NEW RELEASES IN STORES THIS FRIDAY-JUNE 23
In 1986 Arthur Russell was diagnosed with HIV, that same year he released his career-defining masterpiece ‘World of Echo’, the first and only solo album issued during his lifetime.
Arthur had found his voice and a fresh direction with a set of new, transformative material, unlike anything he or anyone else had previously released. His illness ensured that the artistic growth and sense of exploration encapsulated in ‘World of Echo’ would be tragically curtailed. Within six short years Arthur was gone.
Arthur’s final years were filled with a renewed commitment to creativity and unceasing live and recording work. He regularly performed the ‘World of Echo’ material and incorporated several of its compositions in collaborations with choreographers active in New York’s innovative dance community. Arthur worked closely with Diane Madden, Allison Salzinger, Stephanie Woodard and John Bernd, usually playing his cello and effects boxes off stage as the choreographers’ pieces were performed. In 1993 Arthur posthumously received a prestigious Bessie Composer Award for his work in the dance world.
Picture of Bunny Rabbit’ features nine previously unreleased performances from this era compiled from completed masters culled from two unique test pressings, including one, dated 9/15/85 by Arthur, provided by his mother and sister. A further four tracks were discovered in his tape archive. The track listing includes an exceptional and dramatic solo recording of “In The Light of a Miracle” and the enigmatic title instrumental “Picture of Bunny Rabbit”, written especially for a friends pet rabbit. The bulk of the material was recorded with engineer Eric Liljestrand at Battery Sound Studios, New York, which was located directly opposite the World Trade Center and at Arthur’s apartment studio in the East Village.
- Fuzzbuster #10 / 02. Not Checking Up / 03. Telling No One / 04. Fuzzbuster #06 / 05. The Boy With a Smile / 06. Fuzzbuster #09 / 07. Very Reason / 08. Picture Of Bunny Rabbit / 09. In The Light Of A Miracle
Label: ROUGH TRADE – Get a taste here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovuL0uiX5MM
The album’s guest stars — First Aid Kit, Shovels & Rope, Scott McMicken, Neko Case, Jim James and others — enliven the album with surprises. Eight of the album’s ten songs are Ward originals, but there is also an unusual Bowie choice, “I Can’t Give Everything Away” from Blackstar, and a live rendition of Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist”.
‘Supernatural Thing’ is M. Ward’s first new music in three years, but in 2020 M. Ward released two albums. On April’s ‘Migration Stories’, Ward was inspired by the immigration journeys he’d heard from friends or read about in newspapers, as well as what his own grandfather had to go through when immigrating to the US from Mexico. For the December album ‘Think of Spring’ he covered classic Billie Holiday tunes, as she is an artist he’s greatly inspired by. “Instead of the small jazz bands or orchestration she relied on, M. Ward pares the songs to just his voice and guitars, making them sound even starker than they once did,” said Rolling Stone.
- lifeline / 02. too young to die (feat. first aid kit) / 03. supernatural thing / 04. new kerrang (feat. scott mcmicken) / 05. dedication hour (feat. neko case and gabriel kahane) / 06. i can’t give everything away (feat. jim james and kelly pratt) / 07. engine 5 (feat. first aid kit) / 08. mr. dixon (feat. shovels & rope) / 09. for good / 10. story of an artist
Label: ANTI- Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mMT7qxvVikR6_iQ_U5AVEwP3stsaQAqU8
It is the 30th anniversary of Bettie Serveert’s debut album, ‘Palomine’. Heralded in its original four-star review by Rolling Stone as “untamed and free as pop gets,” this 1993 classic will see its first pressing by Matador since the album’s original release on June 23rd on limited-edition translucent orange vinyl, accompanied by the “Brain-Tag” 7”, which was included with the original pressing.
“Looking back on recording the Palomine album, we were as green as grass,” say the band’s Carol van Dyk and Peter Visser, “but we loved music and most of all, we loved playing our own songs. When we started our band in the summer of ’91, we never had any ambitions, never thought about a ‘career’ in music, beyond maybe playing a gig to two. But then Matador Records responded to our 1st demo, offering us a record deal, which started the ball rolling and it changed our lives for ever! ‘Pal o’ mine’ will always be like a dear friend to us and even after 30 years, we still enjoy playing those songs.”Limited orange coloured vinyl.
