Dusted Features Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists determined by our favorite artists. This week: space electrorockers Stars as Eyes and Record Collection newcomer Mt. Egypt. Tweet

Listed: Stars as Eyes + Mt. Egypt

Stars as Eyes

Austin rockers Stars as Eyes made their debut with 2001's Freedom Rock, and followed soon afterwards with 2002's Enemy of Fun. Both albums found the duo exploring tones both guitar-based and digital, but in true Tigerbeat6 spirit, never really defining themselves as a "rock" act or an "electronic" act. Their newest release, Loud New Shit is a conscious push towards the electronic direction, as the band receives remixes from Knifehandchop and Mum, among others, as well as offering some new tunes that are as sharp as any of those from the back catalog. Loud New Shit is available now on Tigerbeat6 Records.

1. This Heat - Back in 1996 I was a freshman at a prominent art school in new england. It was here where I bought a copy of This Heat's Deceit. I couldn't believe it. Politics that weren't annoying and preachy/whiny. Industrial music that wasn't laughably macabre. "Sleep sleep sleep, go to sleep." That year is also notable for me having bought Squarepusher's "Feed Me Weird Things" and listening to it for the first time on headphones while lying on the floor of my parent's bathroom while home on winter break.

2. The Homosexuals' Record - Possibly the finest record I've ever heard. Everything I read about it makes it seem like the band hated each other, but it sounds like pure joy coming over my stereo. Jangly guitars, gang vocals, weird rhythms, abrupt starts and starts, it's got it all, and more. All the side projects are pretty rad too, George Harrasment, Ici La Bas, Sara Sara Goes Pop, etc.

3. Providence - From the bands to the beaches, I miss it dearly and will never live there ever again.

4. DJ/Rupture - Maybe in a few years I'll have the distance necessary to discuss this amazing document. In the meantime I just stare at my ceiling in slack jawed amazement.

5. Nikki Sudden / Jacobites - Specifically the song "Silver Street." The end of the song where it goes "Jodie, she's as pretty as your mother used to be. As pretty as mother used to be. Just as pretty as we used to be. We're just as pretty as we used to be. Just you and me." Wow!

6. Chrome - I once got into a discussion with someone who doesn't like our music, and gave us bad reviews on a popular music site. We e-mailed a few times and what it came down to was a fundamental difference with how we like our "real" and our "fake" instruments. He asked me if I liked Capitol-K, which I do, and he said that he doesn't, and furthermore he saw no place for "rock-style" guitar among electronic noises. He also mentioned something vaguely fascistic like "Pure Form." I asked him what he then thought about Chrome, and I never heard from him again. It's that scary.

7. Six Finger Satellite / Brainiac - Didn't they invent all this music that's cool right now?

8. The Office - Television at its most painfully hilarious and scarily poignant.

9. Kompakt - I mean, really, can there exist a top ten list during 2003 that doesn't mention Kompakt? What I really like though are those Kreisel 7"s from back when people actually bought records. Every week for a whole year it was like you got a new piece of candy, how sweet is that?

10. Kid606 - He's got the goods. You wish you did.

Mt. Egypt

Singer-songwriter Travis Graves first made his mark as a professional skateboarder, but after years of grinding away on the pro-circuit his other talents, musical ones, were discovered. Not long afterwards he was approached by LA imprint Record Collection, who have recently released his debut album Battening the Hatches, on which his influences - Neil Young, Will Oldham, Bright Eyes, (spelled out in this feature) ring through strongly.

1. Cass McCombs - A (Monitor) - This album is classy as hell, Cass has a way of making his songs sound 100 years old. It's difficult for me to find music coming out these days that connects me with my experience of being alive. This album does it for me. Cass McCombs is a genius.

2. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (Reprise) - This album is great after a nice strong cup of coffee and a loud stereo in a place you feel comfortable dancing/screaming/crying. What a hell of an album this is. Neil Young rips me into bits. I love you Neil.

3. Bob Dylan - Desire (Columbia) - You can't fuck with this album one bit. It's so beautiful with the lady playing the violin like a wild bird and Dylan's beautiful pictures he paints for you, and the tight ass drums. This one's good with a cup of coffee as well, perhaps a danish?

4. Palace Music - Lost Blues (Palace/Drag City) - I think it's called Lost Blues; it's the record with the black box on the cover and it just says "Palace Music" on the top of the record. This album is monumental to me. It has most of my favorite Will Oldham songs on it. "Horses" is devastating. If I had one record to listen to before my death it would be this one.

5. Cocteau Twins - Four Calendar Cafe (Capitol) - If you are ever lucky enough to be in love with someone you should do yourself a favor and make love with them whilst listening to this.

6. Brian Eno - Another Green World (EG) - Yeah man. Welcome to the world of Brian Eno. I think he invented ambient music. This record makes the walls breathe and helps you see how beautiful the leaves of the tree in front of your house look while the wind titillates them.

7. Songs: Ohia - The Magnolia Electric Co. (Secretly Candian) - This is his new one. It's a huge album. When it's on I feel like I'm watching the autumn moon rise as I lay on a hay bale in Dexter, Georgia when I was 9. Thank you Jason Molina for making your beautiful songs.

8. Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors (Saddle Creek) -0 Thank you Connor Oberst for making this tremendous record. During a sad winter of my existence I would drink tea until my nose turned crimson and blast this in my room to help me get out of bed and into my life.

9. Cat Power - Moon Pix (Matador) - "Cross Bones Style", what a great song and great record. I'm always trying to find things to help me get me amped to go skating. "Cross Bones Style" with 3 or 4 cups of tea will make one skate down the road at high speeds, with purpose. Thank you Chan.

10. The Smiths - Singles (Sire) - Bro. The older skater dudes would kick me down tapes of music to listen to when I was little and the Smiths were one of them. I love Morrissey. I would listen to the Smiths everynight while going to sleep when I was 10, with the dried eucaplyptus in my room and the windows open and my mom coming in the room one night all "Trav, What are you listening to?".

By Dusted Magazine

Read More View all articles by Dusted Magazine