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Rating: "The Yellow Shark" is the last album released by Frank Zappa, shortly before he passed away. It is a collection of his older orchestral compositions performed live. The album is fascinating for various reasons: the "Ensemble Modern" worked with technology similar to that normally used in rock concerts, and the compositions were conceived by Zappa for a special six-channel separate sound distribution system; the tracks draw mainly from avant-garde classical music (mostly dodecaphonic music), but everything takes on a completely different meaning thanks to Zappa's total open-mindedness, as he does not plan things in advance but lets his ear guide him.
The greatest influence is from Edgar Varese, whom Frank Zappa has always admired; but we find echoes of many other modern composers: Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and others. The peculiarity of this work is that, although it roots itself in the European and American avant-gardes, unlike them, the melodic element is not sacrificed in favor of harmonic or timbral experiments, quite the opposite! The first track "Dog Breath Variations" is complex rhythmically (let's say that the classic 4/4 feels tight for Frank Zappa) and is melodically very lively, so much so that it can be appreciated even by "untrained" ears. If you're thinking of figures like Berio, Stockhausen, Sciarrino, or Petrassi, don't worry! Frank Zappa's music is never experimentation for the sake of it, his music arises from a very classical sensitivity even if fascinated by the avant-garde. In the less digestible moments, the album vaguely recalls Zorn's experiments, but the rest is much more immediate and accessible. Personally, "Dog Breath Variations" and "Uncle Meat" also remind me a bit of Gershwin, although structurally they are quite distant from his works. Harmonically too, it differs from Gershwin due to fewer jazz influences. Despite this, I can't help but think of "Cuban Overture" when I listen to these pieces.
Most of the tracks could easily be used as a soundtrack (and indeed "Outrage At Valdez" seems to have been used as musical commentary for a documentary). The constant presence throughout the album, as already mentioned, is the presence of polyrhythms. In the most avant-garde part of the album, Zappa reaches results akin to Ligeti's music, but perhaps the strongest resemblance is with Webern. From the point of view of compositional technique, probably the highest point of the album is "None Of The Above", but I am not an expert in counterpoint, so take this claim with caution. Anyway, my favorite track is the closing one: "G-Spot Tornado". A mention also deservedly goes to "Questi Cazzi Di Piccione" if only for the title (which should have been "Questi Cazzo Di Piccioni": an Italian mistake by Zappa). If you know the whimsical Frank Zappa of "Hot Rats" or "Joe's Garage", forget it! From these works remains the desire to never take themselves too seriously and to play with music but the atmospheres are totally different (just consider that there we find a classic rock lineup with some original additions, and here we have an orchestra of I don’t recall how many elements). A typical Zappa fan might get bored listening to this album, referring to all those who appreciated him as a guitarist in "Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar" (which I don't like much) or as a crude madman in "Cheap Thrills" (which is a compilation, huh!). The historical weight of this work has never been fully recognized: indeed, the work is not so original, but it is grandiose that Frank Zappa managed to create something that could easily be placed in the avant-gardes of the twentieth century while still being melodically close to the tastes of the general public (and this, in my opinion, is more than what famous composers like Stockhausen or Cage managed to do).
The album is recommended mainly for lovers of avant-garde classical music (particularly Viennese expressionism), but it can be appreciated by anyone with a wide musical culture (even if foreign to the genre in question).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
04 Outrage at Valdez (03:27)
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15 Welcome to the United States (06:41)
[includes Narrhalla-Marsch (trad.) and a quote from Louie Louie (Richard Berry)]
Reiner Romer: Ladies and gentlemen, here he goes, Peter Rundel, he seems to be disgusted. Whatever. Ridero ridera! [...] Ha ha ha! LAUGH NOW! (HA HA HA HA HA!) Be quiet! Von seiner Werkbank zu uns heute Abend hergekommen ist unser Hermann Kretzschmar wolle merm reinlasse? Laugh now! (HA HA HA HA HA!)
Welcome to the United States
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