Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

Like an anxiety attack put to vinyl

I'd bet dollars to donuts this was Les Claypool's favorite album in high school. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be the least bit shocked to find out one or more members of Primus were in this band. Anyway, I kinda dig it. It's weird, I like avant garde stuff. What I don't like is weird for weird sake. This has purpose and is well written. Also, It's only 34 mins, so I don't get burned out on it.

This was so delightfully quirky I started listening to the next album. Just hit me right today, so plus four!

Когда нет питча/высокого вокала, то это звучит интересно и по шортпарисовски как-то но иногда включается вокал и начинает надоедать. его классно иметь вкраплениями. Но стиль определенно есть и респект за костюмы. Я поставлю 4- за то, что я понимаю что это может быть прикольным авангардом Алкоальбом: виски, джин, яблочный сок и квас. Вроде интересно, но что-то тут не так

Super weird but still good?

endlich was experimentelles es ist sehr nervig aber ich mag es gerötete einstichstelle fun und psychedelisch

I sent a link for Lizard Lady to a friend with context. He said "I didn't like it. It hurt my ears." I thought it was a very interesting listen. Definitely weird. Has a folk meets noise kind of vibe. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars using the scale below: 1 ⭐means I didn't finish and have no intention/desire to. 2 ⭐⭐means I didn't finish but wouldn't mind listening more, 3 ⭐⭐⭐means I finished it but probably won't seek out more, 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐means I finished and I liked it, 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐means it is likely to be added to my regular listening and I may seek it more similar material

This shit is fucking awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it’s objectively bad music. But it’s SO interesting. It reminded me of the music that would play during a creepy Disneyland ride, and the theme song of American Horror Story. I wanted to keep listening to hear how the album progressed. If I’m being honest, this is not a good album to work to. I was working on a stressful task during the last 3 songs, and I started to have an anxiety attack. All that said, super fun listen. Birthday Boy - Version 1 shall be my birthday anthem henceforth.

Hela albumet skulle kunna vara Pink Floyds sämsta låt. Rolig, intressant och till en början är det inte ens tråkigt. Skulle kunna vart kortare men annars ganska coolt.

I didn't know what to expect from this album, I'm vaguely aware of The Residents as the top hat eyeball band with secret identities that some people thought were actually The Beatles. I've been curious about them but I didn't know where to start. That's one of great things about this project, it just said here's your first Residents album, dig in. I'm hearing Primus, a little They Might Be Giants' darker side and Ween at their brownest, circa The Pod or Godweensatan. Pretty cool. I don't know if I'm down for a real deep dive but I'm into it.

This is a chronological log of my thoughts while listening to this: WTF? Why is this on the list, but more importantly, why does this even exist? Man, imagine you started dating someone and things seemed promising. But then one week early on, they’re like “Hey wanna go see this band I like?” and you show up and it’s this shit??? How many relationships have broken up at or right after their concerts? This is so bad that it’s gone past bad and might be good? Some of these songs mildly resemble music. Hmm I like this one. Oh fuck, I think I like this. Okay, I’m nothing if not entertained.

Nice! Didn't know about them

Very weird music. Fascinating. Favorite song: the electrocutioner.

If your up for some weird shit this is the album for you.

Fascinatingly bizarre and unsettling, The Residents have turned the art rock genre on it's head with a descent into the macabre. Using music as a means of sonic expression as opposed to the typical comforting melody and lyrics, The Residents walked so later Avant Garde groups could run.

I loved this it's like Ween & Primus had a weird little baby, surely The Residents were influential to those bands! Enjoyed the rabbit hole of learning about this group & will certainly explore more

interesting sound...overall enjoyed the quirkiness of it.

What can I say? Well, actually… I think I could say a lot. It’s outsider art. I thought that was pretty obvious. It’s an intentional deconstruction of music. If you listen to the rhythm section, the underlying beats are all pretty simple, almost punk like. And the discomfort that people feel when listening to the album is because it doesn’t behave in the way they expect, there’s no structure, the melodies never go where you expect, the harmonies don’t resolve in a satisfying way. But what that does is encourage you to question why it puts you on edge, why you dislike it. And some of the sounds are supposed to piss you off. The music that I dislike most is stuff that bores me, stuff where I can’t see the idea that somebody had, or see that the idea was just to rip off something that was already done better by another artist. Duck Stab/Buster and Glen is 100% the opposite of that. The Residents have ideas, and they put them into practise in the best way they know how. So if you dislike The Residents, I would really encourage you to question why, you might discover something about yourself. I’m tempted to give this five stars, cos I know it’d piss off a load of people, but…

Yes to all this. Gonna explore more

In 1987, my college roommate and I used to listen to "Hello Skinny" over and over again and laugh and laugh. Somehow the sinister clarinets would get me every single time. There were a number of other songs we listened to by The Residents that we liked, but none from this album, other than maybe "Constantinople." I noticed that the first listen to this album as a whole was a bit challenging, but I was a bit more endeared upon a second survey of the songs. I mean, it is okay to laugh while listening, right? There's some fun crazy stuff here.

Pretty amazing, it's not at all my usual type of listening, but i really enjoyed the novelty and difference of how music was presented by it. I think its damn good, and I would happily listen to it again.

Like it’s weird. Its interesting. Never gonna listen to it again though

Looks like you could not do wrong in the late 70s, early 80s. Lots of inventive, original works which really worked. This one is so full of weird voices, layers of different sounds, innovative compositions put together in a strange excellent record... and it is not even the Top 10 of best original albums from that marvelous 1978

Listen 1: What in all that is holy have I just listened to? Listen 2: Hey, those are some pretty neat melodies behind that overdubbed voice Listen 3: Why am I liking this? What is wrong with me? Let's see if that preserved and extended version has some bonus material that might be interesting Listen 4: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Enjoyed so weird

Wild wild ride. I can hear the influences of early They Might Be Giants, early Ween, and so many more of my favorite college radio faves. This album is weird and offputting and at times legitimately unsettling. VERY COOL

I remember being a teenager watching MTV in the middle of the night and seeing The Residents for the first time. They had played "The Act of Being Polite" and I genuinely felt deeply unsettled and mildly terrified. But I have always been morbidly curious about The Residents ever since. They're more Dadaist art project than rock band, touching the edge of commercial success while still making sure to make you firmly uncomfortable. Like all good art should, it definitely evokes a reaction. You'll either love it or hate it, or possibly both at once.

a fantastic album to lose one’s mind to. Demented . One sees how Primus (certainly), Ween, and the Butthole Surfers would not have existed without The Residents. Creepy storytelling, strange moods, twisted humor. The synths are lightly detuned, lending an eerie air to the proceedings. Vocals are sped up or slowed down to enhance the unreal affect. 3 minute songs make this thing go down easier than it otherwise might. Muffled drums in the background, mixed in such a way that one questions whether they are drums at all. I guess this could go for many instruments on this album. Guitars are barely guitars, basses barely basses. I’m sure this helped usher out the peace and love drug era and help enhance the vast, weird, disturbing promise that lurked in LSD all along.

Needed some weird shit after a string of formulaic albums.

Algjört ævintýri. Þú veist aldrei hvað gerist næst. Viðbrögð mín vou allt á bilinu hláturskast að geispa.

Drippin' in fanny

Coolt album.trodde av nån orsak att det skulle påminna om The Replacements

when it comes to any sort of art there are two type of weird: good weird and bad weird. this album was a fat chunk of good weird with some bad thrown in for good measure. i bet les claypool likes this album

Not my favourite residents record but I like their Avantgarde rock anyways. Strange but wonderful

This isn't my favorite Residents album. The songs are so outside the realm of typical music. They aren't especially listenable, and yet, they have a way of worming themselves in for me. They're actually more concise, focused, structured and approachable than much of The Residents' earlier catalog, as if they wanted to create a sort of avant-garde pop album. It also seems like we wouldn't have gotten bands like Ween or Primus without early Residents albums like this one (or at least those bands may have developed differently). Difficult to rate this one, but I think it's worth consideration and even multiple listens, 4 stars.

What if Looney Tunes characters had a collective bad acid trip? This would be the result - at first I was a bit bewildered by it but after a couple of listens I think this is a rather strange unique treasure - it’s bizarre but well done and executed - weird but never boring. I liked it.

70s weirdo punk!

Well, that was certainly an experience. I've never heard of The Residents before, but I don't think I'll be forgetting about this album for a long time. This album really wasn't my taste, but I did enjoy "The Booker Tease" and "Hello Skinny," and "Laughing Song" really made me think of Les Claypool's vocals on "My Name is Mud." Overall though, I didn't care too much for the odd song structure or lyrics. The instrumentation was good though, I can definitely see why this is an important album in the scope of popular music. I would be willing to bet that Ween and Primus were heavily influenced by The Residents, and I'd be that other bands like Devo and Talking Heads were influenced by them to a degree as well. Even though this album wasn't my jam, I think it's worthy of four stars. It sets out to be avant garde, and it hits the mark square on.

