The Residents
River of Crime
Cordless
One foot in the past, one in the future; The Residents have always bridged worlds. Art and rock, rock and surrealism, and now physical and on-line distribution. River of Crime consists of a series of 15-minute long narrative episodes about a man fascinated and dogged by crime. While not a criminal himself, he grew up fascinated by the electric chairs and the sorts of people who populated them. Unlike earlier Residents concepts, these stories are clearly told, with a beginning, middle and end. They could be monologues, but the peripheral characters and a weird Greek Chorus make each episode more of a radio drama than an art-rock experience.
I received the first two episodes on physical CD. They are “The Kid Who Collected Crime” and “Gator Hater.” Each is a bit of a thriller with a nifty ending which I won’t spoil, but I will say this: they are complex stories that need a quiet space for listening. Having friends pipe up and say “What the hell is this?” won’t add to your enjoyment. Get the disc, or download these from one of the usual on-line sources, and listen to them privately, or with your other Residents Fan Club friends.
The Residents: http://www.riverofcrime.residents.com • Cordless Records: http://www.cordless.com
