Captain Beefheart

Trout Mask Replica

Straight STS 1053- 1969

Trout Mask Replica is Captain Beefheart's masterpiece, a fascinating, stunningly imaginative work that still sounds like little else in the rock & roll canon. Given total creative control by producer and friend Frank Zappa, Beefheart and his Magic Band rehearsed the material for this 28-song double album for over a year, wedding minimalistic R&B, blues, and garage rock to free jazz and avant-garde experimentalism. Atonal, sometimes singsong melodies; jagged, intricately constructed dual-guitar parts; stuttering, complicated rhythmic interaction -- all of these elements float out seemingly at random, often without completely interlocking, while Beefheart groans his surrealist poetry in a throaty Howlin' Wolf growl. The disjointedness is perhaps partly unintentional -- reportedly, Beefheart's refusal to wear headphones while recording his vocals caused him to sing in time with studio reverberations, not the actual backing tracks -- but by all accounts, the music and arrangements were carefully scripted by the Captain (aided by John "Drumbo" French), which makes the results even more remarkable. As one might expect from music so complex and, to many ears, inaccessible, the influence of Trout Mask Replica was felt more in spirit than in direct copycatting, as a catalyst rather than a literal musical starting point. However, its inspiring reimagining of what was possible in a rock context laid the groundwork for countless future experiments in rock surrealism, especially during the punk/new wave era.

Trout Mask Replica was ranked Number 58 on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time. In his 1995 book The Alternative Music Almanac, Alan Cross placed the album in the Number 2 spot on his list of "10 Classic Alternative Albums". In 1995, Mojo put the album 28th on their "The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made" list and 51st on their list of "The 100 Records That Changed the World". Piero Scaruffi regards Trout Mask Replica as the best rock album of all time.

Track Listing:

Disc One:

Side One:

1. "Frownland" - 1:41

2. "The Dust Blows Forward 'n the Dust Blows Back" - 1:53

3. "Dachau Blues" - 2:21

4. "Ella Guru" - 2:26

5. "Hair Pie: Bake 1" - 4:58

6. "Moonlight on Vermont" - 3:59

Side Two:

1. "Pachuco Cadaver" - 4:40

2. "Bills Corpse" - 1:48

3. "Sweet Sweet Bulbs" - 2:21

4. "Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish" - 2:25

5. "China Pig" - 4:02

6. "My Human Gets Me Blues" - 2:46

7. "Dali's Car" - 1:26

1. "Hair Pie: Bake 2" - 2:23

2. "Pena" - 2:33

3. "Well" - 2:07

4. "When Big Joan Sets Up" - 5:18

5. "Fallin' Ditch" - 2:08

6. "Sugar 'n Spikes" - 2:30

7. "Ant Man Bee" - 3:57

Side Two:

1. "Orange Claw Hammer" - 3:34

2. "Wild Life" - 3:09

3. "She's Too Much for My Mirror" - 1:40

4. "Hobo Chang Ba" - 2:02

5. "The Blimp (mousetrapreplica)" - 2:04

6. "Steal Softly thru Snow" - 2:18

7. "Old Fart at Play" - 1:51

8. "Veteran's Day Poppy" - 4:31

This auction is for Captain Beefhart’s Double LP, Trout Mask Replica.  The LP does not include the original black Inner Sleeves. Also, although the Jacket says Straight Stereo STS 1053, the records have the Reprise labels and the 2MS 2027 catalogue number. The Records and Gatefold Cover are in Very Good condition.

If you have questions, please ask before bidding – I always answer.

The Fine Print:  Payment is required within 3 days. Returns are accepted within 7 days, but only if the item is not as described, and I am notified first. I reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time. Shipping is by First Class or Media Mail to the U.S. International bidders: Please contact me for shipping information before bidding.