I'm thankful for this because it really does shake up the whole experience by throwing out something entirely different to help break it up a bit. Some parts are like twisted nursery rhymes or something, Hello Skinny is like sinister cyberpunk noir music. It's also pretty Primus-coded. Sinister Exaggerator has a bit of a Pork Soda vibe to it and the vocals on Laughing Song and Bach is Dead sound like Les Claypool (or rather Les Claypool sounds like this) There are a couple of moments that are really annoying though. Constantinople was grating and the voice toward the end of Lizard Lady similarly went right through me Whilst it is certainly weird, I did get quite quickly accustomed to it. But given it's one of the lowest rated albums here, maybe that says more about me. 3.5 as I'm torn between a 3 or 4 Highlights: Sinister Exaggerator, Weight-Lifting Lulu, Hello Skinny

I've been getting more and more into the experimental stuff as I listen to more of these albums, but this just didn't hit right. I had a few moments I really liked, and a few that I really wanted to stop listening.

I love weirdness. If Donnie Darco was an album. This was a weird ass opening. Saved. Quite eerie. I’m obsessed two tracks in. I saved the album already. —— poem —— Come him, scaled down to the skeletal skinned out the only eye that sees clutter in the periphery dances, fades along the lines of the nerves and the real and little does he heed the child’s caricatures puzzled through the hood they chorus mysteries the acid of the tummy extends its arms for the door that lets them back in

This avant garde album from 1960s era Bay Area band is interesting but nothing I’d ever choose to listen to.

My Gawd this is a hard one to rate. I have never heard of The Residents. I did not know what to expect. I wouldn’t call it music. I wouldn’t buy it. I wouldn't recommend this to others. But this album made me create images in my head to fit the sounds I was hearing. This album evoked emotions with its rhythmic patterns and voices. Oddly, I found myself liking it. And that’s how I can confirm that I am weird. 3/5

Sturlað

Oh, Duck Stab... it's definitely a jarring experience every time a new song starts. So much happens all at once with no preparation. The vocals are wacky and sometimes hard to follow. All things considered, though, it's really not that crazy of an album. It follows a structure and apart from them throwing in everything that makes a sound that may be considered an instrument and turning the distortion up to 11, you get some seriously interesting, funny and honestly pretty good music. I can absolutely see why this album is rated as low as it is. I got used to it fast and vibed the whole way through. Both sides are pretty distinct too, but they also work very well together. This for sure was an experience I am glad I got from the generator.

Bom demais!

If you are voluntarily listening to this you need to be arrested for pre-crime. Butttt I'm kind of into it. I had the distinct sense that there was a good album hidden in here somewhere. I like horror as a genre for the jump scares, but i don't get the people that go all out on halloween and make it a central theme of their personality. Because of this I don't envision a lot of Duck Stab in my future but i am glad i listened to it. A case study in why we're doing this. There is a 0% change I would ever listen to this front to back without this exercise. Probably a 2 but I'm charmed by the weirdness and also unimpressed by Goldie. This is significantly better than Goldie.

That was innovative to me. And it actually has a point

A pinch of Beefheart, pinch of Devo, and you get something very weird.

Not the greatest album, surely, but they don’t seem to be one of those morons who are experimental just for the sake of being experimental.

I kind of like these random, weird, and cult things

Not sure what to make of this. Need to listen again.

I like weird stuff, but this is too weird for me. Quite an accomplishment.

I went into this expecting to hate it after going through a few "noise" albums around these parts but to my surprise I found this smart, witty, self-aware, not that jarring. It's like early Pink Floyd (but with some of the instruments broken, and a heavy stereotypical American accent) and Butthole Surfers had a baby.

Not a band I’ve given much time or thought to but some good grooves and cool vocal performances. Space Truckin’ is a jam.

This is weird as fuck but pretty interesting. I'll give a high 3 for being unique

true experimental, sure I wouldn't listen to it on a daily basis, but if ill be feeling avant garde one day, ill definitely reach for this as well

I was first introduced to The Residents when I was 16 working at a record store. I don't remember what album we listened to, but I remember the person who put it on said that to really understand you need to see them live.

This is some absolutely insane music. I can't wait to send the Birthday Boy to my brother at the appropriate time. Weird doesn't cover it, but I am glad I listened to it before I die.

I had heard Constantinople and Hello Skinny in the past, but this is my first time hearing the full album. This is closer to performance art than traditional music to me. I love Laurie Anderson and Devo, who are both firmly in the performance art genre. This was an interesting listen, but I'm not sure it was a 4 or 5 star experience. I think, for me, this is like GWAR. I would go to see them perform, but not buy the album.

This is so weird. It sounded so familiar, which was unsettling. Lol how would I have heard this. Idk if I liked any of these. Bach is dead?

I do like the Residents. In so much as they influenced several of my favorite artists and I can appreciate what they do. Duck Stab might be their most accessible record, but it's still pretty wild and out there.

La Cover est belle Franchement bah c’est bien ! C’est bizarre mais pas chiant et il y a des bonnes idées, je connais beaucoup plus prétentieux que ça, l’écoute est agréable L’ambiance est super chouette, c’est une maison horrifique le truc, mais en symphonie Après faut pas abuser non plus c’est pas excellent ou prodigieux

Odd. In every way.

Es un álbum rarisimo como muy dark pero me gusto un poco jajaja muy raro pero like it

Not even slightly enjoyable to listen to BUT very interesting and creative. Seemed ahead of its time.

This was a really erratic listen…but I liked it? First time through I was like what was that. Being that it was 1978 this noise rock album was strange but in a weird way enjoyable. It was structured just enough to hold a song and while I probably won’t return to it I could see where this might have been influential for bands like Ween and Primus

Not really my style but I’m Sure someone else’s :)

This is one of the bottom 3 albums by global rating. It is now officially the lowest rated album I have had so far. I can understand why, as it sounds like music that aliens would call pop. To us, it's utterly weird and mad, but it's not entirely horrible because of it. A lot of the soundscapes are goofy, and the vocals especially so(when they show up). There is no serious attempt at pop melodies here or song structure, but it's still somewhat hooky(yes, there are hooks beneath all those weird electronic sounds). Obviously, the average listener would hate it for sounding like random noises, and it is random noises to some extent, but I can tell that these guys can write songs. They just want to make their songs sound as unique, strange, and just plain crazy as possible. This getting slammed to the bottom 3 while far worse albums by the likes of U2 stay above a 3-star average is the real travesty, not that this exists and is considered influential like most reviewers seem to think.

Was a bit hungover for this, wooooof. 3? For the vibe carrying?

I can definitely see the influence on later bands, as such it certainly belongs on a list like this. Some songs were good, other felt like some high school kids who think they're the funniest people in there class. Overall, it was alright, but not great.

What's not to like about late 70s experimental music ... also I want an eyeball helmet with a top hat!

An extremely avant-garde album that I thought would repel me on first listen, but it's got a certain charm about it I can't shake even if the album isn't gonna make me an instantly devout fan anytime soon. I've got a softspot for bands that refuse to set up shop around one specific sound, and The Residents definitely fit that bill. This feels like the missing link I never knew about between 60s experimental acts like Zappa or Cpt. Beefheart and 90s alternative rock bands like Ween or Primus. If I gotta pick standout material, I was charmed in particular by the weird soul jazz homage of "Booker Tease" and the weird bell instrument arrangements of "Disaster". Constantinople is also a fun single/album opener, being the only song remotely close to being considered "conventional". 7/10.

First Listen; 3; One of those albums that I thought was interesting and was worth listening to, but not sure how to rate it on the typical scale. Minimalist noise, avant garde, absurd in may places. But was relatively tuneful on the second half of the album. Reminded me of Butthole Surfers. Favorite Track: Bach is Dead

Creepy, woozy, almost like something from a kids tv program that no kid would ever watch. Definitely hear the influence on Primus. Played this in the kitchen for about ten seconds before I realised this wouldn't be one to play with the family around. I didn't dislike it, but I don't think I really enjoyed it either.

Not exactly BBQ party music, this. It’s actually super interesting to read about this “band”, who sound more like a hippie art collective. They have over 50 albums, which is insane. This music is also insane, but it is somehow interesting to listen to even if I don’t really want to ever hear it again.

Nearly a 4. Will deffo explore this band more.

This album reminds me of my Instagram algorithm. Also reminds me of David Lynch's music. I'm into it, even if its super weird.

