The Mothers of Invention – Weasels Ripped My Flesh Bizarre MS 2028 (1970)
An album decidedly influenced by free jazz. Woodwinds player Ian Underwood had studied at the Lenox School of Jazz back in 1959 when Ornette Coleman inspired many to take up the banner of “free” jazz, and maybe that experience helped steer the music on this album. Or so it seems from the opener “Didja Get Any Onya.” From there, much of this seems like aimless jams that have good ideas drawn out too long (many of the recordings were made live). The abstractions are great in theory but are less impressive in practice. And “The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbeque” might be the single least interesting thing with Dolphy‘s name attached to it. But there is also a more straightforward rock song, “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama,” which has long been a favorite Mothers song of mine. Anyway, music aside, this one features a great Neon Park album cover!