TITLE IN LIMBO (WITH RENALDO AND THE LOAF)

Being a huge fan of both bands I found this to be a bit of a deflating let down. It seems to have caught both parties off guard, unsure as to quite what's happening in either camp. It should have sounded a lot better than this, that's for sure.

Apparently recorded in just four days in 1981 when 'Renaldo and the Loaf' were on 'holiday' in San Francisco. This lay dormant for two years as it was unfinished at that time until the 'Residents'. encountering serious financial difficulties decided to put some vocals on top of these initial recordings. 'Renaldo and the Loaf' in turn sent tape manipulations to the 'Residents' via post.

You can understand then why this can be interpreted as a messy state of affairs which is all too obvious in the finished article. It all sounds kind of disjointed and staccato. There are small moments of brilliance during 'Sitting in the Sand' with it's wobbly electronics, 'Snakefinger' guitars, high pitched backing vocals and demented Residents wailing. Super stuff. However it's all over too soon. And at just 34 minutes in duration many may feel they're getting a bit of a raw deal in buying this.

It still sounds 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest' crazy, but doesn't have the amusing insanity of 'Renaldo and the Loaf' and lacks the frantic energy of the 'Residents'. "Title in Limbo' remains a somewhat lifeless and limp recording considering their previous output. There's an odd minimalism throughout that just doesn't fit.

For 'Renaldo and the Loaf' check out 81's magnificent 'Songs for Swinging Larvae' - one of the most extreme demented albums you'll ever flap your ears to. As for 'The Residents' - they plummeted into great decline at this point for reasons unknown.

I guess we've just been spoiled with the brilliance of each artist up until this point. This is one to forget I'm afraid. It doesn't work and neither band synchronizes with the other.