Best Zappa album

"Hot Rats" is my favorite, mostly for "Willie The Pimp" -- my favorite Zappa tune ever. Sugarcane Harris' electric violin is sublime. The rest of the album is instrumental, showing Zappa's talent as a composer. Even if the instrumentals don't float your boat this is a must have album for the afrementioned track. Kind of like getting the soundtrack to "Performance" only for "Memo From Turner" (although there are many other tracks I like on this platter). "I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back, pair of kahki pants and my shoe shine black..." -- can you hear it?

"Shut Up "N Play Yer Guitar"

"Hot Rats" is a must.I Love "Bongo Fury" with Beefheart and for great music and laughs "Sheik Yerbouti".

Dude, the crux of the biscuit is the Apostrophe.

Great question! Zappa's bands have incoprporated so many great players using numerous musical boundries. I saw Zappa numerous times going back to 1971 at the Fillmore East (NYC).

I categorize Zappa in three stages. The early stage being the MOTHERS OF INVENTION (era) although FREAK OUT was the debut, the classic album from that era is: WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY"; middle stage had some great players, look for "HOT RATS" or "CHUNGA'S REVENGE" "WACKA-JAWACKA", BURNT WEENIE SANDWICH", the orchatrations during this entire period are awesome; the latter stage "OVERNIGHT SENSATION" / "APOSTROPHE" although tended to commercialize ZAPPA (via George Duke vocals) these are still excellent albums and did maintain musical integrity. After 1975, the sound somewhat went through a swallow commerical sound (ala SHEIK YERBOOTY" which I do not reocmmend). Otherwise you should look for the other classics each with a different style: 200 MOTELS (soundtrack to an acid rock flick); THE YELLOW SHARK (Zappa orchatrated); FRANCESCO ZAPPA (super melow electronic harpzichord Baroque style music which is actaully appropriate for an infant). The man was a true genius. I have often wondered, if he did not die...