THE KING & EYE

So, this is a tough one. It is genius and hilarious what The Residents are doing here, but it's hard to tell if they are paying homage to Elvis, or making fun sometimes. This is an album full of Elvis covers, with the typical (usually) minimalistic approach. They dismantle the songs, make them dark, occasionally throw some loud and strange guitar passages in there. Throughout the album, there is some spoken word skits where a person is sitting there telling the story of the King with some children listening in and making comments. KInd of a strange bedtime story.

The covers are interesting, but the album gets old fast. As much as you want to like what you are hearing, the rendering of the songs by what seems to be satirical takes on the music, it tends to run on too long, and it also is not an album you will want to listen to very often. However, hearing the songs this way emphasizes the darkness of some of the lyrics, while with others, the rendering changes the meanings completely. There are some very decent tracks here however, namely "Devil in Disguise", "Little Sister", "His Latest Flame" (with a surprisingly emotional guest vocalist) and "Viva Las Vegas". But the few high points here don't save the overall album.

I am surprised that you don't hear much mention from reviewers, professional or amateur, about how there are suggestions of religious sarcasm here, how there are hints of comparisons with Jesus and God, but if you listen to the story and the way the songs are delivered, surely you will hear this. Just another way The Residents make fun of music and society.

Anyway, it is an interesting concept, but it loses it's appeal after so long and it has a very short appeal as far as returning to the album later. It is kind of fun to play for Elvis fans though and a sick joke. Anyway, we'll give this one 3 stars. Good, but not terrific.