After reading and writing in the recent Zappa thread, I got inspired to write my own guide to his music. His work is very diverse and big, which means it can be intimidating to get into. This guide is written with fans of prog rock in mind, and focus on the work that would most likely appeal to them. It's based entirely on my own criterias and taste, it's not an attempt at an "objective" guide.

I did not include any orchestral or synclavier works in this guide. Nor any post-humous releases.

I've also divided the guide into two sections: "albums" and "bits and pieces". "Albums" are just that - albums that prog rock fans should be able to enjoy in their entirety more or less. "Bits and pieces" are songs and numbers from albums that may not appeal to prog fans in their entirety (i.e albums that are mostly focused on novelty tunes), but should not go unmissed.

Again, I really want to stress that this is my guide, so try not to freak out (no pun intended) too much over any disagreements you may have.

Feel free to make a Spotify list out of this of you want to!

ALBUMS

Lumpy Gravy

Fantastic album, but not a good entry point. Very avant-garde.

Uncle Meat

Actually a soundtrack for a movie FZ & The Mothers were working on at the time, but works as a stand alone album. It's fairly avant-garde and features mostly complex instrumental compositions. Fair warning, all of the CD releases of this album has "bonus" tracks in form of a 40 min long audio excerpt from the film and an '80s rock song. They're terrible additions and completely ruin the flow of the album. The recently released "Meat Light" has the entire original album in its original mix on CD1. It's available on Spotify.

Hot Rats

An absolute jazz-fusion classic, and one of the first works within the genre. Slick grooves, hungry playing and beautiful melodies. Aside from FZ, Ian Underwood's contributions on the album is significant.

Burnt Weeny Sandwich

Starts and ends with a couple of doo-woop numbers, but the rest is instrumental. Both composed and improvised/jammed material, a lot of it recorded live. Like Uncle Meat, it has an avant-garde feel to it. "Little House I Used To Live In" is just... wow. The piano intro is one of my all time favorite pieces by FZ. Absolutely sublime.

Weasels Ripped My Flesh

Sister album to the above one, but even heavier emphasis on improvs and jams. Also mostly recorded live.

Waka/Jawaka

Sort of a sequel to "Hot Rats", but with a big band this time around which affects both the compositions and arrangements.

The Grand Wazoo

Another big band album. If you like the previous one, you will like this one.

Over-Nite Sensation

One of Frank's most popular and also accessible albums. Some people think it's too simplistic, but there's nothing wrong with that in this case. Some of the arrangements and other bits and pieces are still very musically sophisticated. Besides, the tunes themselves are fantastic. Think of it as a prog-pop album and enjoy. One of the funkiest albums along with Roxy.

Apostrophe

Very much a continuation of the style on the previous album, so if you liked that one you will like this too. Has the famous "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" suite.

Roxy & Elsewhere

Problary the funkiest FZ album along with "Over-Nite Sensation", mostly thanks to George Duke. The "Echidna's Arf->Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?" combo is worth the admission price alone. Live album.

One Size Fits All

A fan favorite. Contains a good mix between progy songs like "Inca Roads" and "Sofa" with blues oriented songs like "Po-Jama People". There's also "Florentine Pogen" and "Andy" which aren't necessarily obvious "prog songs", but not that it matters because they're both great.

Zappa In New York

Another album that's a mix of styles. Worthwhile it because of the instrumentals and jam tunes. Another live album.

Studio Tan

This is strictly speaking not a Zappa album since he neither produced it or approved of it. What happened was that FZ got into a conflict with his record company (Warner Bros) and they ended up releasing this and the follow up album on their own initiative. Despite this, it's a very listenable album with some great pieces on it.

Sleep Dirt

The other of the albums not approved by FZ, but also quite good. It's entirely instrumental (unless you get the Ryko CD-version, which has redundant vocal versions of some of the tunes). "The Ocean is the Ultimate Solution" is a real highlight.

Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar

The title is no exaggeration - this album is all guitar playing by FZ and nothing else. Frank was quite an ambitious and accomplished guitar player, which this album shows. He prefered to improvise his solos and his playing is rather introspective and abstract, and it was not unusual that his solos lasted between 5-10 mins (!). This however means that this album isn't for everyone; listen to the first few numbers and see if you get it.

