FRANK ZAPPA – Strictly Commercial: The Best Of Frank Zappa (1995 Rykodisc)
There are many versions of Strictly Commercial available in different territories, but the North American Rykodisc edition is familiar to most. The beauty of Strictly Commercial is that it can appeal to anybody. For those who are not ready to stomach a full Zappa album proper, Strictly Commercial compresses some of his most appetising music into a tight 77 minute listening experience.
With a flourish, “Peaches En Regalia” opens the disc as it did 1969’s Hot Rats. “Peaches” is one of Frank’s most accessible compositions, with clear melodic themes. This instrumental courts jazz rock fusion while projecting images like a cue from a movie soundtrack. The horn section is both goofy and dignified at once, and the percussion is out of this world.
Great googly moogly! Speaking of goofy, it’s “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow” (a single edit) which never fails to put a smile on the face. The twisted storytelling is as clever as it is ridiculous. Jabs of brilliant lead guitar act like aural illustrations. Brilliant guitar on this one, as is the single-ending xylophone solo. Into “Dancin’ Fool”, Zappa then lampoons a guy who can’t help but hit the disco even though he stinks at dancing. Social suicide indeed! Classic, memorable Zappa with a beat you can dance to. “San Ber’dino” is more rock than blues but certainly has ingredients from both. This is an easy entry point.
All the songs flow into the next, and “Dirty Love” has a slow rock groove and a blasting wah-wah solo. This is a suitable lead-in to “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama”, one of Frank’s catchiest numbers. A classic rock composition, it must be pointed out how perfect Jimmy Carl Black’s beats are. They are hooks unto themselves.
“Cosmik Debris” has more blazing guitar, and a healthy dose of scepticism for the mystical. “So, take your meditations and your preparations, and ram it up your snout,” sings Frank with a sly smile. Then back to 1966 and Frank’s debut album Freak Out! with “Trouble Every Day”, the socially conscious track that is still relevant today. With a beat-blues bent, Frank croons “Hey you know something people? I’m not black but there’s a whole lotsa times I wish I could say I’m not white.” Frank Zappa — triggering people since 1966!
Disco people fall victim to the Zappa wit once again with “Disco Boy”. “Leave his hair alone, but you can kiss his comb.” It certainly recalls scenes from Saturday Night Fever. “Fine Girl” is about a girl who isn’t so fine, but it has irresistible elements of soul mixed in with a little bit of everything. Then the purely instrumental “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” lets us just enjoy Frank soloing for three and a half minutes. Here he becomes the expert bluesman, with adventurous twists and turns that only a Zappa could muster.
“Let’s Make the Water Turn Black” is essentially comic opera, a silly number with munchkin voices that never fails to raise a smile. It’s over quickly enough so we can get back to more electric guitar nirvana. “I’m the Slime” is funky horn-laden fun.
If Zappa’s music has been too performance oriented for your tastes with not enough hooks per minute, then “Joe’s Garage” will do the trick for you. As one of Frank’s most immediate songs, it draws from 1950s doo-wop. A track that fits in any music collection. It gets heavy on “Tell Me You Love Me”, perhaps the closest song Frank has to metal. So of course that had to be followed by the story of a dental floss tycoon with “Montana” (single version). Brilliant xylophone is only overshadowed by Zappa himself.
Spoken word tracks can have a limited lifespan to the listener, and for many people that’s “Valley Girl”. Moon Unit Zappa’s performance as the titular character is brilliant but quickly worn thin. It could probably stand to lose its last minute or so. Focus on the playing (especially that wicked bass by Scott Thunes). Doo-wop returns on the lovable “Be In My Video”; sax solos galore!
Finally, Frank answers that age-old question: cupcakes, or muffins? Certainly one of Frank’s most charming songs, “Muffin Man” ends the disc. Yes, there is a clear preference and plenty of wicked guitar playing too. Captain Beefheart on “vocals and soprano sax and madness”! Goodnight Austin Texas, wherever you are!
Strictly Commercial might not be the album that convinces you of Frank Zappa’s mastery of guitar, or of composition. But it is carefully designed to lure you in and whet the appetite for more. From here you can explore many more of Frank’s in-depth albums, or just enjoy this brilliant run through his most fun and easily enjoyed.
5/5 stars
This album should have had Bobby Brown Goes Down on it too
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Other versions do have it!
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This looks like a great album! If he had included “Titties and Beer,” then the compilation would have been perfect.
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That is on a newer CD called Zappatite.
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Great stuff. Might have to get this one since I am now a Zappa fan or I could just buy all his albums…no, I might get this for now.
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Getting them all is not a task I feel I can undertake!
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Me either!
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Cool, thanks for that.
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Never got into Zappa but enjoyed thus read nonetheless!
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There’s always time to get into Zappa. Steve Vai’s early solo stuff is very similar.
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It has Dancin’ Fool so all is good with me.
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It does have that!
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I’m with my parents on Zappa – dig everything up to and including Overnite Sensation, then it becomes smutty and gets very boring very quickly. Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Hot Rats are just genius beyond all compare. Pleased to see ‘Trouble Every Day ‘ on this comp too – sadly it gets truer with each passing day.
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Smutty? Frank Zappa smutty? No.
Trouble Every Day is definitely in my top two or three Zappa tracks.
What about the Vai stuff, no love for Stevie?
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None at all really – apart from in the film ‘Crossroads’, loved him in that.
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I’m The Slime gets top marks from me too.
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You’re not slimey, at least from what I’ve heard.
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No, that’s true. I am actually scaly.
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I never got into Zappa. He was just too weird and dissonant in his music. I’m thinking it’s time. So I’ll start with this best off and see..
nice write up, you convinced me, Mike
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Cool, well thanks man that’s an honour. If you don’t like him, I get it I take the blame. But as we get older, listen to more music, and become familiar with different styles, it’s easier to digest stuff like this.
Now, Captain Beefheart, if you wanna really test yourself, listen to any one single track from Trout Mask Replica.
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Challenge accepted. Lol. Zappa, Beefheart and me. It sounds like fun.
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I definitely want to hear about the Beefheart!
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I started with Lick Mt Decals Off Baby and I’m done for the day. I need some melodic rock to get some modal sense back in my brain.
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Hey, Destroyer. There’s a song on this Zappa greatest hits called “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace”. Do you think it was a direct influence on Anal Cunt when they wrote the song “I Got An Office Job for the Sole Purpose of Sexually Harassing Women”?
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100 percent. It’s pretty obvious. Lol
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I like that list of contributions from Captain Beefheart, “vocals and soprano sax and madness” – he’s a triple threat!
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And later in life, a successful painter!
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Surprised “Sofa” didn’t make the cut, for my money it’s the most beautiful melody Frank ever wrote. Very accessible for anyone I think.
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