ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Album #63 is Buffalo by Frank Zappa from 2007.

Yes, here is another posthumous release from the Zappa Family Trust and Vaulternative Records. This is a 2 CD set with an entire concert recorded in Buffalo, US, October 1980. We get a great mix of old and new songs (many of the new ones were unreleased at that time). There is even a rare version of The Drowning Witch done in the style of The Dangerous Kitchen.

You might miss Zappa's usual trademarks: the instrumentals and the marimbas and xylophones, but on the other hand we get a band that is full of energy (Vinnie!) and the guitar solo sections are even more enjoyable than I expected. This band played with more dynamics than later line ups. There are some obvious edits when an alternative source covers up for the multi track tape running out, but the mixing and editing work is excellent! Thumbs up, indeed!

S.H.