Commercial Album
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | StarStarStarStarFile:Star empty.svg[1] |
| Pitchfork | 7/10 |
Commercial Album is the seventh album released by the American experimental rock band the Residents in October 1980 by Ralph Records.
Background
The album is commonly considered a follow-up to their 1978 album Duck Stab/Buster & Glen, in that it retains the former's pop-oriented song structures. It contains 40 songs, each lasting exactly one minute – a deliberate satire of Top 40 mainstream radio. The album's liner notes state that, to form a complete pop song, tracks from the album should be played three times in a row.
The album features a number of guest musicians, notably drummer Chris Cutler and guitarist Fred Frith of the recently disbanded Henry Cow. The credits mention Frith as an "Extra-Hard Working Guest Musician." Frith told author Cole Gagne that he recorded parts for around 25 tracks and was later told by a band member that he appeared on at least 15 of the released cuts, but that he could only identify himself on three tracks on which he played bass.[2] Other guests are credited under pseudonyms, such as Andy Partridge of XTC (as "Sandy Sandwich") and Lene Lovich (as "Mud's Sis"); Brian Eno and David Byrne appear on the album uncredited.
As a promotional stunt, the Residents purchased 40 one-minute advertising slots on San Francisco's most popular Top 40 radio station at the time, KFRC, such that the station played each track on the album over the course of three days. This prompted an editorial in Billboard magazine questioning whether the act was art or advertising.[3]
Track listing
All tracks last exactly one minute, but with a three-second pause between songs making each last around 1:03. On the original LP, "Die in Terror" is incorrectly printed as track 14, between "The Nameless Souls" and "Love Leaks Out". Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Track listing/configuration' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Track listing/configuration' not found.
1988 CD bonus tracks
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- Tracks 41 and 42 are outtakes from the album, released separately as the Commercial Single.
- Track 44 was recorded for the 1980 Morgan Fisher project Miniatures.
- Tracks 45–48 were previously released on the 1983 compilation Residue.
- Track 49 was previously released as a single in 1984.
- Track 50 was previously released as a single in 1987.
2019 pREServed edition bonus tracks
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Personnel
- Guest musicians:
- Fred Frith: guitar on "Japanese Watercolor",[4] "Moisture",[5] and "The Coming of the Crow",[6] bass
- Special Appearances
- Chris Cutler – drums on "Love Leaks Out",[4] "Moisture",[5] and "The Coming of the Crow"[6]
- Don Jackovich – drums on "Love Leaks Out"[5]
- Sandy Sandwich (Andy Partridge) – vocals and guitar on "Margaret Freeman"[7]
- Mud's Sis (Lene Lovich) – special appearance[8]
- Snakefinger – "special appearance" on "Moisture",[5] vocals on "Ups and Downs"
- Secret Special Appearances
- Nessie Lessons – vocals on "Amber"[4]
- Brian Eno – synthesizer on "The Coming of the Crow"[9]
- David Byrne – backing vocals on "Suburban Bathers"[9]
- Cover design and art direction by Pore Know Graphics
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Commercial Album Review by Rick Anderson". AllMusic. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cole Gagne (1990). Sonic Transports. de Falco Books. p. 98. ISBN 0-9625145-0-0. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jack McDonough (November 15, 1980). Air Time, Ad Time Fuse In Residents' S.F. Promo. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 22–. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ a b c The Residents - Heaven? [RykoDisc RCD 20012] (1986) Track Credits
- ^ a b c d The Residents - Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses [Euro Ralph CD017] (1997) Track Credits
- ^ a b The Residents - Hell! [RykoDisc RCD 20013] (1986) Track Credits
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Hall, Oliver (September 23, 2016). "That time when XTC's Andy Partridge sang for the Residents". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ The Residents - Commercial Album [Mute, CDSTUMM243] (2004) Track Credits
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knipfel, Jim (2018). The Residents Sell Out [Commercial Album pREServed Liner Notes]. Cherry Red Records, MVD Entertainment Group, New Ralph Too. p. 2.
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