Guitar

A follow up to "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar". Listen to this if you want more of FZ's guitar playing, stay away otherwise. This album is however less of a production than the preceding one and is essentially just compilation of solos recorded live slapped together.

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol.2

Recorded in Helsinki, Finland in 1974. Mostly the same band and material as Roxy & Elsewhere, so if you like that one you will love this.

You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol.5

Don't bother with CD1, it's CD2 where it's at. Mostly recorded in Vienna, Austria in 1982. One of FZ's best and tightest bands ripping through mostly instrumental compositions with super confidence. FZ's guitar playing isn't exactly shabby either.

The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life

A compilation of songs from the 1988 tour, which would be FZ's last. Highlight is the One Size Fits All-medley.

Make A Jazz Noise Here

Another live album from the 1988 tour. This one has even more emphasis on instrumentals and jams than the previous one.

Ahead Of Their Time

A live album by the original Mothers recorded in London, 1968. Worthwhile if you like them and their antics.

BITS AND PIECES

[] = songs within these brackets are part of a suite or belongs together.

{ = instrumental number

@ = has a guitar solo by FZ

Freak Out!

FZ's and The Mothers debut album. Consists mostly of doo-woop inspired numbers with some silliness, but is still rather good.

• Who Are the Brain Police?
• Help, I'm a Rock!
• Return of the Son of Monster Magnet

Absolutely Free

• [The Duke of Prunes
• Amnesia Vivace
• The Duke Regains His Chops]
• Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin{
• Brown Shoes Don't Make It - it's been said that this is FZ's first true masterpiece, and I'm inclined to agree. A mini rock opera that goes through several movements, while exploring the dirty minds of the men who makes our laws.

Chunga's Revenge

• Transylvania Boogie{@
• Twenty Small Cigars{ - a smooth and laidback cocktail lounge jazz number. A bit reminiscent of something that could be on the Hot Rats album.
• The Nancy & Mary Music{@ - an extract from a live version of "King Kong" with various solos by the band. George Duke's drum imitation at the end is quite amusing.
• Chunga's Revenge{@ - one of FZ's heavy hitters. The first solo sounds like a guitar, but is actually an alto sax played through a wah-wah pedal by Ian Underwood.
• The Clap{

Fillmore East - June 1971

• Little House I Used To Live In{ - lacks the wonderous piano into and doesn't really have any solos, but still worth a listen.
• [Willie The Pimp, pt.1@
• Willie The Pimp, pt.2{@]
• Lonesome Electric Turkey{ - Minimoog solo by Don Preston.
• Peaches En Regalia{

Just Another Band from L.A.

• Billy the Mountain - a 24 minute long rock opera about a mountain named Billy. Storywise it overlaps with "Greggary Peccary", which also happens to be a 20 minute long rock opera.

Bongo Fury

A live album recorded with Captain Beefheart, who does vocals on some tunes.

• Debra Kadabra - experimental blues song with Captain Beefheart on vocals.
• Sam with the Showing Scalp Flat Top - spoken word, surreal poetry by Captain Beefheart. The number is credited to him.
• Man With the Woman Head

Zoot Allures

• Black Napkins{@ - one of FZ's personal favorites and signature tunes. A guitar driven, jazzy tune that would deliver some of FZ's most passionate playing over the years.
• Friendly Little Finger{
• Zoot Allures{@ - another one of FZ's personal favorites and also a signature tune. Absolutely spellbinding.

Sheik Yerbouti

• Rat Tomago{@ - a guitar solo from "The Torture Never Stops" recorded in Berlin, 1978. A concert that David Bowie attended in order to check out and steal FZ's then guitar player and vocalist Adrian Belew.
• Rubber Shirt{ - an instrumental that only features bass and drums. An example of what FZ called "xenochrony", where tracks from two separate performances are combined in order to produce interesting results.
• The Sheik Yerbouti Tango{@ - guitar solo from "Little House I Used to Live In". Also from the above mentioned Berlin concert.
• Wild Love
• Yo' Mama@ - the highlight of the album. Start of as funny vocal tune, but then shifts gears into a guitar solo that just keep building and building. All of it accompanied by some analog synth brass, which gives it a bit of an ELP feel.

