Frank Zappa - Sleep Dirt

Sleep Dirt from 1979 includes music that originally was intended for the double album in 1976 that was pared down to a single release called Zoot Allures. Then Frank Zappa wanted to put out a quadruple album Läther, but was met with resistance from Warner Brothers who demanded four separate records in order to end the contract. Sleep Dirt is one of those records. Original vinyl release was fully instrumental, more in the vein of Hot Rats styled jazz rock (in fact, the album's working title was Hot Rats 3, I kid you not). For the CD re-release Zappa added vocal and new drum overdubs for the more cabaret-jazz influenced numbers that were originally intended to be part of Zappa's unfinished sci-fi musical Hutchentoot. This review concerns the original version and even so I must admit that the tracks like "Time Is Money", "Flambay" and "Spider of Destiny" are not the strongest tracks on the album, although kind of interesting at places. More interesting are the pieces that retain the instrumental status even on the CD.

"Filthy Habits" is an experimental rock instrumental with its feedback drenched (some backwards) guitar sonics and angular riffs and leads. It has a dark vibe and a great rhythm section of Dave Parlato (bass) and Terry Bozzio tearing it up on drums. "Regyptian Strut" is another "Hutchentoot" outtake, as it was actually intended to be an instrumental overture and thus is spared from the vocal dubs. However the CD version adds Chad Wackerman overdub in lieu of the original drums by Chester Thompson. An interesting pompous piece that is somewhat reminiscent of early King Crimson, but without guitar, as Zappa plays percussion on this track. Bruce Fowler's multiple brass parts really add to the piece. For a more uptempo proto-version, check Wazoo (1972 Grand Wazoo orchestra live) for a piece that then was called "Variant I Processional March".

On the second half of the album we have two outstanding tracks. The title track is sublime acoustic guitar duet that shows Zappa at his most introspective and melancholic, which segues directly into "The Ocean Is the Ultimate Solution", an avant-garde rock improvisation with crazy solos from Frank (alternating between acoustic craziness a la "Nine Types of Industrial Pollution" and screaming electric leads) as well as Patrick O'Hearn doing a damn good job at double bass. Terry Bozzio kills on the drum set. 13 minutes of superb performance which draws this underrated album to close quite nicely.