Someone once described Tom Waits as sounding like a tubercular buzzard. This lot sounds like a jazzed up tubercular buzzard on helium. This was going to be a 2 but it’s kind of jaunty and interesting. And short.

I am so very unexcited for this. Just by the looks of it, this feels like it's gonna be a chore to get through. I don't think I'm even gonna do song by song notes. Okay, actually...maybe i'm just so internet brainrotted but...Constantinople is lowkey fun? what the actual fuck? not in a "ive gotta show everyone" way or "drive down the highway" way, but in a "what the fuck is happening? this is kinda funny" type of way. It's like perfectly weird. I'm actually kind of vibing with this? Am i fucked in the head? Laughing song sounds like what would play on your descent to hell. I mean that as a compliment. HELP WHY DOES YOUTUBE HAS THE VIDEO FOR "HELLO SKINNY" AS LISTED FOR CHILDREN? WHAT?!?!?! (being genuine, this is weird and fun, but that's not really cool imo lol) This reminded me I needed to finish watching a 4 hour video on a Creepypasta. So, I can't give this a 4 or 5, just on sheer practicality. this is not something I'd put on just to listen to and relax or dance or drive or whatever. However, holy fuck this was a trip. this was so genuinely fun, hilarious, and creepy. Like, I enjoyed this more than some other albums on here that are just "fine" Maybe it's cause of my love of Horror/Creepiness/Weirdness that I found this just fun, but yeah I fucked with this hard. Will I come back to it often? Probably not, but it's cool knowing it exists.

I don't even know if I can rate this? More like an avant garde art piece than an actual album? Some of it interesting, some of it annoying, some of it creepy. I kinda enjoyed "Blue Rosebuds" and "Laughing Song" but can't exactly say I'd sit down and listen to this album for fun?

Much better than I expected

6/10

INPUT = {"artist": "The Residents", "album": "Duck Stab/Buster & Glen"} LINEUP = {"men": "unknown", "women": "unknown"} FEATURED_ARTISTS = {"men": 0, "women": 0} TOTAL_MEN = "unknown" TOTAL_WOMEN = "unknown" WOMEN_PERCENTAGE = "unknown" OUTPUT = "Unable to compute. Median score awarded. 3/5"

Overall: 6/10 Back in high school, I watched an interview with some comedian I didn't know (for some reason) and he was wearing a shirt with some dudes in suits with eyeballs for heads. This comedian pointed out that it was a shirt for a band called The Residents, and I liked the shirt so much that I got my own. I then proceeded to tell everyone I knew that I was a huge fan of the band even though I had never even heard a single song. Then I got into Primus and was surprised to find out that they were huge fans of The Residents, and I ended up getting into Constantinople and Hello Skinny as a result. I graduated high school 9 years ago (gross) and I still hadn't heard any Residents songs besides those 2 until today. My initial reaction? Strange but catchy. You hear horror stories about how inaccessible this band is, and I can totally see why people would feel that way. The weird voices and lack of melodies is certainly enough to turn people off, but I find it so interesting that I can't stop listening. The style does get old after a while, but I think it's entertaining and I'd rather listen to this than yet another bland british pop album. Fav Song: Hello Skinny

I'm really happy this exists, and after heaving read up on this band, I was quite interested. I'll definitely check put more albums. Does it sound "great"? No, not to me, but that's not really the point I think. It does mean I won't score it very high but there is a place and time for experimental art music. Give me this any time over pleasant sounding, but uncreative album.

This was weird in a different way than I’ve heard before.

Found the Residents through Primus years ago. Crazy, brilliant eyeball guys not trying to make sense. And they aren’t really what I call “music,” but a complex sonic assault on your brain through yours ears. Some moments of greatness, interspersed among avant garde art rock electronica psychedelic noise. 3⭐️

6/10

Not really my favorite Residents album so far. This album consists of two different albums and the latter side is easily superior imo. That one has some nice grooves and better audio quality, more of what I'd expect from the Residents. I don't really like it all that much, but I guess it's somewhat of an underdog on this site and its a trailblazer for sure.

What the fuck. I wouldn't say I liked it but it's interesting. Demented deranged SpongeBob music Bugs Bunny happy birthday.

Experi-mental pop . Pushing boundaries with train of consciousness dressed up with melodies . More listenable than metal machine music, not as poppy as the Cardiacs . All in all quite good. Obviously not everyone’s cup of tea . Even as an Englishman I need to be in the mood for tea - unlike tea that mood will be less frequent for avant garde music. Must have caught me in a good (or not) mood. Occasionally up its own arse to be deliberately musically obtuse but never quite gets overly annoying or pretentious. I have to go with 3 ⭐️: to match my internal ranking system where I would add it to my vinyl collection if it is 3 +

Alright you know I wasn’t feeling it and then I had to try and keep myself from laughing uncontrollably when Bach Is Dead came on while I’m sitting in a coffee shop. Elvis and His Boss is also an incredible song title, alright maybe they’re winning me back. Lizard Lady also for some reason reminds me of Veggie Tales songs. It’s not very good, but you know that’s not the point. But I had a good time after all.

Interesting, mostly pleasant, however after the first couple songs I kept forgetting I was listening to music

Weird and experimental. Found myself smirking at points because it's so ridiculous. Genuinely found Constantinople catchy. I could see how this could be nails on a chalkboard to most and depends on your mindset at the time. Give me this over anymore bang average brit bands from the 80s/90s. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

Listened to this half asleep on a flight to Germany (not Constantinople) and it genuinely frightened me a bit. An experimental string of stream-of-concious tracks of someone undergoing a drug psychosis. Can imagine it influenced bands like King Gizz, Thee Ohh Sees, Ariel Pink, Deerhunter etc. Think the B-Sides are better and enjoyed getting electrocuted at the end. Fave tracks: Semolina, Weight-lifting Lulu

A Hieronymus Bosch painting ad music. 3.25/5

I swear I'm not being a contrarian. This was really funny and downright super entertaining.

Fun, but wouldn't listen to it on a daily basis.

retarded artsy album but I did enjoy listening, I think instrumentals are simple to give attention to the weird vocals

Helt ok

Hørt hjemme fra sofaen 15/01/26. Mystiske greier. Veldig minneverdig! Noe er sinnssykt kult, annet helt ulyttbart. Litt som å se Mad God: Den er kjedelig, og du vil egentlig bare gjennom den. Men likevel blir den med deg resten av livet.

This is a legendary find.

This shit is OUT there....but strangely listenable? I think Les Claypool owes these dudes some royalties.

Interesting

You know when Wikipedia describes a group as an “art collective” rather than an actual band that you are in for an interesting time. It’s weird. It’s meant to be weird. It succeeds on that front. The album did kind of win me over at some point. I don’t think this is music I would ever regularly listen to, but I kind of enjoyed the experience. It is more an art piece than like regular songs or anything

Sentí una vibra rara al escucharlo jajaja

tengo que familiarizarme más con los residents, que justo toca el único que ya había oído. está chido, pero las tres estrellas son más por apreciación que por disfrute, aunque sí me gustó más que la primera vez que lo oí

The audacity of this thing existing is enough to earn some respect from me. What the fuck.

Overraskende musikalsk fra en gruppe som ofte heller mot dadaistisk anti-musikk. Sinister Exaggerator har en minimalistisk beat som binder låta sammen, og et gitarparti som er alle tiders. Minner mye om experimentene Throbbing Gristle drev med på samme tid. Det er spesielt på Duck Stab de gjør mye kult, på Buster & Glen synes jeg det vipper litt mer. Jeg er med på Weight-Lifting Lulu, muligens låta på skiva som ligger nærmest en "typisk" låt, helt uten noen "morsomme" stemmer & ulyder. Disse morsomhetene funker på låter som Constantinople fordi det er en genuin progressjon som ligger til grunn, og recontextualiseringen av forventningene blir genuint morsom på et ubevisst/psychedelisk niveu. Hello Skinny fungerer også. Her er også en nesten normal låt som parodierer hva enn musikken som spilles på radioen i Mafia kalles. Når jeg tenker over det, høres skiva ofte ut som parodi på 50-tallsmusikk. The Elecrocutioner er som en proto Where the Wild Roses Grow. Solid låt! Jeg vil gjerne gi skiva 4 av 5 knivstukne ender, for når den treffer, så sitter det skikkelig, men synes det er litt for mange låter som ikke er spesielt bra til å være så raus.

Likte endel her, men det var generelt altfor ujevnt

Interesting. Not necessarily good, but neither is it offensive. Just interesting.

