Zappa's second and arguably best record has been in constant rotation for me for quite some time now and with good reason, it's one of the best albums ever made by anyone with a pulse. Composed, arranged, and produced by the master himself, Zappa's "Hot Rats" is a world apart in many ways from anything else he ever did. The album's extensive compositions and arrangements that contain various solo arrangements (particularly on lead guitar) make the album an experience unlike most others and each track takes the listener on a unique, fascinating, and mysterious journey where the mind melts and the spirit swoons. From "Willie the Pimp's" brooding blues, rock guitar jam to the Jazz masterpiece "Peaches en Regalia," no one track or even part of a track on this record is borrowed from something else or even something in an of itself, a feat that few musicians or artists can claim other than Zappa.
I often criticize bands in my reviews for not being inclusive enough musically, particularly bands who make an honest effort to be experimental. Not that I have an issue with simplicity, often I welcome a band that can play a specific style well and with a purist's devotion. If you do want to experiment, however, take notes from the master himself and from "Hot Rats." Zappa's instrumental diversity went beyond the normal when his unique recording style created the octave-bass, a bass guitar track slowed down and recorded at half speed in order to appear to be an octave higher than a standard bass. This kind of recording genius makes "Hot Rats" so special and is something that all music fans can appreciate regardless of taste or trend. "Hot Rats" was among the first records to incorporate the mulit-tracking of drums (something put to use extensively later on by metal bands), the first to utilize Zappa's Frankenstein Sixteen Track Recording, and taught a generation of producers how to manipulate sound using overdubs effectively, all while respecting the integrity of each song's mission to rock honestly and effectively. There really isn't much else to say other than that if you don't listen to this album once in your life, I honestly feel sorry for you and will loan it to you if you want your soul saved.
- Joe