You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol.2 (The Helsinki Tapes) - Frank Zappa

...they grow dental floss don't you know - but only after Zappa starts the song three times and gets the band to play it super slow on the third attempt as they don't seem to be able to manage the usual brisk tempo. "What happened to you last night? enquires Zappa of the band amid much laughter. An edited "Big Swifty" concludes the disc on a high, pity the whole track wasn't included though.

On the whole, it's a marvellous ... more

YCDTOSA volume 2 is culled from two concerts In Helsinki in 1974, expertly mixed together and presented as one complete set.
The band included keyboard wizard George Duke, sax player and vocalist extraordinaire Napoleon Murphy Brock, Chester Thompson on drums (later to be in Genesis) Tom Fowler on bass and Ruth Underwood on all manner of percussion. This ensemble, small by Zappa's standards, is arguably the best he'd ever work with.

The show opens with the band vamping on "Tush Tush Tush" as George and Nappy discuss backstage goings on.
As soon as Zappa appears he swiftly introduces the band and we're off into "Stinkfoot", one of FZ's preferred opening numbers. A squalling guitar solo at the end and it's straight into "Inca Roads".
Now listeners familiar with the studio version of "Inca Roads" on 1975's One Size Fits All will be delighted to learn that the truly amazing guitar solo was actually lifted from this concert and that the version of "Inca Roads" presented here is almost the equal of the studio track. George's tongue twisting vocals, the absurd percussion breaks, the glorious jazz funk keyboard solo and Zappa's stately guitar solo make up what is surely one of Zappa's most impressive songs.

The gig keeps going with a monstrous "RDNZL" and a bunch of songs familiar from the 1974 Roxy and Elsewhere album before crashing into a spectacular "Pygmy Twylyte" which has another superb guitar solo at the end. Disc one ends with a hurried rush through "Cheepnis", Zappa's hilarious ode to 50's monster movies, but it's a pity that Nappy was losing his voice by this point and it sounds rather hoarse.

The second disc is primarily instrumental - partly due to Brock's vocal problems and the dominant track here is a 23 minute "Dupree's Paradise" which at times is just mind boggling. They even play a Finnish tango straight from the music score as they'd not had time to rehearse it. The show ends with a great rendition of "Montana" - where they grow dental floss don't you know - but only after Zappa starts the song three times and gets the band to play it super slow on the third attempt as they don't seem to be able to manage the usual brisk tempo. "What happened to you last night? enquires Zappa of the band amid much laughter. An edited "Big Swifty" concludes the disc on a high, pity the whole track wasn't included though.

On the whole, it's a marvellous example of complex jazz inflected rock, plus some genuinely funny lyrics, tricky time signatures, complex keyboards and amazing guitar playing. Perhaps the instrumental stuff on disc two might need a bit of getting used to if you're not a big Zappa fan. 

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