Album Mini-review: Dweezil Zappa — Via Zammata’
File next to: Frank Zappa, Primus, Tenacious D
Today, Dweezil Zappa might sound like a chip off the old block, but it wasn’t always so. On his first release – 1982’s single “Crunchy Water” b/w “My Mother is a Space Cadet” – he sounded like a reasonably talented kid who owned some Van Halen records. But in the ensuing decades, establishing himself as one of the foremost curators of his dad’s body of work, Dweezil has honed his craft. No doubt his deep immersion into the work of Frank Zappa (not to mention his close association with musicians who could actually play the stuff) has informed his own musical endeavors. On Via Zammata’ he distills the easily overwhelming compositional influence of his father into something he can rightly call his own. “Funky 15” could sit comfortably alongside the elder Zappa’s work circa 1981’s You Are What You Is. The delightful “On Fire” sounds like what might have happened if the dear departed pop genius Owsley had hired Frank Zappa as an arranger. And the spoken-word bits throughout the record recall The Tubes‘ “Wild Women of Wongo.” With a more finely-tuned pop sensibility than Frank had, Dweezil synthesizes the family brand of adventurousness into a more mainstream kind of music.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.