ORIGINAL 1995 RYKODISC ANALOG REMASTER OF THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION ALBUM, WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY(RALP 10503)
REPRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL SGT. PEPPER PARODY ARTWORK INCLUDING THE GATEFOLD SLEEVE AND INSERT
AMG 5 STARS: From the beginning,  cultivated a role as voice of the freaks -- imaginative outsiders who didn't fit comfortably into any group.  is the ultimate expression of that sensibility, a satirical masterpiece that simultaneously skewered the hippies and the straights as prisoners of the same narrow-minded, superficial phoniness. 's barbs were vicious and perceptive, and not just humorously so: his seemingly paranoid vision of authoritarian violence against the counterculture was borne out two years later by the Kent State killings. Like,  essentially devotes its first half to satire, and its second half to presenting alternatives. Despite some specific references, the first-half suite is still wickedly funny, since its targets remain immediately recognizable. The second half shows where his sympathies lie, with character sketches of 's real-life freak acquaintances, a carefree utopia in "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," and the strident, unironic protest "Mother People." Regardless of how dark the subject matter, there's a pervasively surreal, whimsical flavor to the music, sort of like  as a creepy nightmare. Some of the instruments and most of the vocals have been manipulated to produce odd textures and cartoonish voices; most songs are abbreviated, segue into others through edited snippets of music and dialogue, or are broken into fragments by more snippets, consistently interrupting the album's continuity. Compositionally, though, the music reveals itself as exceptionally strong, and 's politics and satirical instinct have rarely been so focused and relevant, making  quite probably his greatest achievement. 

Condition: the gatefold sleeve grades NM. The record grades MINT. Check out my feedback score; you won't be disappointed.