Joe's Garage

This album is a concept album and a rock opera, but mostly consists of vocal oriented comedy songs. But what makes this album worthwhile is FZ's guitar playing and Vinnie Colaiuta's drumming.

• Toad-O Line{@ - guitar solo. The name is a play on Toto (the band).
• Sy Borg - very "un-Zappa" in terms of style and tone, but the silly lyrics gives it away. Features some very dreamlike Minimoog playing by Peter Wolf.
• Keep It Greasy@ - even more silly lyrics, but this song has some of the most insane drumming in the entire FZ catalog. Odd time signature extravaganza, with a FZ guitar solo on the top.
• Outside Now@
• He Used to Cut the Grass@
• Packard Goose@
• Watermelon In Easter Hay{@ - another one of FZ's personal favorites and signature tunes. This is very un-Zappa with a beautiful vamp and and an even more romantic melody. Try not to weep...

Tinseltown Rebellion

• Easy Meat@ - the lyrics to this song are undeniably misogynistic. But it has a very fun and good "classical" section and a guitar solo. The classical section is played with analog synth brass, reminiscent of ELP (just like Yo' Mama). And in the middle, a guitar solo with FZ and Vinnie Colaiuta playing cat and mouse.
• Now You See It - Now You Don't{@
• Brown Shoes Don't Make It
• Peaches III{

You Are What You Is

• Theme from the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear{ - originally a guitar solo by FZ, transcribed by Steve Vai who also overdubbed the guitar part. If if I'm not mistaken, FZ is in the right stereo channel and Vai is in the left.
• [I'm a Beautiful Guy
• Beauty Know no Pain]

Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch

• Drowning Witch@ - one of FZ's best compositions from the era. Starts of with a vocal section, and then a "sprechstimme" section, about a witch in love with a merchant marine. It then goes into an instrumental section, which is considered to be one of the most complex pieces FZ ever wrote. After that comes two (!) guitar solos by FZ, with a short but complex bridge in the middle. Then another complex instrumental section to wrap it up. A real prog rock master piece.
• Envelopes{

The Man from Utopia

• Tink Walks Amok{ - a bass driven instrumental. "Tink" is the nickname of Arthur Barrow, who was FZ's bass player at the time and is doing the playing here. And amok does he run indeed.
• Moggio{ - twin piece with "What's New In Baltimore?". Can you hear the similarities between the pieces?
• We are not Alone{

Them or Us

• Ya Hozna{
• Sinister Footwear II{@ - another one of FZ's most complicated pieces. Hopefully we'll get an official release of the orchestral version someday, played the The Berkley Symphonic Orchestra (bootlegs are available though).
• Marqueson's Chicken{@
• Them or Us{@ - a guitar solo from "The Black Page #2" recorded in Italy, 1982.
• Whipping Post@ - FZ's cover of the Allman Brothers classic. Robert Martin doing some amazing vocals.

Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention

• Alien Orifice{@
• What's New in Baltimore?{@ - one of FZ's absolutely best pieces, but unfortunetly quite overlooked. That guitar solo is just so un-Zappa, in the best possible way. As mentioned above, it's musical twin with Moggio.

Does Humor Belong in Music?

• Let's Move to Cleveland{@ - the real highlight of the otherwise cheesy sounding 1984 tour. This tune offered some worthwhile solos.
• What's New in Baltimore?{ - this version suffers from the cheesy sound on this tour and a vocal section that wasn't really necessary. But a really funny ad-lib by FZ and a decent guitar solo makes it worthwhile.

Jazz from Hell

• St. Etienne{@ - guitar solo from "Drowning Witch" recorded in St. Etienne in France, 1982. FZ won his only Grammy for this performance.

And that's it! If you want more, you can always dig into the discography on your own. The whole "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore" series is great and contains many excellent live versions of the songs mentioned here. Then there's of course all the post-humous releases, many of which are quite excellent.

Enjoy!