Tavallaan kiinnostavaa kokeilua ja jotain, mikä pitäis olla listalla! Tämä kai se helpoin Residents-platta vielä, ja olihan noissa biiseissä perinteinen rakenne (ainakin osassa). Ehkä livenä hienompaa, mutta nyt jää vähän ohueksi kuitenkin tämä. 3/5

This was definitely weird and experimental. If that's your thing, check it out.

Super weird but in an interesting way! It held my attention, and didn't overstay it's welcome. I'm not about to go out and buy it to listen to all the time, but it wasn't a bad way to spend 35 minutes.

Not a great start to this album Weird in general. First track was terrible but rest did grow on me. Not a band or genre I can see myself getting into but definitely an interesting listen The radio that came after was that kind of stuff but more refined, which I did enjoy more.

Wo soll ich anfangen... Erstmal kingt es nach viel Krach. Zusammengesetzt ergibt der stellenweise aber durchaus Sinn. Am Ende habe ich das komplette Album gehört und bin immer noch zwiegespalten, ob das Kunst ist oder weg kann. Auf jeden Fall bekommt das Album den Stempel "Interessant". 3/5

first listen i feel like i just heard a demented b-sides album of material cut from the Star Wars Holiday Special

Really disliked some tracks but liked some others fairly well. At least it's never boring. I'd rather listen to this than any Steely Dan album.

Assaulting. Unique. Early Primus but not as refined.

I got this on turkey day. Sucks it's not duck day, it'd be funnier. Now it's not funny. Now I'm sad. Good album.

I wouldn't say I'm in a hurry to listen to this again, but I respect the boldness and bizarreness of this album.

What have I just heard? And how do I review it 😆 The kazoo. The just out of tune, distorted vocals (like kids using a voice-changer). The groovy little rhythms. Definitely the funniest thing we've had to listen to, so far; totally bonkers. But completely inoffensive, as far as I could tell. I didn't hate it... it just made me laugh. And, occasionally, even, tap my foot.

Weird and out there music. The Residents are one of the biggest institutions of experimental music, with dozens of albums and a pretty iconic eye-head look. Honestly, their nusic never did much for me and this, the first of their record I heard (because of the book) is still my favorite. This release is actually two EPs from 1978, Duck Stab! and Buster & Glen, but they work well as an album. It features their trademark filtered vocals, strange instrumental pallet, and unconventional lyrical themes, but lack the conceptual depths are some of their other works. Key tracks: Constantinople

Unratable album cuz the unenjoyable anti-music is the point

Oof, this was a weird one! Imagine if you took someone who studied music from Tom Waits, and then took away their lithium. And then they took songwriting cues from a room full of kindergartners. They broke all the rules of music, but it's not together enough to be jazz.

I'm glad I listened to it. As someone else said I can definitely see the influence on Ween and Primus' weirder stuff. Hard work for a mainly pop listener and won't be rushing back.

Bizarre but in a good way? I don't know, something about it was hitting me right.

Dark and eerie. On the same time it's funny and misty.

KE Mucho Les Claypool acá 5/10

I think we might need this sort of thing to keep us from taking ourselves too seriously. Interesting and clever, but I'll never listen to it again. Well, maybe I will.

This is the third lowest rated album on the entire list, with only Throbbing Gristle and Einsturzende Neubauten below. Both could politely be called acquired tastes. This however is damn listenable. It's as ever a rifle through popular music filtered through the Residents barebones style. there's almost covers, tracks like Weight Lifting Lulu that are pretty poppy - a way easier listen than say Napalm Death who are two places higher and actual tunes (most of the time). Their first album is a tough listen I will give you, but this? Give in to the cheapy Casio and speeded-up vocals and there's lots to like. If you like this then can thoroughly recommend Third Reich N Roll (covers) and Eskimo for full-on original batsh*tness.

Real weird and not super listenable, but fun

This stuff is great for some nightmarish background music when you are doing some pen and paper and have the party venture into a haunted theme park. I mean this positively. This is experimental rock that tries things out. But is it worthwhile over time? Is it semi-coherent by its own conceptual idea? I'm not so sure. At some point you just shrug.

Odd

Firstly, it's not another boring mainstream or easy listening album so it gets some instant kudos from me for that. It's the sort of thing I was hoping for when I started this project. I quite like the sheer insanity, it sounds like someone threw a kazoo and a drum into a mental asylum and I'm here for it. Art doesn't always have to always illicit positive emotions, it can be ugly and uncomfortable and still be valid art. My issue with this album is that it feels a bit contrived. It is still very much "inside the box" and despite it's attempts to subvert, it still clings to the basic traditional structures of popular music. All the weirdness comes across as an academic exercise in "how fucking weird can we make this" rather than something truly expressive. Anybody could sit down and bang a pot and scream weird nursery rhymes and pretend it's deep, but you have to sell some real emotional authenticity for it to be good. Cool listen but misses the mark for me.

Also a 2 and 4 star experience. Confusing

Feel they went overboard on dissonance and discordant vocals, but music is good and grows on you. Would not add it to my library because it's not my thing, but I appreciate their work. Not sure why they are called avant-garde because what they are doing is nothing new. Its electronic basis is perhaps?

now this is what I call unnerving...interesting album. I'm not sure I like it but it is interesting

Kind of fun.

This may be too alternative for people who like alternative music. I found it interesting. It's certainly not pretty music. I like how many of the songs don't follow traditional structures. Before reading the Wikipedia entry, I was thinking that The Residents probably inspired Primus, only to read that Primus covered some of their tunes!

I'm not gonna pretend i don't understand why this is so low rated, but I definitely don't think it deserves to be the third lowest rated album (the lowest I've received so far). How could this possibly be worse than "Devil Without a Cause" or "Tank Battles"? I thought it was fun. It's very experimental but in a humorous way which I enjoyed. There were a number of highlights and it was never overly annoying to me. I've been wanting to get into the Residents for awhile now so I'm happy to have had an excuse to finally check them out. I'd take the Residents over another Elvis Costello or Morrissey album any day. Favorite track: The Booker Tease

Yeah. Im pretty OK with this album. Probably not gonna listen to it often, but I will listen again

Net išsisaugojau antrą kartą paklausyti. Skamba kaip žaidimų muzika.

Okay I started with this one...

Mukavan hirveää kuunneltvaa

I will not be including the bonus tracks of disc one and the entirety of disc two of the 2018 pREServed edition of the album in this review. Normally, for an artist I hadn't heard of or was not familiar with, I usually like to research and give a brief background of who they are, how they started their music career, and what their situation was like when making the record presented here. Today, however, I'll have to largely forego that, as the Residents are a largely anonymous music collective that thrives in obscurity. Any information related to the band's history or potential members should be taken with a grain of salt. If anything, I could only reliably go off of their musical output, which can be described as deconstructions of Western popular music, complete with stream-of-consciousness lyrics, tonal dissonance, and the use of sound collages. That sort of description befits this record, Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen, which combines two of their EPs, applying a more guitar-driven sound to shorter songs. This album is often considered their most "accessible" record, for what it's worth. I'll admit, I laughed at the highly modulated vocals for tracks like the opening "Constantinople" and "Laughing Song" alongside the jarring dissonance and surrealist lyrics. But once the initial shock and laughter wore off for me, I began to realize how muted the production sounded, and how reliant the Residents were on subverting these conventional song structures without much in the way of gripping satire or a greater purpose outside of being weird. Even for weirdness' sake, there's a part of me that feels they could have gone even more outlandish or bizarre in the execution. I would say I'm more into the experimental rock acts that have emerged since, except I've gotten more out of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart with their respective deconstructions of blues rock and psychedelia. Then again, it could be argued that the Residents set a precedent for even weirder bands to come, and probably value being more odd than even Zappa and Beefheart. Who's to say which is intrinsically better? I can at least say that the Residents' Duck Stab/Buster & Glen made for an intriguing footnote, one that I can certainly respect. Perhaps in the eyes of the Residents, simply respecting their pursuit of art is satisfying enough.

3* at best

man i already listened to this

Electrocutions was cool

This was fuckin bizarre; sort of Modest Mouse-sounding vocals but much darker and weirder. A LOT of flat notes and sharp notes, lyrically and instrumentally. Feels like listening to this too much could fuck up your head —but I also couldn’t turn it off? Blue Rosebuds and Weight Lifting Lulu were memorable.

Random thoughts: * This was weird and freaky. And I like it. :) * I went in totally blind and had no clue what I was in for. Which can be fun when it is as interesting as this. * Shades of Modest Mouse and Primus were noticed in there while listening. * Not exactly in the same vein but I wonder if Paul McCartney's "Temporary Secretary" was influenced by this. Maybe it's just the voice affectations. * I can tell this would not be for everyone but I found it quite fun. I'll definitely learn a bit more and hopefully go back to listen again.

