Most of the Arthur Russell material (re)issued by Audika Records so far has been in the idiosyncratic chamber-pop mold (World of Echo and Calling Out of Context), with the recent First Thought Best Thought collecting the artist's orchestral works. In contrast, this CD contains material much closer in style to the "Mutant Disco" of Russell's classic Sleeping Bag 12" sides, packaging never-before-released avant-dance tracks alongside a DFA remix and a scattering of rare material.
"Springfield" was one of the last songs Russell recorded before his untimely passing, and in fact he never got the chance to fully mix the separate tracks. To remedy this situation, Audika enlisted the help of the DFA's Tim Goldsworthy and James Murphy, who did some posthumous guesswork and pieced together the song in the way Russell most likely intended. It certainly sounds like a Russell track through-and-through, from the oddly syncopated rhythm track to the peculiar use of echo, from the buoyant keyboards, trumpets and swathes of cello to the strangely hypnotic development of the song. The song is pure electro-disco dub as only Russell could envisage it, right down to the repetition of his oddly soulful, throaty vocals on bizarrely mundane lines like: "I have never been kissed/I can sit on metal steps." The song unfolds at a leisurely pace, a full eight-and-a-half minutes, undeliably groovy but also strangely obtuse and undanceable, just like the finest moments in Russell's disco catalog.
The DFA utilize an alternate vocal take for their remix of the track, eschewing some of inscrutable, primitive qualities obfuscating Russell's original, to create a track with cleaner edges and greater dancefloor appeal. In contrast to many of the DFA's best remixes, however, Arthur Russell's identity comes through loud and clear, despite the duo's considerable remixing efforts. It must simply be difficult to obscure Russell's unique signature sound, so the DFA opt instead to bring it into sharper focus, shedding layers of enigma and ending up with something even more infectious and monumental than the original.
The most fascinating moment on the remainder of this EP is "Corn #3," from the planned but never-released 1985 album Corn. The song combines Casiotone keyboard progressions with tribal rhythms, noisy cello scrapes and sampled water sounds, evoking an alien rain forest that seems inviting rather than hostile. Accounts by friends and associates note that Russell wanted his music to have a universal appeal and acceptance, which stands in contrast to the downright oddness of which he was capable, and yet one can hear such utopian aspirations in a track like this.
Also on this CD is an early version of "Let's Go Swimming" entitled "See My Brother, He's Jumping Out," which finds the track in a nascent form, not yet the sprawling, spacious masterpiece that it later became. "Hiding Your Present From You" is another alternate version of an affectionate pop song that also appeared on World of Echo as well as the iTunes-only Let's Go Swimming EP. Ditto the fantastic but grammatically awkward track "You Have Did the Right Thing When You Put That Skylight In," a paean to getting more sunlight in your house, which has previously appeared on a Wire Tapper compilation as well as on the aforementioned download-only EP. However, the track deserves to be heard again, as it is a masterpiece of what the Audika press release dubs "heavy metal cello," Russell using over-amplified, plugged-in cello to create a dense wall of shoe-gazy noise that sounds monolithic, but incongruous accompanying the conversational lyrics, Russell extolling the virtues of his friend Ernie Brooks' newly-installed skylight.
With the exception of the stunning DFA mix, this package is strictly fans-only, although for those who take the time to appreciate Russell's unique and alluring soundworld, this CD will further enhance the appreciation of just what a remarkable, versatile and talented songwriter and musician the guy really was.
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