Picture of Bunny Rabbit

Picture of Bunny Rabbit is a 2023 compilation album representing some of the last studio session work by American experimental musician Arthur Russell. The album continues a series of archival releases from record label Audika,[2][3] with this collection containing recordings that were made for World of Echo[4] and has received positive reviews from critics.

Picture of Bunny Rabbit
Black and white photos of Russell on a blue background with the photos and background having drops of gold paint on them
Compilation album by
Arthur Russell
ReleasedJune 23, 2023 (2023-06-23)
Recorded1985–1986
StudioBattery Sound, New York City, New York, United States
GenreExperimental music[1]
Length38:00
LanguageEnglish
LabelAudika
Arthur Russell chronology
Iowa Dream
(2019)		 Picture of Bunny Rabbit
(2023)

Reception

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Picture of Bunny Rabbit received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 97 out of 100 from five critic scores.[5] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Fred Thomas writing that "Picture of Bunny Rabbit's continuance of that pure spirit is a gift to anyone with a special place in their heart for Russell, and even more evidence of just how peerless he was an artist".[6] Nick Roseblade of Clash Music gave this compilation a 9 out of 10, calling it "a beautiful album" that is a "sublime example" of Russell's musical genius.[7] In Exclaim!, Kaelen Bell made this her staff pick and writing "these opalescent, alien songs are as difficult to square as any in his awe-inspiring catalogue, shivering along streaks of cello and burbling pulses that scatter and circle like fireflies. But while they may be largely inscrutable, they're also endlessly beautiful and mind-meltingly singular."[8] Eamon Sweeney of The Irish Times gave Picture of Bunny Rabbit 4 quote of 5 stars, describing it as "another beautifully understated but bravely adventurous suite of songs and instrumentals".[9] Pitchfork Media's editors chose this as Best New Reissue of the week and critic Jayson Greene gave it a 9.0 out of 10, stating that "there’s something near-holy about overhearing Russell in this magic half-light again".[1] Editors of The Quietus chose this as Reissue of the Week and editors chose this as one of the best albums of June and July 2023;[10] critic Eden Tizard writing that with this release, it is "as if this singular, unfathomable place [of Russell's music] has become more vast, or perhaps that new depths have been uncovered".[11] In The Washington Post, Michael Andor Brodeur calls this, "a stunning specimen of Arthur at his Arthurest" and states that it continues the enigma of Russell as a person and musician.[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Arthur Russell.

  1. "Fuzzbuster #10" – 3:22
  2. "Not Checking Up" – 4:35
  3. "Telling No One" – 2:30
  4. "Fuzzbuster #06" – 2:33
  5. "The Boy with a Smile" – 4:00
  6. "Fuzzbuster #09" – 2:06
  7. "Very Reason" – 3:59
  8. "Picture of Bunny Rabbit" – 8:13
  9. "In the Light of a Miracle" – 6:42

Personnel
  • Arthur Russell – vocals, cello, keyboards, guitar, harmonica, echo, production
  • Steve Knutson – compilation production
  • Tom Lee – compilation production
  • Eric Liljestrand – engineer
  • Molly Smith – art direction, design
  • Timothy Stollenwerk – mastering at Stereophonic Mastering

See also

References
  1. Greene, Jayson (June 28, 2023). "Arthur Russell: Picture of Bunny Rabbit Album Review". Albums. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  2. Sherburne, Philip (June 21, 2023). "The Story Behind the Greatest Arthur Russell Compilation Yet". The Pitch. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  3. Brodeur, Michael Andor. "A new release of Arthur Russell's music only deepens its mystery". Arts & Entertainment. The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358.
  4. Hajdu, David (June 20, 2023). "Arthur Russell's Endless Reinventions". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  5. "Picture of Bunny Rabbit by Arthur Russell Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. n.d. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  6. Thomas, Fred (n.d.). "Arthur Russell – Picture of Bunny Rabbit". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  7. Roseblade, Nick (June 23, 2023). "Arthur Russell – A Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". Clash Music. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  8. Bell, Kaelen (July 3, 2023). "Exclaim!'s Staff Picks: Arthur Russell Retains His Enigma on Gorgeous 'Picture of Bunny Rabbit'". Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  9. Sweeney, Eamon. "Arthur Russell: Picture of Bunny Rabbit – A wonderfully beguiling introduction to an immortal artist". Music. The Irish Times. ISSN 0791-5144.
  10. Clarke, Patrick (July 28, 2023). "Music of the Month(s)". Quietus Charts. The Quietus. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  11. Tizard, Eden (June 23, 2023). "Reissue Of The Week: Arthur Russell's Picture Of Bunny Rabbit". The Quietus. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
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