Debut album from the much vaunted Beefheart, featuring, a young Ry Cooder on guitar. Heavy Blues influences here in some quite dense, downbeat songs that have loads going on from a production perspective. Certainly not my favourite album so far because it veers in style from weird crazy (Dropout Boogie, Zig Zag Wanderer) to slightly crazy (Abba Zaba, Autumn’s Child) to New Seekers (Call On Me) harmonising. It just lacks a consistent tone.

These guys were apparently really trendy at a time when The Beatles and Tamla Motown were tearing up the charts, let’s say like The Cure were in the early ’80s, however it is, at best, not for me. And The Cure were fantastic, were totally cool and had a consistent tone and sound.

Released – September 1967

Favourite Track – Call On Me

Rating 6.6