Audio CD review:
Frank Zappa - The Perfect Stranger

Frank Zappa - The Perfect Stranger

Band: Frank Zappa Title: The Perfect Stranger Rating: Release Date: 16 May, 1995 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: The Perfect Stranger 2: Naval Aviation In Art? 3: The Girl In The Magnesium Dress 4: Dupree's Paradise 5: Love Story 6: Outside Now Again 7: Jonestown

Customer Reviews Good selection for hard core Zappa fans The classical stuff is what I would expect classical music to sound like if Zappa wrote it. The CD is a collection of pure classical music for the most part, with a few synthesizer tunes thown in for good measure. Then he does his own synth stuff that sounds like Tron runs amok. Somehow, the two different styles blend together well and seem to fit in this presentation. The packaging is very detailed. The liner notes are presented in multiple languages besides English and all musicians are credited. I'm glad I bought it. But then again, I'm a Zappa nut. :). A Good Zappa Instrumental Album....part orchestra/part synclavier Tracks 1, 2, 4 are performed by a Frecnh orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez while tracks 3, 5, 6 and 7 are performed without any human musicians on the "synclavier" machine. While this is not FZ's greatest instrumental album of orchestral or synclavier pieces, it is still a very good sample of some of Zappa's entertaining pieces that proved he could be just as good a composer of serious music as he could with comedy rock. The best piece on the album is track 4 (Dupree's Paradise). This "Dupree's Paradise" is the definitive version, surpassing the 24 minute version found on YCDTOSA vol. 2 and even the faster, big-band version found on "make a jazz noise here. " In other words, a beautiful, moving and relaxing piece. Track 1 (The Perfect Starnger) makes its premiere here and is very experimental in the Stravinsky/Varese sort of way that Zappa occasionally emulated. Not a bad piece but nothing special either. "Naval aviation in art?" is also heard here. However, this version is inferior to the original (and shorter) version found on the "orchestral favorites" album. While "the girl in the magnesium dress" and "love story" are mediocre synclavier pieces, "Outside now again" is perhaps Zappa's most relaxing, yet simultaneously suspenseful, synclavier piece. ***A perfect track to put on "repeat" while reading or doing chores. "jonestown" is a synclavier piece that would be the perfect composition in a very scary horror movie. All in all, a great listen. . No bulls please No bull. it. This classical music by Frank is superb. Zappa did it again. This just to begin. I'll add something more specific in the afternoon. But, really this is an incredible accomplishment. Music is the best. . You can see a complete list of all Frank Zappa discography, or go back to the Frank Zappa tabs