Ok . MORE Arthur Russell (But This Is Great)

Arthur's not on this 2013-released version of the Russell-Elodie Lauten "In The Light of The Miracle," but it's pleasingly AResque, starting w Lauten's vocals & the setting for same:

This new version for Wilde Calm uses Chicago house music as the starting point and features Lauten on vocals and keys, Nirosta Steel (Steven Hall) on additional vocals, Peter Zummo on trombone, and production/arranging by Pocketknife.
L.A.'s Gifted & Blessed (Gifted and Blessed, Wild Oats, Eglo) references Lauten's more well-known compositions and takes the dance floor of "Miracle 2" out into the cosmos.

Finally picked up my copy today. Have a feeling it's going to be a bit beyond my depths on bost the music theory and the Buddhism fronts--it was if I remember correctly first published a decade or more ago as a PhD dissertation. But I'm still very curious.

― Soundslike,

Yes I got it as a free download off his site years ago. I thought it was excellent.

aw yeah

"Corn", "Iowa Dream" and "World Of Echo" are all back in stock today for Bandcamp Friday.

If you are in the UK/EU "Corn" and "Love Is Overtaking Me" are available for the first time today on vinyl via our licensee Rough Trade Records.

A new album of previously unreleased World of Echo era recordings has been mastered for release sometime in 2023.

As ever thank you all for your support!

in other news Strut's Disco Not Disco compilation just got repressed, minus Steve Miller's Macho City for some reason (probably licensing)

Can't overstate the impact that had in 2000, on Russell fandom, on dance music in general. Total game changer. I already had a bunch of Russell stuff but had never heard that edit of Kiss Me Again. I played it over and over and over again.

A new album of previously unreleased World of Echo era recordings has been mastered for release sometime in 2023.

BOOM!!!

Ermahgerd

Where does that come from? Can't find it on Audika/Steve's Twitter or Facebook or the Audika website...

Nevermind, saw it on Audika's Bandcamp community page

yeah I got it as a Bandcamp update from Audika

there should be a law against reissuing any more arthur russell until the 15 min “tell you today pt 1 + 2” gets reissued

i remember reading about recording sessions for a loose joint album in the liner notes for either world of Arthur russel or calling out of context. Can we get some of that? how many songs were recorded?

loose joints

was just reading an interview with Steve D'Acquisito where he says they recorded an entire double album's worth of stuff

there was an excerpt from a track called "Let's Go Play Baseball" on a radio broadcast a while back, upthread somewhere

omg ANOTHER ONE

https://arthurrussell.bandcamp.com/album/picture-of-bunny-rabbit

God I love that lead track

This Sunday from 2-7pm celebrate the life and work of American composer, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell (1951-1992).
Join DJs Lucia Santos and Georgia Dillane as they dive into Arthur’s discography, collaborations and interviews with those who keep his music alive pic.twitter.com/EbudMFVguw

— WKCR-FM NY (@WKCRFM) May 20, 2023

So excited--got my copy of 'Picture of Bunny Rabbit' in the mail a week early, for some reason!

Only been waiting for the 'World of Echo'-era demos teased in the liner notes to WOE's Audika reissue since 2004, so could've survived another week, but I'll take it! About to listen now...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fy7sB-OXoAAbFMR?format=jpg&name=large

So first thoughts (best thoughts?):

Obviously not the place anyone would *start* with Arthur's music. But for those deeply in love with 'World of Echo,' is's mostly a warm fuzzy blanket of loveliness, with some sonic wrinkles and combinations not heard from him before. Then there's one track (really a series of several fragments) that suggests yet another Arthur-invented genre unto itself he could've explored at length (and who knows, maybe did) that sounds entirely new, and not much like anything I've heard before--very glitchy, droney, kinetic but somewhat darker and more menacing than anything else he made.

Of course, I would--but I love it.

Cool beans, loose jointz---and thanks! Looking fwd even more now.

me too! and I was already looking forward to it rather a lot

ilx alum Philip Sherburne conducts a very good interview with Steve Knutson:
https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/arthur-russell-picture-of-bunny-rabbit-interview/

this is incredible

it sure is

the interview or the release?

this is one of the best interviews i've ever read tbh. love Knuston so much

haven't heard the release yet even though WoE and bunny rabbits are my 2 favorite things.

will be really bummed if this turns out to be the last big audika project

i can walk to the NYPL performing arts library from my apartment in about 40 mins, been meaning to spend a day in the archive for years but haven't got around to it. always wanted to hear the 45 minute Being It that Tom Lee has talked about his obsession with.

god this is beautiful

how are these all so good??

