Arthur Russell - Open Vocal Phrases.... *Pre-Order

Release Date Friday 18th April 2025
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.

“Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come In and Out" offers an intimate unedited solo live performance recorded at Phill Niblock's Experimental Intermedia Foundation in Downtown NYC on 12/20/85.

Phill curated and produced with Arthur two concerts at EI that would become an integral part of the foundation for the final World of Echo album. Arthur titled this performance "Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come In and Out". This extraordinary performance was recorded by Steve Cellum and overseen by Phill and Arthur. Arthur would later edit sections from this performance merging it with studio material recorded at Battery Sound to finalize the World of Echo album released in 1986. 

"Some of it sounds so pure and clear and I am picturing him huddled around all that gear, simply magical. In my memory he didn't play "for" the audience but was rather trying to perfect these various permutations of sound within himself...and a few of us just happened to be present" - Tom Lee

2LP:

The double vinyl LP includes the complete nineteen minute plus version of Tower of Meaning/Rabbit’s Ear/Home Away along with the previously unreleased songs That’s The Very Reason, and Too Early to Tell. Side four includes two instrumental tracks from the previously unreleased in the UK “Sketches For World Of Echo” Changing Forest and Sunlit Water
(+ full colour insert and liner notes)

Tracklisting:
A1 - That’s The Very Reason

A2 - Tower Of Meaning/Rabbit’s Ear/Home Away From Home

B1 - Happy Ending

B2 - All-Boy All-Girl/Tiger Stripes/You Can’t Hold Me Down

C1 - Introductions

C2 - Hiding Your Present From You/School Bell

C3 - Too Early To Tell
 + from Sketches for World of Echo

D1 - Changing Forest

D2 - Sunlit Water

2CD:

"Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come In and Out"

Plus the complete "Sketches For World Of Echo" (originally published in 2020 as a cassette and DL) available for the first time on CD.

(Double CD digipack + full colour insert and liner notes.)

Tracklisting:
Disc One Sketches for World of Echo

Changing Forest
Let’s Go Swimming
They and Their Friends
Keeping Up
Make 1,2
I Take This Time
Losing My Taste For The Nightlife
I Can’t Hide You
The Boy with a Smile On His Face
Sunlit Water 

Disc Two Open Vocal Phrases Where Songs Come in and Out

That’s The Very Reason
Tower Of Meaning/Rabbit’s Ear/Home Away From Home
Happy Ending
All-Boy All-Girl/Tiger Stripes/You Can’t Hold Me Down
Introductions
Hiding Your Present From You/School Bell
Too Early To Tell

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