PolymathWhile I appreciate Arthur Russell's pioneering disco singles for bringing some lyrical refinement to a crude genre, I've always been more enchanted by the Russell songs that meld his wisp of a voice with his deep-timbred cello. That somber combination always made me feel like Russell was letting the listener in on a heartbreaking secret.
From the sound of his version of "That's Us/Wild Combination," Joel Gibb (of the Hidden Cameras) agrees with me. He takes a Russell disco single and reimagines it as a more lo-fi offering. Gibb's voice doesn't quite convey the vulnerability that Russell's could. And his casual strumming on the guitar is not on the level of Russell's expertise on cello. But, in this incarnation, the lyrics shine and the celebration seems more meaningful than in the original.
Joel Gibb: That's Us/Wild Combination
from Four Songs By Arthur Russell, a neat compilation organized by and featuring Jens Lekman.
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