THE BLOWOFF

The Blowoff is a single CD that was available originally only as a bonus CD that was attached to the back cover of the "Freak Show" graphic novel released back in 1992 by Dark Horse Comics. It was later made available through the Ralph America catalog. It consists of 1 track just over 13 minutes long. The book was released as a companion to the "Freak Show" album.

In circus freak shows, a blowoff is a deeper part of the show which people usually needed to pay more money to see. The track itself is a piece that collects ideas and themes from the band's recording sessions for the Freak Show album. It is mostly instrumental, but there are also a few processed vocals which are high pitched and layered to make harmonics. There is also some spoken words of a carny announcing the side show. There are also crowd noises presumably inserted to represent the audience to this freak show. There is also a section with some moaning and groaning, you know, of an adult nature.

The music itself consists of synthesized themes done electronically, and some percussion. The music has got that circus feel to it, and even though it is joyful, it has a dark undertone to it. I'm not sure if the percussion is on real drums, but it does sound like it. All of the rest of the music is produced by synthesizers, but it is a bit more complex than the more synthesized simple music the band put out in the 80s. At the 11 minute mark, there are actually some sung lyrics, by the usual Residents vocalist, which tells a story that was probably written for the Freak Show album.

The CD also included an advertisement and membership for the UWEB fan club site, which went defunct shortly after the book/CDs release.

Admittedly, it is one of the band's more interesting synthesized songs, but it is questionable if it is something that would be of interest to anyone other than fans. Of course, collectors will have to have it, but I can't see it being of interest to any other people.