Unsure whether to shake, scream, laugh, or cry about this, but the long-awaited tribute album to the inimitable Arthur Russell, he of the immediately recognizable raw voice and untimely death of AIDS, has finally announced its lineup. Put together by AIDS activism group Red Hot Organization and Yep Roc, Master Mix: Red Hot + Arthur Russell will feature 26 tracks from more than 20 artists from various genres—including Lonnie Holley, Blood Orange, Sufjan Stevens and Hot Chip—and will span two CDs or three LPs. Master Mix will embrace and embody the endlessly faceted nature intrinsic to Russell’s body of work, without straying too far from the untouchably-original spirit of his songs. The album won’t be out until October 21st, but we’ll be using that time to read and reread this rare and heartbreaking Q&A with Tom Lee, Russell’s longtime partner, listening to "Wild Combination," quietly tearing up at our desks.
Track list:
1. Jose Gonzalez - "This Is How We Walk On The Moon"
2. Lonnie Holley - "Soon-To-Be Innocent Fun (Interlude)"
3. Robyn - "Tell You"
4. Hot Chip - "Go Bang"
5. Sufjan Stevens - "A Little Lost"
6. Lonnie Holley - "In The Light Of The Miracle (Interlude)"
7. Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream, Sam Amidon, Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld - "Keeping Up"
8. Liam Finn, Ernie Brooks & Peter Zummo - "This Love Is Crying"
9. 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"
