Ralph US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Heavy duty stuff in all senses, The Residents channelled feeling following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US into this three-part concept album. Divided into 'Loss', 'Denial', and, finally, 'The Three Metaphors'. It's as powerful a listen now as it was back in 2002, when it landed on the ears of art rockers and others shellshocked by one of the most significant political events of the post-Cold War period. While there's always been a melancholy to The Residents, this is particularly audible here, although it's delivered through fascinating juxtapositions - the 1980s funk-esque of 'Wolverines', the Parisian pop of 'The Weatherman', the eerie soundscapes on 'Ghost Child', the Broadway balladry of 'The Car Thief'. A fantastic, dense listening experience, which is only elevated by the true meaning and message.