Search - Various Artists :: Eyesore: Stab at the Residents

A cut above your average 'tribute album'...

bimwa | Australia | 02/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"You know how tribute albums are always really awful? Usually they have a bunch of really bad bands playing the songs exactly the same as the original, or occasionally someone putting their own stamp on a song, which either creates a rare gem (rarely, that is) or simply a mess...



Enter the Residents tribute album! You can rest assured that anything associated with the Residents is not going to be 'the norm' - I guess it was quite possible that the bands would not really do the music justice and it could have been terrible. But instead we get a pretty good insight into the music, and into some pretty cool bands on the experimental scene as well. Most of these are heavily reworked or at least restyled versions of the original tunes (which I guess would be to the approval of the Residents and their fans) - to varying degrees of course.



Snakefinger's 'Smelly Tongues' is a great new version but sticks pretty closely to the original (and incidentally features the Residents on percussion). Charming Hostess completely rearranges 'Won't You Keep Us Working?' into a funky tango thing with a few rockier moments. A few of the covers make the piece a bit more 'normal' (which some hardcore fans may not be so into), for example the Mommyheads' version of 'Moisture' which has a kind of latin flavour, or Primus doing a medley of 'Hello Skinny' and 'Constantinople' which starts to sound almost like one of their own tunes. Some of the versions are unrecognisable and some almost unlistenable (but also mercifully short) for example the two tracks by freejazz masters the Splatter Trio.



But all in all, this is a nice little compilation, giving us varied views of the Residents' compositions, but also a good collection of important/interesting experimental artists such as Idiot Flesh, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Snakefinger, Cracker, Splatter Trio and Primus. The cover art by Chuck Squier is pretty fantastic too."

Don't Have a Residents CD, But This Will Make Me Buy Them

Jesse Nelson | Tucson, AZ USA | 09/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I only got this because I did not want to have to buy the Primus reissue of Fizzle Fry, just for their "Hello Skinny/Constanople" medley that was added as a bonus track. Tracking it down to this CD, it was cheaper to buy it and give it a try. Again, I do not have any Residents CD's yet, but based off this, I will certainly get some in the near future. The tribute is great, and I can only hope the originals are as cool. Reminded me of Tom Waits, Mr. Bungle, and Japonize Elefants. Eclectic, weird, and hauntingly memorable..."

Interesting interpretations of Rez favorites

TBo | Chicago | 11/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having heard almost the entire Residents catalog of recordings over the past few decades, I found this to be a refreshing collection of other interpretations of their music. I recommend this for Residents fans, but also for others who have not yet heard these songs. The cover is pretty gross too."