Customer Reviews

Sheik Yerbouti

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

While I am in total agreement with most of the 5-star reviewers of this album, I am somewhat surprised to note very little mention of the guitar instrumental "Rat Tomago." Hands-down, this eight-minute guitar piece is Zappa's musical crowning acheivement. Not to play down the brilliance of "City of Tiny Lights," "Yo Mama," or the hilarious "Bobby Brown Goes Down," but "Rat Tomago," and to a lesser extent the "Shieik Yerbouti Tango" that follows are the kind of compositions you just plain don't hear anymore.

A great mix of radio-friendly and not-so-radio-friendly songs, scorching guitar riffs, songs covering topics never before and never again covered, clever and often very humorous lyrics, and some really interesting improvisational work where you don't really know where the music's heading next -- that is the world of Frank Zappa. There is a little something for everybody. And the more Zappa you listen to, the more in awe of his talent you become.

There are so many outstanding songs on this album, and I would have to say "Flakes" is among my favorite of all Zappa's songs. Dylan fans may also appreciate the little homage to Bob in this one. "Broken Hearts," "Bobby Brown," "Dancin' Fool," and "Jewish Princess" always manage to put a smile on my face.

This is truly some unique music by an artist that can never be duplicated. If you haven't already been introduced to the world of Zappa, start soon--you are really missing out!

While I would have to disagree with some reviewers who recommend this as a "first" Zappa album, it is a GREAT album. I'd say buy "One Size Fits All" or "Joe's Garage" first. If you dig those and want more, get "Sheik Yerbouti" next.
Lyrically, this album is absolutely hysterical. "Bobby Brown," "Jones Crusher," "Flakes," and of course "Jewish Princess" are some of the funniest moments Zappa has recorded, and definately not for the easily offended. Terry Bozzio's vocal delivery on "I'm So Cute" and "Broken Hearts" gets me laughing every time.
Musically, this album really goes to the extremes. Simple doo-wop (Bobby Brown), mock anthem-rock (Tryin' to Grow a Chin, another hilarious Bozzio vocal), hard rock (I'm So Cute, Jones Crusher, Broken Hearts), mock love ballads (I Have Been In You), disco (Dancin' Fool), everything-but-the-kitchen-sink progressive rock (Wild Love), fusion (Rubber Shirt) - it seems that the style of the tune doesn't matter as much as the band's ability to jump all the way into that particular style. You get the sense that Zappa put together bands that could play anything he wanted them to, and Sheik Yerbouti may be the best example of that idea.
For fans of Zappa's guitar playing, there are some great solos on this album, particularly the long solos on "Your Momma" and "City of Tiny Lights".
Sheik Yerbouti is at times a challenging listen. But if you're into Zappa's earlier albums, you'll appreciate the challenge. This wasn't my first Zappa album, but it was the one that made me realize that I would be a Zappa fan for life. The only caution I would give is that if you DO happen to dig this album, be prepared to spend a ton of money on Zappa albums - you'll be hooked.

Previous reviewers have demonstrated - all too well - that this album, or rather its lyrics, may offend some people. Especially if they have a limited sense of irony as well as an outdated attitude to `language'. Hopefully for most visitors to this page this will not be an issue.
Because this album is, along with `You Are What You Is', the crowning glory of Zappa's flirtation with "stadium rock" - high-volume, high-energy, dominated by uptempo ravers like `Jones Crusher' and `Tryin to Grow A Chin' and grand pop songs like `Flakes' and `Dancin' Fool'. And not forgetting `Broken Hearts...' in the first category and `Bobby Brown' in the second - yes, they're two of his best-known `offensive' songs but they're also musically terrific, like the album in general.
In a way, this is his only real "stadium rock" record, being largely devoid of instrumental complexity (unlike its successors "Tinseltown Rebellion", "Them Or Us"). There are however a couple of doses of `pure' Zappa - the semi-improvised `Sheik Yerbouti Tango' (retrieved from a '78 arrangement of `Little House I Used To Live In') and the Latin-jazz tinged `Wild Love', with its choral vocals and disorienting sample from `Sinister Footwear'. (Live, this song was a 20-minute-plus epic with a string of solos - hopefully someday the ZFT will release an example).
Elsewhere Zappa's experimentalism surfaces in the use of "xenochrony" (synchronisation of unrelated instrumental tracks) - with spectacular results in the legendary mini-guitar-concerto 'Yo' Mama', which is perhaps the main reason for recommending this album. Even an over-sensitive irony-impaired listener will be AWED by it.

