FRANK ZAPPA (MOTHERS OF INVENTION) -'1966 - "Freak Out" w/blurb regarding LA MAP

$

59

SYNOPSIS

Very Unusual to have a DEBUT album be graded as a FIVE (5) Star album, but this one surely breaks the mold,..a true gem, especially if it is that version that has the blurb on the inside of the gatefold cover explaining how to get a map fo the "freak-out" hot spots in L.A... 

One of the most ambitious debuts in rock history, Freak Out! was a seminal concept album that somehow foreshadowed both art rock and punk at the same time. Its four LP sides deconstruct rock conventions right and left, eventually pushing into territory inspired by avant-garde classical composers. Yet the album is sequenced in an accessibly logical progression; the first half is dedicated to catchy, satirical pop/rock songs that question assumptions about pop music, setting the tone for the radical new directions of the second half. Opening with the nonconformist call to arms "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," Freak Out! quickly posits the Mothers of Invention as the antithesis of teen-idol bands, often with sneering mockeries of the teen-romance songs that had long been rock's commercial stock-in-trade. Despite his genuine emotional alienation and dissatisfaction with pop conventions, though, Frank Zappa was actually a skilled pop composer; even with the raw performances and his stinging guitar work, there's a subtle sophistication apparent in his unorthodox arrangements and tight, unpredictable melodicism. After returning to social criticism on the first song of the second half, the perceptive Watts riot protest "Trouble Every Day," Zappa exchanges pop song structure for experiments with musique concrète, amelodic dissonance, shifting time signatures, and studio effects. It's the first salvo in his career-long project of synthesizing popular and art music, high and low culture; while these pieces can meander, they virtually explode the limits of what can appear on a rock album, and effectively illustrate Freak Out!'s underlying principles: acceptance of differences and free individual expression. Zappa would spend much of his career developing and exploring ideas -- both musical and conceptual -- first put forth here; while his myriad directions often produced more sophisticated work, Freak Out! contains at least the rudiments of almost everything that followed, and few of Zappa's records can match its excitement over its own sense of possibility.

* per AllMusic.com, or other applicable music website

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      SHIPPING

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GRADING SCALE

Vinyl is visually graded primarily due to time constraints and the sheer volume (thousands) of records being graded. I use very bright lights & magnifiers to search for flaws ensuring that no over-grading occurs. The grading scale is as follow:

Mint (M): Still Sealed, if opened the grading should NOT reflect Mint.

Near Mint (NM):  Looks as though it just came from the retail store and was opened for the very first time (i.e. nearly perfect). Shiny vinyl with NO visible defects such as writing, stickers, markings on either jacket or vinyl. Near Mint records do not have to be "unplayed" as used records can also be in this condition providing it has been given proper care for its life.

Excellent (EX) Looks like a Near Mint at first glance but upon thorough exam a minimal blemish or mark may be noted. As a Near Mint is in perfect condition, this grade is just a small step down in the grading scale. An jacket saw cut. corner cut or punch hole will result in the nicest looking jacket having to be downgraded to Excellent due to these flaws.

Very Good Plus (VG+): Shows slight signs of wear, including scuffs or light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound and minor signs of handling will fall into this category. Telltale marks around the center hole, from repeated playing may have enlarged or damaged the hole and may be visible. Light ring wear or discoloration, can be noted but should not be overwhelming. Very Good + jackets should have minor wear such as a very minor seam wear or split (less than 1"long) at one of the seams (normally the bottom seam which is most vulnerable. A Very Good + may have some jacket defacing such as cut-out markings which can be either a circular hole punch, a cut corner or a saw cut. 

Very Good (VG):  Shows more obvious flaws than the above. They may lack the original gloss found on factory fresh records, groove wear is evident as are light scratches that may be deep enough to feel with a fingernail. The Very Good record could have minor surface noise and some scratches may be audible most likely in the intros and the empty space between songs but not at a level that would overpower the music. Minor writing, tape or sticker may exist on the jacket and/or label. These records will still remain a fine listening experience.