Search - Frank Zappa :: Strictly Commercial: The Best of Frank Zappa (Limited Edition Japanese Mini LP Sleeve CD)

Janis L. from TIBURON, CA
Reviewed on 9/12/2006...

Come on...with tracks like "don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama" how could it not be anything but genius? Don't forget the truly commercial hits "Valley Girl" and "Montana".

Slightly different track listing than American version

J. Mackin | NY | 07/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who knows Zappa - even a little - knows he isn't the most accessible artist, although perhaps one of the most versatile, brilliant, and worthwhile (for those willing to break through the initial inaccessibility to find the treasures that lie beyond).



Having said that, this is the album (and/or American version) to start with. I will not rehash, then, reviews of the American release of Strictly Commercial, I'll just comment on the subtle differences on this one, and how this one works as a whole.



This version has twenty-one songs as opposed to American version's nineteen. That's cool. The addition of two extra tracks is what makes this edition unique. "Planet of the Baritone Women," offers the late 80s Zappa era previously unincluded, even if the song itself isn't fantastic (but worthy). The Horn section and Ike Willis on vocals, how can you go wrong?



The other addition is "Bobby Brown Goes Down." From what I understand, this was a number one hit in Norway at one point. "Huh?" says I. The song itself is humorous and showed that Zappa was a witty lyricist, but from a musical standpoint, I would say it's just okay. Not bad, not sub-par, but okay.



An interesting phenomenon that occurred to me with the listening of the American version was the care that whoever took in arranging the song order. Even though the tracks, chronologically speaking, spanned two decades, each song segued smoothly into the next. For a "best of" collection, it really stood on its own as its own album, and I found that especially impressive.



All in all, fantastic album from one of the true brilliant (musical or otherwise) minds of the twentieth century. Behind the at times immature humor and at times static music was a profound machine doing only what it (he) knew how to do."

The Best Version of the Album That's Out There Today!

Frederick Baptist | Singapore | 08/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Japanese mini-lp sleeve version of this best of compilation of Frank Zappa's best ever "commercial" hits is the one to get. The packaging is a work of art and the remastered sound quality of the 2 discs is extremely well done. I also have the older Rykodisc version and I can tell you that as good as the sound quality was for that version, this version is even better. We also get 2 tracks that are not on the Rykodisc version: "Bobby Brown Goes Down" and "Planet of the Baritone Women". All the lyrics are included in both English and Japanese on an insert as well as an interesting essay on Frank on another insert too.



The clown prince of rock guitar never fails to bring a smile to my face each time I put this album on and his pure comic genius is evident for all to hear. It takes a great talent to be so confident in his own ability to make a joke and laugh about it. Frank never seems to take himself and rock music in general too seriously but clearly seems to be having a lot of fun doing it. He reminds me of Mozart who although being a prodigious talent, still found the time to compose "Ein musikalicher Witz" or "A musical joke" where he attempts to play "poorly" to poke fun at provincial musicians and composers and yet, the "joke" is so well done, it's actually quite good.



Frank is so good that even his "jokes" rank very highly in terms of quality musicianship. Anyone looking for the best of the more accessible material that Frank has done over his career need look no further. Highly recommended.



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