THE 12 DAYS OF BRUMALIA

By now, the production excellence of almost all recorded material, mainstream and not, is no "big" news for no one. In fact most of the times the concerns have to do more with if the production could have been better or if it was overly done. Because like it or not, excellent production is almost by rule now a "market device", which phantoms or enhances, the virtues or mediocrity of anyone, depending on your pick and taste.

But of course, when it comes to "The Residents", things could not have been better. As this "The 12 Days of Brumalia", fully demostrates. For 12 days, starting on December 25th, 2003, a new song was posted on Residents.com web site along with an illustration and a quote. At the end, the 12 songs were put together and released as a single "album".

Now, what usually happens to me, with great albums, is the same as with great books or films, I myself do not want to be foretold nothing about them. So, I will point some references, not to spoil no one's fun.

Imagine the intention of the "Commercial Album", with perfectly detailed arrangements, tainted with splashes of very RiO, very Resident like, string work, along great moments of pure contemporary electronics, some creative hard-electric guitar touches and catchy riffs, mixed up into a multi-oriented musical language, among a vast field of "covers" and original songwriting. All enhanced to unexpected levels, due to its "undercovered" excellent mastering and production. Really, even the satires and spoofs, sound like an alternate "serious" version of their originals, yet they remain spoofs and satires, The Resident's "midas" touch.

To close things down, 12 flawless, very inspired, rich and creative, fragmented-minimal songs, compressed into single songs, enhanced to the top, with great arrangements, very humorous details and a very creative use of "production".

That for me, adds up for a ****4, plus my review, PA stars project.

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