The 1981 Listening Post - Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is

 Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is

#458

September 23 1981

By Tami Fitzkoff

Frank Zappa

You Is What You Is

Genre: Musical Chinese Water Torture

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Tami’ Rating: 1 out of 5

Highlights: 

Doreen  

The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing (Note: I only chose this because I like the lyrics)

Remember the kid who killed himself and they blamed it on Ozzy Osborne’s music? This album makes me wanna pour gasoline on myself and light a match. OMG. Insanity. It’s the longest and worst Dr. Demento show ever. Take Weird Al, The Village People, Santana, Steve Vai *, high-pitched noises, 80’s keyboards, Muppet-like voices, crazy guitar solos, repetitive lyrics and put it in a blender and you get “You Is What You Is.” Pure EAR PAIN! Musical nonsense.   

Look, I can appreciate that the musicians on this record are talented. They move from jazz, reggae, heavy metal and classical all within one song. The band is tight. The guitar shredding is out of control. But the lyrics and the horrible voices and all the noise? Oy to the vey. This is not my bag. I’d rather put a bag over my head than listen to it again.  

* FYI I wrote this review and then looked up the album on Wikipedia and Steve Vai actually plays on this album. So I just high-fived myself!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2pY7S6zvkALbtQU7qSwc2d?si=cNLd_dizT5m8nSCuJr0Xqg