#315Albums is a list of 315 albums that appear on both the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, as well as the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book, edited by Robert Dimery. At its best, it is a representation of some of the greatest music ever released; at its worst, it is a journey through the history of music that the majority see as important, influential, and/or relevant. If nothing else, these albums are worth experiencing at least once to get a better understanding of music, which is why we are working to complete all #315Albums.
No. 037
“A master guitarist and provocateur, Frank Zappa made more than 60 albums, but the first was perhaps the most groundbreaking. The double disc declared the arrival of a visionary weirdo who dabbled in doo-wop, pop-song parody, protest tunes, art rock and avant-garde classical.”
Artist: The Mothers of Invention
Album: Freak Out!
Released: 1966
Label: Verve
Rolling Stones Ranking: 246
I had an expectation that this Frank Zappa-lead album was going to be a little different before I even hit play. In my research on other albums and bands from this era, including watching people show off their record collections, I heard people say that Zappa was something of an acquired taste, and it usually takes a while for his music to grow on you. After listening to Freak Out! from The Mothers of Invention, Zappa’s band, I can absolutely agree. This isn’t a technically good album by many standards, but there is something interesting and bold about the album that makes me glad I listened to it. Will I pop this one on again, or run out to grab the record? No, but I still appreciate that Zappa is different, and the music he creates is worthwhile. The two closing tracks on Freak Out! are really where the album goes off the deep end for me, and I definitely could have done without the noise that are these final tracks. The rest of the album, though, is totally listenable, just not the most enjoyable I’ve heard throughout this journey. This was a strange album, but I wouldn’t mind giving Zappa another shot later on in his career to see where progress is made.
Cinefessions’ #315Albums Rating: 47%
Image and quote courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Branden has been a film fan since he was young, roaming the halls of Blockbuster Video, trying to find the grossest, scariest looking VHS covers to rent and watch alone in the basement. It wasn’t until recently, though, that Branden started seeking out the classics of cinema, and began to develop his true passion for the art form. Branden approaches each film with the unique perspective of having studied the art from the inside, having both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in acting. He has been a film critic since 2010, and has previously written for Inside Pulse Movies, We Love Cult, and Diehard Gamefan. His biggest achievement as a film critic, to date, has been founding Cinefessions and turning it from a personal blog to a true film website, housing hundreds of film and television reviews, and dozens of podcasts.
