Rough Trade

“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

Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come in And Out & Sketches For World of Echo offers two intimate unedited Arthur Russell solo live performances recorded at Phill Niblock’s Experimental Intermedia Foundation in Downtown NYC on 12/20/85 and 06/25/84.

Phill curated and produced with Arthur both concerts at EI that would become part of the foundation for the World of Echo album. Arthur titled the performances “Sketches for World of Echo” (released on cassette/DL in 2020) and “Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come in and Out”. These extraordinary performances were recorded 18 months apart between 1984/85 by Steve Cellum and overseen by Phill and Arthur. Arthur would later edit sections from both concerts merging it with studio material recorded at Battery Sound to finalize the World of Echo album released in 1986.

OPEN VOCAL PHRASES WHERE SONGS COME IN AND OUT DOUBLE VINYL LP (AU-1028-1)

"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. Includes the previously unreleased tracks That’s the Very Reason, Too Early To Tell, and the complete nineteen minute + version of Tower of Meaning/Rabbit’s/Ear/Home Away From Home Side four includes two instrumental tracks from the previously unreleased in the UK “Sketches For World Of Echo” Changing Forest and Sunlit Water + full color insert and liner notes.

Tracklisting

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 * + from Sketches for World of Echo * Changing Forest * Sunlit Water

SKETCHES FOR WORLD OF ECHO/OPEN VOCAL PHRASES WHERE SONGS COME IN AND OUT DOUBLE CD (AU-1029-2)

"Open Vocal Phrases, Where Songs Come In and Out" plus the complete "Sketches For World Of Echo” (originally released on cassette in 2020 as a U.S. exclusive) now available for the first time on CD + full color insert and liner notes.

Disc One Sketches for World of Echo 6/25/84: 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 12/20/85: 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 *