Customer Reviews

George & James

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

At first I thought the American Composer Series was a stupid idea, well this album rocks! The George side includes 3 awesome covers of his works and is great to mellow-out to. The James side is good too. I thought his voice would be totally unbearable, but I actually kinda like it. Worth it for "I'll Go Crazy" alone.

Why do many people not like this cd? I am a long time Residents fan and it is one of my favorites by them. The George side is very soothing and respectful of the original material, with just the right touch of their trademark creepiness. The James side is an absolute stunner. That voice!!! I crack up every time I hear "I wanna hear you say OWWWWWWW"You should give it another chance.

Unfortunately, this album dates from that stretch during the 1980s when the Eyeboys descended into smarm and concealed their lack of inspiration via grating digital synths. (Those synths mar an otherwise decent cover of "Rhapsody in Blue.") Still, the group's trusted old cartoonish, narcoleptic beats--and its lead singer's trusted old cartoonish, narcoleptic voice, further slowed down electronically, and sometimes hilariously, during the James Brown medley--just about save George and James from total stinkerdom, hence my rating's generous extra star. Still (again), I'll probably end up selling my copy of this CD.

as much as I appreciate The Residents, this has to be one of their worst albums.. probably the second worst (that honor for first goes to Big Bubble).. The Gershwin side is ok.. next to the James Brown side, it is almost reverential. The James Brown side is horrendous-- it is just plain bad, and I will venture to say that it is bordering on racist.

The Gershwin tracks are minimalist deconstructions sounding a bit clinical although they have their eerie and atmospheric phases. The James Brown interpretations have their amusing moments, especially in the audience participation and I suppose they go a long way to deconstructing James Brown' legendary Live At The Apollo set, but of course it lacks soulfulness, thereby completely missing out on the essence of James Brown's music. Maybe that is the point? The structure is there, but it's like a mere skeleton without the flesh of the soul, with the possible exception of Night Train which is quite rousing. I can't imagine this music having anything but an intellectual appeal. I prefer The Residents with Snakefinger doing their own stuff. The other album in this American Composer Series: Stars & Hank Forever, is more accessible and enjoyable.

Stars & Hank Forever: The American Composers Series, Vol. II

The Gershwin tracks are minimalist deconstructions sounding a bit clinical although they have their eerie phases. The James tracks have their amusing moments, especially in the audience participation and I suppose they go a long way to deconstructing James Brown' legendary Live At The Apollo set, but of course it lacks soulfulness, thereby completely missing out on the point of James Brown's music. The structure is there, but it's like a mere skeleton without the flesh of the soul, with the possible exception of Night Train which is quite rousing. I can't imagine this music having anything but an intellectual appeal. Rather give me The Residents with Snakefinger doing their own stuff!

It is unfortunate that such a good idea as the Residents doing reworking of other's music did not work out any better than the first few cuts of the Stars and Hank recording. This recording, like Stars and Hank, was originally released as a plastic LP with one side being the George Gershwin and the other a reworking of the James Brown "Live at the Apollo".

It starts out promising enough, with an air siren melding into the first few notes of George Gershwin's masterpiece "Rhapsody in Blue" (a decent job by the Residents). Unfortunately, the rest of the Gershwin works pale quickly.

The James Brown side is amusing, for a bit... but never quite makes it as a decent parody of the works of that troubled artist.

Two stars, but not recommended.

Bought this as I am a great Residents fan - but really don't know why they bothered issuing it. Total mish-mash and like the previous reviewer I don't think I will hang onto it or listen to it again (a real shame when WORMWOOD was such a great album and tour.... ) A bit of 'scraping the bottom of the barrel' here! Sorry - I wanted to like it, thats why I had Amazon zoom it over to me in England the day it came out (it is almost impossible to buy Residents albums in the UK without breaking the bank!)