Snakefinger - Chewing Hides The Sound (Deluxe) (2024)

English avant-guitarist Philip Charles Lithman, aka Snakefinger, began an association with the Residents in 1969, before the group even had that name. The Residents co-produced his two albums with Snakefinger. Chewing Hides Sound from 1979 includes a cover of Kraftwerk's "The Model." This is very appropriate because both groups relied heavily on mechanical, angular rhythms and lyrics loaded with more visual metaphor than meaning, like "Jesus Was a Leprechaun." This is the peculiar and unique material of a cult guitarist extraordinaire. Each song is a quirky island in a sea of sonic oddity. "Here Comes the Bums" is hip and cool while "Who Is the Culprit and Who Is the Victim?" is tense and neurotic. A listen to this album forces consideration of his immense contribution to the Residents' sound. © Tom Schulte