Snakefinger, Greener Postures (side A)

1980's Greener Postures is a bit less overwhelming than Snakefinger's debut Chewing Hides the Sound, but it's still a weird, cool record. His guitar playing continues to cross avant-strangeness with classic rock progressions, and the Residents' backing gives a surprisingly new-wave context to the album. The songwriting is a bit uneven, but the highlights like "The Man in the Dark Sedan" stand out, and other songs like "Jungle Princess" are surprising and cool. These songs also have some overt vocal melodies, and Snakefinger isn't quite a natural lead vocalist when he delivers them. The cover art uses memorable pinks and greens (before it was preppy). The album tries to sound bigger than it achieves, and ends up sounding a bit clumsy and odd (though not bad).