Upon a first listening, most people will respond to The Residents the way they would to smelling salts. Their songs can be as opaque, esoteric, and bizarre as Rosicrucianism, but perhaps the most puzzling aspect of the band is their Mafia-like code of silence about their identities. These living ciphers have remained among rock's avant-garde by branching into music videos (they were among the first to make them), movie scores, CD-ROMs, and even comic books. Concept albums and cover ...  [+]