December 12, 2018 Playlist

"The Third Reich & Roll" by The Residents (1976)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
The Residents "The Third Reich 'n' Roll"  1976 (USA)
The Residents could be the weirdest group of all time, and they are certainly the most obscure. Or at least they were before age and the Internet caught up with them: in 2017 Hardy Fox identified himself as the primary composer (it had long been known he was recording engineer and graphic artist for the group), and then a year later he died. Sleuths have deduced that Homer Flynn is probably the identity of the singer/lyricist; the identities of other folks who may have been through the group over their 40+ year career are still a bit of a mystery, and rumours include members of bands like The Mothers of Invention, Devo and even Dead Kennedys. But for most of the group's career, the folks behind the project remained totally anonymous, not granting interviews or being photographed except when performing in weird costumes (most famously giant eyeballs with legs and tophats) as they still do to this day (the most recent Residents album and tour was 2017). Founded in the late 1960's in the San Francisco area by hippie exiles from Louisiana, the Residents first performed in 1971 and self-released their first record in 1972. Their bizarre music creates a totally unique sound-world, comparable perhaps to Captain Beefheart - you might even say Residents did with pop melodies and harmonies what Beefheart did with rhythm and blues (made them crazy strange!) My favorite Residents album is this week's CAOTW, because it consists of two side-long suites comprised of medleys of 1960's garage nuggets and pop hits - James Brown, Leslie Gore, The Swinging Medallions and more are weaved into a very strange tapestry indeed. And then they top it off with an album cover depicting "Rock's Nice Guy" Dick Clark in a nazi uniform surrounded by dancing Hitlers (some of whom are wearing dresses)!
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
The Velvet UndergroundFoggy NotionVUrec. 1969, rel. 1984USA
Gang of FourNatural's Not In ItEntertainment!1979UK
Mission of BurmaFun WorldVs.1982USA
Exit Group Constant PunishmentAdverse Habitat (N)2018 (Castle Face)Germany
Death GripsTurned OffThe Powers That B2015USA
William Shatner (with Todd Rundgren) Winter WonderlandShatner Claus (N)2018 (Cleopatra)Canada (Quebec)
/USA
 
 
Tropical Fuck Storm You Let My Tyres DownA Laughing Death In Meatspace (N)2018 (Joyful Noise)Australia
OCS (Thee Oh Sees) Memory Of A Cut Off Head (live)Live In San Francisco (N)2018 (Rock Is Hell)USA
The Intelligence Estate Sales / Janitor (live)Live In San Francisco (N)2018 (Castle Face)USA
The Callas with Lee Ranaldo MirroirTrouble And Desire (N)2018 (Inner Ear/Dirty Water)Greece/USA
Charles Bradley Stay AwayBlack Velvet (N)2018 (Daptone)USA
   
 
Poppy (featuring Grimes) Play DestroyAm I A Girl? (N)2018 (Mad Decent/I'm Poppy)USA/Canada
Grimes We Appreciate Power
(co-written by Poppy???)		single (N - forthcoming album)2018 (4AD)Canada
Daoko (with TeddyLoid)Daisuki  ("Like Very Much")single2016Japan
BABYMETAL Starlightsingle (N)2018 (Amuse/Toy's Factory)Japan
Haru Nemuri Yume Wo Miyou ("Seeing The Dream")Haru To Shura (N)2018 (Perfect)Japan
Unknown Mortal Orchestra Hanoi 4
   --> Hanoi 5		IC-01 Hanoi (N)2018 (Jagjaguwar)New Zealand
   
 
Captain Beefheart & The Magic BandBrickbatsDoc At The Radar Station1980USA
AshraLotus (parts I - IV)Blackouts1978Germany
Miles Davis (with Sonny Sharrock)Yesternow (excerpt)A Tribute To Jack Johnson1971USA
Rahsaan Roland KirkThe Inflated TearThe Inflated Tear1967USA
Thelonious Monk Quartet with John ColtraneTrinkle TinkleMonk And Tranerec. 1957, rel. 1961Germany
   
 
The ResidentsSwastikas On Parade (a medley of 60's hits)The Third Reich 'n' Roll
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		1976USA
Frank ZappaLumpy Gravy (excerpt)Lumpy Gravy1967USA
FaustMeadow MealFaust1971Germany
The Residents(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)single (bonus track on The Third Reich 'n' Roll CD)1978USA
   
 
William Shatner (with Ian Anderson) Silver BellsShatner Claus (N)2018 (Cleopatra)Canada (Quebec)
/UK
      
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