The Residents — Cube E Box

Over their nearing fifty-year career The Residents-  American’s top Avant-popster's have released a lot of concept albums, and  gone down more than a few theme rabbit holes. One of the more visually elaborate, and layered was Cube-E – The History Of American Music In 3 E-Z Pieces, this project spanned almost four years in the late ’80s/ early ’90s.  It was meant to do exactly what its sub-title said, tell the story of American popular music, from its birth around the campfires of the Old West to its death at the hands of Elvis and the British Invasion. Like with many of The Residents large/ far-reaching projects- it didn’t exactly fulfil its promise- but it did result in a stage show, a live album, and a studio album of Elvis cover versions. Here  from New Ralph Too/Cherry Red/ MVD Audio, as part of their pReseverved series- is a boxset covering all that was Cube E- including a whole host of rare/unreleased material- which in total takes in seven-discs, making this the largest release yet in the pReseverved series.

The set comes presented in a flip side sturdy box, which  has a primal white, blue and red colour scheme. Each of the seven discs come in their own slip sleeves, with a twenty-three-page colour booklet- taking in a new write-up about Cube E, and the unreleased material. Plus great stills from the stage show, studio paperwork & related paperwork.

Seemingly the origins of Cube E date back to 1987- when one of The Residents discovered a book of authentic cowboy songs & poems- this led to deeper research and they created a suite of songs themed around the old west-  entitled Buckaroo Blues- which got it’s first playing to the public(well Rez fans) when the tracks got released as part as a fan release, later the tracks got played live in late Nov 87. From here the collective worked on the other two parts of Cube E- the second been Black Barry, which focused on the blues & jazz, and a third The Baby King-  based around a selection of Elvis covers. From here the band planned a stage show taking in the three sections- and started the tour in late 1988 ending in late 1990- with the collective in all playing 80 shows across the US, Europe & the UK.

The two sonic/non-fan club releases initially spawned from the Cube E- was 1994’s Cube E: Live in Holland- this twenty-six track release which took in most of one live performance, then there was 1989’s The King & Eye- this was a twenty-one track studio album which brought together the collective distinctive take on Elvis songs, as well five spoken-word interludes detailing the Kings story & why he was seen as a king.

So moving onto the boxset layout- On disc one  we have the Buckaroo Blues song cycle from Cube E: Live in Holland, and ten bonus tracks. Here we, of course, get the collectives take on cowboy songs/ poems, but they are fed through with The Residents distinctive sound/ way of working- and due to the period it’s very synthetic- with your typical cowboy guitars/ soundworld replaced by galloping synths, piping synthetic horn-work, jaunting & off-kilter keys/ synth strings- edged with some light percussion, and of course the instantly recognizable Resident singers southern twang vocals. The ten bonus tracks are most worthy of a fans time-as we get different versions of sets tracks, instrumental versions, and live recordings. With a total disc runtime of seventy-seven minutes.

Moving onto disc two and we have the Black Barry song cycle from Cube E: Live in Holland, and eleven bonus tracks. This, of course, is meant to be the collectives take on Blues/ jazz- with blends of sampled gospel chants & vocalising, synthetic percussion that nods to both blues & jazz,  more darting/ jaunting keyboard work, touches of guitar & more smoked/ rough singing Rez vocalising. On the bonus side, we get a nice selection of early song versions, rehearsals, studio jams, more live tracks. With a total disc runtime of sixty-five minutes.

Disc three takes in the Baby King song cycle from Cube E: Live in Holland, and eight bonus tracks. And here we, of course, get the first take on the Elvis songs and the surrounding story/dialogue which sees an old man talking to his grandchildren about the king. I’ll have to admit that these initially takes on the tracks feel a little too rough, ready & sonically messy- with churning blend of organ, synths, wavering-to-bayed vocals & snaking percussion. The bonus tracks here are a good enough selection of alternative/ demo versions, and live recordings.

Disc four & five take in full recordings of the whole of Cube E from 1989 recording in San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre- the first disc runs forty-nine minutes and takes in the first two song cycles broken into just two tracks. The second disc runs sixty-eight minutes-taking in, of course, The Baby King cycle– this is split into three tracks, plus a bonus track. There’s no doubt this is the ultimate version of the Cube E live show- and it’s great to have it in this set.

Disc six takes in the 1989 album The King & Eye, plus seven bonus tracks. The original twenty-one track album found the project perfectly distilling their versions of selected Elvis tracks. And as with any of thier covers, their takes are largely unlike the originals- with different intonation on the vocals, contrasting instrumental arrangements, and a general shift in tone. So even if you hate Elvis, but you enjoy The Residents sonic take on things you’ll have a lot of time for this record, as they well & truly have that Rez flavour. Personally, favourites here come in the form of “Don’t Be Cruel” with it’s jiving and darting electro groove-meets jaunting (un) easy synth lines. “Return To Sender” which finds brooding-yet-bounding keys & bass lines, blended with a snapping beat & the singers sinister to lightly sneering vocals. “Big Of Hunk O Love” with it’s choppy & catastrophic synths, playful-yet-uneasy bass line, and lose ‘n’ wail guitar soloing. The bonus track takes in a selection of the tracks from the 2004 King & Eye. With this disc total runtime coming in at seventy-four minutes

Disc seven, the final disc in the set is the King & Eye demos- this takes in twenty-two tracks, and sixty-five minutes of music. And as you expect with both the Elvis covers, and the spoken word tracks- things are decidedly rough & ready. I’d say sonically the songs feel quite close to something like the third Mole record The Big Bubble, with their bounding 'n' churning instrumentation and at points the singing Rez spouting gobbledygook & wailing. The vocals are very loud in the mix, with the instrumental detail feeling a little tinny- but it’s nice to hear these song in a different setting/ context.

In finishing the Cube E box is certainly one of the most complete studies of a project/ period of the Residents yet with the Cryptic corp via Cherry Red/ MVD Audio giving you everything you could ever hope/ want. Sure there is a lot of repetition of material here, but the set certainly gives a full over sight of all Cube E was. Maybe not a boxset for a newbie Residents fan, but if like me you’re a long time follower of all things the eyeballed ones have done,you'll be happy as a-pig-in-you-know what with this boxset.