This is just incredibly weird music. Difficult to listen to, but points for creativity. 2.5/5.0: Mixed

This is one of those albums that gets labelled as a 'challenging listen'. I'm not sure people all mean the same thing when they say that. There are probably a lot of bands I love that would point to The Residents and say they were a huge influence. In 2025 when anyone anywhere can release endless volumes of self-indulgent 'I'm-A-Silly-Goose' recordings it doesn't really stand out. 'Hello Skinny' is at least worth a listen.

As much as I love this album and as important as the Residents are to me, I’m not giving difficult by design the highest mark. Still. Total masterpiece.

Weird.. didn't dislike it as such, just maybe not one I'll listen to much

I think... I actually liked it? The first half made me smile, but the second half made me groove.

I hate how much I like this.

The definition of experimental. Not sure if valuable.

They've melded a bit of Eno and Kraftwerk minimalist electronic beeping, with the iconoclasm of punk, taking aim at Bach and Elvis. Ultimately I think it's all a big pisstake. Indeed 'Birthday Boy' sounds like the seeds of the South Park theme tune. And while we're on the subject, are the vocals inspiration for Mr Hanky? 'Semolina' could be a South Park skit. There's a certain humourous levity in all this that's rather appealing vs self-regarding grunginistas, of which we've had a few of late. There are real flashes of brilliance throughout that provide accessibility. The short and sweet 'The Booker Tease' with its duo sax is marvelous.The creeping and sinister 'Blue Rosebuds' with its bed of shimmering electronic beeps (gives me Lodger vibes). This gives me independent coffee shop syndrome. I love the fact it's there. I don't want it to not be there, and it'd be a shame if it wasn't. But I still pop into Costa for convenience.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Couldn't manage the whole album - got a bit too much. But will come back to listen to the second half another time.

Bhahahaha holy shit I was not expecting the singer to sound like that at all out of the gate that actually made me laugh out loud. Constantinople might be the goofiest song I have ever heard it was so ridiculous. That was one of the most insane albums I have ever listened to. I can really respect the creativity (if that's what you would want to call it) but it did get very hard to listen to as it went on. I will just leave this with a 3 and say I would not do drugs and listen to that album

Es increíble la mala calidad(o muy buena talvez) de las drogas que consumieron para hacer este álbum, creo que birthday boy fue el tope de la locura para ellos y al siguiente tema ya les pegó un poco el bajón. Igual tiene algo que me mantuvo concentrado y gusto bastante

Falopisimo y super raro, pero me gusto. En la tapa estan cuchilleando un pato, le resto 1 punto por eso. Bach is Dead

I’m pretty sure one of the other members in this list group I’m in played this album for me before we became roommates. This album does feel significant for being what it was in the context of 1978. I’m glad I listened to it again for this list. Although I don’t see myself seeking this out to listen again in future. A very high 3 stars resting on the strong shoulders of a great album cover and great album title.

never listened to this group before, going in completely blind Constantinople - 4/5 Sinister Exaggerator - 2/5 The Booker Tease - 4/5 Blue Rosebuds - 5/5 Laughing Song - 3/5 Bach Is Dead - 3/5 Elvis and His Boss - 3/5 Lizard Lady - 3/5 Semolina - 2/5 Birthday Boy - 1/5 Weight-Lifting Lulu - 4/5 Krafty Cheese - 3/5 Hello Skinny - 4/5 The Electrocutioner - 4/5 Average score: 3.2/5 well this was weird as fuck i really am at a loss for words. idk what to expect of the rest of their discography but after having my first introduction be this... i'm a little worried

fucking weird. Really surprised I didn't know of them, glad for the experience, but fucking weird.

Strip the metal out of Primus and you get the Residents. It's pretty fun to listen to, but the occasional track like Lizard Lady will throw you into nervousness. A good time.

I thought this was gonna be dogshit seeing as it’s the third lowest rated album on this site but I quite enjoyed it. It’s weird and interesting. It helps that I already quite enjoy primus, and I was shocked at one point where I thought the vocalist was les claypool. Looking up the band there a tism type outfit where no one knows their identities and funnily enough claypool has been accused of being a member. I liked it but I doubt I’ll go back to it.

This album opens with some interesting instrumentals thats a little hard to call experimentation given the date this album released. They're good but are unfortunately ruined by annoying vocals which are not particularly remarkable in any way. Something that will become a running theme of this album. Sinister is cool and moody The Booker tease is bluesy, jazzy and a touch surreal and dreamlike. Blue Rosebuds is where this album shows its hand, for better and for worse. It wears its influences on its sleeves and does little to innovate. The film inspiration is clear, especially David Lynch and his Soundtracks. Unfortunately for Blue Rosebuds it is another interesting track ruined by "experimental" vocals (talking in a high pitched voice) The annoying vocals are actually used to somewhat decent effect on Lizard Lady. They're anxious and repetitious which makes for a good companion alongside the "melody" which drives up the fear, anxiety and paranoia. Semolina is rhymically eerie, a kinda cool track after three nothing tracks and then Lizard Lady. It evokes the imagery and sound of Giallo horror and their prog sound tracks. More nothing of note tracks then weight lifting Lulu, which is actually a good moody song filled with awesome and uncharacteristically subtle bass lines. Krafty Cheese is wacky and zany for the sake of it but there's something actually pretty interesting and original going on here. Not that id return for a second listen to really find out. Hello Skinny is probably my favourite track of the album, more brooding, bluesy Jazz. Going for a vocal performance on here heavily inspired by Gira of Swans or Hayward of This Heat. But why would I listen to this when I can listen to Swans or Heat. Its not a bad album its just everything on this album has been done better elsewhere and thats not very experimental, is it. 6/10

this is the weirdest album ive ever heard in my life, feels like u r trapped in a fever dream with a lot of clowns and their screaming nonsense. clearly isnt my type of music but i value the quality and the mind u gotta have to do this

70s art rock. Very weird. Experimental. Distorted vocals over eerie beats. Not something I would listen to, but appreciate the weirdness. Have listened to worse.

This is definitely an interesting listen. I don't think it would be in heavy rotation on my playlist, but not bad on occasion. This must have been on Les Claypool's list because I can see how this record (band) would have influenced Primus.

That is a brown album. I’ve never listened to the residents before, it is interesting for sure.

So avant garde it's almost not music at points? Still, I find it compelling and enjoyable as a detour. Glad they exist.

Noise rock that does what its supposed to do, make noise. Luckily theses experimental albums, while fun are short. 3.5/5

Wierd, crazy, experimental, indie rock with lots of stuff in it and very very creative and unpredictable. Usually dont like these type of stuff but thos one was all over the palce and kept me guessing every song which alwas a good breath of fresh air after a long day.

very interesting 😆i appreciate the weirdness hahaha

I don't know what I'm listening to, but I respect the vision. Very interesting tracks and a great reason to stick with this project.

weird and fun

3.5

I’m torn on this one. I kind of like how kooky it is and am pretty into a few songs - especially Constantinople and Lizard Lady - and I appreciate the effort and willingness to say fuck it to commercial success. It’s not really one I’d turn to in any other circumstance though, so tough for me to give high marks.

It is... Interesting.

Im glad i listened to that. I will Likely not listen to it again lol.

And that was a weird ride...

I'm really leaning towards a 3, its fuckin wild. The Booker Tease, Weight Lifting Lulu, Semolina and The Electrocutioner are all legit good songs, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.

The Good: These boys aren’t illegal… The Bad: Aggression against poultry… The Ugly: Everything! Wow! This is what I signed up for when I started this journey, listening to something so bizarre it makes you wonder about everything and nothing at all. Did I like it? At times I really did, and at other times I was counting the seconds before I would allow myself to hit the skip button… This has changed my perception on avant-garde music though. And I applaud the effort… 3* because the odds of me listening to this a third time in my life is doubtful, but a second listen is in the cards...

It's weird, experimental noise

Holy Shit! this is one bizarre album. But somehow I don't hate it. Strange noises, where there are melodies they're just weird. Childlike singing that is often not much more than high-pitched whining (I do like weight lifting Lulu, though). The review on Roon, which I assume comes from Allmusic.com, says "It seems annoying and stupid at first" and that it does. But it also reads; "but over time you feel compelled to listen again and again". Well I guess I'll see about that but as I type I am on my 2nd listen and it's better than the first. 3 stars

don't know it

At first i was like “wtf are we doing here”. But as it went on i did find that i appreciate how out there it was, and it felt like an abstract piece of a art as a painting. Still borderline unlistenable so not sure how to rate it.

