Even by today’s standards the early Residents records are an acquired taste. When they were first starting they seemed more interested in sounds colliding and using the musical instruments for percussive purposes than creating songs that people could hum to. The sound collages they created were more about art than song and it appears that working on The Third Reich N’ Roll taught them more than a little about song craft. Meet The Residents is definitely in the realm of avant-garde soundscapes when compared with latter song-oriented records like Duck Stab and The Commercial Album.

Presented on disc one is the original 1974 mono mix of the album. Jarring in some parts and quite beautiful in others, it incorporates several musical genres in its cavalcade of sound assaults. While not as easy on the ear as later releases would be, it’s an engrossing experience and lays the groundwork for themes and approaches they would elaborate on later. Also on hand is the band’s willingness to use any kind of instrument to create a sonic environment from an old-timey thumbtack piano and banjos to electric guitars and synthesizers. The bonus tracks include their wonderful first single release Santa Dog plus outtakes. Disc two presents Meet The Residents in its 1977 stereo version. All the elements from the original tracks were reassembled for stereo and this is considered by the band to be an accurate and faithful reconstruction even though it is edited by about 7 minutes. For fans new to the band this may be the more sonically satisfying version to absorb first. More outtakes round out disc two.

The remastered discs sound fantastic. The sound and bonus material are enough to warrant an upgrade but the art and packaging are outstanding as well and includes an informative booklet with band photos and art.