Probably the best known of all of Beefheart's albums, Trout Mask Replica is well regarded as one of the most experimental "rock" albums ever made, and was described by critics as an album that most conceptual artists would "get". At first, this album may seem to be extremely poorly organised with the vocals out of time with the rest of the band, all the instruments playing out of key and the lyrics meaning nothing beyond pure madness. It's got some very lo-fi production to-boot.
Upon repeated listens the patterns emerge and you realise this album is the aural equivalent of a Dali masterpiece; perhaps not traditionally nice to look at, devoid of any rhyme or reason and incredibly playful. But like a Dali painting it also displays an incredible technical prowess, although never for the sake of it (keep in mind this entire album was written out by Beefheart in musical notation). Funny that Beefheart makes reference to Dali with the track "Dali's Car".
With this album Beefheart has created his own musical language. If you laugh the first time you hear this album; good. Humour and absurdity are an important part of Beefheart's music.
Regardless of what your favourite type of music is, I'd still reccommend this album as it transcends most catagorization. All you need is an open mind and Trout Mask Replica could change your perspective on music.
Tough but rewarding.
Tracklist:
1. Frownland
2. The Dust Blows Forward N' The Dust Blows Back
3. Dachau Blues
4. Ella Guru
5. Hair Pie Bake One
6. Moonlight on Vermont
7. Pachuco Cadaver
8. Bill's Corpse
9. Sweet Sweet Bulbs
10. Neon Meate Dream of An Octafish
11. China Pig
12. My Human Gets Me Blues
13. Dali's Car
14. Hair Pie Bake Two
15. Pena
16. Well
17. When Big Joan Sets Up
18. Fallin' Ditch
19. Sugar and Spikes
20. Ant Man Bee
21. Orange Claw Hammer
22. Wild Life
23. She's Too Much For My Mirror
24. Hobo Chang Ba
25. The Blimp (mousetrapreplica)
26. Steal Softly Thru Snow
27. Old Fart At Play
28. Veteran's Day Poppy
MP3 VBR V2 @ ~200Kbps
Incorrect part in the article. The album was scored by the drummer John French, he came up with the arrangements using Beefheart's piano noodlings and taught the reast of the Magic Band, CB did not know anything about musical notation.
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