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Music review: Dweezil Zappa – ëƵVia ZammataëƵ

2 min read
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Because my oldest brother was a Frank Zappa fan, I naturally became a fan as well.

After borrowing my brotherëƵs copy of 1976ëƵs ëƵZoot AlluresëƵ featuring bizarre selections like ëƵWind Up WorkinëƵ in a Gas Station,ëƵ ëƵThe Torture Never StopsëƵ and ëƵDisco Boy,ëƵ I was hooked and would spend the following years listening to every new Zappa album my brother would bring home.

Dweezil Zappa follows in his legendary fatherëƵs innovative footsteps with a new release that captures the creative lunacy that fueled his father while also flashing moments of infectious pop stylings. Named for the Sicilian street where the Zappa family originated, ëƵVia Zammata'ëƵ is ZappaëƵs first new solo album of original material since 2006ëƵs ëƵGo With What You Know.ëƵ

For the new album, Zappa was able to put into practice what he has absorbed from studying and performing his fatherëƵs music over the last 10 years. The 46-year-old guitarist comes into his own both musically and lyrically with the creation of the new material.

The album opens with a tantalizing instrumental that blends soaring orchestration with the cosmic edge of progressive rock on ëƵFunky 15,ëƵ followed by an angelic chorus intro that quickly transitions into a rousing guitar-driven track on ëƵRat Race.ëƵ ëƵWhat IfëƵ and ëƵJust the Way She IsëƵ freely flow with the pop sensibilities of Fountains of Wayne and ëƵTruthëƵ features more elegant string offers before gently yielding to ZappaëƵs beautiful guitar work on this instrumental that could easily be mistaken for a composition comprised from the brilliant mind of Brian Wilson for ëƵPet Sounds.ëƵ

The two major highlights of the album involve a pair of engaging collaborations. ëƵDragon MasterëƵ is a menacing heavy metal number first hatched by ZappaëƵs father in 1988 and displays some masterful guitar work and Judas Priest-like vocals, while ëƵMalkovichëƵ is a surreal opus that revolves around the narration of actor John Malkovich delivering portions of PlatoëƵs ëƵAllegory of the Cave.ëƵ

ZappaëƵs latest release proves to be a delightful piece of controlled chaos that reflects his fatherëƵs genius and passion to push the musical boundaries into areas often forgotten or unimagined.

Clint Rhodes is the ëƵ-Standard music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.

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