Episodes
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
Live Album by The Residents would be Wonderful
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
Saturday Jan 19, 2013
Album reviews are not a regular part of Inappropriate Conversations, despite the large number of musicians I've identified as Different Drummers, so this is unusual. Then again, so is the album: "Demonic! The Residents Live in Oslo!" "Demons Dance Alone" is my favorite work by the experimental/alternative band The Residents. Written in the aftermath of 9/11/2001, it is almost less experimental in a way that makes it stand out from their catalog. In fact, when I saw the DVD for the first time (before I heard the album), it seemed obvious that the disorienting visual style was far more experimental than the music itself. The performances on that DVD led me to the studio album, but even the combination seemed insufficient. For a work as important as "Eskimo" or "The Mole Trilogy" (enter the joke about 4+ parts here) or "Gingerbread Man" (CD-R), something was missing. With "Demonic!" released last year, The Residents have given this material the second look and second listen that it deserves. First, the negatives. The 2 CD version that I purchased has track listings that don't line up well on disc 1. The first track is actually an overture of sorts, even before the band is introduced to the live audience, and that throws off all the other song names. For a new listener, the last thing you need is for the relationship between track number and song title to be off. Also, one of the highlights of the live experience is their remake of the Snakefinger song "Golden Goat" but here is it buried with two other songs in a single track as if the song was the centerpiece of a medley. Each of those songs stands alone, though, and deserved individual tracks on the CD. What's missing? Since the concert is a live performance of the "Demons Dance Alone" opus, it makes sense that there are very few additions from other albums. "Make Me Moo" is the only track from the studio album that could have been added. I suspect the studio version would be superior, all the same. Now, the good news and an answer to the obvious question. If I have all of these songs in an excellent studio album, why such enthusiasm for the live version? There are two answers.
- With the exception of "Weather Man" these live versions equal or surpass the originals. This new release, together with individual downloads of "The Weatherman" and "Make Me Moo" from the 2002 release would cover the complete experience.
- The 2 CD set, as any live album will, provides slightly different takes on each song including more direct storytelling. More importantly, this set includes a couple of songs that were only available via video before. They are also among the best of the band's weird and wonderful catalog.
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