The Muffin Man is Back!
At last, Bongo Fury returns from the Zappa archives with plenty new to offer!
Originally released in May 1975, the original Bongo Fury was a bit of an odd
case as it was more of a collaboration album with Captain Beefheart. Childhood
friends, Zappa and Beefheart made the album with the intention of reviving
Beefheart's touring career—but the original Bongo Fury did more of
that, quickly becoming a cult favorite for its unique tunes such as "Carolina
Hard Core Ecstasy" and the aforementioned "Muffin Man."
Now,
with the album reaching 50 years since release, the curators in charge of
Zappa's catalogue have re-released the album with some new touches. In the 2LP
copy, you'll find the original Bongo Fury with all of its original
tracks and a second LP full of additional outtakes and alternative versions that
will scratch your rock n' roll itch to its fullest, all on 180g freshly-pressed
vinyl. Additionally, the folks at Zappa records included a booklet with lyrics,
some background on the album, and a lithograph of both Zappa and Beefheart
during production of the album.
All in all, if you're looking to jam out this summer with music blasting out your house, car, or even in your ears, this new-look Zappa classic is the ideal way to go. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of Zappa, you'll be hard-pressed to find music that gets your heart moving the same way this album does.
