Album title: Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Artist: The Mothers of Invention
Nationality: American
Label: Bizarre/Reprise
Chronology: Sixth Mothers album
Grade: C
Landmark value:
Tracklisting: WPLJ/ Igor’s Boogie, Phase One/Overture to a Holiday in Berlin/Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich/Igor’s Boogie, Phase Two/Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown/Aybe Sea/Little House I Used to Live in/Valarie
Comments: Kind of a mix of country and doo-wop here, which takes me by surprise, sense of gospel in it too and quite palatable surprisingly, though it is a cover so that might explain it, then “Igor’s Boogie, Phase One” is a mere forty seconds of, well, nothing, nonsense really, knd of a carnival organ then “Overture to a Holiday in Berlin” is another short one, an instrumental on it sounds like harpsichord, not bad really, and on to the theme which is a good vehicle for the guitar talents of Zappa, something that tends to get hidden under all the messing about and sound effects as far as I can see. Nice piano too. Another instrumental. Then another thirty seconds of sillness for “Igor’s Boogie, Phase Two” and then into “Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown”, which is like something out of a Neil Simon movie. Nice piano and some cool sax.
“Aybe Sea” (geddit?) closes out the first side of the album with a nice piano and again what sounds very like a harpsichord tune, and side two has just the two tracks, the first also being by far the longest. “Little House I Used to Live in” runs for over eighteen minutes and by gum it’s good! Another instrumental - says it’s live but I don’t hear it - displaying some amazing talent on the piano, guitar, horns, organ and other instruments from the band. Ending then on another cover (began on one, end on one: nice) which is “Valarie”, a nice little soul ballad.
Favourite track(s): WPLJ, Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown, Aybe Sea, Little House I Used to Live in
Least favourite track(s): Oddly enough, nothing really.
Overall impression: A whole hell of a lot better than I had expected. Can I use the N-word here? I can? Well then, here goes (deep breath): it was…. Normal! Very impressed I must say.
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