Not Available

I can die a happy man. Not only do we get Not Available sounding incredible, plus live tracks, plus beautiful packaging we get a whole new album on the bonus disc.. This isn’t a minor twiddling of the source material, it’s the Not Available suite broken into its constituent parts - 4 becomes 19 tracks. It sounds more organic - gorgeous harps, accordion and piano replacing synths. Familiar lyrics are expanded, rewritten - you finally get a sense of the narrative. Track 17 is possibly the most sublime 2 minutes you’ll ever hear. The one after that sounds like Neutral Milk Hotel, way before the fact. Just an amazing release - the best tenner you’ll ever spend - give it a go if you’re new to The Eyeballs, if you already love them, you’ll already have this.

One of their best 10/10

A Residents album from the golden age. All their early albums are good - but this one along with Third Reich n Roll - is the best. The band put a lot of their prettiest melodies into this one, some of it reminds me of Tubular Bells. The arrangements are groundbreaking and sublime. The voices - which can occasionally irritate on some of their records - are used to perfect effect here. It's plain there's some sort of storyline going on but what it I've never been able to work out. My first girlfriend bought me this for xmas (on vinyl natch) when it first came out in 1978. Actually - that first pressing with the purple label is pretty rare as they were mispressed (anorak alert!). Anyway - I'm sure this is one of the most accessible things the Residents ever did.... despite the weirdness, the sinister voices and the darkness - there's lots of fun to be had here. The band were really onto something during this period. I like them just about up to the Mole trilogy - after that, not so much.

Nice on time

this was the first album that i ever heard by my now beloved residents and it has remained a firm favorite. it is just so hauntingly dark and murky especailly 'the making of a soul' with its brilliant wailing sax intro. the lyrics are damn strange and i havent a clue what it is about but who cares- it is what it is. BUY OR DIE!!!!!!!!!!

This is one those albums that is almost impossible to make any form of rational review of. Not Available is my first Residents record having been fascinated for years by their bizarre image and secretive existence. As far as I know little is known of who the band really are which fuels the fascination. Musically it sits in a Beefheartian / Can world, leftfield in the extreme, with none of the 'normal' song structure types observed. As someone says it's a movement, a mini opera of sorts, but goodness only knows what on earth is going on at its heart. Either way it's a beautiful avant garde curiosity which is certainly well worthy of investigation by those who like having their musical mind expanded.

Hoy en día este album es un gran ejemplo de un periodo importante en la carrera de The Residents. Sonoridad muy creativa e innovadora

Wundervoll

Questa edizione (MVD) contiene circa 7 minuti (totale minuti 42:28) in più rispetto a quella originale (totale minuti 35:35). Non sono bonus tracks; i brani sono sempre 5 ed inglobano le parti tagliate (di qualità, ripeto, di qualità). Opinione personale: credo che gli autori le abbiano tagliate perché appesantivano ciò che avevano in mente (la versione definitiva). Infine, se amate Not Available, consiglio certamente l’acquisto di questa versione dopo aver acquistato l’”originale”. Nel retro della custodia trovate questa scritta: "Special edition! - Contains 7 minutes edited out of the original version!"

What's different about this CD than all the other pressings that have preceded it? THAT'S the question. We all know that this is a Residents classic, and to this reviewer's ears, the best record they have put out in their 30+ year career. (Perhaps that's because it is the first Residents record I ever bought, way way back when it was released. But I digress.) So what IS different? This CD adds over 7 minutes of material that has been removed from every other pressing. That's EVERY other release. To Residents fans, this is like Beatles fans finding a third side to "Abbey Road." (Before you go ranting in the comments section, telling me how ridiculous that analogy is; it's a JOKE, Beatles fans! A JOKE! Tee hee?) And YES, you can tell the difference. Especially in "The Making of a Soul," and "Never Known Questions." It is a remarkable version to hear. The other pressings' running time was a little over 35 minutes. THIS CD's running time is over 42. That's 20% more music. You read that correctly: 20% MORE! But it does beg the question; what else are we missing from OTHER Residents classics? Are there more songs on FINGERPRINCE (their second best record in this reviewer's opinion)? Perhaps a fourth side? Why haven't they released "Meet the Residents" in its original mono, for example, with ITS original running time?? [12/7/11 update: The Residents DID, in fact, finally put out "Meet the Residents" on CD with its original running time. I don't think it's mono, but who cares? They finally restored what had been cut from the first pressing of 1,000 on vinyl. Is is possible that they read this review???? Ummm.... no. I highly doubt it. By the way... their new CD "Coochie Break" is fantastic!] I'm glad the Residents, Ralph, and MVD are doing this. This reviewer, for one, thinks that the Residents are making a HUGE mistake by making their music available only by download (and through Amazon... though they ARE CD-Rs, or DVD-Rs as is the case with "Randy's Ghost Stories.") Residents fans are, mostly, people of a certain age (...ahem). The generation that wants a tangible product to listen to. We're not really into the whole "download-only" thing. When we could no longer get good ol' LPs, then CDs sufficed for years and years. And now the Residents tell us they're not releasing actual product anymore, but only downloads via their website. Perhaps that's why I'm so pleased with the job MVD Audio/Ralph did with re-releasing this seminal Residents album. [12/7/11 another update: they now have a store where you can buy CD-Rs, and I'm not too happy with the way they're releasing their new Ralph America limited editions, which the band said were not going to manufacture anymore. Guess what? The limited editions are baaaaack. And this reviewer is flabbergasted at they way they're being sold. Who ever thought that one day, The Residents would be concerned about making as much money for the LE CDs as possible? Are they, gulp, closet Capitalists?] Please, please keep the new CDs coming! And the extra 7 minutes that had been originally edited out make this a double (or is it triple?) dip well worth shelling out for. And the sound quality itself is outstanding. Take note, MVD and Residents. Take note. To sum it up: An absolutely essential release for every Residents fan. And without going into a review of the actual songs, compositions, lyrics, music (believe me; I'm well aware that other people, people much more qualified than I, have already done that), I do NOT consider it hyperbole to call this one of the most important records of the avant-guarde/no wave/new wave (or just plain alternative to top 40). Without overstating its impact on THIS reviewer, "Not Available" changed my life. So having seven extra minutes, to me, is a no-brainer as to whether or not to buy yet another CD pressing. I hope you take a chance. To paraphrase someone whom I have no idea, who originated the quote: Yes, the Residents [and esp "Not Available"] are an acquired taste. But it's a taste well worth acquiring.

Exelente disco