With Understanding Comes Appreciation
This was the watershed album in Frank Zappa’s career in late 1973. The avant-garde, experimental rock, fusion & doo-wop musical elements he used to flavor his previous 16 albums (yes, 16 already at this point) do not predominate here, however, Zappa's music does not lose its complexity neither its virtuosic musicianship, and as a bonus (for some that may not be), his humour is even more present than previous releases. In fact, after his jazz-rock instrumental masterpieces, Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo, the master went back to the sexual and social humor formula he applied with his so called Flo & Eddie band a couple of years earlier, but this time, he wrapped the apparent callousness and stunning sexual explicitness lyrics ("Camarillo Brillo," "Dirty Love," and especially "Dinah-Moe Humm”), and the absurd shaggy-dog stories (“Montana”), with technically accomplished heavy guitar riffs, hard rock feelings, jazzy chord changes, and funky & soul rhythms.
The result? another masterpiece by the master which btw became his first gold album.