In 1968’s We’re Only In It For the Money, Zappa and the Mothers take on naive hippies, corrupt cops and the fab four. Songs end suddenly, noise and classical music burst out of weird corners and, throughout, Zappa’s grinning sarcastically to listeners. Its cut-and-paste style was decades ahead of its time, and one can hear its echoes in Madlib’s productions. But although the album is decidedly experimental, it also has some of Zappa’s most memorable tunes: “Idiot Bastard Son,” “Let’s Make the Water Turn Black” and “Concentration Moon” would all be in his sets for years afterwards. 

– Roz Milner