A1. Leg / A2. Palomine / A3. Kid’s Allright / A4. Tom Boy / A5. Under The Surface / B1. Balentine / B2. This Thing Nowhere / B3. Healthy Sick / B4. Sundazed to The Core / B5. Palomine (small)
[‘Brain-Tag’ 7”] A1. Brain Tag / B1. Smile / B2. Get The Bird
Label: MATADOR – Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lekQnR4tpKOWd8sBb4HGdFf60Njz1UpKI
22 track double CD compilation tracing the journey to Sweet F.A.
The release contains eight previously unreleased versions and six unreleased songs from the Sweet F.A. sessions. It also contains a booklet with new comments from the band about the recordings and notes from historian Andrew Brooksbank.
[CD1] 01. The Fever (First Version) / 02. That’s Progress / 03. Sweet Lover Hangover (Edit)
- Bomber’s Moon / 05. Words of a Fool (First Version) / 06. Libido Talking / 07. Pearl (First Version) / 08. Shelf Life (First Version) / 09. Sad And Beautiful World (First Version) / 10. Returning / 11. Ritual Radio / 12. U. O. ME.
[CD2]01. The Glittering Darkness / 02. California (Have A Nice Apocalypse!) / 03. Butterfly / 04. Venus Child / 05. Here Come The Comedown (Rough Mix) / 06. Pick Yourself Up / 07. Sweet F. A. (Rough Mix) / 08. Sweet Lover Hangover (Remix) / 09. My Dark Twin / 10. Spanish Stroll
Label: BEGGARS BANQUET – Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ldBdxNPw-EZdZXiVToeVVx30Hhf288pTo
COMING NEXT WEEK…June 30th
KHRUANGBIN & NUBYA GARCIA
LIVE AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL LP
‘Live at Radio City Music Hall’ features performances by Nubya Garcia and Khruangbin.’
Khruangbin’s series of live LPs traces just one small slice of the band’s flight plan through the years: it’s a taste of some of their most beloved cities, stages and nights. Each release comes with a limited-edition unique album cover exclusive for the recording’s home turf’s a little something extra for the fans that bring a little something extra. Most of all, this series ignites both sides of the band’s magic: the warm, prismatic feeling of their albums and the bewitching energy of their performances.
A1. Nubya Garcia – Source / A2. Nubya Garcia – The Message Continues / A3. La cumbia me está llamando / B1. Khruangbin – So We Won’t Forget / B2. Khruangbin – The Infamous Bill / B3. Khruangbin – Pelota / B4. Khruangbin – Time (You and I)
Label: DEAD OCEANS
NEKO CASE
WILD CREATURES
The career retrospective album ‘Wild Creatures’ pulls together the high points of feral joy from over twenty years of solo work by Neko Case.
With a career spanning over twenty years, she has famously collaborated with The New Pornographers and Case/ Lang/ Veirs in addition to releasing many critically acclaimed solo albums, including ‘Fox Confessor Brings The Flood’, ‘Middle Cyclone’ and most recently 2018’s ‘Hell-On’.
Gathering power year after year, Neko sings with the fierce abandon of a newborn infant crying in a basket in the woods. Since escaping the labels of country and Americana, the gorgeous train-whistle vocals of her early career sit submerged in her later style, where their ghost can appear any minute. When her voice jumps an octave, it’s almost visible, like sparks at night. “I never knew where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do with my voice,” she says, “but I just wanted to do it so bad.”
Available on limited eco mix vinyl.
- I’m An Animal / 02. Lady Pilot / 03. Halls of Sarah / 04. Man / 05. Star Witness / 06. I Wish I Was the Moon / 07. The Next Time You Say “”Forever”” / 08. Favorite / 09. Hell-On / 10. Hold On, Hold On / 11. Polar Nettles / 12. Wild Creatures / 13. Furnace Room Lullaby / 14. A Widow’s Toast / 15. Deep Red Bells / 16. This Tornado Loves You / 17. Winnie / 18. Night Still Comes / 19. Maybe Sparrow / 20. Things That Scare Me / 21. The Tigers Have Spoken / 22. Set Out Running / 23. Oh, Shadowless
Label: ANTI-
