Mothermania is a collection of previously released tunes culled from the first three
Mothers of Invention albums. So why bother? Well, it's the only early collection actually compiled by
FZ. Verve released a bunch of early compilations without permission, but more importantly, this is the only place you can hear some of these mixes and edits. Many of the tunes from Freak Out! appear in different mixes, while "It Can't Happen Here" plays through without the interruptions of the Freak Out! version. The We're Only in It for the Money tracks might be even more interesting. The backwards snippet that closes side one of the original WOIIFTM album was a censored verse from "Mother People," and
Mothermania is the only place you can hear the original uncensored version of the song. The version of "Idiot Bastard Son" has an otherwise unheard instrumental introduction and a VERY different mix, and plays through without the edits and interruptions of the WOIIFTM version.
Mothermania could hardly be called essential, but it does have some really interesting material that any hardcore fan of
FZ's early years would want to hear. ~ Sean Westergaard