Rating: **** (4 out of 4)

Availability:Widely Available

Frank Zappa was a truly strange, sick, and wonderful individual, as can be seen in this new compilation from uber-independent label Rykodisc. Filled with sound bites from movies, live performances, album cuts, and original recordings, this album fulfills its intended purpose as an introduction to Frank Zappa's body of work.

The music comes fast with almost no pause between songs, flowing from "Catholic Girls" straight into the Jock-satire "Bobby Brown Goes Down." It includes hard rock like the live version of "Zomby Woof," which leads directly into the 9:16 original version of "The Torture Never Stops," stepping back into the ridiculous for "Joe's Garage."

Admittedly, this is not a complete introduction to Frank Zappa's work. It fails to include any examples of his classical work, focusing instead on his rock work. But at $7.99 maximum ($5.49 on CDnow), this album is cheaper than food in some places.

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