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Seriously weird ........... |
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.......... ain't nothin' else that sounds like this. |
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Seriously weird ........... |
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.......... ain't nothin' else that sounds like this. |
These guys had got it together in the mid to late sixties through the genius of Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart to produce an astonishing piece of work called Trout Mask Replica. It blended elements of pop, rock, blues, poetry and free jazz to create a unique sound still being ackowledged as an influence today, many years after Beefheart himself had given up music.
Everything you need to know is on the fabulous Radar Station website, essential viewing.
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The main sequence of Beefheart albums is as follows, the comments are my own personal viewpoints:
| 1967 | Safe as Milk | Pop, blues and hints of weirdness to come. |
| 1968 | Strictly Personal | Blues, rock with a license to explore the outer limits, harder edged psychedelia, first credit for the Magic Band. |
| 1969 | Trout Mask Replica | The pinnacle, you'll never hear anything else like this, once you're tuned in you'll understand. |
| 1970 | Lick my Decals off Baby | A slightly smoother sound, still in the style of Trout Mask Replica, still wonderful. |
| 1972 | The Spotlight Kid | Recorded in a hurry, production and material not quite up to the usual standard, a few good moments. |
| 1972 | Clear Spot | A return to form, quite a diversity of material, horn sections and backing vocalists, Too Much Time even released as a single. |
| 1974 | Unconditionally Guaranteed | New deal with Virgin, this album was an ill advised project to go more "commercial" masterminded by manager Andy DiMartino, where has all the wildness gone? |
| 1975 | Bluejeans and Moonbeams | Not really the Captain we know and love. After this dismal effort Don takes time out to regroup. The only way is up now. |
| 1978 | Bat Chain Puller | Thank the Lord! Completely new and sympathetic musicians, a superb return to the glory days, inspired stuff, the breadth of imagination is astonishing. |
| 1980 | Doc at the Radar Station | This new Magic Band is really coming together, exciting times. |
| 1981 | Ice Cream for Crow | The last album, wonderful title track a single with video shot in the desert, a high quality epitaph to the musical career of Don Van Vliet. |