rlr (08/09/82)
The new Residents' newest album "Tunes of Two Cities", is a real joy to listen
to. The second album of the yet-to-be-completed "Mark of the Mole" trilogy,
this album continues telling the story of the divided society: a ruling class
and the hole people/mole people (?), who are forced to flee their abode. My
shaky knowledge of Mark of the Mole stems from the fact that I'm not that fond
of the record. Though it has some musical high points, it gets muddled down
in extended boring sections of little musical value.
Tunes, however, is a real redemption. At first, I didn't like this one either,
but now I have grown to like it immensely (such albums tend to grow on me for
extended periods until the are among my faves). On this record, the 'Dents
choose to tell the story of the two societies through their (the societies')
music. The tracks alternate between the music of the ruling class and the
music of the hole people. The latter group's music is harsh, mechanical,
frightening sounding music, that grows more interesting with each cut. The
ruling class' music, on the other hand, is based on a variety of jazz tunes
transmogrified Residents style, including Benny Goodman's "Swing, Swing, Swing"
and excerpts from West Side Story ("Cool"). These are not literal swipes at
these songs a la "Third Reich n' Roll", but subtle ones. The shining moment
(for me) came when I heard the original source for the cut "Serenade for Missy"
(original name unknown), a song I had never heard before, over the Muzak(TM)
system at my local supermarket. ("Wow, man! A truly cosmic experience!")
As far as their tour goes, they planned to play on the West Coast some time
late this summer/early this fall, doing "recital" type concerts rather than
"rock show" type concerts, using appropriate halls for such venues. The rest
of the country?? Who knows?? Where are the other Residents fans?????
And what of Snakefinger?? Rich Rosen pyuxjj!rlr