Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Album of the Day

Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch, by Frank Zappa (1982): This is my least favorite of the Zappa albums I own. Too much of it is given over to novelty-type tunes, either in their lyrical content ("No Not Now"), execution ("I Come From Nowhere" and "Teen-Age Prostitute," with lead vocal from Lisa Popeil!), or both ("Valley Girl," which at least was a hit). Within all the chaff, however, lurks a sublime 15-minute hunk consisting of "Drowning Witch" and "Envelopes." The lyrical story of "Drowning Witch" is sort of silly, but the ensuing instrumental sections are amazing. But, that's what stuff discs are for, right?

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