How can you? It's very rare that one album of his doesn't tend to cycle through all of the above mentioned. He even worked a lot with orchestral music, sound collage, and musique concrete. Again, sometimes all in one album.

I can type for days about my love for Frank Zappa. I have immense appreciation and respect for him, and recognize him as a genius on so many different levels. I own so many Zappa vinyls. I don't think it's possible to choose a favorite album of his, but right now I'm listening to Apostrophe.

It would bring me great joy to hear NoMeansNo cover "Cosmik Debris."

Of these two I found Hot Rats the better album. Listening to Joe's Garage now.

I think Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar is still a favourite.

Easily one of my favorite artists and at this point my favorite guitarist. He was the first artist I listened to where I found myself thinking "you can do that with a guitar?"

My favorite Zappa album is Joe's Garage...probably not a popular pick but it was the first one I listened to and it caters to my love of albums with 3 or more LPs AND my love of concept albums. It's just what rubs me the right way.

His early stuff is great, too. I have copies of the first three Mothers albums and they are awesome! We're Only In It For The Money is a loveable mess of hippie parody.

Still missing a lot of albums I'd like to own, such as Hot Rats, Over-Nite Sensation, Uncle Meat, Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar boxset, and the 'You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore' albums. Sometimes, though, I have nightmares about Frank's humongous discography. :(

I adore Joe's Garage, even feeling his 70s work was far inferior to his 60s(with 80s jumping back, and forth).

Think it may be one of the best concept albums of all time in it's sardonic weirdness.

I haven't found a better concept album yet so I have to agree. It's also just an incredibly fun album.

The Artist That Keeps Giving
 

I picked up "Lather" the other day, and what a pleasure it is. It was supposed to be a 3 record set after Zoot Allures that Warner Brothers refused to release and split up the contents over his next four albums, Zappa In New York, Studio Tan, Sleep Dirt, Sheik Yerbouti, and Orchestral Favorites. The material is a diverse as Zappa gets, ranging from the obnoxiously funny "Punkys Whip" and "Titties and Beers" to the musically brilliant "Revised Music for Guitar and Low-Budget Orchestra" to his yuppie satirical master-stroke "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary", which is simultaneously hilarious and stupendous.

^ It was supposed to be a four record set, if I recall correctly.

I haven't gotten around to listening to it yet but I'm planning on doing it soon. Still, that's a beast of an album...