FRANK ZAPPA - Them or Us (1984-1995) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Released in October 1984, Them or Us is Frank Zappa's last studio rock album (unless one counts Thing-Fish). It contains a little of everything for everyone, but most of all it has that cold and dry early-'80s feel that made this and other albums like The Man From Utopia and Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention sound dated pretty quickly. The record begins and ends with covers. "The Closer You Are" is one of those '50s R&B tunes the man loved so much. As for the Allman Brothers' "Whippin' Post," it answered a request from an audience member in Helsinki back in 1974 (go figure). In between one finds the usual offensive lyrics -- the cliché-ridden "In France," the sexually explicit "Baby, Take Your Teeth Out." Crunchy guitars are found in "Ya Hozna" and "Stevie's Spanking" (named after Steve Vai, playing guitar in it, too), arguably one of Zappa's best straightforward rock songs from that period. "Sinister Footwear II" and "Marqueson's Chicken" represent an '80s update of complex instrumental pieces the likes of "RDNZL." "Planet of My Dreams" salvages a bit from the never-produced stage play Hunchentoot (the scenario of which was incidentally published in a book titled Them or Us released at the same time). Finally, "Be in My Video" mocks David Bowie's hit "Let's Dance" and the MTV generation, still in its infancy stage at the time. by François Couture  
Tracklist:    
1     The Closer You Are 2:55
    Bass – Arthur Barrow
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Harmony Vocals – Bobby Martin, Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Frank Zappa
Written-By – Earl Lewis, Morgan Robinson
2     In France 3:30
Bass – Arthur Barrow
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Ray White
Harmonica [Solo] – Bobby Martin
Harmony Vocals – Ike Willis, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ray White
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Johnny 'Guitar' Watson
3     Ya Hozna 6:26
Bass – Arthur Barrow
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Solo] – Steve Vai
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Vocals – George Duke, Moon Zappa, Napoleon Murphy Brock
Vocals, Rhythm Guitar – Frank Zappa
4     Sharleena 4:33
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Rhythm & Fills] – Steve Vai
Guitar [Solo] – Dweezil Zappa
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Vocals – Bobby Martin, Frank Zappa, Ray White
5     Sinister Footwear II 8:39
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Solo] – Frank Zappa
Guitar [Written Lines] – Steve Vai
Keyboards – Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar – Ray White
6     Truck Driver Divorce 8:59
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Keyboards – Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar – Ray White, Steve Vai
Vocals, Guitar [Solo] – Frank Zappa
7     Stevie's Spanking 5:23
Bass – Scott Thunes
Chorus – Ike Willis, Ray White, Roy Estrada
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [First Solo] – Steve Vai
Guitar [Second Solo] – Dweezil Zappa
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Bobby Martin
Percussion – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar – Frank Zappa, Ray White
8     Baby, Take Your Teeth Out 1:54
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Steve Vai
Harmony Vocals – Bob Harris, Ray White, Thana Harris
Keyboards – Bobby Martin
Keyboards [Solo] – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Ike Willis
Percussion – Ed Mann
9     Marque-Son's Chicken 7:33
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Solo] – Frank Zappa
Guitar [Written Lines] – Steve Vai
Keyboards – Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar – Ray White
10     Planet Of My Dreams 1:37
Bass – Patrick O'Hearn
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Harmony Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White, Thana Harris
Lead Vocals – Bob Harris
Piano – George Duke
11     Be In My Video 3:39
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Harmony Vocals – Ike Willis, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ray White
Piano – Brad Cole
Saxophone, Voice [Falsetto] – Bobby Martin
Voice [Insinuations] – Frank Zappa
12     Them Or Us 5:23
Bass, Synthesizer [Mini-moog] – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Solo] – Frank Zappa
13     Frogs With Dirty Little Lips 2:42
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Steve Vai
Harmony Vocals – Bob Harris, Bobby Martin, Ray White, Roy Estrada
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Frank Zappa
Percussion – Ed Mann
Written-By – Ahmet Zappa, Frank Zappa
14     Whippin' Post 7:32
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Solo] – Frank Zappa
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals, Keyboards – Bobby Martin
Percussion – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar – Ray White, Steve Vai
Written-By – Gregg Allman