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Mark of the Mole

by The Residents

Released: September 29, 1981

Experimental, Industrial music

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Recording Conflict.

The Album

The liner notes of The Big Bubble (billed as "Part Four of the Mole Trilogy") reveal that the war ended without a decisive victor, and the Moles and Chubs coexist in an uneasy peace into the next generation. "Mark of the Mole" is the eighth studio album by the American art rock group The Residents, released in 1981 on Ralph Records. This album is the first in what was planned as a trilogy of six albums, featuring a narrative centered around a conflict between two rival groups, the Moles and the Chubs.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

Mark of the Mole introduces the Moles, a…

Mark of the Mole introduces the Moles, a subterranean society whose deities promise salvation through hard labor.

At the start of the album, the Moles…

At the start of the album, the Moles are forced to leave their tunnels due to flooding and enter the land of the Chubs, a hedonistic culture living under the sea.

The Moles seek work and a new home…

The Moles seek work and a new home, and initially, they are welcomed by the Chubs, who disdain hard labor.

Conflict arises when a Chub scientist invents a…

Conflict arises when a Chub scientist invents a machine capable of performing the work the Moles used to do, rendering the Moles obsolete.

This innovation leads to a brief war between…

This innovation leads to a brief war between the two groups.

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The Residents - Mark of the Mole

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The Complete Album Story

"Mark of the Mole" is the eighth studio album by the American art rock group The Residents, released in 1981 on Ralph Records. This album is the first in what was planned as a trilogy of six albums, featuring a narrative centered around a conflict between two rival groups, the Moles and the Chubs.

Mark of the Mole introduces the Moles, a subterranean society whose deities promise salvation through hard labor. At the start of the album, the Moles are forced to leave their tunnels due to flooding and enter the land of the Chubs, a hedonistic culture living under the sea. The Moles seek work and a new home, and initially, they are welcomed by the Chubs, who disdain hard labor.

Conflict arises when a Chub scientist invents a machine capable of performing the work the Moles used to do, rendering the Moles obsolete. This innovation leads to a brief war between the two groups. The album concludes with the short instrumental track "Resolution?", which does not provide a clear ending to the narrative. The liner notes of The Big Bubble (billed as "Part Four of the Mole Trilogy") reveal that the war ended without a decisive victor, and the Moles and Chubs coexist in an uneasy peace into the next generation.