Greasy Love Songs

This is Frank Zappa's 1968 "vinyl rip" of Crusin' With Rubin and The Jets".Those who know this record KNOW!If you don't "know" about this, buy a copy and learn about Zappa's roots.Mr. Zappa started his recording career writing "Memories of El Monte" for The Penguins.Start there, and you will understand "Rubin and The Jets.

This is the 87th album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank Zappa, released posthumously in 2010, This album is also the 3rd release in the Project/Object Audio Documentary series, which reexamines / expands original Zappa albums with previously unreleased material, in this case the “Cruising With Ruben & The Jets” album originally released in 1968. The Project/Object series also includes the following albums: “MOFO” (2006), “The Lumpy Money” (2009), “The Crux Of The Biscuit” (2016) and “Meat Light” (2016).The “Cruising With Ruben & The Jets” album was recorded between December 1967 and February 1968. The lineup of The Mothers Of Invention that recorded the album includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, vocalist Ray Collins, drummers Jimmy Carl Black and Art Tripp, bassist Roy Estrada, keyboardist Don Preston, multi-instrumentalists Bunk Gardner and Ian Underwood, and saxophonist Jim Sherwood. This version includes the original stereo mix of the album (thirteen tracks) and eight bonus tracks, mostly previously unissued. The previous CD reissues of the album presented the infamous 1984 remix of the album, which had re-recorded rhythm section parts, and this is the only CD with the original rhythm section.The music is a loving tribute by Zappa and the Mothers to the Doo-wop strain of American Rhythm And Blues music, which was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s and immensely influenced the Pop and Rock scene in years to come. Of course, as usual with Zappa’s treatment of any music, the result is quite extraordinary, full of brilliant vocal harmonizing, humor and satire, with purposely almost moronic lyrics, to emphasize the trivialization of music by the music industry. The arrangements, however, include many highly sophisticated tricks, like outlandish harmony, odd rhythmic patterns etc. As the result this album is often considered as the most “straightforward” album Zappa ever recorded, despite its hidden layers.Zappa shows on this album that he is able to write music, which amalgamates anything between Avant-Garde Pop and Rock, Jazz, including Free Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion and contemporary orchestral Classical Music. His guitar playing and the elaborate arrangements he wrote for the music are equal to none and he appears as the first “total musician” on the Pop / Rock scene, a status he was able to hold till the day he died. From day one his extravagant personality and brilliant intelligence marked him as an outsider, a fate shared by most geniuses.Ironically, despite the album’s Avant-Garde nature, it was exceptionally well received at the time of its release and even charted on the album list. This could have only happened in the late 1960s, when the last evidence of Human intelligence was still present on earth.Overall, although fifty-five years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever.

Ok, I like this cd. I'm not in love with it, but it does have a place in my FZ collection. I had the original "Cruising with Rubin, etc" with the weird doggy cover art. When this album was remastered several years ago, some liberties were taken to accentuate elements of the music that somehow could make it more...saleable? I'm not sure it was necessary. This particular release has the original album as engineered musically but in a digital format. There are also additional tracks including audio with Frank. Personally, I like this packaging with the '53 Nash on a "chrome" cover. The booklet includes yearbook-style photos of the guys plus lyrics and other info. Frank did a good tribute to doo-wop music in his own style. Don't be tempted to compare this album to anything else in his catalogue. The music is meant to capture an era in a black and white snapshot with dad's old Brownie. Enjoy it for what it is. I do.

The extra stuff is nice too. I'm happily singing along in my car now.

If you like the really old do-whop stuff you'll like this collection of songs. Not the typical Zappa stuff. Interesting to know he had a clean sense of humor in the beginning. I'm a long time Zappa fan, even a Zappa Plays Zappa fan, so listening to Greasy Love Songs wasn't totally new. Most was from an early album but a few new things and the items included in the CD packet were neat. If you like Zappa music I'd recommend this for your collection.

Waited for Greasy Love Songs to be available at a reasonable price. Was thrilled with the sound and the packaging. Even better the than the original Reuben and the Jets vinyl album.

Frank's roots were group harmony and doo-wop and he showed it with the Reuben and the Jets album and occasionally other songs. Nice compilation plus outtakes.

added to Zappa collection

This digi-pack CD is a 2008 reissue of the 1968 vinyl stereo mix of 'Cruising With Ruben & The Jets' plus 8 bonus tracks including interviews.It's Frank Zappa's subversive but affectionate tribute to the doo-wop of the 1950s with Ray Collins(lead vocals); Zappa(low grumbles, oo-wah & lead guitar); Roy Estrada(high weazlings, dwaedy-doop & electric bass); Jimmy Carl Black and/or Arthur Dyer Tripp III(lewd pulsating rhythm); Ian Underwood or Don Preston(redundant piano triplets); Motorhead Sherwood(baritone sax & tambourine); Bunk Gardner & Ian Underwood(tenor & alto saxes).For some people 'Greasy Love Songs' may be an ideal entry-point into Frank Zappa's vast and eclectic musical universe.

As the proud owner of the original vinyl Ruben & The Jets album from 1968, the later CD version with its ill-advised bass and drum overdubs swamping everything was a real disappointment and proof that even FZ didn't get it right every time.Imagine then my delight to stumble across this perfect version of the original album, complete with a bunch of bonus tracks and excellent packaging / liner notes / souvenir photos. The perfect combination of greasy love songs and cretin simplicity.

Great remix of Mothers classic Cruising with Rubin and the Jets. More mellow than the original CD which was another remix of the original vinyl which is THE CLASSIC! Still one of Zappa and the Mothers finest. Buy it and give it to your mother...

The original Ruben & the Jets

Original and best version of the album.