While it may sound at times like each of the musicians are randomly playing with no notice of what everyone else is doing the songs were carefully orchestrated.Īccording to Ben Watson’s study of Zappa in ‘Frank Zappa and the Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play’, the songs on ‘Trout Mask Replica’ were anything but experimental. The album may sound uniquely special, especially to someone brought up on traditional, mainstream rock songs but Beefheart drew on American musical traditions, most notably the blues of Charlie Patton and Howlin’ Wolf and the atonality of free jazz exponents like Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler. And that vision would have a lasting impact on the more artistic end of rock ‘n’ roll to this day. This is what I was trying to do.”Īfter various problems with the record industry over Beefheart’s first two albums this was his first record where he had complete artistic control and his eclectic musical vision could be let loose. This mystification was the intent though as Beefheart explained to Lars Movin in 1991: “It is trying to break up the mind in many different directions, causing them not to be able to fixate. His idiosyncratic vision is pasted across all 28 songs, forming one of the most comprehensive and enduring musical visions in rock. Just what is to be made of ‘Neon Meate Dream of an Octafish’:Īnd yet ‘Trout Mask Replica’ is utterly compelling, drawing you into its world. There are some straight forward lyrics as with ‘Dachau Blues’ and ‘Veteran’s Day Poppy’ but for the most part they seem to be nonsense lyrics of the first order, enough to make Edward Lear sit up and take notes. It’s tough often it seems that all the musicians are playing a totally different tune to one another, creating a headache-inducing cacophonous dissonance. I admit to having difficulty listening to Captain Beefheart’s most accomplished work all the way through in one go. It’s a sprawling double album of surrealist jazz, deranged delta blues like Charlie Patton and Skip James as well as apparently nonsense lyrics, jarring chords and random time signatures that leave the listener frazzled and disorientated thinking "just what the hell have I been listening to?" Vaultmeisterment & Transfers by Joes Travers, UMRK, 2012.‘Trout Mask Replica’ is no easy listen. This edition of Trout Mask Replica is from the ZFT Vault protection copies, transferred at 96K 24B, except for Frownland and Hair Pie: Bake 2 which are from the original damaged master tapes transferred to direct stream digital at UMRK.ĭSD workstation provided by Gus Skinas, Super Audio Center. Fortunately, FZ had Dick Kunc make "safeties." These actually sound better than the Originals and are in excellent condition but alas, incomplete. The masters seriously suffer from oxide loss, primarily at the head of each of the four master reels. Note: The years in storage in Warners were not kind to Trout Mask Replica. for providing us with the original Trout Mask Replica cover photograph which we thought had been lost to time." Combining elements of R&B, garage rock, and blues with free jazz, avant-garde approaches, and other genres of American music, the album is regarded as an important work of experimental music and art rock. Trout Mask Replica is the third studio album by American rock band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released as a double album on Jby Straight and Reprise Records, and produced by Beefheart's childhood friend Frank Zappa.
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