#primodial

Frank Zappa

Lumpy Gravy Primodial

@ 2018 RSD Release, EU Pressing.

*****

One of the top items on my list is the limited edition 12-inch 45 RPM presentation of Frank Zappa's original 1967 orchestral recordings which became the back bone of the album Lumpy Gravy, released in 1968. This particular recording has not been issued previously, seeing its first time release under the title: Lumpy Gravy Primordial. In 2008, an archival collection of recordings from the period called Lumpy Money was issued and that set included a sequence of "tracking sessions" which led to this music. Those sessions were ultimately edited by Frank Zappa into a distinct quarter-inch analog master slated for an intended release in that form.

The genesis of this album is a complicated tale. In short: originally the music now heard here on Lumpy Gravy Primordial was commissioned by Capitol Records with Zappa appearing only as the composer and conductor of an orchestra assembled just for the project. However, Zappa's then label to which he was contractually signed as a vocalist and musician --Verve Records (owned by MGM) -- would not allow this and thus he had to re-think the entire project. This ultimately led to the creation of the version of Lumpy Gravy many of us know and love today. In the interim, the so called "primordial" orchestral-only version of the album was briefly released and quickly withdrawn on a now highly collectible four-track tape cartridge (yes, four track, this was before eight-track tapes existed). 

Whatever version you listen to, this music -- and Zappa himself has stated Lumpy Gravy was his favorite album -- still sounds fresh and innovative to this day. It is effectively the starting point for Zappa's more long form, mostly instrumental / symphonic "serious" works. And, within the walls of these still quite avant-garde, John Cage-Meets-Edgar Varese-Meets-Stravinsky inspired orchestral gems are previews and hints of classic Zappa compositions to come. For example, much of the "Gum Joy" sequence here eventually saw the light of day as a pop song in the form of "Oh No" on the Weasels Ripped My Flesh album in 1970. Later melodic sequences in this segment turn up later still on the Roxy & Elsewhere Album released in 1974.  Conceptual continuity in action...

This orchestral music -- recorded in Hollywood with legendary Wrecking Crew musicians like Pete Jolly, Tommy Tedesco, Emil Richards, Shelly Manne, John Guerin, Jimmy Bond, Lyle Ritz, Chuck Berghofer and many others -- is presented as a continuous suite, with one "song" per album side (akin to how the final Lumpy Gravy album is presented; the various musical sequences are not broken out into individual "tracks").  

This new limited edition Record Store Day edition of Lumpy Gravy Primordial comes to you wrapped up in lovely burgundy colored 180-gram vinyl, perfectly pressed at Pallas in Germany. Created from Zappa's quarter-inch master tape using an all analog mastering process, the new LP sounds pretty fantastic in living Monaural sound. I half joke about the "Living Mono" concept but in fact this is one of those monaural recordings that is so rich and compelling it almost sounds three dimensional. I suspect this visual nature of how this recording sounds has something to do with the kid gloves treatment (if you will) no doubt put into its production; Lumpy Gravy Primordial received handle-with-care priority as mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.