I get why Les Claypool likes the Residents so much; the one vocalist sounds easily like him. Primus has covered a number of the song on this album: "Sinister Exaggerator," "Hello Skinny" and "Constantinople". It did make listening to the album a little better because of that familiarity. But man... it was just... weird. I didn't hate it, but a lot of the tracks were just farther "out there" than I was expecting. I had been meaning to listening to the Residents, but I never got around to it. I wonder if I had listened to them younger I would have appreciated it more. As it ism they are just a bit too out there for me. I'm going to give them a 2.6, rounding up to a 3. Top tracks: "Sinister Exaggerator," "Blue Rosebuds," First half of "The Electrocutioner" (the second half was just... what?)

I like weird, but this one's weird with a capital WEIRD. But it wasn't bad - there are some weird ones on this list that are painful to listen to - this one didn't hurt to hear. The most interesting thing to me was how much you could hear the influence on Primus. In fact, there were lots of times the singer sounded exactly like Les Claypool (well, the other way around, since Les would have been 15 when this album came out). I probably wouldn't seek this out again, but it was definitely interesting. Favorite tracks: Sinister Exaggerator (this was the first time I thought of Les Claypool. Wasn't surprised to see Primus covered this song), Laughing Song, Bach is Dead, Krafty Cheese.

Interesting, certainly.

Interesting, good in its purpose, but definitely not something I'd listen to relax and enjoy. Sounds a bit like "what's the craziest edgiest thing we could record but still listenable?".

Surreal. Will not listen again. But wow the sounds that are produced are kinda sick. Especially considering how little equipment they would have had in comparison to today. Definitely not a pleasant feeling, but it certainly invokes discomfort and panic at some points. With fairytale like lyrics and some really evil wizard of oz wizard type vocals, I can't help but feel intrigued. Seems like music is the only form of art where we are shocked when discomfort is portrayed. I wont say I'm a fan, but I am impressed.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to do with this one. My main takeaway was that I could hear several times how they've influenced Primus, a band I've always loved and will be pleasantly surprised if they actually pop up here at some point. Not holding my breath though. The style of The Residents is a unique and challenging one, which I respect. I don't find this album to be much fun to listen to, but I'm sure that's the intended effect. There's a lot going on, and it's messy, but it's more interesting at least than a lot of albums I've sat through for this project. I don't know. Whatever rating I wind up giving it will feel wrong no matter what, so don't put much thought into it (I've thought enough).

The book tease slaps. But otherwise a mid album

The residents son una banda especial, única y efectivamente hay que al menos intentar escuchar un disco suyo alguna vez en la vida. Ahora bien, es difícil. Ni el estilo musical, vocal, letras, nada ayuda. Música de vanguardia... Tal vez fuera mejor empezar con The Third Reich R´n´R o The commercial album, pero tal vez ni por esas. Es música difícil de digerir, con un substrato teórico detrás y eso alimenta el postureo de ser fan suyo (banda de culto). Constantinopla no es una gran entrada, conociendo a PJ Harvey o They Might Be Giants. The booker tease, Weight lifting Lulu o Hello Skinny se hacen más simples de digerir. Blue Rosebuds y Elvis and his boss vuelven a incomodar. Laughing song es una marcianada, Lizard Lady otra, Bach is dead estoy seguro de que Paul McCartney la habrá escuchado cientos de veces, y así seguimos. Birthday boy... pues en fin... no. El electrocuciante final te deja en estado de shock, pero en mi caso cierro la puerta y hasta luego. DEVO tenían algo más de gracia (también menos base y recorrido) pero honestamente, a pesar de que su imagen e influencia los hacen muy valiosos, no soy capaz de entrar en su universo, ni tampoco quiero.

Weird, but also weirdly fun.

When I saw it is one of the lowest rated albums on this list I was a bit disappointed cause I think albums like this push the boundaries of what we consider music and thus they are more important than many other albums that stay in the comfort zone and are just boring copy paste music of pop rock. This album is certainly interesting, strange, surreal and moody, even hypnotic at times. I wouldn't consider it unlistenable or horrible music, more like interesting which held my interest throughout. It was my first album by this band - not sure I would like all their other stuff but this was a good listen and it is definitely not a bad thing it is included on this list.

Absolutely nuts but can hear the influence it had on artists like Primus, Beck etc

After 3 seconds I knew what I was getting into. It's a type of album i like BUT, ad big of a but as I can convey, I need to be in a mood for it. I like trout mask replica and this feels like an evolution of something like that. It's the late 70s early 80s version of that. It's weird it's wild and it's challenging. Not for everyone but there is alot to get out of it if u put in the work.

For a band and an album with such an experimental reputation I'm surprised at how similar all the tracks sound. A wee bit too on the wacky side of things for me but a fun listen.

Not very easy to listen to but very different.

A haunting collection that sends the listener to the edge of sanity. Enjoyable is not something this album cares to indulge in. A deluge of fear inducing sounds

This album is deeply, deeply weird, but I kind of like it...? That is, I obviously don't like it, it's terrible... but it IS funny... and I enjoyed finding out what would come next, and was met many times with more weird, mad shit... which is obviously bad and not something you would want to listen to... but it's also kind of great and I kind of love them and want to hang out with them. It's either a complete, ridiculous joke or a masterpiece, I'm not sure. Either way I'm actually glad I listened to this one. 2.5 rounded up.

wtf lmao

I’ve heard stuff by them before but never this. They’re not a band I could listen to a lot but they are interesting and this album is no exception

Not as bad as reviews would have you think. 3/5

Oookkkaaayy… I’m not completely offended by this. It’s late 70’d arty and meant to be super fucking weird. This is actually perfect Halloween music and will likely show up on my next playlist in October. It has that cartoonish quality that easily turns people off, but sonically there are some really interesting things going on. Snippets of sonic brilliance burst outward all over the place. Everyday listening? Hell no! This is that curiosity of an album you pull out on unsuspecting people to prove that your taste in music is deeper and more interesting than theirs, and they just look at you with a side eye and think “you REALLY need a therapist!”.

Goofy, weird and fun. These giant eyeballs are playing weird tunes and having a blast. Very much a not for everybody album, but worth the listen in my opinion.

Just a crazy, wild hunch here.....Les Claypool has listened to this album. Les enjoyed this album very much and thought to himself, "One day I will create my very own sound that will sound just like this!" And then, when he was done lisening, he called his friends, Ween and said, "hey you might wanna check this out." The fellas in Ween liked it but not quite at much as Les. A very interesting listen. Not sure if I'll ever seek this one again but it is really cool to hear what some of the wierder stuff of the 90's and beyond was influenced by.

Nyt ollaan aika virallisesti taas siellä pilipali osastolla. Tahallaan ärsyttävää musiikkia, mutta tavallaan ehkä oikealla tavalla ärsyttävää että onkin ehkä hauskaa?? Mutta tää levy on tullut 2016, mitä helvettiä. On kyllä vaikea sanoa mielipidettä, kun tässä on kuitenkin jotain jännittävää. Onhan tääkin taitolaji tehdä näin häiritsevää musiikkia. Parhaat: Constantinople, Laughing Song, Birthday Boy

Duck Stab is ridiculous, but it helps with the listening experience if you don't take The Residents too seriously. It's obvious that they don't even do so themselves. Infuriating to listen to at times, the album actually contains some pretty catchy pop-hooks in disguise. I won't say that I liked the album, but I had an urge to listen to it again as soon as it finished. I guess that counts for something?

Unique and strange

Really weird

This is awful in the best way. Bizarre avant garde nonsense. Give me more of this and less Elvis Costello or Taylor Swift.

I've only met one fan of the Residents, he was slightly odd, but a nice bloke. I get the impression the same could be said of the band members. Apart from the silly vocals, the songs and their arrangements were pretty good. I shall explore this band further.

Wow! Within the first 30 seconds, I knew things were going to be challenging! What a crazy and nightmarish album. Probably a 2 because although I probably won’t ever listen to it again I’m glad I did and I imagine this band has been pretty influential for bands Primus and Mr bungle. I’m going to bump this to 3 just because, it’s such a trip!

'good' music is a fish hook, at a point bad shit loops back to being great shit

What a trip. Can I give all scores at once?

This made me laugh? So I think I was listening correctly. This is absurd.

