The Voice of Midnight is an 2007 album by The Residents.
One in a series of "storyteller" concept albums inspired by the group's tastes in literature, The Voice of Midnight is inspired by the short story "Der Sandmann" by Prussian author E. T. A. Hoffmann.
The Voice of Midnight also debuts The Residents' conceptual alter-ego band The UGHS!, who would go on to release an album of their own in 2009.
History
The protagonist of the story is Nathaniel (or Nate), who carries a deep-seated fear that the childhood fable character, The Sandman, is stalking him. Nate's fiancee Claire is a steadfast realist.
Release
The first 500 copies of the CD came with a five track bonus EP entitled The Sandman Waits. The original plan was for it to be the included in the first 300 copies only, but so many people pre-ordered the album that The Cryptic Corporation and Mute opted to increase the print run.
Track listing
The Voice of Midnight
- Scene 1 (The Sandman) (8:33)
- Scene 2 (Mental Decay) (2:56)
- Scene 3 (Claire's Response) (3:23)
- Scene 4 (In The Dark) (3:12)
- Scene 5 (Professor Calligari) (1:25)
- Scene 6 (The Telescope) (5:53)
- Scene 7 (True Love) (11:06)
- Scene 8 (Seven Cats) (6:45)
- Scene 9 (Catatonia) (2:52)
- Scene 10 (The Proposal) (5:27)
- Scene 11 (The Tower) (5:44)
- Scene 12 (Epilogue) (3:11)
The Sandman Waits bonus EP (first 500 copies only)
- The Sandman Waits (3:56)
- Mr. Sandman (2:42)
- Dream Number 2 (3:48)
- Fly Me To The Moon (5:12)
- Mr. Sandman Again (5:57)