Search - Residents :: Fingerprince

A Fine Coleectionof Seminal Pieces

Kevin Kunreuther | Dallas TX | 07/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fingerprince, aka Tourniquet Of Roses, now that it includes much of what was on the Babyfingers E.P., is a classic seminal Residents release. Much of what is on this album is expanded upon exponentially on later Residents albums. The twisted nursery rhyme pop ditties paved way for Duck Stab/Buster & Dave and The Commercial Album. The narrative pop opera of Walter Westinghouse led the way for such epics as Mark Of The Mole and God In Three Persons. The bookends of You Yesyesyes point towards their later work with Snakefinger on The Big Bubble and Snakefinger's early albums.

Besides being a launching pad for the Residents' further creativity, this is also a fascinating and enjoyable album. What was once considered strange and avant garde is almost quaint these days I suppose, but the soundscapes behind the odd strange humourous lyrics and ideas is sheer aural pleasure. Six Things To A Cycle is a brilliant fusion of western composition and Indonesian Gamelan syncopation that has combines several haunting themes that burn into one's mind and lingers for weeks on internal autoplay. The aforementioned You Yesyesyes and it's sister piece You Yesyesyes Again are beautifully funny and sad melancholy themes.

An album where that charts out the group's future journey as it begins its travels all over the muiscal map, I recommend this to any acsual or adventurous listener."

Enjoyable stuff

theslime | DUBLIN | 03/01/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album is one of their best, along with the commercial album and duck stab/buster and glen. It's got all the things that make the residents what they are. The wacky instrumentation and the funny voices especially. Some nice enough tunes here. Yesysyes is pretty good, and has a bit when they play the 'third man' theme tune ...couldn't tell you what instrument though, it sounds very strange. Godsong is very good, my personal favourite. Really good lyrics and vocals, heavy thudding bass playing, and crappy sounding piano. walter westinghouse is a good song with loads of funny voices. six things to a cycle is a decent exercise in percussion. There are other enjoyable tunes too like tourniquet of roses and bossy, there are no really bad songs here..it's worth the listen. Thank you"

Les claypool ought to get an attorney

Dennis York | Vancouver,WA | 04/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i think the title of the review sums it up quite nicely.

the early "residents" recordings are their best,imho and "fingerprince" might be the best of all.

les claypool must've listened to this record 10,000 times."