You can't fault them for their ability to think out of the box. More interesting than some of the snoozeville rock on this list. Highlights include: "Constantinople" "The Booker Tease" "Laughing Song" "Lizard Lady" "Semolina" "Weight Lifting Lulu"

Say what you like about this, at least everyone has something to say, no-one has to rack their brain for an opinion, unlike the fourth or fifth Elvis album from the list. And honestly, given how low-rated this is, so I can say to other raters is: grow up a bit and be more open. Do you think this list should be all Britney Spears, Beatles and Nirvana? Safe and uncontroversial? Did you think you were going to get through this project unchallenged!? I've had to suffer through four Smiths albums, you can harden up and get through less than an hour of The Residents. Anyway, what is there to say about this? For sure it's not an easy-listening album, but it definitely isn't meant to be. Others have mentioned Primus and I hear the influence too. I also hear a lot of early Butthole Surfers. Like Primus this is sinister, uncomfortable, but also humorous and I don't think it's taking itself too seriously. I did like the run of tracks from Hello Skinny onwards, and the bonus tracks I preferred to those on the main album. I originally was going to say that I didn't enjoy the music much on its own merits, but actually the later tracks were pretty great. It certainly it made me smile at times, and it made me feel something other than that I just had to wait for it to be over as I have with so many dull mainstream albums. Call me a contrairian, but I actually really enjoyed the experience of this album. More of this kind of thing should be on the list, make listeners open their minds and horizons!

This was a tough review to write... On the one hand, I greatly appreciate experimentation with sounds, and without pioneers in the field, we wouldn't have the greatness we have today. On the other hand, this particular album just isn't landing with me. I listened to it three times just to be sure, but it failed to trigger that internal magic that sparks when you've found something special. While it does have its moments, it ultimately hits more like noise than music. As a contemporary comparison, put this up against Kraftwerk's 1978 Die Mensch-Maschine. One is CLEARLY more polished. I'm still going to give this a 3, though - not quite for what it is, but rather for what it was at the time, and for what it no doubt helped inspire afterwards.

I'm glad it exists, and it was interesting and kind of fun but not sure I'm in a rush to listen again.

Very different and interesting album. Some of the songs would’ve been right at home on a later Beatles album, really give a vibe of the Beatles at their most experimental or the Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. Interesting stuff!

Weird album but I liked it more than Meet the Residents. I definitely found myself thinking "this must be what Butthole Surfers were listening to". 3/5

Maybe it's because I got a second(?!!) Verve album yesterday, but I somehow prefer this to the endless amount of Britpop on this list.

Imagine coming across this on vinyl in the 70s. Some weird shit for sure. Why not?

Not even sure what to do with this album. On the one hand I didn't like it, but on the other it's definitely something I've never heard before. Giving it points for being interesting if nothing else.

Definitely the best of the unlistenable albums on this list. Joins the ranks of captain beefheart and throbbing gristle. But this one is much more enjoyable. I could be inspired by this album, maybe paint or draw to it or something. Lot of it sounds like Devo's bizarre demos, curious who is inspired by who.

Kind of expected to hate this based on the first song, which was terrible and obnoxious, but honestly I kind of enjoyed the rest of it, at least to an extent. I can definitely understand why so many people hate this and why it's one of the lowest rated albums on the list, but at the same time, I completely understand why it's on the list. There is something innovative about it, and I can hear how it influenced other artists around this same time. Weird for weird sake is fine if it's done right, and I think this is for the most part, and it doesn't take itself too seriously either. This could have been a lot worse in the wrong hands.

This album came out in the late 70s, but it sounds like a fever dream from the 90s to me. I don't know why but I just picture a warped Pee Wee's Funhouse mixed with early 90s Nickelodeon cartoons but hosted by John Wayne Gacy in his clown costume. Quirky and creepy, more of a performance than a musical album.

Creative, funny, playful

Bastante raro. Versiones raras y oscuras de canciones conocidas.

man i truly don't know how to feel about this one. on one hand, what a bizarre album to listen to. on the other hand, i was definitely amused by it. like, it's really goofy and off-kilter and reminds me a lot of some zappa stuff. i also don't know if i would ever come back to this album again. it almost feels like a disservice to this album to rate it, because i don't think its intention is to be rated, or acclaimed. it just sort of is. weird, wonky, and bizarre, sure. but i don't know that i would even put it on the same scale as a "normal" album because it doesn't feel like it applies to the scale. either way, even though i don't know what to do with this album, i am glad i listened to it. so i am converting that gladness into a rating.

Better than my initial expectations

Pretty odd, feels like it should be the soundtrack to a five nights at freddies movie, but I sort of get it.

I couldn’t really tell from the Wikipedia page why this was an essential listen, other than it was one of the group’s more successful releases.it seems like it was potentially early uses of electronic music and effects, which is guess is good for exposure to music history? Not worth a revisit, but interesting enough I guess.

weird atmosphere but despite that some melodies were really catchy

I... Don't hate this. It's weird & abrasive, but it puts off heavy Ween & Primus vibes. Super cool hearing something so experimental, so ahead of its time that would've influenced (much better imo) bands.

Started out really weak, but I grew to appreciate the later songs for what they are, weird for the sake of weird but still had a bit of musicality to them. Interesting album to say the least...

An extra 2 stars for how much I laughed.

It’s so out there that I kinda like it. Umm… but I also don’t. Weird. 2.5 stars.

3.5

Interesting sonically, but not really my prefered type of album

6/10. Very strange and some of it was bad. But I found a lot of it to be extremely entertaining and creative.

As a Tom Waits, Ween, and Zappa fan, this doesn’t seem too far outside the box to me. Still delightfully strange, of course. Way more interesting than a lot of other albums on this list. 3.5/5

If this album is an horror genre, then Splatter, the worst…6/10

Delightfully weird. Loved the duck laughing song, the lizard accident. Best two happy birthday songs ever. What an amazing cacophony of screeching and unexpected sounds... it definitely broadend my horizons. Only problem is a bit slow paced and too long.

This rating is based on the original track list, and not the "preserved edition " that adds a wholly unneeded extra hour or so to it. This was like tasting a weird new flavor of ice cream, where I was all "do I like this? I might like this." Weird connective tissue to They Might Be Giants, Violent Femmes and Modest Mouse.

This one was rough. Like who is the actual audience for this artist and this kind of music? Who the hell just turns this on unironically? This feels like the music from A Clockwork Orange. And maybe its not the music from it, but it's like the same kind of vibe. -"Hey do you want to listen to something that will make you feel really weird?" -"Ummm no..?" -"Let's just do it anyway. Its really fucked up." 3 Stars for Creativity.

Quirky as always.

The disconcerting house band of a horror movie carnival freak show.

A very strange sound, experimental rock fits the bill for Duck Stab/Buster & Glen by The Residents. At times it felt like I was in a fever dream from a b-grade horror flick from the 70s/80s. Best: Bach is Dead Worst: Birthday Boy Note: Spotify had the extended version, I only listened to the original 14 tracks.

This is a weird one, had never heard of them before but after a few songs it really reminded me of the type of music your hear at really confrontational and provocative modern art installations. So, I was unsurprised to read that the band were a multimedia art collective. Not really something I'd listen to again, but interesting enough listen. I like to listen to really off the wall stuff like this every now and then, it kind of makes you question everything you think you know about how music is meant to sound.

A challenging album to listen to, Duck Stab/Buster & Glen might be one of the most interesting albums on this list. I’ve never heard anything like it before, and that’s one of the reasons I started this list. Experimental rock that breaks all the rules of music including sounding good and having comprehensible lyrics. Which translates to 35 minutes of weird noises. God, now this is Punk music. Its short length helps a lot and on Spotify there are a lot of bonus tracks and different versions of the songs with better production. Quite thought-provoking and I’m glad it’s on the list but I don’t think it’s something I want to spend any more time with. I’m here for the weird shit and I’m glad this exists.

We’re not know where Les Claypool got his sound.

Is this music dogshit? Yes. Is it insane for 1972? Also yes. I probably won't ever listen to this again, but I gotta say I'd take this over another Beatles clone. Absolutely love that these guys ripped off the "With the Beatles" album artwork for their next album. I remember hearing they got sued into oblivion with that. I expect this record to have the lowest global rating out of everything I've reviewed so far but typically such is avant-garde anything. This is an honest effort to be weird and not give a fuck and it still comes out sounding better than some of the pretentious "genius" critic-bait that exists on this list.

By far the weirdest shit on this list so far, and it definitely is not good. But I don't think it's trying to be, and it has a clear identity, so it's actually kind of interesting? I wouldn't say I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I can't think of a situation where I would fire this up, but overall I didn't hate it. Constantinople is the best here and sets the tone for the next half hour. Other standouts to me are Lizard Lady, Bach is Dead, and Blue Rosebuds. Strange experience.

Yes it’s weird, and not in a for-the-sake-of-it way, but truly genuinely weird, but I dont see any value in looking at music in this way

It might be low rated on this site, but I didn't hate it. In fact, it's kind of decent. I might not revisit it that often and yeah it's too avant garde for me but I kind of enjoyed it. In particular, Birthday Boy was a riot.

The last couple of albums have been quite nice but not especially memorable - those are NOT things you can say about Duck Stab. It’s chaotic and unsettling by design and really does pack a punch. It’s not quite as strong as a couple of other Residents albums I’ve heard, or other freaky music pioneers like Zappa and Beefheart, but it sure does achieve what it sets out to do

Too crazy?

