Captain Beefheart
Unconditionally Guaranteed

THE REVIEW

Critics have slaughtered it, purists hate it, it seems even Captain Beefheart disowned it... yet "Unconditionally Guaranteed" is perfect. Sure, it's different from "Trout Mask Replica," but for that matter, few of Beefheart's albums are alike. After all, if he accustomed us to anything, it was the constant change, and so, having changed countries (at that time he had moved to England) and record labels (something he was not forgiven for), he came up with this album, certainly lighter in atmosphere, but no less committed. Just listen to his voice, intense in every track, to refute all the harsh criticisms leveled at him.

He has been accused of sentimentality, too many love songs, but the captain had already written beautiful ones (go and listen to "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" from the album "Clear Spot"), and he was accused of selling out... A man famous for having said: «I don't want to sell my music. I would like to give it away, because from where I got it, you don't have to pay to have it.» cannot have an interest in making a "commercial" album, but he knew they would say that, just look at the cover...

The reason for the change in style is actually very simple, this album was co-written with his partner Jan, it could not help but talk about love and it could not help but be sweet.

Even the musicians of the "Magic Band" (renamed "Tragic Band" for the occasion) did not have it easy. Yet the sound is clean, some imperfections are only heard through headphones and are due to the recording and mixing, not the execution. Regarding live performances, both in concerts and on television, one cannot remain indifferent to the exceptional work of Del Simmons, sax genius.

Homer Simpson said "everyone knows rock reached perfection in 1974, it's a scientific fact", this album is the incontrovertible proof.