Dinosaur L
"#5 (Go Bang)"
"#7 (Recorded Live at the Kitchen, 1979)"
Not that it takes much, but the trailer for the upcoming
Arthur Russell documentary got me onto an AR kick the other day, and I headed for Dinosaur L's
24-24 Music.
24-24 is thought by some to be the gem of Russell's dancier material, and it'll hopefully be reissued soon. The Francois K remix of its masterstroke "#5 (Go Bang)" kicks off 2004's
The World of Arthur Russell compilation, but I actually prefer
the 24-24 original (MP3). When I first heard
24-24, though, the standout for me was far more fleeting. The two-minute
"#7 (Recorded Live at the Kitchen, 1979)" (MP3) is a tantalizingly short slice of a session I hope is sitting in full in a vault somewhere. Russell's cello anchors a percussive horn-guitar groove that quickly recalls (or, I should say, previews) !!! and others. And, like much of Russell's music, I love it not only for its sound but also for the era of NYC it instantly evokes.
- rajeev, 12.14.06
I haven't completely forgotten about Love is All yet, but right now and maybe for good I am more passionate about another new Swedish band, Stockholm's South Ambulance. So while the good parts of LiA's Nine Times the Same Song satisfy the desire for anxious and angular pop, South Ambulance overpower me and win my loyalty with their jangly and richly melodic sound. 3Hive is on the money by adding Galaxie 500 to the list of comparable bands, which also includes Ride, Television Personalities, and House of Love.