"sheik yerbouti" (with 18 tracks) has only 5 memorable ones. that's not a good ratio when it comes to rating an album. this is the album with "dancin' fool" and, of course, that's one of the 5 great songs. if you disagree with me, listen to it again. it's one of zappa's famous tunes. while not one the best of his tunes, it still holds its own 20 + years after the disco craze died out. "i have been in you" is a slow, passionate, and explicit love song full of sexual innuendo. "jones crusher" is a fast and head-banging song with more innuendo. both are fun to listen to. "bobby brown" is a hilarious song about sexual activities, this time with no innuendo but very graphic lyrics that tell it like it is. then there's the final track "yo' mama", a 12 minute tune that's mostly guitar instrumental but the lyrics are about the definitive "mama's boy" generation. this is also the album with "jewish princess". despite its notoriety, it's not that good. it's not horrible to listen to. i listen to it once every 6 months or so. anyways, only listen to the songs above. none of them are zappa classics; which is too bad. it's not essential zappa at all.for Zappa would make another album the same year, "Joe's Garage", that would far surpass this below average album.

Recorded during the height of the disco era, this album has mostly funny, melodic and powerful rock songs. It doesn't only satirize the disco culture as in "Dancin' Fool," but also deals with other, more controversial subjects in a politically very incorrect way, always with amusing results. I might have been offended, for various reasons, by "Bobby Brown Goes Down," but instead it's my favorite track on the album. I love Zappa's unconventional sense of humor and the music is very accessible, although there are a couple of more experimental pieces too. Recommended for those who love intelligent rock music and are sufficiently open-minded. It's right up there with Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Joe's Garage and You Are What You Is.

Kind of commercial, even had a "HIT", like Frank ever cared... imagine those parents who bought this for little Johnny never realizing they were getting "I Have Been in You", "Bobby Brown" or "Rat Tomago"... ha ha, good one Frank!

Anyway, coming after the stripped down Zoot Allures (and skipping the Lather fiasco: just get that 3 CD set and skip the individual albums) this was also a fairly clean and straightforward of guitar, drums, bass and keyboards... the first cycle of four songs that used to be "sdie 1" is worth the price itself, but there's Belew's vocal on "Jone's Crusher", the beautiful "Rubber Shirt" (a bass and drum "duet" that never happened: read the liner notes), and, of course, "Jewish Princess".

It's not a GREAT Zappa, but one you will return to every so often and scratch your head wondering why you don't listen to it more often.

Although I generally love his sense of humour and agree with him most of the time when he ridicules things, on this album I find mr Zappa a touch too misanthropic. The fun comes with the Dylan impersonation, and guitar playing is fine throughout, most notably on Yo mama, City of tiny lights and Tango, but to people who buy this because of the Bobby Brown hit (in Europe once every 5 years in some country) and who consider it their favorite Zappa album I say: please look and listen further. There is so much better music to discover. Although not his worst album, this one stands apart as the only one ever made by Zappa that I could not listen to from track 1 to track 18 in one go. Cynicism was destroying his career in the studio at this point, while live he was emerging with one of his best bands ever (next to the Roxy and 1988 lineups)...

This is one of two Zappa albums I usually recommend to novice listeners, the other being Zappa in New York. Sheik Yerbouti is more song/vocal oriented, featuring live performances enhanced by studio dubs, resulting in a sound with both energy and precise polish.

The lineup is formidable: Adrian Belew on guitar and occasional lead vocals (he shines on "City of Tiny Lights"), Tommy Mars and Peter Wolf doubling on keyboard duty, Patrick O'Hearn on bass, Ed Mann on percussion, and of course Terry Ted "I'm So Cute" Bozzio on drums and extreme charisma. The material is unmistakably Zappa: caustic, critical, satirical, quite offensive at times (he was a self-proclaimed equal opportunity offender, and the song "Jewish Princess" actually caused some ugliness with the Anti-Defamation League) .... it is possible to spend as much time cringing uncomfortably as laughing hysterically.

A mostly high-energy outing, Shiek Yerbouti's few low points occur when Zappa compromises originality for camp and what can seem like arbitrary, low-brow "jabs" just to get a rise out of his audience. The rest of the album makes these moments worth sitting out. Some of the high points: "Flakes", "Broken Hearts" (just try to resist singing along with "ram it, ram it, ram it"), "I'm So Cute", "Baby Snakes", "Trying to Grow a Chin", "City of Tiny Lites", "Dancing Fool", and the epic "Yo Mama", a seemingly mean-spirited piece with an underlying taste of compassion, and omiGAWD, such a magnificently developed guitar improv .... there was magic the night that was recorded.

The album was a triumph for Zappa on its release, in the wake of his WB lawsuit and resulting formation of his first independant recording label. He definitely showed the Big Boys, he meant business on his own terms. Equal parts aggression and exhuberance, Sheik Yerbouti is a vital chapter in the Zappa legacy.

muscially adept and mixed with a fury, this album showcases individual songs over an entire concept album. the recording techniques on this album blossom on joe's garage. Nonetheless exists excellent technical schizmatics. i did notice the tendencey on this album more than most(although Zappa does it on others) that the songs will end on a lyrical repeating non-sequiter in regards to the album as a whole.

tracks 2-4 blaze, beginning with "I'm a moron..."