The Frank Zappa Review Page
Absolutely
Free (1967)
This
album is quirky, irreverent and more eccentric than Freak Out by a
country mile! In fact Freak Out is positively mainstream compared to
this album which is avante – garde is not so avante garde as to turn you right
off. After Zappa released the relatively successful first album one
would think that he would release a more commercial offering second time round
does he do that?
Of
course not! He goes the other way. Absolutely Free is charming, original
and off the beaten track.
Plastic People starts
the album off on a high it is a tribute to people with no backbone or soul and
works well, next is Duke Of Prunes which is very eccentric indeed but
somehow seems to get your attention and keep it. Amnesia Vivace follows the
same peculiar theme of vegetables and their relationship to everything. As I
say you would not think this worked but it does. Call Any Vegetable is fun
and silly but I’d say one of the better songs on the album Soft Cell Conclusion is excellent but way too short and Big Leg Emma is a feel good mock love song
which ends side one on a high. There are a couple of other tracks on side one
which I have not mentioned that is because they are awful and spoil an otherwise
very good opening side!
Why Don’t You Do Me Right is a bluesy rocker that
opens side two and America Drinks follows on the satirical theme of Freak Out.
Status Back Baby is an excellent almost typical style sixties rock song
and is one of the best on the album. Uncle Bernies Farm is
good but not very good. Son Of Suzy Creamcheese is very good and Brown
Shoes Don’t Make It is a decent
Zappa song but not a great one! I know many see that song as one of Zappa’s
best not me! The last song on the album is one of Zappa’s best though America
Drinks And Goes Home again this is close to being one of if not the best
track Zappa ever wrote in my opinion it is so evocative, thoughtful and well
worked, too short though at just about two minutes but ends the album on a
high. This track has a real feel of being in an American bar! Over all a
quirky, fun and consistent album it is so different to the first Zappa album
and that is appealing in a way it is difficult to compare the two but it is
well worth buying and is a valuable addition to the Zappa collection. It
doesn’t get the highest rating but it is up there as a definite buy as long as
you are a bit eccentric!