Red Hot doesn’t do things halfway. The AIDS awareness organization has put some absolutely stellar tribute albums, and draw in some serious talent every time they do. The latest musical legend to get the cover band treatment is New York’s own Arthur Russell.
Born in 1951, Arthur Russell lived through, and in part led, the development of American through the 1970’s and 80’s. Russell stretched the limits of the term avant garde, continuously challenging the norms of established music. His most successful work was in the realm of underground disco, where he was partly responsible for a handful of dance hits. However, most of his most ambitious work flew under the radar, thanks both to their unusual caste (one of his albums came with rhythmic shifts every 24 bars) and Russell’s difficulty in producing finished work. Russell died of AIDS-related illnesses in 1992, but several posthumous releases cemented his reputation as one of the era’s most innovative pioneers.
And now Red Hot is revisiting his work. Red Hot is a nonprofit, devoted to raising AIDS awareness through pop culture, and they’ve already released compilation albums of songs by Duke Ellington, Fela Kuti, and Cole Porter to promote their cause. Top-class musicians always seem to flock to the Red Hot banner, and it’s no different this time around, with Sufjan Stevens, Robyn, Hot Chip, and others signing on for a song. Check out Hot Chip’s cover of “Go Bang” below.
Red Hot + Arthur Russel
01 Jose Gonzalez: “This Is How We Walk On The Moon”
02 Lonnie Holley: “Soon-To-Be Innocent Fun (Interlude)”
03 Robyn: “Tell You”
04 Hot Chip: “Go Bang”
05 Sufjan Stevens: “A Little Lost”
06 Lonnie Holley: “In The Light Of The Miracle (Interlude)”
07 Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream, Sam Amidon, Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld: “Keeping Up”
08 Liam Finn, Ernie Brooks & Peter Zummo: “This Love Is Crying”
09 Rubblebucket & Nitemoves: “Eli”
10 The Revival Hour: “Hiding Your Present from You”
11 Sam Amidon: “Lucky Cloud”
12 Devendra Banhart: “Losing My Taste For The Night Life”
13 Phosphorescent: “You Can Make Me Feel Bad”
14 Blood Orange: “Is It All Over My Face & Tower Of Meaning”
15 Scissor Sisters: “That’s Us/Wild Combination”
16 VEGA INTL.: “Arm Around You”
17 Oh Mercy: “Planted A Thought”
18 Lonnie Holley: “Hop On Down (Interlude)”
19 Cults: “Being It”
20 Richard Reed Parry: “Just A Blip”
21 Glen Hansard: “I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face”
22 Thao & The Get Down Stay Down: “Nobody Wants A Lonely Heart”
23 The Autumn Defense: “Oh Fernanda Why”
24 Alexis Taylor: “Our Last Night Together”
25 Lonnie Holley: “The Deer In The Forest (Interlude)”
26 Redding Hunter: “Close My Eyes”
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