The version of In The Light of a Miracle, his voice and the vocal melody, so totally beautiful

you'd think at this point they'd be scraping through the dregs, i'm just amazed

there are a LOT of tapes. i pre-ordered this but my copy appears to have gone awol. :(

With this now out there, I'm feeling the urge to compile an album-length "follow-up" album to 'World of Echo,' using cello & voice tracks from this, 'Another Thought,' 'Sketches for World of Echo,' the WoE 2004 bonus tracks, and elsewhere... Not that I don't love them in their original compilation contexts--'Another Thought' especially, as the first Arthur Russell work I encountered in 2001. But seems like it belongs together...

in NYC for a little bit. i don't suppose anyone could get me into the archive on Monday? i don't think i can get a library card. hmm doh

played the new record on repeat on a redeye.. dreamy

i don't think you need a library card. you just need to register for a special collections account:

https://specialcollections.nypl.org/aeon/aeon.dll?Action=10&Form=31&Value=https://archives.nypl.org/mus/23272.xml

if it turns out you do need a library card, i could probably swing by.

I'll see how far i can get shortly! Cheers

of course. you *do* need to book an appointment in advance, so i would do that asap if you're hoping to view it monday. lmk if you need help!

made an account and hit them up 2 different ways. not real clear on the library card point but I put a request in. we'll see. thanks

you'd think at this point they'd be scraping through the dregs, i'm just amazed

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, June 23, 2023

it really is amazing, search upthread for the Resident Advisor podcast that has even MORE insanely great material that has still not been released, esp. Loose Joints stuff (may be a rights issue idk)

xp i looked into it and you do need a library card. sorry about that. however, you don't need to be a NY or US resident to apply for one.

https://legacycatalog.nypl.org/selfreg/patonsite

it says international applicants should fill out this form for pre-approval^

i think if you do that and bring an ID with you on the day it will probably be fine, but what time are you looking to get in? i could request an appointment as a failsafe.

Special Notes on Non-Resident (Visitor) Borrowers
Visitors from out-of-state or abroad are welcome to use the Library’s resources on-site. Non-residents may be issued a visitor's library card on-site,with a three month expiration date.
In order to qualify for a three month visitor account applicants must present photo id and proof of address (i.e. passport and utility bill) for their locality.

Went ahead and made an "imaginary follow-up to 'World of Echo' comp (with bonus tracks, as if I were going to burn it to CD-R and make bespoke packaging, as I would've back in 2003...)

Track list:

'Return to World of Echo' (1983-1987)

01. Another Thought (1985) ~
02. Boy With a Smile (1986) +
03. Just a Blip (1986) ~
04. Not Checking Up (1986) +
05. See Through Love (1986) ~
06. Telling No One (1986) +
07. Lucky Cloud (1984) ~
08. They and Their Friends (1983) #

09. Fuzzbuster #06 (1986) +
10. A Sudden Chill (1986) ~
11. Home Away From Home (1986) ~
12. Losing My Taste for the Night Life (1987) ~
13. Hollow Tree (1985) ~
14. In the Light of a Miracle (1986) +
15. Our Last Night Together (1986) *

Bonus:
16. Fuzzbuster #09 (1986) +
17. I Can't Hide (1984) >
18. Very Reason (1986) +
19. Picture of Bunny Rabbit (1986) +
20. Sunlit Water (1984) >

Drawn from:

* 'World of Echo' Bonus Track
~ 'Another Thought'
+ 'Picture of Bunny Rabbit'
# 'Corn'
> 'Sketches for World of Echo - June 25, 1984 Live at EIF'

"Sunlit Water" is so great

awesome thank you soundslike

thank you Deflatormouse. I'll see if they can sort me on short notice based on that, or whatever. I'm ostensibly participating in my wife's family reunion 😬 timetable pretty scattered

hey maffew, it looks like that dept is closed on Sundays so i guess it's too late for me to reserve the materials for tomorrow. feel free to reach out if my coming down there would help somehow or if you want to try for another day. i'm probably the person posting here regularly who lives closest to the site and isn't at work during library hours most weekdays. my dn at hotmail.

you'd think at this point they'd be scraping through the dregs, i'm just amazed

right?? it just boggles my mind as to how there's still absolute gold to be found.

some almost post-rocky type vibez in some places

and that version of in the light, unbelievable

yes, it is a phenonemenal version. i could easily go with an hour long version of Fuzzbuster #06

Crazy that it’s been almost 20 years since calling out of context, that disc was like a portal to previously unknown worlds

this is AOTY

last two tracks are astonishing. that's two 'In the Light of a/the Miracle's now that I adore