Frank Zappa Zoot Allures

This album is something of an anomaly in Frank Zappa's catalog. On all but two of the songs, Frank plays guitar, bass and keyboards. Terry Bozzio plays drums, and other favorites add tracks (Ruth Underwood, Roy Estrada and "Donnie" (van) Vliet, among others) to fill out the music. So among his seventies albums, this is more of a solo album than any.
Zappa proves himself to be a fair keyboardist. Although none of the keyboards stand out as great, they don't detract from the music either. And he tends to stay somewhat low key on the bass as well. The one place his bass stands out is on Friendly Little Finger, where Zappa is soloing on bass and guitar at the same time, with spectacular results.
The two guitar solo pieces are also outstanding. Black Napkins became one of Frank's signature guitar solos, and Zoot Allures is beautiful as well…

Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures (1976) {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 266 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 127 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10523
Rock / Experimental Rock

Zoot Allures, released in October 1976, is mostly a studio album (there are some basic live tracks, as in the title track and "Black Napkins") featuring a revolving cast of musicians who, oddly, do not correspond to the ones pictured on the album cover (for instance, Patrick O'Hearn and Eddie Jobson did not contribute). Compared to previous releases like One Size Fits All, Roxy & Elsewhere, or even Over-Nite Sensation, and to upcoming ones such as Zappa in New York, Studio Tan, or Sheik Yerbouti, Zoot Allures sounds very stripped down to bare essentials.

Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures (1976) {1995 Ryko Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 262 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 95 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 24 Mb
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10523
Rock / Experimental Rock / Jazz Rock

Among Zappa's grittier works, ZOOT ALLURES is a strong piece of mid-'70s work that focuses more on the interaction of Zappa and a small group that includes Terry Bozzio, Ruth Underwood and Roy Estrada, temporarily abandoning the jazzy, large-scale efforts of previous albums like ONE SIZE FITS ALL. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but all the disparate ingredients for a satisfying whole. There are simple, catchy rock tunes like "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station," "Ms. Pinky," a synth-led ode to a sexual toy, and "Disco Boy," which foreshadowed Zappa's hit "Dancing Fool." The lovely instrumental "Black Napkins" is among the prettiest compositions in Zappa's canon, highlighting his guitar work in an uncharacteristically restrained mode. The arguable centerpiece of the album is the epic-length "The Torture Never Stops." Sung by Zappa in his deepest, dirtiest, most ominous voice, the song recounts the tale of an evil monarch who does unspeakable things in the depths of his castle. Full of Zappa's bluesy guitar interjections, its one of the most deliciously unsavory things FZ ever committed to tape.

Frank Vincent Zappa was an American musician, composer, activist and filmmaker. His work was characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity, and satire of American culture. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist…