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Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band
Description
**Clear Spot** (1972) stands as Captain Beefheart's seventh studio outing, though perhaps not the most transcendent-yet undeniably curious. Following the magnum opus of *Trout Mask Replica* (1969), which earned critical acclaim but dismal sales, Beefheart pivoted toward commercial viability, enlisting the formidable production team of Ted Templeman and engineer Donn Landee, who had crafted hits for The Doobie Brothers and Van Morrison. This decision, however, yielded a record caught between artistic ambition and market calculation-a tension that colors the album's identity.
Originally packaged in a clear plastic sleeve, allowing the black vinyl to be viewed through the front, *Clear Spot* was conceived with a gimmick that mirrored its title: a transparent cover revealing the record within, though the intended clear vinyl was abandoned for financial reasons. Roy Estrada, previously of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, joined the band as bassist "Oréjon," while Art Tripp replaced legendary drummer John "Drumbo" French. The album was recorded at Amigo Studios in Los Angeles during Autumn 1972, following the group's extended stay in Felton and Trinidad, Humboldt County, California.
Notable tracks include "Big Eyed Beans from Venus," ranked #53 in Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks (2005), and "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles," which appeared on *The Big Lebowski* soundtrack before being covered by The Black Keys. The title track was later covered by Mark Lanegan and Painted Willie, while Joan Osborne recorded a version on her compilation *Early Recordings* (1996). Commercially, the album barely registered, peaking at #191 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Rhino Records eventually remastered and reissued it in 2015 alongside companion material, followed by a 2022 50th-anniversary double LP for Record Store Day. For all its quirks, *Clear Spot* remains a fascinating artifact of Beefheart's mid-period experimentation-less revolutionary than its predecessor, but undeniably peculiar.
<sup>1</sup> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_Spot">Wikipedia</a> <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/clear-spot-mw0000836591">AllMusic</a> <a href="https://genius.com/albums/Captain-beefheart-and-his-magic-band/Clear-spot">Genius</a>
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