The second day on the trot I've read some reviews and thought, "Bloody hell" but for different reasons. I admit that I was a bit apprehensive. The Residents are, after all, one of the foundations of avant-garde art-rock; it might be unlistenable. But it's not, it's definitely at the easy listening end of avant-garde. And quite pleasant.

Honestly I enjoyed some of these songs. It's weird and strange and in small does it's very good.

I can understand why I should listen to this. It was weird and interesting. But nothing I need to listen to twice.

It's strange and weird and slightly off putting. But it's engaging at times and the strangeness works. Hard to rate, but very interesting.

This is quite a challenging listen. It's not by any means awful, but it is not easy listening.

This album felt like an unrelenting Caroll-esque nightmare set to music.

Bastante raro. Versiones raras y oscuras de canciones conocidas.

I was getting tired of a couple days in a row of country. Then I got this. Not sure what this even was. Somehow I think duck stab was the right title for this piece.

Wtf... South Park møder Bonaparte. Men jeg hyggede mig oprigtigt. Sjovt at høre v2, re imagenings, og live versioner efter albummet. 🙂

a little irritating

5/10 whatever they are doing they are doing it well. I don't think I have a score for this. I don't want to give it a one because it was bizarrely entertaining. I don't want to give it 5 stars because I will never listen to this again unless its to share it with other people. I'm going to give it three stars and walk away slowly. 4-30-2024

Primus meets Mr Bungle meets Tom Waits meets who knows what. Gonna need a few more listens to make up my mind about this one.

What an intriguing album. Fascinating album cover as well. I haven't looked at the reviews but I can imagine you lot will be seething about how terrible this is. Heh! I love how wacky and out there this album is. It's odd. Bizarre. Yet equal parts fascinating as well. The one thing you can't accuse this album of being is boring. This album feels like it is in same vein as Throbbing Gristle, but rather more accessible. I'd have to be in a pretty strange mood to put this on again all the way through, but I reckon I'll check out songs like 'the lauging song' again for the shits and giggles. Take my 3 stars, residents.

ouh la je euh oups

fun. weird. sense of humor for sure. i just probably won’t be listening in my share time. i enjoyed it tho.

was good sounding for the first few tracks, however, interest was at a low by the 1/2 way point of the album. found the sounds of the album interesting however,

As someone that wants to make avant garde art music, a humble reminder of how tough that will actually be to do right

Wtf is this. Actually didn’t mind it; reminds me of PRIMUS a bit

Bizarre

At first I found the album quite funny, quirky and exciting. After half an hour, the novelty wore off and it became annoying. 3/5

The Residents is one of the most famous avant-garde acts of their period. And with Duck Stab, you see them at their most accessible and innovative. It's minimalist with easy-to-follow lyrics and melodies. It's very short too, so most people could bare through it if they could spare more than a few moments of weirdness. It's a shame it's so dated. When they do finally get the technology a decade later, their creativity is drained and their later output is boring and cheap. Here, they utilize the fullest extent of their rudimentary industrial synths in quite a minimalist fashion. Too bad it sounds like cheap dog shit. The other downside is a style of childish humor that seems like they had a blast coming up with themselves but not so much enjoyable to audiences. It's a style of humor that reminds me of The Mothers of Invention. Here are my thoughts on the individual tracks: Constantinople 4/5: fun intro, loud and catchy but with weird twist, enough to either scare people away or intrigue people; the ad libs show their personality Sinister Exaggerator 4/5: nice horror with an eery underwater beat, loud abrasive metallic synths, and creepy uncaring vocals; feels complete with several surprises Booker Tease 4/5: the most accessible song, catchy and memorable with satisfying moments and a cool free sax Blue Rosebuds 3/5: cool gothic atmosphere; I don't like the annoying high-pitched vocal, but the one with the broken voice fits the vibe Laughing Song 3/5: it's a mess but the synths and affects match the theme and mood, successful in what it aims to do, and highly innovative Bach is Dead 2/5: a silly gimmick with nice background; the bridge makes it more palatable but it's otherwise lame; it is memorable Elvis and His Boss 3/5: the most rock-like song here, with an improv jam style and bluegrass vocals; if this is supposed to make fun of jam bands, it works ok, but too exaggerated and over-the-top Lizard Lady 1/5: started off forgettable then brought back that damn high-pitched voice Semolina 2/5: a nice change in pace with anti-folk pop that drags on too long and has little to offer besides the innovative premise; I sorta like the ending but was left a bit dissatisfied Birthday Boy 2/5: one of my favorite ideas on here, very silly and gimmicky, but drags on and is one of those "they had more fun messing around than we'll ever have" Weight-Lifting Lulu 3/5: a legitimate good early minimalist dark wave song if it wasn't so dated; the vocals drag it down a bit Krafty Cheese 2/5: started off as decent industrial ambient but they felt it needed more with the dumb vocals Hello Skinny 4/5: this one is surprisingly pretty good; nothing too harsh or off-putting yet not anything like pop; everything works together here; even the vocals fit in with the vibe The Electrocutioner 4/5: it started off as an out-of-place closer following the quieter ambient tracks; but it's probably the most complex and satisfying track on here with an interesting gimmick idea and several effects that work to contribute to what they aimed to create Average is 2.9. For being short and highly innovative, breaking the expectations of what music could creative, as well as being fairly consistent with an appropriate track order, I'm bumping it to a 3. However, as noted, the fidelity is shit, the effects are too dated and gimmicky, and they tend to entertain themselves more than they care about the finished product.

I absolutely hated this on first listen, with a lot of WTF?!? attitude about it… then I listened again with family to share the “WTF?!?” perspective… and they all hated it strongly, but I found it weirdly engaging at this point. Giving it a 3 as I still don’t know what I make of it or if I think it’s “good” but finding I’m at least intrigued enough to consider it worthy to revisit when I don’t know… maybe when tripping on LSD? 🤷🏽🤷🏽🤷🏽

Meh, kind of weird but I did not mind it. I may appreciate it more with another listen.

A bit meh

This is some seriously kooky stuff—like Dr. Demento and Primus on the brown acid. There's something strangely compelling about it, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it. I'll round up from 2.5 for at least creating some interesting soundscapes.

Well, I didn’t hate it. I could hear how it influenced other bands in the future. It was much better than stereolab or Chemical brothers. It is musical but very odd. It feels like the precursor to They Might Be Giants or Jonathan Coulton. I could probably listen to this album again…and I’m really surprised by that.

Weird. Definitely have to be in the mood to listen

molto strano. Indeciso tra 3 e 4 stelle perchè apprezzo l'atmosfera bizzara e psichedelica ma non credo che lo ascolterei altre volte

#124. This album definitely gives off low budget horror movie vibes. Kinda reminds me of the movie Gummo actually in the way that while it's not that great and is slightly off-putting, I still can't look away. I'm drawn to it in some strange way. I saw that this album is pretty poorly rated, which surely means that the people that rated it so poorly just haven't yet heard the Butthole Surfers of Suicide albums on this playlist yet. Because while this was strange, it's light-years ahead of those two albums, which were literally just noise not even pretending to be music. I was going to give this a 2, but now I'm going to give it a 3 just to spite all you fuckers. 3/5: and I'll do it again

This was some weird fucking shit. Definitely one of the more out there albums on the list. I liked how subtly disorienting the music is, it's like an understated circus nightmare. And "Duck Stab" is probably the best name for an album ever.

Interesting experiment in atonality. Do not listen with a headache. Seems to flow well as an album but I was not in the mood to enjoy it.

Too weird for me!

Constantinople - 6/10 Sinister Exaggerator - 7/10 The Booker Tease - 7.5/10 Blue Rosebuds - 7.5/10 Laughing Song - 7/10 Bach is Dead - 8/10 Elvis and his Boss - 7/10 Lizard Lady - 7.5/10 Semolina - 7.5/10 Birthday Boy - 7/10 Weight Lifting Lulu - 7/10 Krafty Cheese - 7/10 Hello Skinny - 7/10 The Electrocutioner - 7/10 TOTAL - 92/140

Hearing the first few bars of this album, I just know the nerds on this website are gonna LOVE this. If art is supposed to make you feel something, this album makes me feel like I'm on a bad trip. Because of this it's hard to rate on a traditional scale. For enjoyment of listening I'd give it a 1/5. For making me think about music in general and talking about this band, this album and considering how it made me feel, easy 5/5. Grating but wonky in a proto-Primus way at some points. I did enjoy this a hell of a lot more than the T-Swift album I heard a month ago. This album definitely reminds the listener that art is subjective.