Frank Zappa
Sleep Dirt

THE REVIEW

It all began at the end of 1978 when Mr. Frank Zappa went to Warner, the label he had signed his recording contract with, proposing the release of a quadruple vinyl titled "Läther". Warner, already having a lot of material to release and fearing market inflation, gave a firm refusal. In retaliation, Zappa fed all that material to local radio stations, expressly asking listeners to record everything and bootleg the content. In retaliation to the retaliation, Warner released three volumes without Zappa's authorization, each a few months apart. These three volumes, very different in intentions, content, and purpose, were called "Studio Tan", "Orchestral Favorites", and, indeed, "Sleep Dirt". This last one contains material recorded on different occasions and dating back to the period 1974 - 1976. Although this was the era of jazz rock in its most pronounced form and considering the thematic upheaval typical of the author, this album presents particular and very personal sounds. The epic symphonic flavor that pervades the themes, with a mix of spaciousness, serenity, and seriousness, is hard to find elsewhere. The lineup is equally variable and often reduces, another extremely unusual thing in the Zappa panorama, to a guitar, bass, drum trio, with the incredible Terry Bozzio/Patrik O'Hearn rhythm section. And this is the case of the album's (and beyond) masterpiece track titled "The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution", a stunning sequence of complex and changing episodes with a double bass solo rarely heard. Another notable track for sound and overall success is "Regyptian Strut", with its chivalrous and slightly Lawrence of Arabia flavor and the splendid Chester Thompson on drums.

Another particularity of the work is the significant difference between the original vinyl version and the more recent CD release: besides the very modest variation in listening times, slightly shortened for the digital version, there are three tracks that in the first version were entirely instrumental and on the CD have had vocals added by Thana Harris. These three tracks, "Flambay", "Spider of Destiny", and "Time Is Money", have radically changed their sound approach. Harris's voice has a lyrical imprint and, although endowed with enviable range and power, often appears lacking in grace and lightness. This fact decisively impacts, and if on the one hand, it helps create a positive and intriguing disparity, on the other, it diverts the ear from what were the predominant instrumental parts, for a listening experience that is, in conclusion, different. Also on the CD, some drum parts were overdubbed by the phenomenal Chad Wackerman. Personally, I prefer the original instrumental version, but I've found more than one person who prefers the CD's sung version.

Peculiar is also the short track that gives the album its title (although Zappa would have wanted to call it "Hot Rats III"). Sleep Dirt is an exercise in acoustic guitar mastery, one of those pieces that makes us understand how great that man was not only in composition but also in exquisite technique.

Highly recommended album and, as I repeat, especially the vinyl version. I give it 5 stars because it’s a must, but the exact rating would be 4.5.

Everyone stand up for applause.

P.S. Just for the sake of history, the mentioned "Läther" was released posthumously in 1996 as a triple CD, obviously wonderful, with the instrumental versions of the Sleep Dirt tracks, but still somewhat different from the vinyl.