums, and of course Don Van Vliet howling over everything. There are a few variations to this though, with three a cappella tracks. The two guitars, upon first listen, will sound random and messy. Trust me though, you have to just push on and eventually you will start to hear the genius all us Beefheart loonies keep raving on about.
I like to go through individual tracks in my music reviews so that's what I'm going to do now. I'll go through just a few. Please though, don't take this to mean there are only a few brilliant tracks. Every track has something to offer, it's just that they only give a thousand words to write the review with.
Let's start with `Orange Claw Hammer', a favorite amongst Beefheart diehards. This, in my opinion, is the best of the three a cappella tracks on `TMR'. Beefheart's voice is deep and heavy throughout, but his thoughts seem distant to me; making the song sound more like a memory than a made up story. The Don's voice is fuelled by wild emotion and the details of the intricate tale he is telling us only serve to highlight the realness of the story.
`Hobo Chang Ba' is another classic Beefheart track. Lyrically, it is a continuation of `Orange Claw Hammer' but it is the fantastic music that really does blast this one right out of orbit. The song starts out with some jarring and unpleasant, which is good, guitar playing that slowly over the course of the song moulds into something that can only be described as Beethoven type genius. The guitar playing really is that good. The fast paced, tempo changing, wildly insane guitar work is just so wonderful it defies accurate description.
The previously mentioned `Ella Guru' is a Beefheart pop song. It opens with a verse, has a chorus, a solo, and then finishes with the chorus again. The chorus is as catchy as anything The Beatles ever thought up, while the underlying guitar riff is cool to the extreme.
`My Human Gets Me Blues' is a definite album highlight. It starts out with guitar riffs of epic proportions and when Beefheart starts to sing you just have to smile. Basically, it rocks. Also, this song has possibly the greatest riff ever in it. The first time I heard it I thought aliens had just landed inside my head. Seriously, I can't describe how different and out there some of the music on this track is.
Aagghhh! I've run out of words! But there are still about 10 more tracks I want to write about. Oh well. I guess I'll finish my earlier thoughts on this album.
I think some of the other reviews here, both positive and negative, have tried to make the album sound worse than it really is when in reality, if you try it a couple of times, you can get used to this type of music pretty quickly. Just buy it.
- Hubball loses his telescopeOr: "How to get into Trout Mask Replica - a beginner's guide". Playing it only twice is pointless. If you just play it from start to finish, it IS the most difficult album EVER to get into. So - do it in batches of four songs at a time, as follows: program your CD to play tracks 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Ella, Pie 1, Moonlight, Pachucho). Set it on repeat. Play it 10 times. Now I'm lovin' that MELODY and RHYTHM! Do it all again for tracks 9, 12, 13 and 14 (Bulbs, Human, Dali, Pie 2). WONDER at it! And now over again for tracks 17, 18, 19 and 20 (Joan, Ditch, Sugar, Ant). It's simply GLORIOUS! Now put all the aforementioned together. Who said this was impenetrable? I CANNOT STOP DANCING! Now assume normal mode and play it from the beginning. I'm breathless! This is INCREDIBLE MUSIC! It IS the best rock album ever made!
Rating:
- I was robbed ! ! !I cann't see or hear why anyone with one cell of musical awareness would want to hear this chaotic, horrible, disturbing rackett. I have played it 2 times but that is my limit. Other folk here regard it as some kind of life changing experience once you "get it". Well, life is too short to be playing this until I "get it" as there are far far better things out there waiting to be discoverd.
Badly played, out of time, badly sung/shouted nonsense.
1 star because I can't leave 0.
Rating:
- Why can't we give zeroes?I'd rather stick a darning needle in my ear than hear this ever again. The other reviewers who also gave 1-star reviews were too kind, I think. How did this guy ever get a recording contract? Oh wait, this was the tail-end of the 60's and everyone was too stoned to descriminate between talented artists and opportunists... Avoid if you love music - there's only garbage here.
Rating:
- Nothing to add but...I won't attempt to add to the reviews below - it's all been said - but what I can add is this: to all those who believe this album is a load of over-hyped nonsense only played by pretentious idiots who get some sort of smug, snobbish but ulimately false kick out of claiming the genius of something that they no more enjoy or understand than the next man...well how many times have you played it? Two, three times? Maybe four? Well here's the rub: NO ONE LIKES IT AFTER 3 PLAYS. It takes most fans of this record about 8 plays to stop hating it!
Perserverance, perserverance and perserverance - the three P's. If you are prepared to play something about an hour long ten times before it starts to become remotely enjoyable then give it a bash. After a time the songs start creeping into your waking moments (and your dreams if you overdo it) and what sounded like a jumbled mess is now a song, but still a song like no other.
It is the most frustrating but equally most rewarding album ever made. When the penny does finally drop you will probably feel like a smartarse and quite proud of yourself for 'getting' something that has a reputation for being difficult, but at least you won't be a liar.
Rating:
- Trout Mask ReplicaI am going to start this review with what would normally be the closing point. I feel that sticking my final thoughts right at the beginning might serve to really enforce my strong feelings towards this album. It might also serve to inspire you to take a risk by buying it; because I am telling you it is a bit of a risk. You will either hate or love this album. There is no middle ground with `Trout Mask Replica'. Anyway, here are my final thoughts on the album. You ready? `Trout Mask Replica' is the greatest album ever made. That's it. It is no more complicated than that. The music contained within this album was like nothing I had ever heard upon my first listen, and since then only other Beefheart records have sounded similar. Anyway, why don't I get on with the actual review of the album?
`TMR' is the most beautiful of Don Van Vliet's many musical children and the album where The Magic Band was at the peak of their musical abilities. It was beamed down to us in 1969 where it attracted wild critical acclaim from some and unflinching fear from others. Even I admit to being a little scared the first time `Frownland' came on. But I pushed on through the fear and into the unknown, and when I came out on the other side I was a changed person. Now, it is easy to say that, I know. `TMR' changed my life; it opened my eyes, blah, blah, blah; except, `TMR' really did change my life. At least, I'm pretty sure it did. After you've listened to `TMR' it is almost like your life before wasn't real and now that you know of `TMR' you are finally complete. I would like to mention right now that I never take drugs, I never drink, and I don't smoke. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. But you should also know I am completely insane.
So, the album itself comprises 28 songs, some just over a minute while others clock in at around five. All are brilliant, and at least a couple of them have at one point been my favorite song ever. Right now it's `Ella Guru' but other times it's `My Human Gets Me Blues' or `Hobo Chang Ba'.
The music, as you are probably already aware, is demanding and not quite normal. If you are the kind of person who thought `OK Computer' by Radiohead was a little out there than just wait until `Frownland' starts up for the first time. I'm telling you, you won't even know what is going on. See, first time you listen to this album most of the music doesn't make any sense. It's not all as difficult as some of the other reviews make it out to be, but it really does take some getting used to. Songs are often made up of two guitars, a bass turned up way loud, drums, and of course Don Van Vliet howling over everything. There are a few variations to this though, with three a cappella tracks. The two guitars, upon first listen, will sound random and messy. Trust me though, you have to just push on and eventually you will start to hear the genius all us Beefheart loonies keep raving on about.
I like to go through individual tracks in my music reviews so that's what I'm going to do now. I'll go through just a few. Please though, don't take this to mean there are only a few brilliant tracks. Every track has something to offer, it's just that they only give a thousand words to write the review with.
Let's start with `Orange Claw Hammer', a favorite amongst Beefheart diehards. This, in my opinion, is the best of the three a cappella tracks on `TMR'. Beefheart's voice is deep and heavy throughout, but his thoughts seem distant to me; making the song sound more like a memory than a made up story. The Don's voice is fuelled by wild emotion and the details of the intricate tale he is telling us only serve to highlight the realness of the story.
`Hobo Chang Ba' is another classic Beefheart track. Lyrically, it is a continuation of `Orange Claw Hammer' but it is the fantastic music that really does blast this one right out of orbit. The song starts out with some jarring and unpleasant, which is good, guitar playing that slowly over the course of the song moulds into something that can only be described as Beethoven type genius. The guitar playing really is that good. The fast paced, tempo changing, wildly insane guitar work is just so wonderful it defies accurate description.
The previously mentioned `Ella Guru' is a Beefheart pop song. It opens with a verse, has a chorus, a solo, and then finishes with the chorus again. The chorus is as catchy as anything The Beatles ever thought up, while the underlying guitar riff is cool to the extreme.
`My Human Gets Me Blues' is a definite album highlight. It starts out with guitar riffs of epic proportions and when Beefheart starts to sing you just have to smile. Basically, it rocks. Also, this song has possibly the greatest riff ever in it. The first time I heard it I thought aliens had just landed inside my head. Seriously, I can't describe how different and out there some of the music on this track is.
Aagghhh! I've run out of words! But there are still about 10 more tracks I want to write about. Oh well. I guess I'll finish my earlier thoughts on this album.
I think some of the other reviews here, both positive and negative, have tried to make the album sound worse than it really is when in reality, if you try it a couple of times, you can get used to this type of music pretty quickly. Just buy it.